This practicum was designed to increase parent awareness of the importance of family play interaction and to foster parents' ability to demonstrate these playskills as a couple and within the family. Questionnaires and personal interviews confirmed the need for more information on the importance of play and of age-appropriate play skills. A…

This guide is designed for the Romanian language training of Peace Corps volunteers, focusing on skills and situations common in that context. It consists of 11 instructional units corresponding to 11 topics: greetings and farewells; new friends; food; moving around town; shopping; travel; telephone usage; people and characteristics; seasons;…

This study investigated the degree of communicative competence of 8-year-old (n=45) students in five Welsh language immersion programs or Welsh-medium schools, comparing the children's skills with those of 10 native Welsh-speaking children. All were asked to retell a story show previously on video, and to participate in a group discussion task. In…

The collection of essays on aspects of Vygotskian theory focuses on the theory's application to research on second language learning. Articles include: "Theoretical Framework: An Introduction to Vygotskian Perspectives on Second Language Research" (James P. Lantolf, Gabriela Appel); Collective Scaffolding in Second Language…

This guide is designed for the Arabic language training of Peace Corps volunteers serving in Tunisia and focuses on daily communication skills needed in that context. It contains 15 lessons, each made up of: a teacher's guide sheet, which outlines specific objectives, contents, and materials needed; a dialogue introducing the lesson's theme; a…

This manual is designed for the language training of Peace Corps volunteers serving in Samoa, and focuses on daily communication skills needed in that context. It consists of 48 lessons, which include targeted competencies, phrase and vocabulary lists, cultural and usage notes, notes on grammar, and exercises. Lesson topics include: the Samoan…

Conference papers on second language classrooms and culture are presented, including: "Intercultural Communication as Interpersonal Communication" (Kensaku Yoshida); "Classroom Cultures: East Meets West" (Dominic Cogan); "Laying Down the Law: Teachers' Use of Rules" (Gregory Bornmann); "Student Behavior: Whose…

Two distinct but related studies are reported, both investigating linguistically- and culturally-based communication problems between service providers and service seekers in Australia. The first examined language problems occurring in naturalistic situations involving a public servant and a client within three public agencies, the departments of…

This document presents the McREL Middle School Advisement Program, a program designed to provide middle school students with an environment in which they can adjust to new school responsibilities and grow and develop in positive ways. The program is organized into nine modules. Within modules are activities which consist of a Teacher Guide and,…

This study analyzed the discourse of electronic mail (e-mail) exchanges between students of English as a second language (ESL) and other ESL learners from other cultures and at varying proficiency levels (keypals), focusing on what these exchanges may reveal about learners' progress through the "Zone of Proximal Development," a…

Articles on speech and second language learning include: "Les sequences de correction en classe de langue seconde: evitement du 'non' explicite" ("Error Correction Sequences in Second Language Class: Avoidance of the Explicit 'No'") (Anne-Lise de Bosset); "Analyse hierarchique et fonctionnelle du discours: conversations…

Articles on speech acts and intercultural communication include: "Investigating the Production of Speech Act Sets" (Andrew Cohen); "Non-Native Refusals: A Methodological Perspective" (Noel Houck, Susan M. Gass); "Natural Speech Act Data versus Written Questionnaire Data: How Data Collection Method Affects Speech Act…

This report describes a 12-week practicum that was designed to decrease the number of special education referrals of at-risk kindergarten students for developmental delays in communication through a direct, in-class, social language program. The program was implemented in five kindergarten classrooms and used developmentally appropriate,…

This report is designed to assist state officials in identifying appropriate approaches and resources for meeting the legal requirements for child find and public awareness procedures for identifying children with disabilities. The reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires that the lead agency for Part H in each state…

The course in beginning-level Czech is designed for adult students and businesspersons needing to learn use of the language in everyday circumstances. It emphasizes speaking and listening skills and contextualized language, focusing on meaning over form. The materials consist of 44 instructional units on nine topics: first social contact; social…