The basis for group discussion in an ESL class is learning English; requisites are interesting topics and stimulating questions. The authors suggest procedures to follow with background information and questioning to direct a lively and educational discussion. (CK)

Discusses statistical indication of decrease in students studying a second foreign language. Responses to a questionnaire sent out in 1973 to German teachers in the county of Yorkshire in an attempt to discover reasons for these statistics are analyzed and discussed. (RM)

In designing a foreign language curriculum, the needs and abilities of the students should be considered. Slow learners need mostly to be taught listening comprehension, while better learners should be taught good reading skills and have a good knowledge of "non-textbook" aspects of the language. (AG)

College students were presented with an artificial language in which spoken nonsense words were correlated with visual references. Inferences regarding vocabulary acquisition were drawn, and it was suggested that the processing of the language was mediated through a semantic memory system. (CK)

An experimental test consisting of dialogue with intermittent pauses for responses and a white noise accompaniment was given to non-English speakers who were candidates for admission to the English Department at Bar Ilan University in order to evaluate aural comprehension. Development of the test and results are reported. (RM)

The development of a course in music diction at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, is described. The course was established by the department of French and Italian at the request of the department of music. (RM)

A survey was made of 112 readers earmarked for students ranging from the beginning level in the secondary school to the intermediate level in college. The readers intended to be read by beginning and intermediate students are described, following a brief discussion of what reading involves. (Author/RM)

In this longitudinal study in which a second language was used as the sole or major medium of instruction, the experimental group performed as well as or better than the control groups with respect to language skills, academic skills and cognitive development. Pupils could also communicate effectively in their second language. (AG)

Eighty-three Test of English as a Foreign Language™ (TOEFL®) CBT writing prompts that were administered between July 1998 and August 2000 were examined in order to identify differences in scores that could be attributed to the response mode chosen by examinees (handwritten or word processed). Differences were examined statistically using…

John Dewey High School has initiated a program which hopes to compensate for a lack of interesting and relevant materials in Italian instruction. Programs such as independent study and open classroom, which emphasize active participation and individual needs, and which serve to broaden the ordinary classroom experience are described. (AM)

Discusses contemporary foreign-language teaching in China. The foreign languages taught, including Chinese dialects, are discussed, and observations of classes are reported. Teaching methods, textbooks used, and university curriculum are discussed. (RM)

A study of the language use of 45 transitional Spanish-English bilinguals focused on subject pronoun usage patterns evolving when the bilingual has acquired both a prodrop (Spanish) and a non-prodrop (English) language and frequently switches between them. Subjects were of Mexican, Cuban, and Puerto Rican background, and had not attained the…

A brief review of literature on English-as-a-Second-Language instruction and the new immigrants to North America, focuses on four broad topics: children, adults, literacy, and parent involvement. Topics addressed include (1) the social and educational needs of immigrant children; (2) the impact of resettlement; (3) adult language acquisition; (4)…

In January 1989 a survey of 300 U.S.-based multinational corporations was conducted, with two earlier studies forming a basis for comparison, to re-examine the foreign and second language and cross-cultural training needs of the companies. Existing policies pertaining to this training were also surveyed and the amount, types, and purposes of the…

Two recent developments in computer-assisted language learning (CALL), interactive video systems and "intelligent" games, are discussed. Under the first heading, systems combining the use of a computer and video disc player are described, and Compact Discs Interactive (CDI) and Digital Video Interactive (DVI) are reviewed. The…