This is the third National Assessment report on the writing of children aged 9, 13, and 17, and young adults. The three exercises used in the writing assessment were: Age 9: The Forest Fire Exercise; Age 13: The Famous Person Exercise; and Age 17: The Famous Person Exercise. An exercise for young adults (Adults: The Commissioner Stroud Letter)…

Discusses the ways languages of Europe render the "given"-"new" distinction on the basis of data collected by means of presenting speakers of various languages with the task of reconstructing a route on a map. The article raises questions about the nature of "wh"-pronouns in English and about what is shared by these…

Conducted by doctoral students, the study analyzed 3-minute tapes of conversation between 16 Title VII first grade Mexican American students and teacher aides in the Weslaco Independent School District, Texas, to determine the percentage of standard vs. non-standard language, measure the percentage of code switching by aide, show the percentage of…

Teaching grammar for its own sake is largely counterproductive when the goal of instruction is to have students communicate spontaneously, fluently, and accurately in the target language. The ideal foreign language program is one providing the best possible environment for language acquisition to take place. Explicit teaching about the language…

Four historical studies, carried out under the direction of Professor Raven I. McDavid and reported in this monograph, trace the various attitudes toward language study expressed in the journals (1911-63) of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). For the years between 1911 and 1929, Betty Gawthrop reports a cautious questioning of the…

Teachers are urged to improve their teaching through the effective use of pattern drills by examining the construction and function of the drills. Forty-eight questions with answers elaborate upon generalities and technicalities of drill design and their classroom use. (RL)

This report of the first conference on foreign-language and language-teaching institutes, held in Bochum, Germany in 1970, contains articles on the following topics: (1) foreign-language education in the Soviet Union, (2) a working plan for programed Russian study, (3) foreign-language teaching and recent linguistic recommendations, (4) conditions…

Children's use of conjunctions was examined for linguistic complexity, developmental differences, and ethnic differences. Third, sixth, and ninth grade Anglo-American, Black, and Hispanic students completed sentence fragments ending in "and,""but,""because," and "even though." These conjunctions can be…

This book is intended for teachers who are familiar with the basic techniques of teaching a foreign language and who would profit by suggestions on helping learners acquire a general communicative ability, which would enable them to cope with everyday situations. The starting point is a discussion of a communicative view of language and language…

A historical perspective of French grammar is developed in this chronologically arranged reader. Part One includes material on French grammar from the 16th to the 19th century: (1) the "Premiere Epoque": 1530-1660, (2) the general grammar of Port-Royal, and (3) the "philosophical grammars" treating syntax, sentence structure, and discourse…

This book, the third publication in a monograph series on language study, examines principles, techniques, and procedures of teaching English as a second language. Serving as a handbook for teachers primarily in the Republic of the Philippines, the work combines both theory and practice. Chapters on presenting English structure, pattern practice…

This is the second to two volumes dealing with a comprehensive review of structural patterns in the Advanced Preparatory Course prepared by the Defense Language Institute. All essential grammatical structures introduced in the Basic Course are included in the 15 lessons. The purpose of the review is to stimulate recall and reinforce previously…

This workbook, designed for use with a set of tape recordings, presents the structural features and vocabulary contained in the first six units of the "German Basic Course" prepared by the Foreign Service Institute. Each unit follows a cycle that uses dialogue as the basis of the learning structure. The programed course requires about 80 hours to…

Discussion of eight major works relevant to a linguistic description of Puerto Rican English seeks to contribute to a more unified theory of bilingualism and second language acquisition. The author's observations on phonological, lexical and morphological, and syntactic implications are presented in an attempt to coordinate the theory. The works,…

Examines the variable realization of the third person singular present tense by learners of English as a Second Language at elementary and intermediate levels of proficiency in unplanned discourse in South Africa. (35 references) (Author/CK)