This study explores the relationship between English and Japanese in bilingual children. The Bilingual Verbal Ability Tests (BVATs) were administered to 40 children of Japanese heritage and their mothers residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. All the subjects were either enrolled in bilingual programs in public elementary schools or attending…

Examines the morpho-syntax of task-based interaction and reports some possible grammatical consequences of interaction in split and shared information tasks undertaken by adult second language learners of English. Results indicate that communication tasks for language learning can be designed to influence the use of particular linguistic…

Investigates what can be learned about second language (L2) speech acts using English language multiple choice (MC) instruments and discourse completion tests (DCTs). The study focuses on the primary language (L1) responses of native speakers and the L2 responses given by speakers of Chinese to MC questionnaires and DCTs dealing with the…

Examines the English vowel productions of native speakers of Italian who immigrated to Canada between 2 and 23 years of age and of native English speakers from the same community. Findings reveal an increase in perceived accentedness on every vowel as a function of increasing age of arrival as well as high intelligibility scores for English vowels…

Reconsiders Ioup's (1984) claim that individuals can only use phonological clues in identifying the native language of English-as-a-Second-Language students. Results indicate that Ioup's claim does not give sufficient regard to some crucial considerations, including the potential of bilingual judges to detect characteristic structural errors of…

A study analyzed repetition in the discourse of students of Spanish as a second language working on a writing assignment in collaborative dyads (n=5). Results show the sociocultural and mental activity was mediated by repetition of both first- and second-language utterances, whose effect was to create and maintain a shared perspective of the task…

Presents a fully incremental model that accounts for attachment preferences by the linear order of lexical heads in the surface structure and their thematic properties. Discusses the principle of "parameterised head attachment" and a serial variant on the basis of three online experiments on noun phrase and prepositional phrase…

Investigates the institutions in Cheshire, England, where Spanish is taught. The method involves a survey by questionnaire of 16 Comprehensive schools, 3 VI Form Colleges, and 5 Colleges of Further Education. Of the 24 institutions sent questionnaires, 79% were returned and analyzed. Results are provided. (four references) (CK)

Examines strategies used by Hmong adults learning to read and write in their first language. Data collected through classroom observation and translation from Hmong research assistants identified cooperative learning behavior, learning through example, concern with explicit direction and reluctance to perform in front of others as predominant…

Discusses the use of "buddy journals" between pairs of native and nonnative English-speaking students to help develop the English literacy skills of both groups of students. Guidelines are provided for matching student pairs, evaluating student writing, and allowing for midcourse changes, as well as sample journal topics. (15 references) (MDM)

Studies the acquisition of timing control by Australians enrolled in first-year Japanese. Instrumental techniques are used to observe segment duration and pitch patterns in the speech production of learners and native speakers. Results indicate the learners can control timing, but their phonetic realization differs from that of native speakers.…

This study investigated whether 199 advanced nonnative speakers of English attending Ohio State University judged the appropriateness of speech acts of giving thanks in ways similar to those of native speakers. The results showed that speakers of Chinese, Indonesian, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, and Arabic ranked expressions of thanks differently…

Presents issues concerning traditional MBA programs and traditional liberal arts Japanese language programs and discusses the need to integrate the two disciplines; addresses the need for new instructional approaches, particularly the need for using authentic materials to develop practical language skills; discusses the value of integrating…

Describes a project in which 16 classroom teachers from seven different schools collaborated with researchers in an extensive investigation of book access and rereading. Discusses enhancing book access in school and at home, and enhanced book access at home with books and audiotapes. Shows how these school/home programs helped young…

A project used a concordancing program with a corpus of academic texts to introduce students unfamiliar with the language of academic discourse to some important, frequent, and significant items in English academic vocabulary. It has developed materials for classroom and independent use intended for native speakers as well as learners of English…