This study compared the performance of college students completing an advanced-level German language course with that of high school-level candidates on the Advanced Placement (AP) German examination. Successful high school-level AP candidates demonstrated a language competency equal or superior to that of college students who received…

A study analyzed classroom interaction between language learners in the United States and France using international videoconferencing, focusing on the American learners' Zone of Proximal Development and the differences between learners' capabilities and native speakers' language use. A videotape of the teleconference was found useful in providing…

Written for student use in a variety of types of classrooms, this document covers these skill areas: learning from the media, using the telephone, making a speech, and conducting a meeting. The material addresses specific skill areas, but is flexible enough to meet student needs in both vocational and academic classes. Each unit, which covers one…

Basic linguistic concepts are presented and their links with second language learning and teaching are examined. The book is intended as a guide for teachers and others interested in second language instruction. Chapters address the following concepts: the relationship of language and linguistics, including basic terminology of discussion about…

The practicum reported was designed to improve listening and speaking skills of 30 (grades 7-11) learners of Arabic as a second language. The teacher/researcher used these classroom instructional strategies: introducing carefully selected dialectal vocabulary and language forms; concentrating only on oral skills; avoiding heavy introduction of…

Seven papers on topics of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction, language research, and applied linguistics are presented: "ESL Students and Common L2 Conversation-Making Expressions" (Eli Hinkel); "Thematic Options in Reporting Previous Research" (Sarah Thomas, Thomas Hawes); "Connected Speech Modifications in…

This document contains the final report, trainer handbook for volunteer tutor trainers, and idea book for volunteer tutors from a project conducted to develop a supplemental tutor training program and life skills curriculum specifically for developmentally disabled (DD) adult learners. The final report describes how a group of DD adult learners…

This guide is designed for use by instructors and tutors at the M. L. Sultan Technikon (South Africa) for teaching students of English as a Second Language or students from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. It provides assistance in teaching academic language and study skills in the context of course content. The underlying philosophy is…

A project in Thailand to develop domain-referenced English language tests for use with Thai secondary and college students is described. The first phase consisted of developing standardized tests for listening, speaking, reading, and writing based on existing syllabuses, determining the common levels of English proficiency in those domains, and…

Intended for educators and program planners, this guide provides program information and planning ideas for maximizing opportunities to increase the basic skills of undereducated children, youth, and adults. It is suitable for use by those with or without expertise in the basic skills areas of reading, math, writing, and oral communication.…

Teaching conversation will always pose a great challenge to the foreign language instructor. Even by the third year of language study, the typical time for this skill's development, students have neither the fluency nor the confidence necessary to speak easily. Also, since many are ill at ease in conversing in their native language, getting these…

The current status of the teaching of oral and aural skills in university French language courses in Great Britain is examined. A review of survey results finds that French teaching at the university level remains much as it was 20 to 30 years ago despite increasing calls for change, and that more serious attempts at change are found in Scottish…

Graduation competency test results of 27 Spanish-speaking high school students in grades 10-12 indicate that overall oral English proficiency is moderately to strongly correlated with test passage in all three areas tested: mathematics, reading, and writing. These results agree with previous research. However, despite the intuitive appeal of…

This collection of abstracts is part of a series providing continuing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 23 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) the rhetoric of scientific controversy; (2) Erving Goffman's interactional theory of communication conduct; (3) a phenomenology of feminism; (4) a…

Contributed by high school English teachers across the United States, the activities contained in this booklet are intended to promote the effective teaching of English and the language arts. Activities described in the first section of the booklet focus on language exploration--specifically examining variations in pronunciation, definition, and…