This study was originally constructed to examine effect of content-area reading on English-as-a-Second-Language writing proficiency but was restructured and extended because composition topics proved to be confounding factors. Although results of the study raise several issues, most significant are the influence of topic on the acquisition of ESL…

Discusses the possibility that many English-as-a-Second-Language learners who are viewed as poor language learners are in fact struggling because they have a learning disability. This article is a basic primer on learning disabilities. It describes classroom behaviors associated with several common learning problems, and the results of research…

There are relatively clear definitions of what is meant by authenticity in relation to language-teaching materials and texts; there is much less agreement about what constitutes authenticity of context and of task activity. Article explores different notions of authenticity in language classroom. A crucial point often overlooked is that the…

Field research consisting of direct observation and interviews conducted at a computer-assembly plant in Germany examines use of English as a "lingua franca" between Japanese and Germans. The case study reported looks at several interesting aspects of translingual and intercultural communication among Germans and Japanese, citing evidence of both…

Proposes that newspapers on CD-ROM can be used as effective resource for materials production in British or U.S. civilization and current-affairs courses and English-for-Specific-Purposes courses. Provides ideas for using newspaper articles as basis for materials design, language-learning exercises, project work, computer-assisted…

Discusses how English-as-a-Second-Language students are seeking help at U.S. college and university writing centers. This trend emphasizes the complementary role of the writing center and ESL writing instruction in improving ESL writing skills. Writing center and ESL writing pedagogy share process and collaborative approaches, which emphasize the…

Presents a generic model implemented for the past six years that has proven effective in structuring off-site (i.e., remote) training programs of short duration (three to eight weeks) for English-as-a-Foreign-Language teachers. (Author/JL)

Biologists at Center for Biological Research found ways to improve their scientific writing without benefit of an English-language program. By tapping Internet biology forums for comprehensible input, and using computer-assisted retention strategy to profit from error correction, writing improved. Scientific dialog on Internet has helped group…

Presents reasons why the development of a methodology for the description, analysis, and evaluation of second-language classroom interaction would be desirable. L2 classroom interaction is unique in that linguistic forms are the goal as well as the vehicle of instruction, and the linguistic patterns of interaction produced by learners are linked…

Chronicles English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) tutorial between a woman from Niger, whose first languages are French and Fulani, and her teacher, a native speaker of English. Highlights teaching issues, including identifying most useful focus for ESL instruction, gap between what teachers mean and students apprehend, and cross-cultural differences…

Reports on a survey conducted on TESL-L aimed at discovering whether English-as-a-Second-Language teachers have similar concepts of the process approach to writing or whether the concept has now evolved in different ways in different places. Survey results show teachers actually have strongly differing ideas as to what process writing is.…