Current practices and materials for teaching English as a second language (ESL) contain oversimplifications about English based on the assumption of a uniform language type and standard of usage, presented to foreign learners for pedagogical clarity. ESL teachers may be aware of the language's diversity but are not prepared to provide…

Examines the nature of interlanguage as it affects second-language learning and teaching, focusing on the language transfer phenomenon, fossilization, how error analysis and error correction can be improved through understanding of interlanguage, native speaker norms, international varieties of English, and the contribution of interlanguage to…

Postcolonial African, Indian, and West Indian literature, written in varieties of English that reflect individual cultures, is a rich source of material for teaching about diversity in college courses. Careful selection of texts and attention to their placement in the course are important to their successful use. (MSE)

Different types of stress, rhythm, and intonation used by Nigerian speakers of English are analyzed, and lexical differences are discussed. Problems with vowels, consonants, and syllable structure are also covered. (SW)

The development and present status of "Chicano Calo," a mixture of Spanish and English spoken in Mexico and the Southwestern United States, is surveyed. Originally a Romany (Gypsy) language, it is preeminently oral and has become fashionable in most sociocultural strata, but particularly among younger males to reflect mild rebellion.…

The multitext approach to the teaching of English allows for more teacher control over course content, greater variety in subject matter, easier provision for individual differences, and less financial expenditure. (DD)

Ways that dictation helps students learn English as a Foreign Language are discussed. Varieties of dictation are included along with one teacher's experience using it in a Chinese university. (one reference) (LB)

The English spoken in India is too close to standard English to be characterized as a separate variety. Although phonological variations give English in India some regional flavors, they do not have any structural or semantic base and do not constitute a new language. Cultural differences have not caused English-language literature written in…

Offers a series of questions related to language usage, writing, spelling and punctuation, grammar, and language variety that provide a structure for introducing problem solving into the English teacher education curriculum. Considers problem solving as a means of giving students a sense of potential conflicts they might have to resolve. (RL)

The decision in the Netherlands to teach English as a second language to all students in grades five and six, by the regular class teacher, has implications for the selection of instructional approaches and materials. A clear preference for communication goals in language instruction has been shown in the Netherlands, suggesting a…

This book challenges current paradigms of literature instruction by making a strong case for teaching critical theory in high school literature classrooms. The book urges teachers to expand their theoretical repertoires. It argues for the importance of multiple perspectives in enabling students to better read and interpret literature, as well as…

Following a summary of research pertaining to the Montessori and Whole Language philosophies, this paper examines similarities between the two philosophies. Both philosophies are based on holistic learning, use cross-cultural materials, and stress the teacher's role as a facilitator within the classroom environment. The relationships of the…

Containing 13 essays selected from teachers at many levels and from specialists in various branches of the English profession, this journal issue provides English teachers with the opportunity to answer the many charges currently being levelled at education. The opening article highlights the issues raised by the report of the National Commission…

This book takes up issues of violence in the lives of college students and looks for possibilities of teaching composition as an act of peace making. Through a variety of writings, the book illustrates students' experiences on the city streets of New York and in the small mining and steel towns of western Pennsylvania. One section of the book…

This paper discusses how to create appropriate and well-planned learning activities for lower level, mostly adult, English-as-a-Second-Language students. The paper offers a step-by-step narrative on preparing a class to go to the computer lab, introducing them to and explaining the uses of basic computer components, and then leading them in a…