Analyzes the extensive use of personal examples and stories in the academic essays of students who are nonnative speakers of English. Draws on a large database of college examination essays to compare the use of personal examples in essays written by native and nonnative speakers. Finds nonnative students not only use examples more often than…

Examines writing in Lithuanian, a language that has received little scholarly attention in the West and particularly the variety of Lithuanian used by the Lithuanian immigrant community in the United States. Examines articles from both Lithuanian and American Lithuanian newspapers to see how the written American variety differs from native norms…

Describes two key principles that are claimed to be at the core of teaching languages, according to the lexical approach. Discusses difficulties with the approach and suggests that there is still much work to be done before the approach can be more fully integrated into mainstream English language teaching instruction. (Author/VWL)

Reports the results of a study carried out with high intermediate/advanced English-as-a-Foreign-Language learners who completed two form-focused tasks--a dictogloss and a text reconstruction) collaboratively. Learners' interaction with both tasks was codified and language-related episodes were identified. Results are considered in the light of…

Shows that two key principles of communication (the Shared Knowledge Principle and the Economy Principle), which monitor the framing of all well-formed referring expressions, are manifest in a specialized mode in the framing of focal specific indefinite referring expressions. Suggests that the special features associated with this type of…

Reports on three empirical studies carried out within the theoretical framework of folk linguistics, using questionnaire data. Examines the layperson's reactions to the use of difficult and incomprehensible language. Subjects from Germany, Norway, Poland, and the United States were asked which professional language groups exhibit the use of…

Outlines recent concerns regarding a perceived decline in literacy standards in Australia, with reference to changing literacy abilities and standards in tertiary education. Summarizes and critiques current discussions on changes in literacy expectations and contemporary notions of literacy. Concludes with discussion of three important agents of…

Identifies problems of academic literacy in Australia and proposes a coordinated institutional approach to their solution. (Author/VWL)

Examines issues that have implications for pedagogical programs aimed at assisting student writers with the demands of English-speaking western academic traditions. Draws a distinction between academic researchers' writing and students writing, as well as between general and discipline specific writing. (Author/VWL)

Explores consequences of the social literacies model of understanding students' academic literacy practices at a South African University. Highlights paradoxes of this model in South Africa in terms of the particular demands of dominant literacy practices and past discriminatory policies that denied access to such practices and created alternative…

Argues that consideration of discipline and culture are complex and interrelated issue in academic writing and that this complexity and interrelationship can be seen at several different levels in specialized academic texts. Reviews research on contrastive rhetoric to investigate the impact of cultural and disciplinary factors on text construction…

Compares course requirements and student reading practices in a selection of units in business, engineering, health science, and social science and the findings challenge prevailing ideas of what constitutes tertiary literacy in Australian universities. (Author/VWL)

Argues that non-English language background (NELB) students' academic needs and potential difficulties are best understood by focusing on particular parameters of two key dimensions of their life experience: English language acquisition history and cultural experience. Using contrasting case studies from a university in Australia, illustrates how…

Offers biographical guidance on several major areas of conversation-analytic work--turn-taking, repair, and word selection--and indicates past or potential points of contact with applied linguistics. Also discusses areas of applied linguistic work. (Author/VWL)

Focuses on genre and its application in language teaching and learning. Suggests genre approaches have had an impact on how we understand discourse and transform literacy education in different contexts around the world. Describes studies on generic integrity and variation, and the ways that genres are seen as similar and different in terms of…