Abstract
In this article, the writer points out that research study has shown that cooperative learning environments are more conducive to English language learning than are other learning environments. The writer explains that, in other words, it is easier for students to learn the English language in a relaxed cooperative learning situation than in the formal classroom instructional environment. This work attempts to discover, through a qualitative review of literature and a qualitative method of applied case study through the instrument of the survey/questionnaire, to understand this phenomena in the acquisition of the English language by students in the school and classroom environment. The writer concludes that the cooperative classroom in English language learning has been shown to be effective in a student's acquisition of the English language.

Outline:
Introduction
Statement of Problem
Literature Review
Research Objectives
Hypothesis/Research Questions
Research Design
Assumptions and Limitations
Data Analysis (Questionnaire - Primary Data)
Limitations/Research Ethics
Conclusions

From the Paper
"It is assumed that the teachers in the survey know what cooperative learning actually is and that the teacher has used it consistently for at least one semester of the school year prior to the conduction of this study. It is further assumed that the students interviewed in this survey are not schooled in what cooperative learning actually is in terms of theoretical framework and case study research or techniques or methods of delivering instruction and that their view will be unclouded by this aspect of the learning environment. Limitations exist in this study in that there may be other varying factors that influence the acquisition of the English language, however this research proposal has attempted to allow for that in the instrument used for gathering data or the survey/questionnaire through asking relevant questions as to the home environment and other factors in the life of the student that might be the factor for more success in language acquisition in the school environment."

Tags:students, teachers, classroom, instruction

Abstract
This paper explains how ELL students (English language learners) have a higher potential to fail in school, particularly those from rural poor areas for many reasons. The paper examines what methods appear to work better for ELL to effectively acquire mastery of the English language. The paper researches this question and concludes that English language acquisition among rural students in the South Bronx is best facilitated through a community based learning methodology. Such a method is more likely to take into consideration the students' culture and familial background, which studies suggest are vital to English language acquisition in the classroom.

Contents:
Problem Statement
Research Question
Literature Review
Cooperative Learning
Hypothesis

From the Paper
"According to recent studies published by the National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education (2002) more and more students are entering the U.S. public school system with languages other than English as their primary language (Mohr 18). Rapid proficiency of the English language is often very difficult, though many schools tend to focus on this rather than focus on finding effective teaching strategies or the most appropriate instruction for ELL's (Mohr 18). It is vital that educators find ways to better instruct and support ELL's using "an invigorated approach" that maximizes language acquisitions and encourages strong commitment from teachers and students (Mohr 18)."

Tags:rural, culture, teaching

Abstract
This paper supports the hypothesis, based on preliminary literature research, that English language acquisition among urban students would be better facilitated through a community/collaborative based learning methodology, which is more likely to incorporate participative instruction, encourage collaboration in the classroom and include the use of technology, as opposed to traditional, linear methods. The paper points out that the subjects for this study were students from a South Bronx community school district, which is charachterized by lower incomes and is predominately Hispanic but also includes individuals with diverse ethnic heritages such as American Indian, Asian, African American and Caucasian. The paper relates that the design of this research study was (1) a random assignment of subjects, (2) within a two group pretest-posttest design and (3) with an untreated control group.

Table of Contents:
Statement of the Problem
Literature Review
Hypothesis
Method
Subjects
Instruments
Design
Assignment Summary
Procedure
Results
Discussion
Appendix 1: Directions for Administering the SOLOM
Appendix 2: Post Study Survey and Directions for Administering
Appendix 3: Table of Results

From the Paper
"There was also a limitation in regard to the instructor's observations of the students in an effort to complete the SOLOM matrix. The halo effect, or the individual biases of the instructor, may have biased their reporting of the language skills of students in either the pretest or the posttest. Additionally, the halo effect can bias observers from one category to the next. In other words, if an instructor rated a student particularly highly in reading comprehension, that instructor may also rate the student highly in other areas, even if the student is undeserving."

Tags:pre-posttest, solom, technology, participative

Abstract
The linguistics of second language acquisition is discussed from a North American point of view, i.e., the continual presence of newcomers who need to acquire a command of the English language. A research deficit is explained which relates to differing cultural origins and English L2 vocabulary acquisition.

