In an effort to encourage the integration of writing as a communicative act in the second language classroom, information is presented about the purposes of writing in the second language classroom, types of writing tasks, proficiency levels in writing, writing activities, and writing evaluation. (Author/CB)

More foreign-language professors are stressing speaking rather than grammar in their courses. They are encouraging their students to talk as much as 90 percent of the time. At the heart of the new approach is the concept of "proficiency"--what the student can do with the language. (MLW)

A study investigated the effects of grading practices on the oral production and attitudes of high school students in first-year German courses. The effectiveness of structured situational practice activities on oral communication with and without grading were examined. Results indicated that there were differences in proficiency as related to…

Explores the attitudes of British secondary school teachers toward withdrawal and mainstream support as ways of helping bilingual pupils develop competence in English. Suggests that the results allow for envisaging an ideal classroom situation for teaching bilingual pupils. (KO)

Examination of the relationship between students' use of French and English in five classes at a bilingual university and their access to subject-matter knowledge and social networks found language brokerage to be an important process in two classes. The process of language brokerage, related research, and policy implications are discussed.…

A study of the Glendon Examination of Bilingual Competence included a survey of former candidates, students, and faculty regarding perceptions of test content and format and development and piloting of a new test. Issues arising in the research are discussed. The test and grading criteria are appended. (Author/MSE)

After 3-5 years in Canada, respondents to a study of 45 Southeast Asians aged 14-23 experienced some ongoing language barriers, low socioeconomic status, and friendship patterns that favored their own ethnic group. Adaptations included learning English, becoming familiar with the environment, and finding friends. Difficulties were encountered with…

Novice second-language learners can understand and benefit from authentic reading and listening language texts that are not typically introduced until students have intermediate or advanced language skills. Early exposure to such texts can help learners develop useful listening strategies for more complex tasks. (Author/CB)

No significant difference in final examination scores or student ratings was found for students taught by foreign and native Teaching Associates (TAs), when students' ability and TAs' teaching experience were held constant. A moderate positive correlation was found between the foreign TAs' English proficiency score and their students' examination…

In response to an earlier article on the effectiveness of French immersion, research on immersion, and the best second language teaching approaches for Canadian schools, it is argued that French immersion research has been misinterpreted and misrepresented and that the stated view on second-language teaching is an extreme one. (22 references) (MSE)

Responding to criticism of an article finding fault with research on French immersion instruction, the author of the first article chides researchers for their unwillingness to re-examine their theories in a new context. (24 references) (MSE)

A Manitoba program of linguistic improvement for French teachers is described. In the program, teachers focus on communicative skills, the reflection on the language's resources and constraints, varied activities, and activities that can be readily adapted for their own classrooms. (MSE)

Outlined are procedures used in a techniques class designed to develop communication skills in graduate students. The use of feedback in sessions, value of the class, student evaluations, and conclusions are explained. Tables include evaluation form, student opinion results, and mean scores on evaluation of major projects and assessment of the…

Describes the results of a survey that examined the demographics of U.S. and Canadian academic and research librarians. The findings discussed include age, sex, educational background, foreign language proficiency, and professional skills. The need to recruit a wider range of talents and expertise to the profession is also discussed. (CLB)

Classical test theory and correlational techniques such as factor analysis have been unable to deal with many language tests' measurement problems. The Partial Credit Model, a latent trait model for the analysis of data scored in ordered categories, is used to construct and analyze an oral interview test of English as a Second Language. (28…