Discusses the use of intercultural e-mail via the Internet to provide language students with real audiences, authentic language experiences, and immediate feedback from native speakers. Highlights include examples from high school classes in Florida and Mexico City, task-based learning activities, and problems and possible solutions. (LRW)

Argues for increased participation by college language departments in teaching intercultural communication to international business students, discussing the insufficiency of language training alone, the lack of intercultural communication training among language faculty, the low priority given to such programs, and specific case examples and…

Central Missouri State University's Department of Modern Languages' summer study program uses such techniques as small group work, student journal-keeping, community contact, and independent travel to help students build language skills. Students' final grades are based on these criteria. (CB)

The goals of an intensive summer pilot project at Stanford University included (1) enabling beginning learners of Spanish to achieve one-year equivalent Spanish proficiency; (2) allowing teacher trainees to observe, critique, and practice foreign language lessons before embarking on their practicum; and (3) helping language-minority students to…

This report describes and evaluates the Chapter 1 Early Childhood Education Program used in three classrooms in the 1988-89 school year at Kenton School in North Portland (Oregon). Chapter 1 is the "Introduction." Chapter 2, "Description of the Program," includes the following topics: (1) organization of the program; (2)…

The 1982 American Indian Language Development Institute, sponsored by the Center of Indian Education and Bilingual Education Service Center at Arizona State University, provided training for eight Title VII projects during the summer of 1982. Training included developing an orthography for nine tribal languages, establishing each language as a…

The English spoken in India is too close to standard English to be characterized as a separate variety. Although phonological variations give English in India some regional flavors, they do not have any structural or semantic base and do not constitute a new language. Cultural differences have not caused English-language literature written in…

Discusses some of the processes children use in learning words and putting them into intelligible contexts. Describes some of the difficulties children can have when trying to learn new vocabulary. Briefly reports on efforts to use interactive video technology to enable children to access new words. (TW)

It is an undeniable fact that storytelling makes a remarkable contribution to the domains of child development at an early age since it is stated that storytelling is the original form of teaching. Firstly, the contributions and effects of storytelling techniques to the cultural, cognitive, linguistic, socio-emotional and psychological domains of…

A one-year course in which five languages were introduced in conjunction with the study of European and Arkansas state history is described. The course was designed to provide eighth grade students with a basis for deciding whether to study a foreign language. The main goal was to provide awareness of foreign language through conversation and the…

Learning a language is more than understanding grammar and being able to complete drills and exercises correctly. Other practice and activities which improve communications skills must be incorporated into language classrooms. (CB)

Foreign summer language programs offer many advantages to students, but students may only receive superficial contact with the host culture and language and may be motivated only by their wish to have a memorable experience abroad. Suggestions are presented to ensure academic validity of such programs in the areas of motivation, academic credit,…

An exploration of the effectivenes of college overseas study programs on improvement of foreign language skills addresses student motivation, academic expectations, curricular changes, language pledge requirements, communication with native speakers, and the purpose and image of study abroad programs. Suggestions are made for improving…

Writing for the BBC World Service "Short Story" Program provides English as a second language students with the necessary conditions for "authentic writing," namely authentic and communicative writing practice, encouragement of language acquisition, and improvement of the teacher student relationship. (CB)

The creative writing of English poetry by English as a second language college students helps them to: overcome initial psychological inhibitions to language learning; stimulate interest and involvement in study; develop a means of self-expression; and prepare for study in other areas. (Author/CB)