This article reports the views of 24 Chinese (People's Republic of China) teachers of English on the appropriateness and effectiveness of “Western” language‐teaching methods (here defined according to Canale & Swain, 1980) for use in Chinese situations. The Chinese teachers believed that the communicative approach was mainly applicable in China only for those students who planned to go to an English‐speaking country, and, as nonnative speakers, they noted their limitations with respect to the sociolinguistic and strategic competence in English that is required for using this approach effectively. The teachers also cited various constraints on implementing Western language‐teaching methods, including the context of the wider curriculum, traditional teaching methods, class sizes and schedules, resources and equipment, and the low status of teachers who teach communicative rather than analytic skills. An examination of these views in light of the context and theory of Western language teaching demonstrates that the Chinese teachers' concerns have considerable justification. Various suggestions are made as possible means of adapting Western language‐teaching methods to the situation in China.

Two approaches (quantitative and qualitative) are used to explore the topic of Canadian adult immigrants who are new users of English and who have little literacy experience. First, available statistics from a number of sources are used to provide an overview of this group. Second, a Toronto‐based case study is used as an example of the kind of qualitative study which is needed for a richer understanding of the issue at hand. The study explores the everyday uses that a group of Latin American adults have for reading and writing. The results suggest that literacy needs exist in both Spanish and English. The article concludes by drawing attention to the contradiction, on the one hand, of government commitments to immigration, multiculturalism, and training and, on the other hand, of the lack of appropriate services provided for the special needs of immigrants.

This paper investigates why over 50 workers who qualified for ESL training did not participate in the EWP programs offered on-site at two garment factories in Canada. Findings are drawn from a research project commissioned by Levi Strauss & Co. (Canada) in 1990. Results indicate that advertised programs, supervisor resistance, production and income anxiety, domestic and social pressure are more likely to lead to "dropout" than limitations in the programs per se. The authors conclude if an EWP program is to be effective, it must address not only the linguistic needs of the ESL workforce in a particular context, but its relationship to larger social and economic structures in the workplace and wider community.

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