Demonstrates the use of a multivariate technique known as logit analysis, applying it to authentic data drawn from Juurakko (1996) which studies the influences of the source language and the target language on the use of prepositions in Finnish pupils' learner Swedish. The interlanguage data for the analysis consist of essays written in Swedish by…

This study sought to determine whether extroversion or introversion has anything to do with English-as-a-foreign-language learning and content-subject learning of Iranian non-English major postgraduates currently studying in the United Kingdom. Subjects were given the Persian form of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire twice and asked to report…

Reviews research into listening skills and processes, focusing on speech recognition, memory in processing, discourse comprehension, the challenge of accessing the listening process, the role of context and other factors influencing listening, and the relationship between listening and other language skills. Future directions in research are…

A review of research on second language (L2) speech looks at four issues of process and product: whether speech is different from writing; whether oral discourse patterns differ from one language to another; whether L2 speaker oral skills differ significantly from native speakers'; and how L2 speech develops. (MSE)

A review of research on reading in a second language (L2) looks at how theoretical perspectives in reading research differ and searches for bases for L2 instructional practice. It draws on two perspectives in first language research, one focusing on underlying reading ability and the other on the social context in which reading develops. (MSE)

A review of research on second-language writing looks at literature in four areas: research attempting to understand the norms and demands of writing; studies focusing on understanding students, their composing, and their texts; research on the functions of second-language writing instruction and classroom interaction between teacher and learner;…

Review of research on trends in teaching second-language listening focuses primarily on strategy instruction and a strategy-based approach but also refers to developments in terms of listening and "high-tech contexts," interactive listening, and academic listening. Classroom listening textbooks are discussed, with attention to the mismatch between…

A review of research on second-language speaking and its instruction focuses on (1) methodological issues concerning the form/function dichotomy and their implications for teacher and learner interaction; (2) the nature and scope of current teaching materials, particularly with regard to their representations of speaking interaction; and (3)…

Four approaches to the teaching of second language (L2) reading are described (grammar-translation, comprehension questions/exercises, skills and strategies, and extensive reading) and their status in the reading classroom is examined, and important issues in L2 reading are then discussed, including word recognition, affective and sociocultural…

A review of research on second-language writing instruction looks at four research approaches: the language and culture students bring with them to the classroom; contexts in which teaching/learning take place; the shape of the language curriculum; and academic writing and English for academic purposes. Attention is given to English as a Second…

This review of research on assessment of second-language listening abilities looks at some testing issues and challenges (assessing higher-level skills, confounding of skills, assessing listening in oral interaction, authenticity), discusses assessment methods and techniques (test administration, item formats), and considers potential applications…

This review of research on second-language oral testing outlines the nature of early research in interview-format proficiency testing, then reports on new directions in investigation of construct validity of interview-format and other oral skills tests through examination of examinee, interviewer, and rater performance. Research on empirically…

This review of research on testing of second-language reading addresses: general areas of interest in reading research, assessment; adaptation of a suitable first-language reading comprehension model for second-language assessment; reliance on a top-down model of reading comprehension; validity of multiple-choice reading comprehension tests;…

A review of research on the assessment of second-language writing focuses on these areas: critical variables in writing assessment; types of writing assessment scales (holistic and analytic); the scope of writing assessment (single-campus and large-scale), issues in use of portfolios for assessment (portfolio content, constraints); and the…

A review of literature on content-based second-language instruction, in both English and other second languages, describes the impact of content-based instruction on instructional, assessment, and teacher-training practices and examines its role as a setting for research and methodological innovation. It concludes with a discussion of ongoing…