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This article examines a study of seven learners who logged their experiences on the language leaning social networking site Livemocha over a period of three months. The features of the site are described and the likelihood of their future success is considered. The learners were introduced to the Social Networking Site (SNS) and asked to learn a language on the site. They were positive about two aspects of the site: the immediate peer-feedback available and the ability to converse synchronously and asynchronously with native speakers of their target language. However, there was universal criticism of the “word-list” based language learning materials and several participants complained about the regular cyber-flirting they encountered. Other aspects of the site including accessibility, ease of use, syllabus, activities, and relationships with other members are also considered. The potential for integrating some of the features of SNSs for language learning into the Higher Education (HE) curriculum and the implications of this for educators are also discussed.

This paper seeks to assess the potential for Social Networking Sites (SNSs) to play a role in language learning in the UK Higher Education (HE) sector. These sites are characterised by certain features including learning materials, synchronous and asynchronous video and text chat facilities, a peer review feature, and some sites also incorporate an award system, in the form of points (http://www.livemocha.com) or ‘berries’ (http://www.busuu.com). This serves to motivate participants by rewarding them for their progress and for their peer review activities. In order to consider if, or how, to integrate SNSs into the UK HE curriculum it is important to consider the views of practitioners and learners towards such sites and whether they consider them to have a potential role in HE language education. The paper will report on the outcomes of two small research projects which have sought to establish the view of both practitioners and students towards SNSs in the HE context. When considered overall the practitioners were more positive about the site than the learners.

The paper gives an overview of the development, deployment and evaluation of ImparApp, a location-based game to support teaching and learning of Italian Language. It draws on a project currently developed at Coventry University, which examines pervasive approaches to learning and exploits game-based techniques in contextualising language learning in a more active, innovative and engaging way.

The return of expropriated property to former owners is being met with resistance in parts of eastern Germany. BILLY BRICK reports from Dresden. Photos by IAN HOLLENDER.

* I much enjoyed [Irvine Welsh]'s article, but it is a shame that G2's cover image - a Scottish flag with bullet holes - got it so wrong. As Welsh wrote: \"Thankfully, Scotland's gun problem has not yet reached the same scale as London, Manchester or Dublin.\" In fact the trend is moving the other way. In the five years up to 2003, handgun crime fell by over 80% in Scotland. Welsh's article describes a knife culture, but your cover image gave quite the wrong impression - not least as regards the appropriate policies to address these issues.

Irvine Welsh hits the nail on the head, pointing out the underlying reasons for the levels of violence in Scotland (Scotland, capital of murder, G2, October 20). Many working class youths are condemned to a life of drugs and crime due to social deprivation and sectarianism. These problems also...