The importance of collocations, i.e. idiosyncratic binary word co-occurrences in the context of second language learning has been repeatedly emphasized by scholars working in the field. Some went even so far as to argue that "vocabulary learning is collocation learning" (Hausmann, 1984, p. 395). Empirical studies confirm this…

The Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) at the Brigham Young University website has been used in the English as a Foreign language (EFL) classroom to help learners better understand how language works at different levels of analysis and also to develop their writing skills. However, it also allows learners to explore culture-related…

Facebook is, in most countries, a very popular Social Network Service (SNS). Since the launch of its service in Japan in 2008, it has been growing rapidly. As a platform for a link to the world, Facebook can also be used effectively for language learning in English as a foreign language (EFL) environments. The purpose of this project was to…

The 5th International Conference on Language, Literature and Culture has been hosted by Mehmet Akif Ersoy University (Burdur, Turkey), in cooperation with Çankaya University (Ankara, Turkey) and Süleyman Demirel University (Isparta, Turkey). Our main aim has been to provide a forum for discussion, to facilitate integration in these fields, and to…

Factors affecting the selection of ethnic American literature for use in English as second language classes are discussed. Literature is relevant to second language learning in that it illustrates sustained communication. In selecting literature it is tempting to select that which presents a favorable image of the host country. However, such…

One way of meeting the goals of the English composition course, both humanistic and pragmatic, is through a combination of individualized instruction and focus on selected aspects of linguistics. Individualized instruction, using in-class tutors and writing notebooks, allows for a variety of activities that make better use of the scheduled class…

The lack of knowledge about Canadian English by teachers of English in Canada is noted in this paper, and a rationale for the need to understand the sounds, syntax, word formation, vocabulary, and history of the language is developed. An approach to teaching a course in language that provides a mix of rigorous linguistic analysis and a more…

Black English Vernacular (BEV) is spoken in more or less pure form by many, if not most, of the inner-city students attending college under plans like open enrollment. In cities, most blacks, Puerto Ricans, and many other non-native speakers speak or can speak a form of BEV. The prevalence of BEV in elementary and secondary schools of the inner…

An applied research paper on how Canadian English differs from British and American English. Highlights ways for teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) to demonstrate these differences to their students. The notion of Canadian identity is also explored. A 3-item bibliography is included. (Contains 15 footnotes.)

This keynote address by a native Vietnamese speaker who did not learn English until he was college-age, through the now obsolete "grammar-translation" method, recounts his difficulties in learning to converse orally in English. He stresses the need to teach conversational English to English Language Learners (ELLs) in addition to…

This paper examines art, a discipline that bears striking parallels, and differences, in the way it is practiced and valued in the United States and Japan. In Japan, art is a valued part of the elementary curriculum warranting as much time as science and social studies. In the United States, art is generally thought of as something extra to do if…

This presentation provides teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) with an outline for a seven-session course entitled "Great American Films," which is designed to teach ESL students about cultural, universal, and personal values through the use of popular American films. The presentation contains: (1) a course syllabus; (2)…

A study measured the background knowledge of American culture of international students relative to American college students and the extent to which variations in context facilitate their ability to access or supplement this background knowledge. Subjects, three groups of students at Indiana University (27 international students, 28 American…

A project to develop English reading texts for Japanese college students is described. Goals were to develop materials that will: (1) give students information about the United States, (2) interest students in reading English, (3) help students improve their reading skills, and (4) expose students to a variety of literary forms. Fifty important…

Although the practical applications of language contribute to the development of language proficiency, United States schools have persevered in a formal language over a language-in-use emphasis in the language curriculum. A focus on gaining isolated language skills has led to a serious neglect of the social aspects of language. Public concern…