MSI Press Blog

  The second edition of this unique book is coming soon. Watch for it! (Available on pre-order at  MSI Press webstore .) Book description: Diagnostic Assessment provides teachers of foreign-language students working at high levels of language proficiency with tools and techniques for determining gaps in students' knowledge and skills and with suggestions for tasks that can help students. The book is written by an experienced teacher, diagnostic assessor, proficiency tester, and tester trainer. The suggestions are based on work with literally hundreds of students in government language programs. For more posts about Bella and her book, click  HERE . Are you an author concerned about a load of phishing and scams that come your way and might be legitimate offers? Or conversely, do you want to make sure a legitimate offer is actually legitimate and good? Join the free  MSI Press discussion group  on January 11, 2025 as we examine how to tell the difference and explo...

  Today's excerpt comes from  Achieving Native-Like Second Language Proficiency  (Speaking) by Betty Lou Leaver. Factor 2: Onset of Language Learning        The younger the language learner when he or she begins study, the more likely that learner is to reach native and near-native levels of foreign language proficiency. So goes the convention wisdom—and the conventional folly. What the data from this study show is that learning foreign languages in elementary school years is a positive thing; however, it will not bring anyone to a Level 4 any faster than learning the language as an adult. Indeed, in some areas, given their greater cognitive development and already existing linguistic system(s), adult learners, hour for hour, are generally much more efficient learners than children. Researchers sometimes are “fooled” because children are much better at eliminating a foreign language than are adults, and they appear to learn more language faster si...