This paper describes the language training courses provided by the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) to government employees and their dependents, focusing on the use of experiential language learning and "bridging" classroom study to practical applications. Bridges are an important part of the FSI training program not only because they…

Seeks to promote more discriminating use of current language textbooks by attempting to isolate a general implicit goal in their development, by pointing out developmental issues awaiting resolution, either in theory or in practice, and by identifying assumptions about the desired role of teachers and students. (Author/DJD)

This book provides both a review of what has been discovered from earlier research and identifies trends and future directions for future research on learner contributions to language learning. The book has an introduction, a postscript, and eight chapters and includes the following: "Introduction: Conceptualization, affect, and action in…

In this article I discuss the emergence of practices of "hearing" in the midst of English language learning activities. I focus on listening activities during oral English lessons at two public high schools in Tokyo, Japan. One setting is a liberal arts high school. The other is a technical high school where students are trained in…

An examination of the role of the principle players in second language learning--teachers, students, and instructional material developers--offers insight into the field of language pedagogy during a period of rapid technological change. All are living in a technologically changing environment but are all affected in different ways. Materials…

Examines the arguments for a realignment of discourse roles (teacher/questioner and student/responder) in teaching, describes materials designed to bring about that shift, and discusses the effects of their use with English-as-a-Foreign-Language students. (17 references) (GLR)

Traces the role to be played by faculty and students of a language department that focuses on intercultural communication. Looks at ways in which the meanings and functions of cultures are examined in both programs, with special emphasis on the appropriateness of their curricula in the conditions of globalization. (Author/VWL)

Presents an approach to task-based second-language instruction that relies on class discussion as the departure point. After proposing that communication be viewed as the expression, interpretation, and negotiation of meaning, classroom practices are developed that reflect all three dimensions. Four discussion questions are transformed into…

Describes a model for language learning where an illustration treating the dialog under study is given to all students. One student acts as teacher in preparing questions and statements concerning the illustrations. The other students must answer the questions based on the dialog. The teacher oversees the student teacher. (PJM)

Examines the dynamic common to the English-as-a-Second-Language classroom in which the teacher takes from the student the burden of the next step in solving a problem, identifies four reasons this is inappropriate, looks at why teachers do it, and offers techniques for handling such situations. (MSE)

Introduces a "discovery process" method for teaching English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) speech communication. The method is designed to prepare ESL students for participation in the basic speech course as defined in the literature on first-language speech communication. (73 references) (JL)

Data from 41 English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers and 161 ESL students were analyzed to examine whether people from various cultures share similar expectations of teacher and student roles. Findings show that role expectations differed in a second-language learning context and outline differences among eight groups. Suggestions for the use…

The objective of this study is to identify potential sources contributing to any mismatch between teacher intention and learner interpretation by explaining learners' and teachers' perceptions of the nature, the goals, and the demands of selected language-learning tasks, and by analyzing classroom events. (three references) (JL)

It is proposed that while interest has focused on specialized professional vocabulary as an object of language instruction, the same vocabulary can be viewed as a tool for teaching. The exchange of concepts and terminology between student and teacher improves student understanding of the language and the problems of translation. (MSE)

Suggestions for using learner-generated instructional materials in language classrooms are offered. Five criteria serve as a basis for ideas: authenticity, relevance, satisfaction, immediacy, and completeness. Learner-generated materials solve the problems of lack of resources and lack of student motivation. (Contains seven references.) (LB)