This debate presents two viewpoints on mother tongue maintenance: (1) that all individuals have a fundamental right to education in their native tongue, and that multilingual societies should actively promote multilingualism for all individuals; and (2) that the multitude of languages and rapid economic development in many countries calls for…

This article discusses case studies of subjects labeled as learning disabled (LD) who have gained a degree of proficiency in a second language. The subjects' performance on written dictations, oral readings, and comprehension after oral and silent reading are compared qualitatively between their first and second language. (60 references) (JL)

Investigated how English-as-a-Second-Language (L2) readers used structural properties of a text to "fill in the gaps" in their mental representations and compared these with native English readers' recall protocols. L2 readers' structure-preserving recalls were higher than their meaning-preserving protocols. Results suggest that L2 readers used…

Examines the interactions of pairs of language students working with multimedia. Specific comparisons are made of the patterns of discourse of second-language English Speakers and native English speakers within a framework for analyzing the interactional dynamic that incorporates the ways that exchanges are shaped by constraints. The implications…

Argues that the importance of student exchange programs is often overlooked in the planning of translator training. Applies basic economic principles to show that such programs present excellent possibilities for translator training. (HB)

Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) need to address the cultural components of the language they are teaching, specifically the "unwritten" rules of time and space that are expressed in English. Techniques for addressing the sociolinguistic differences between English and students' native language are presented, focusing on…

Investigates whether reading instruction for adult English-as-a-Second-Language students should focus on fostering linguistic ability or on increasing background knowledge. Demonstrates that both linguistic knowledge and prior knowledge contribute significantly to reading comprehension. Argues that an integrative approach to reading instruction is…

Discusses the design and implementation of lexicons in computer-assisted language learning (CALL). Topics addressed include the dictionary's role in the learner's acquisition of vocabulary as opposed to its use as a reference tool; mental lexicons; electronic dictionaries; morphological processing; context sensitivity; layering information; and…

This study examined the linguistic experiences of Portuguese immigrant workers employed in a Toronto factory where Portuguese is used almost exclusively on the shop floor. It discusses why these workers often have negative attitudes toward the improvement of their English skills and what types language curriculum might be useful to immigrants…

This article examined the English language knowledge of four trainee English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) teachers, two who were native speakers of English and two who were nonnative speakers. An analysis of lesson-planning discussions found that the nonnative teachers had more developed and context-oriented models of language and learning than the…

Study of the use of a Portuguese speaking test to evaluate placement and gains in oral proficiency during a six-week summer study abroad program indicated that the test results augmented existing information for appropriate placement and had limited ability to measure language gains made during the summer study program. (11 references) (CB)

Describes how one second-language student gained the opportunity for oral practice in a formal classroom setting. The study, performed in a classroom that had virtually no contact with the target culture, involves observations of various displays of responses from initiations by the teacher and from the student. (46 references) (GLR)

Demonstrates that (1) second-language (L2) textbooks used in the L2 Spanish classroom, at the high school and college level, misrepresent the fundamental concept of dialects, and (2) the textbooks ignore certain important elements of dialects that would be beneficial to the L2 student as listener. (41 references) (GLR)

Shows how being part of a group of children interacting in a literate environment for one school year empowered a fourth grade Japanese student not only to improve dramatically his command of the English language but also to feel good about himself as he worked hard to do so. (MG)

Examines the problem of high attrition rates after the introductory compulsory year for students studying languages other than English (LOTEs) in Australian high schools. A quantitative study is described that determined students' intentions to continue with language studies in the following year. Implications for LOTE teaching are discussed. (51…