Tags:second, language, acquisition

Abstract
This paper focuses on peer assisted learning strategies and how student attitudes affect performance in SLA. It critically evaluates five studies with a focus on how the research methodology might have been improved, what potential bias' researcher might have brought to the study, as well as the implications of the studies themselves. The articles are; "Negotiation for Meaning and Peer Assistance in Second Language Classrooms" by Pauline Foster and Amy Snyder-Ohta, "Impact of Classroom Dynamics on the Effectiveness of Recasts in Second Language Acquisition" by Frank Morris and Elaine Tarone, "Collaborative E-mail Exchange for Teaching Secondary ESL: A Case Study in Hong Kong" by Roseanne Greenfield, "Cooperation and Competition in a Korean Middle School English Class: A Case Study" by Lee Sung-Lim and "The Effects of Reciprocal Peer Tutoring on Graduate Student's Achievement, Test Anxiety, and Academic Self-Efficacy" by Bryan and Marlynn Griffin.

Outline
"Negotiation for Meaning and Peer Assistance in Second Language Classrooms"
"Impact of Classroom Dynamics on the Effectiveness of Recasts in Second Language Acquisition"
"Collaborative E-mail Exchange for Teaching Secondary ESL: A Case Study in Hong Kong"
"Cooperation and Competition in a Korean Middle School English Class: A Case Study"
"The Effects of Reciprocal Peer Tutoring on Graduate Student's Achievement, Test Anxiety, and Academic Self-Efficacy"
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Peer-assisted learning is an educational concept that has long been used to actively engage students in the knowledge acquisition process, and is known by a variety of names, such as collaborative learning, cooperative learning, collective learning, learning communities, peer teaching, peer learning, peer coaching, reciprocal learning, team learning, study circles, study groups, and work groups (adapted from Gross-Davis, 1993:http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/collaborative.html), which, though these terms are not interchangeable, share its most salient feature, peer-assisted knowledge acquisition, in contrast to individualistic study."

Tags:attitudes, circles, coaching, collaborative, collective, communities, cooperative, groups, peer, reciprocal, student, study, teaching, team, work

Abstract
This paper discusses methods and approaches to teaching English as a second language (ESL). It looks at the definitions of behaviorism, discusses the fundamental concepts underlying behaviorism and discusses how they are beneficial in teaching ESL. The paper then looks at other approaches to teaching ESL and some of the theories of second language acquisition.

From the Paper
"There are barriers to ESL learning, which can include motivation (or lack of it), self-confidence, anxiety or peer pressure, to name but a few.
"Krashen (1981) still believes that there is a value to a classroom environment, rather than an immersion environment when learning a second language. He feels that in cases where a student tries to learn from immersion alone, that there will be times when the input received (by listening to others) will be overwhelming and therefore incomprehensible. However, by using a mixture of classroom and immersion methods, the student is better able to make sense of the input received in the short term, classroom situation. Accordingly, the lessons learned in the classroom will then provide the framework for learning through immersion in a more casual situation outside of the classroom."

Tags:immersion, classroom, linguistics, environment

Abstract
This paper addresses the manner in which knowledge on first and second language acquisition and learning, can contribute to a better, effective teaching of second languages, taking the Malaysian native speaker into consideration.. According to the paper, research indicates that almost a quarter of the kindergarten through twelfth grade students in the United States cannot function academically in English, and thus have been termed "English Language Learners" (ELL).

From the Paper
"A 2001 study conducted by Hawkins investigated the effect of total language immersion as opposed to ESL pullout programs on the achievement of eighth grade immigrant students in a rural American school. The review of related literature supported the idea that total language immersion was more beneficial than ESL pullout programs for immigrant students who were mainstreamed into the American school system (Hawkins, 2001). In the study, two groups of students were given an essay pre-test in August. The experimental group was mainstreamed within the regular classroom population while the non-experimental group was pulled out of the regular classroom and instructed by the ESL teacher using a regular classroom teacher's lesson plans (Hawkins, 2001). Both groups of students were instructed at similar times of the day using the identical lessons and assignments. In December, both groups were tested using an essay post-test and graded the same way as the pre-test. The results of the study concluded that the total immersion was more effective in raising the written essay scores of the experimental group (Hawkins, 2001). "

Tags:native, S.D.A.I.E., classroom, tongue, teacher, student

Abstract
This paper examines Marcel Danesi's "Adesso! A Functional Introduction to Italian, Second Edition" in light of current theories in second language acquisition (SLA). The paper also analyzes how the text would function in a general classroom context. The paper relates that if "Adesso!" is evaluated in terms of meeting its stated objectives and in terms of the current theoretical models regarding SLA, then it clearly passes evaluation as a useful classroom textbook. The paper concludes that it can be highly recommended as a textbook for teaching Italian.

