Presents a historical perspective of French immersion training programs in Canada. This overview shows that after a period of uncertainty, faculties of education are well prepared to provide immersion teachers with preservice and inservice education. The article maintains that teaching in immersion is in continuous evolution, and practicing…

Clarifies the teaching of academic language functions (ALFs) at the secondary level. It is recommended that teaching should emphasize concepts underlyng ALFs, the forms for realizing them, and their names. Some pedagogic implications of the microfunction-macrofunction difference are outlined, and suggestions are given for teaching each type. (25…

Focuses on the effect of using a second language in the classroom and the series of mental situations created in the listener in this environment. The second entry in this section discusses what is required in a student who listens to the news in a foreign language on a daily basis as presented by Radio Canada. (CK)

Saskatchewan's Japanese second-language curriculum for grades 10-12 are presented, including goals and objectives in speaking, listening, reading, and writing defined for each level. Curriculum design and structure are discussed briefly, and the importance of cultural awareness and evaluation procedures are emphasized. (Contains 19 references.)…

A York University (Ontario) project in which four French second-language teachers paired with peers for observation of their classroom techniques and interactions is described. It is concluded that this form of extensive peer- and self-evaluation is a powerful tool for understanding the complexity of language teaching and learning. (Contains 14…

Examines a kindergarten in which half the students are learning English as a second language. This ethnographic study describes communities in which two newcomer children participate peripherally; the identities, social practices, and resources available to newcomers; and the organization of each community's social structure, its power relations,…

Discusses research on English-as-Second-Language for the workplace, identifying gaps in existing literature and promising directions for new explorations. A qualitative study was conducted in one type of program for immigrant women and men in Western Canada seeking to become long-term resident care aides or home support workers. (Author/VWL)

Examines challenges faced by two Canadian francophone communities, one in Niagra Peninsula, and the other in the Simcoe region. Investigates how communities are affected by changes related to globalization and how the members of these two communities use their linguistic resources to adapt socially and professionally. (Author/VWL)

Examines how linguistic standard globalization in a call centre affects the value of bilingualism and the linguistic varieties of a francophone minority population. Bilingualism grants access to a job in the information and service sector, but since the emergence of linguistic standardization in this sector only a certain selection of individuals…

Describes a study carried out in a pre-apprenticeship job-training program held at a community college in central Canada, in which learners from a variety of language backgrounds were enrolled. Information was gathered on factors affecting progress in such programs through student questionnaires, interviews, and participant observation in the…

Addresses the challenges faced in developing a task-based language assessment instrument for adult immigrants in Canada that is accountable to the needs of diverse groups of stakeholders, including learners, teachers, and administrators. The test, the Canadian Language Benchmarks Assessment (CLBA), is designed to place adult newcomers in language…

A study of features of men's and women's English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) compositions (linguistic accuracy, readability, conformity to assignment guidelines) among a group of junior college students in Quebec found the two groups' writing of comparable linguistic quality. Superior marks received by women were found attributable to the way they…

Through interviews and direct observation, examined how 120 Toronto (Ontario) children understand and experience kindergarten in ten English first-language (L1) and ten French immersion second-language (L2) classes. Results indicate the similarities between the groups were greater than the differences, contradicting suggestions that L2 immersion…

A study analyzed the second-language essays of seven anglophone and one French-speaking Quebec university students enrolled in a literature course by using a cognitive-metacognitive framework developed for mathematical problem-solving and a think-aloud protocol. Results indicate the framework, with some adjustments, is a reliable tool for…

Examines verbal auxiliary selection in the speech of French immersion students. Examines variation in auxiliary selection in the oral discourse to determine to what extent it resembles that of native speakers. (Author/VWL)