In the following article the author presents a methodological framework for the teaching of intercomprehension. Competence in intercomprehension is seen as a realisation of the general human faculty for using and understanding language, which includes the ability to comprehend texts and utterances in "unfamiliar" languages. This competence can be…

The article starts from the premise that approaches to the teaching of English can only be assessed in the particular settings where they may be used. Cultures of learning, teachers' and students' beliefs and prevailing material conditions will all have a bearing on how a particular approach is received. In the case study reported on here, four…

A problem facing investigations of implicit and explicit learning is the lack of valid measures of second language implicit and explicit knowledge. This paper attempts to establish operational definitions of these two constructs and reports a psychometric study of a battery of tests designed to provide relatively independent measures of them.…

This article reports on a diary study conducted to explore third language acquisition in the immersion setting in Mexico as experienced by a bilingual Russian/English learner of Spanish who had recently immigrated to the USA from Russia. Language learning is approached as a socialization process that involves negotiation of meaning (Vygotsky,…

Constructing a data model for a problem area requires identifying and formulating some symbolic representation of the concepts involved, their characteristics, and the relationships between them. Taking a socio-cultural perspective on learning, analysis of classroom dialog is used to identify cognitive challenges met by novice students of data…

The Section of Education for Peace and Human Rights of the Division for the Promotion of Quality Education held an expert meeting on Intercultural Education from March 20-22, 2006 at UNESCO Headquarters, bringing together international experts from Australia, Bolivia, Egypt, Finland, Hungary, Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa and the…

Defining metalinguistic awareness as the ability to reflect on and manipulate the structural features of language, this article examines the hypothesis that the metalinguistic demands of learning to read are shaped by the structure of a language and its associated writing system. The article examines the relationship between phonemic awareness and…

This paper presents a preliminary investigation of the psycholinguistic abilities of first-year undergraduate student learners of French. In particular, it reports on the construction and use of a battery of tests of metalinguistic knowledge, language aptitude, grammatical accuracy in French, and French linguistic proficiency, and explores the…

This study investigated the development of oral metalinguistic abilities in 140 children (ages 5-12) with oral language or reading impairments. The study focused on determining the difficulties that children with these different types of problems have at different ages in the elementary school years and determining how metalinguistic abilities…

Intended for teachers in Tasmania, this booklet discusses the role of parents and the home in language development as an integral and important part of a school's language program. The booklet suggests that schools need to determine the best way to communicate to parents: how important parents are to the early development of children's language;…

Examines the effectiveness of computer-assisted metalinguistic instruction for teaching complex grammatical structures such as Japanese particles. Fourteen students enrolled in second-year university-level Japanese participated in the study. Results indicate that the students use two strategies to assign a particle in a sentence: they either…

Examined student attitudes toward a 10-week "taster" course in Hindi offered in a language awareness program at a Coventry, England, secondary school. It was found that the course stimulated enthusiasm for language learning and provided students with a greater understanding of Indian culture. (one references) (MDM)

Francophone learners of English as a foreign language performed metalingual and preference tasks requiring them to utilize second-language knowledge brought to mind under an aural priming activity or a written task. Results indicate important differences between recall with awareness and recall without awareness, which strongly suggests a positive…

Supports the primacy of standard language usage in higher education, arguing that common communication and comprehension bind together a pluralistic culture. Contends individual student success and equality also are promoted by standard language usage. Calls for research into academic failure among minorities. Suggests standardization need not…

Reviews the Initial Teacher Training National Curriculum for Primary English, which specifies what students who are intending to become primary school teachers must be taught about the English language. It also discusses two other key policy texts: the "National Curriculum for English" for primary school pupils, and the "National…