Outline:
Introduction
Organization Based on Interesting Topics and Cultural Contexts
Provide Activities for Students to Talk in Open-Ended Exercises
Inputs, Strategies and Tasks
Grammar and Vocabulary
The Question of Culture
Comparison of English and Italian Languages and Cultures
Opportunities for Further Exploration and Assessment
Cumulative Evaluation and Recommendation

From the Paper
"The organization of chapters and themes around their frequency of usage in everyday Italian speech is, admittedly, a rather arbitrary way of designing a text. After all, it is unclear how Danesi has determined what situations will be most frequent or functional. This being said, the range of everyday situations explored in the text is diverse and there is a level of progression through the text with succeeding chapters building upon, and referencing, previous ones."
"The text does contain some dialogues that allow students to converse with each other. These are sometimes open-ended, comprising of "interviews" in which one student may ask another student questions with no fixed answers (Danesi 82)."

Tags:teachers, students, grammar, vocabulary

Abstract
Based on a substantial amount of empirical research conducted on second language acquisition, it has been theorized that learners are best able to achieve the critical skill of learning a second language at some point fairly early in their maturational development. This claim is known as the "critical period hypothesis," which postulates that there is some maturational period for language learning that maximizes one's degree of proficiency in the language beyond that of other maturational periods. This study examines whether the critical period during which children are best able to learn English as a second language is before six years or age. To this end, the study compares the English proficiency levels of two groups of eighth grade ESL learners, a group that had begun to learn English before they were six years of age and a group that had begun to learn English after six years of age. Because the nature of language required in school is complex, a fairly complex assessment was made of English proficiency, namely English proficiency was assessed using the Quick-Start in English Written Language Assessment (QSE). The study shows that there are higher proficiency levels for those children who learned English before six than for those children who learned it after six years of age.

Table of Contents:
The Problem
Background
Problem Statement
Significance
Limitations
Null Hypothesis
Review of the Literature
Introduction
Critical Period Hypothesis and the Best Age of Second
Language Learning: The Pertinent Research
Conclusions
Subjects, Materials and Methods
The Setting
Subjects
Materials
Methods
Methods Used To Obtain Permission To Conduct Research
Data Gathering Methods
The Findings
Conclusions and Recommendations
References
Appendix A
Letter Mailed From Researcher to Supervisor
Appendix B
Letter From Supervisor
Appendix C
Letter Sent to Mark's Middle School Principal
Appendix D
Letter received from Mark's Middle School Principal

From the Paper
"While many claims have been made as to what precise age/age group constitutes the critical period, some recent research conducted in Germany, Doll (1996) stated that this critical period takes place during kindergarten or first grade. In other words, the period occurs sometime before the child is six years of age. What is interesting about Doll's findings is that they are in conflict with the majority of the earlier research in the area; this research tending to show that the critical period for effectively learning a second language is between the ages of eight and ten years (Bialystok, 1997)."

Tags:cognitive, development, vocabulary

Abstract
Examines the cognitive processes of Hispanic pre-school children to become bilingau in Spanish and English. Contends that the common language base of English and Spanish makes learning a second language earier for very young brains. The process of leanaing lauguage in human development. Relation of cognitive development to mastering a second language.

From the Paper
"This paper is an examination of the cognitive processes by which Hispanic pre-school children master their native language and then become bilingual in English. Acquiring a mastery of one language and then of a second language is an individual process, but it follows similar paths and uses the same distinct parts of the brain in each human being. Because Spanish and English have many semantic and syntactic similarities and because learning a second language is actually easier for very young brains, becoming bilingual at an early age is usually simpler for young children.

Learning to master the language of the surrounding environment is an essential process in human development. Brian MacWhinney (1998) observes, "Children learn language gradually and inductively, rather than abruptly and deductively" (p. 199)."