A questionnaire was designed to elicit what adult learners disliked most about learning English. Seven dislikes were identified, including the following: textbooks in English only, role plays, drills, textbooks with no reading material or with artificial texts, homework, inflexible teachers, and audiotapes. (Author/VWL)

This article argues that children in a particular virtual community are learning through their participation in the discursive and social practices of the community. Using Wenger's model of "communities of practice" the article illuminates examples of children's learning that were a direct result of collaboration towards a common goal.…

This paper reports on the first stage of a project to develop and test the use of massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPGs) for promoting computer supported collaborative learning through instructional gaming in the high school classroom. Teachers and students of English and Science at Swan View Senior High School, Western…

Teaching future knowledge engineers, the necessary skills for designing and implementing intelligent software solutions required by business, industry and research today, is a very tall order. These skills are not easily taught in traditional undergraduate computer science lectures; nor are the practical experiences easily reinforced in laboratory…

The aim of this study is to analyse the possible effects of Age of Onset (AO), Cognitive Maturity (Age at Testing--AT) and Amount of Exposure (AE) on the productive vocabularies of learners of English as a Foreign Language (FL). Three groups of bilingual Catalan/Spanish students were tested towards the end of Secondary Education. The groups…

A discussion of teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) focuses on principles and techniques for the development of one form of communicative competence, i.e., sociolinguistic competence. First, the concept of sociolinguistic competence is explained, drawing on research in this area. Sources of problems in development of second language…

Designed to create an awareness of health problems among children in Third World settings, the board game uses simulation and role playing to help participants identify the symptoms and consequences of six childhood diseases preventable by vaccination: measles, whooping cough, tetanus, diphtheria, polio, and tuberculosis. The game also helps…

A study was designed to develop a number of tests of oral proficiency and to compare those tests with the existing, highly subjective testing method used at the end of secondary school in Israel. The study used four experimental tests: the oral interview, role playing, reporting task, and group discussion. The experimental tests were analyzed for…

This study examines the influence of a role-taking training program on role-taking, altruism and competition in children. During a 12-week period (30 minutes a day, four days a week) 96 3- to 9-year-old children were enrolled in a social perspective-taking training program at school. A control group of 96 subjects attended a regular school…

The article describes a group counseling program in Manchester (England) to prepare physically handicapped adolescents for leaving the school environment. Weekly group sessions led by a social worker and classroom teacher focused on social and life skills training, including such components as student selection of session content, role play, and…

In this lesson, students work as marketing teams hired by a U.S. fast food company to study the feasibility of selling fast food in Latin America. Teams are composed of cultural, production, marketing, and advertising experts. Each marketing team will investigate a product and a Latin American country. Teams will present their research and…

Explores the introduction of new teacher training methods at the University of Budapest (Hungary), particularly in the use of role-play to make language learning more student-centered and interactive. Discusses teaching English as a second language in secondary schools and reports perceptions of role-play activity based on interviews with trainee…

Investigates the ability of 269 Canadian male and female undergraduates, with comparable fear of negative evaluation, to give and receive criticism. Using role playing, in vivo, and self-reported criticism behaviors, finds no significant differences across gender. Reports the hypothesis that women would devalue their criticism skills on…

Discusses the challenges of making a grade 12 law course come alive. Suggests using oral simulation work such as mock trials, moot courts, and adversarial debates. Illustrates the use of the "Grade A Contract" to keep students on task and promote skill support, and presents an outline of a moot court enactment. (LS)

Presents a lesson plan about case studies of the environmental disasters of Minamata, Japan and Love Canal, New York. Compares how the legal cases were handled in two constitutional democracies. Provides six handouts that include maps, role descriptions for simulations, and student readings. (CFR)