Suchergebnisse

For three decades theoretical linguistics has had little impact on language teaching, although sociolinguistics has been employed in curriculum design and test construction. Applied linguistics has been eclectic and has seldom applied pure linguistic research. Theoretical linguists, for their part, have not encouraged attempts to apply their results. Theory and practice were separated largely because the theoretical results were so tentative. However, recent theoretical advances suggest important applications for linguistic theory in foreign language teaching and in the testing of proficiency. The acquisition of a nonnative language is probably subject to biological constraints that are closely related to those factors that guide and control first language acquisition. Methodology and test construction must allow for this. Research must determine precisely what the factors are and how they interact. Theoretical linguists interested in such research should be included in interdisciplinary teams working on foreign language learning and testing.

The Finnish government offers various educational programs to aid immigrants — currently 5.2 % of the population — in language acquisition and cultural assimilation, but the efficiency of these programs in improving high-skilled immigrants' job opportunities has been questioned. This study uncovers what impedes the high-skilled immigrants' transition from intermediate level to advanced level language skills, and explores future instructional design solutions, with a qualitative study including textbook authors, instructors, and learners. Findings report that current teaching materials with too heavy emphasis on grammar, and instructors' too strict teaching styles overrule what intermediate level learners need the most: comprehensible/communicative input optimal to the learner's current level, professional vocabulary, practical conversation skills, and cultural knowledge. For this, we suggest new approaches: teaching materials with low cognitive loads and effective visual design, adaptive- interactive text for personalized comprehension lessons, participatory storytelling platforms for personalized topics, and involving the whole community as a learning environment for more practice opportunities.

The international school market continues to grow at a rapid pace, and a considerable amount of growth is taking place in East Asia. With the majority of international school enrollment being local students, care should be taken when developing or restructuring the second language acquisition (SLA) instructional model employed in the school. The purpose of this study was to explore the current use and preference of SLA instructional models in international schools in East Asia. The researchers further sought to explore the difference in preference of SLA instructional models between administrators and teachers. This quantitative exploratory survey-based study had 543 participants, all of whom were active administrators and teachers in international schools in East Asia. The main findings of the study revealed that there are differences between implemented and preferred SLA instructional models in international schools in East Asia. Additional findings include the frequency of SLA instructional model implementation and that there was no statistically significant difference in SLA instructional model preference between administrators and teachers. Findings from this study can allow stakeholders and policymakers to understand current practices and potential future shifts in SLA instructional models in international schools in East Asia.

The preponderance of minimal second language acquisition by immigrants worldwide is striking. This paper proposes a theoretical model, which analyzes the underlying forces that contribute to this outcome of minimal secondary language acquisition by immigrants in such diverse immigrant-receiving countries as Canada, Germany, Israel and the United States. It is argued that the weak incentive structures for second language acquisition for an immigrant appear in four analytically separate spheres including the labour market, political, social, and education spheres. Furthermore, two integration regimes are imposed in these spheres – no government interference, or government-mandated minimum language acquisition after arrival. In all cases and in all spheres, it is argued that, for the majority of immigrants, the weakest level of second language acquisition – minimum oral and minimum written – is the optimal outcome given their incentive structure. In addition, the labour market is the primary determinant of this outcome. Finally, several policy measures to increase the incentives for further second language acquisition are explored.

The preponderance of minimal second language acquisition by immigrants worldwide is striking. This paper proposes a theoretical model, which analyzes the underlying forces that contribute to this outcome of minimal secondary language acquisition by immigrants in such diverse immigrant-receiving countries as Canada, Germany, Israel and the United States. It is argued that the weak incentive structures for second language acquisition for an immigrant appear in four analytically separate spheres including the labour market, political, social, and education spheres. Furthermore, two integration regimes are imposed in these spheres - no government interference, or government-mandated minimum language acquisition after arrival. In all cases and in all spheres, it is argued that, for the majority of immigrants, the weakest level of second language acquisition - minimum oral and minimum written - is the optimal outcome given their incentive structure. In addition, the labour market is the primary determinant of this outcome. Finally, several policy measures to increase the incentives for further second language acquisition are explored.

Drama as a teaching medium seems to be a solution for working with students not only on linguistic progress but also on developing their emotional potential. It helps to develop students' emotional and social competences which are extremely important in second language acquisition. This article focuses on using drama as a medium of working with children in a bilingual nursery in Poland. It describes the project based on the action research taken in Poland.