Discusses a foreign-language-reading approach through which students are exposed to various books that they self-select and discuss in literature circles, noting 49 college students' reactions to the approach in a French language class. Student surveys indicated that the method had a positive impact on their reading comprehension and attitudes,…

Investigated how regular group discussion promotes reflective thinking. The study focused on three experienced English-as-a-Foreign-Language learners in South Korea who came together in weekly meetings to reflect on their work. Implications for the use of teacher-development groups as a means to promote critical reflection are discussed.…

Current research on language learning makes many claims about the potential benefits of small group work in L2 classrooms. With the relatively recent emphasis on students' perspectives, there is now a growing number of investigations that focus on learners' beliefs about the language classroom. In this study, 21 students and their teachers…

Summaries of six language-related research projects are presented from Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Topics include English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) textbook evaluation, translatability of Filipino texts, group discussions in Thai junior colleges, bilingual language, and children's reading development. (LB)

The establishment and direction of discussion groups, using tapes as a reference and vocabulary guide, in a sixth-grade class having a previous preparation of two years of daily French instruction are described. Grouping by fluency, choice of group leaders, and the discovery of problems and solutions through the eyes of group leaders are also…

A description of exercises originally designed for foreign children in the French educational system. A detailed lesson on reading a picture is given, involving brainstorming, classification of information, a listing of details and a possible interpretation. The exercises might be adapted to French foreign language instruction. (Text is in…

Discusses various class activities conducive to second-language learning. These include working on a legal document, group singing, a presentation on environmental pollution resulting from plastic bags, and listening to a tape on an organization and then posing and answering questions regarding dealings with that group. (CK)

Focuses on two major applications of authentic materials: developing learners' language skills and orienting learners to the application of these skills in possible subsequent activities in the outside world. The article describes experiences in selecting and using authentic materials and in designing and evaluating tasks illustrating such…

An innovative use of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) is described. A university-based computer network used for real-time, synchronous discussion in intermediate Portuguese and elementary French classes provides a unique environment for student-student and student-teacher interaction. (11 references) (Author/LB)

Discusses the use of "talk" to prepare students for reading; as an instrument for learning and thinking; and as an instrument for social and emotional growth. A taped discussion is presented: seven girls who speak five different languages discuss a story they have read. (EJS)

In this article, we examine the construction of word meaning by students during collaborative activities in a multicultural classroom at a Dutch primary school. The analysis is based on recordings of student talk in small groups of four or five students during mathematics lessons. Difficulties with specific terms and expressions frequently arose…

This paper discusses the frequency of use and the reasons for non-use of the online component of a course developed in "Blackboard 9", one popular learning management system (LMS) in tertiary education. The study particularly focuses on the three tools in the LMS: Groupwork tool, Downloadable quiz and Discussion forum. These tools were…

Internet-mediated intercultural discussions have been adopted for intercultural and second-language learning. However, the notion of community development in this context has received less attention. This study employs exchange structure (ES) analysis (Stubbs, M. (1983). "Discourse analysis." Oxford: Basil Blackwell) to investigate the…

When faced with having to assign a grade to a student's oral proficiency in a small group discussion, how can teachers consistently evaluate each student? Because a student's adeptness at a foreign language can vary from one ability to another, it is unfair to evaluate his or her performance solely by grammatical and lexical accuracy or by any…

Describes the use of a local area network for synchronous, real-time communication in a second language using a facilitating software package, the Daedalus Integrated Writing Environment, composed of modules to enhance process writing in English. Describes five modules adapted for use in French as a second language classes: InterChange, Invent,…