The age factor in language practices and attitudes: continuity and change in Ukraine's bilingualism

This article analyzes inter-cohort differences and intra-cohort changes in language proficiencies, use patterns and attitudes in a society undergoing a radical political and cultural transformation. My analysis focuses on Ukraine, a country with an asymmetrical bilingualism where the new independent state mildly promotes the titular language but the formerly dominant Russian maintains an active presence in most social domains and individual repertoires. While confirming earlier findings on the small scale of age differences, this study detects the end of the inter-cohort shift toward Russian. Another important finding is that the apparent continuity with a slow drift toward the titular language in Ukraine as a whole conceals two radically different developments in the two geographical “halves” of the country. The study demonstrates an advantage of combining a synchronic analysis of inter-cohort differences with a diachronic analysis of intra-cohort changes.     

高职英语的计算机和网络辅助教学模式研究

在实验对比研究中,发现计算机和网络辅助语言教学模式有利于提高实验组学生二语学习经验动机,降低其外语课堂焦虑和提高其接受性的英语语言技能,但对其学习策略运用水平的提高作用不显著。另外,计算机和网络辅助语言教学模式对实验组不同水平学生在动机,焦虑及策略运用上的影响也各不相同。为发挥基于计算机和网络在高职公共英语教学中的积极作用,应该建立利用计算机和网络技术促进高职公共英语教学的长效机制,有效提高语言自主学习策略训练效果,重视网络与常规课堂相结合,并积极从固定学习平台向移动学习平台转移。     

Attitudes of Omani early childhood preservice teachers toward bilingual early childhood education: Benefits,challenges, and solutions

Compared to earlier times, many Omani parents have become more enthusiastic about bilingual education for their young children. To fully understand and improve early bilingual education, it is critical to start with an inquiry into prospective practitioners' attitudes toward bilingualism in early education as they are the ones who will work in bilingual education programs. Therefore, this research investigated the attitudes of early childhood pre-service teachers in Oman, toward bilingual education during children's early years. The data were gathered using qualitative survey methods with a focus group and analyzed using thematic analysis. Hence, essential themes and sub-themes were extracted from the data and an exhaustive analysis of pre-service teachers' attitudes toward bilingual education in the early years was conducted. The findings revealed that participants tend to favor such programs. Although they believe there are a few challenges in the field, they reported possible solutions that are presented in this study. Implications are discussed and recommendations are made.     

“Forward to David the Builder!” Georgia's (re)turn to language-centered nationalism

After the Rose Revolution, President Saakashvili tried to move away from the exclusionary nationalism of the past, which had poisoned relations between Georgians and their Armenian and Azerbaijani compatriots. His government instead sought to foster an inclusionary nationalism, wherein belonging was contingent upon speaking the state language and all Georgian speakers, irrespective of origin, were to be equals. This article examines this nation-building project from a top-down and bottom-up lens. I first argue that state officials took rigorous steps to signal that Georgian-speaking minorities were part of the national fabric, but failed to abolish religious and historical barriers to their inclusion. I next utilize a large-scale, matched-guise experiment (n?=?792) to explore if adolescent Georgians ostracize Georgian-speaking minorities or embrace them as their peers. I find that the upcoming generation of Georgians harbor attitudes in line with Saakashvili's language-centered nationalism, and that current Georgian nationalism therefore is more inclusionary than previous research, or Georgia's tumultuous past, would lead us to believe.     

Pushing the Boundaries of Education: Evaluating the Impact of Second Step®: A Violence Prevention Curriculum with Psychosocial and Non-Cognitive Measures

The Second Step® violence prevention curriculum was implemented in a large urban school district as part of a comprehensive three-year initiative to impact students at-risk for violence and substance abuse. An outcome evaluation was conducted to assess the intervention's effectiveness on students’ attitudes and on behaviors important for accountability. Results indicated improvements in students’ prosocial attitudes and behaviors that were consistent across two large cohorts of students. Implications for theory and future research are discussed.     

民族语言文字诉讼原则的适用与完善

我国的三大诉讼法都确定了“民族语言文字诉讼”的原则,这一系列具有充分的法律依据。但在实践中这一原则并没有得到充分运用．文章分析了“民族语言文字诉讼”原则的重要意义和作用以及含义,并对这一原则的完善提出建议。     

二语习得中母语迁移现象对翻译能力的影响

语言迁移一直是应用语言学,二语习得和研究的中心问题。通过分析二语习得中的母语正负迁移现象,进而探讨其对翻译能力的积极和消极影响,这对有效提高翻译能力是可行且是必须的。     

现代技术背景下互动教学的可行性研究——以云南财经大学为例

本文首先介绍互动教学模式及其理论基础,结合作者在云南财经大学06、07级大学英语教改实践及效果,着重陈述其在教学实践中的应用及效果,论证现代技术背景下的互动教学可以有效地提高学生英语综合应用能力。     

跨文化交际中英汉礼貌语言的语用差异分析

由于东西方历史文化背景、地理环境和思维方式的不同,礼貌语言在表达上有很大的差异。本文从跨文化交际的角度,通过研究分析英汉礼貌语言的语用差异,说明在跨文化交际中正确使用礼貌语言和礼貌语言的语用差异研究的重要意义以及对外语教学的启示。