Part of a larger project on ethnolinguistic vitality and bilingual development, this study compares anglophones and francophones on their linguistic contacts in French and English, linguistic proficiency, vitality beliefs, ethnolinguistic identities, and social language use. The assimilation process is attributed to low schooling and…

A 1987 experimental study at the Singapore Institute of Education on rhetorical organization tested the findings of a 1984 American study. The finding that English-as-a-Second-Language readers with different native languages showed different recall patterns for the various rhetorical organizations is not confirmed in the Singapore study. (Contains…

Considers how the contributions of the proficiency movement and modern critical theory can be used to deal with literature in language and literature programs. In particular, the discussion looks at the possibility of applying some of the basic ideas and tools of proficiency-oriented language instruction to the way students work with literature.…

Discusses the Rhode Island School for the Deaf's use of Matthew Lipman's Philosophy for Children Program, focusing on how the relationship of philosophy and logic to language structure affect such instruction with deaf students and providing some suggestions for effective instruction. (32 references) (CB)

Investigates whether three cognitive components of language proficiency--metalinguistic awareness of symbol, syntax, and ambiguity--are associated with students' success in learning algebraic notation. Reports that very few students with low metalinguistic awareness scores achieved high algebra scores in a total sample of more than 1500 students.…

Discusses the role of metalinguistic awareness in multilinguals within the framework of a systems-theoretic approach to multilingual proficiency. Data from trilingual adults on their use of certain problem-solving behavior in think-aloud protocols during the academic writing process are shown to provide evidence of certain processes taking place…

Suggests that performance tests as currently represented in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)-Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) may not adequately address the basic concerns brought about by the perceived shortcomings of academic second language programs. Supports this argument with a critical analysis of the ACTFL…

A study of 151 bilingual Hispanic students aged 12-18 found that both English proficiency and Spanish proficiency were significantly related to academic achievement (standardized test scores and, to a lesser extent, grade point average). Among Spanish skills, written language had the strongest relationship to academic success. Contains 39…

U.S. foreign language education encompasses many languages, cultures, and perspectives. The ACTFL "Proficiency Guidelines" and National Standards/Assessments provide common measures and goals that enhance students' language progress as they enter higher education. NCATE Teacher certification guidelines and organizational communication…

Introduces a comprehensive inventory of the communication strategies of adult English-as-a-foreign-language learners at the lexical level. Comments on the influence of the proficiency factor.(Author/VWL)

This article explores 46 deaf college students' knowledge of English wh-question formation in the context of government-binding theory and an associated learnability theory. Results of two learnability tasks revealed that, despite years of exposure to English language input, many deaf learners had not internalized the positive evidence required to…

Presents a qualitative analysis of one aspect of interviewer-candidate interaction, i.e., the types of linguistic and interfactional support that the native speaker interlocutor provides to the nonnative speaker candidate in a one-on-one interview. Results indicate there are eight types of interlocutor support, a positive finding. (63 references)…

In response to a previous article (Bialystok) on perspectives on the development of applied linguistics, this article begins by adding its own perspectives to what has already been offered. The article concludes by discussing the research agenda for the future. (Author/JL)

Examines 1990 Census data for a large sample of the Hispanic-origin population in the Southwest, exploring two possible indices of language maintenance--Spanish home language claiming and English proficiency--as these are influenced by nativity, time, and age of immigration, citizenship status of the foreign born, education, and income.…

Explores the effect on pair-task performance of test-takers' familiarity with their partner. Japanese learners performed a series of tasks, once with a friend and again with a person who was not familiar to them. Results support findings in the literature that suggest learners vary their language when interacting with familiar or unfamiliar…