Distinguishes among three aspects of idiomatic meaning: the general meaning, more specific aspects, and connotative aspects. The results of an informal experimental study indicate that the cognitive semantic view can facilitate the learning of idioms for nonnative speakers. (45 references) (Author/CK)

Over the past decade, the concept of "community" has been at the center of reform in literacy education. Most literacy educators agree that community-oriented environments are critical for students' literacy learning, yet many have difficulty building these communities in multicultural and multilingual classrooms. In this article we draw upon the…

The paper discusses a blended learning concept for a university teacher training course for prospective teachers of English. The concept aims at purposeful learning using different methods and activities, various traditional and electronic media, learning spaces covering contact and distance learning, and task-based learning modules that begin…

The experience of one group engaged in classroom research is recounted, focusing on the variety of uses to which the results were put. The report begins with an overview of classroom research principles, then describes the project in question. The researchers were seven teachers of English as a Second Language at the University of Hong Kong who…

A study examined four exemplary elementary schools that have successfully implemented language development programs for limited-English-proficient (LEP) students as part of a school-wide restructuring effort. The schools are: Del Norte Heights Elementary (El Paso, Texas); Hollibrook Elementary (Houston, Texas); Linda Vista Elementary (San Diego,…

The Massachusetts Workplace Education Initiative (MWEI) was begun in 1985 as an inter-agency effort to bring adult basic education and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction directly into workplaces throughout the state. The impetus for the program was a concern for large numbers of workers who did not have the skills necessary to compete…

Proceedings of a seminar on English second language teaching (ELT) in technical assistance programs, focusing on elements that contribute to program continuance, are presented in the form of summaries of presentations and case studies. Topics include: the effects of the training provided on the sustainability of the training projects themselves;…

A study examined the acquisition of negation in English as a Second Language in a 4-year-old Salvadoran girl, a native speaker of Spanish. Specifically, the study looked for evidence of language transfer in bilingual acquisition and the direction of that transfer (Spanish to English, English to Spanish). Over 5 months, spontaneous speech (55…

A discussion of bilingualism and second language learning distinguishes three types of bilingualism, namely, compound, coordinate, and sub-coordinate. A compound bilingual is an individual who learns two languages in the same environment so that he/she acquires one notion with two verbal expressions. A coordinate bilingual acquires the two…

This study investigated the strategies used by three students in each of two college-level online writing classes, first-year composition for native speakers of English (NS) and first-year composition for speakers of English as a Second Language (ESL). Every paper written and reviewed with fellow students, every draft, and every peer critique was…

A study analyzed actual use of one type of utterance, the request, at service counters at Southern Illinois University and compared the findings to the request forms found in four commercially available English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) textbooks that emphasize communicative competence. It also compared the requests of native and non-native…

Articles in this special issue include the following: "Learning to Write in a Second Language: Two Decades of Research" (Alister Cumming); "Some Steps Towards a Socio-Cognitive Interpretation of Second Language Composition Processes" (Julio Delarios Roca, Liz Murphy Liz); "Trends in the Conceptualizations of Second Language Composing Strategies: A…

The experiences of five California school districts in implementing English immersion instruction for all limited-English-speaking students are described and compared. The districts range from populous urban settings to small, isolated rural communities. The first part of the report profiles the five districts, and the second part sets forth three…

Essays on the language and literacy of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners, intended for teachers of limited-English-speakers in the mainstream classroom, include: "School Success for Secondary English Learners" (Yvonne Freeman, David Freeman); "The Everyday Surprise: Nourishing Literacy" (Carole Urzua); "Cross-Age Tutoring and ESOL…

The collection of essays on the relationship between English literacy and indigenous education, particularly in the Australian context, includes: "Double Power" (Mandawuy Yunupingu); "History, Cultural Diversity & English Language Teaching" (Martin Nakata); "Scaffolding Reading and Writing for Indigenous Children in…