The learning approaches of secondary students were studied for 495 eighth-, tenth- and twelfth-grade students in Singapore. The focus was on determining: (1) the dominant approach used by students in learning different academic subjects (English, Chinese, mathematics, and science); (2) the motive-strategy consequence in learning these different…

A study investigated the role of attitudes and motivation in second language learning by administering a semantic differential measure to college students studying Spanish in three different tracks (linguistic, cultural, and bilingual, or native-speaker). The student's track was determined by grades and language experience. Findings suggest that…

In this book, the authors document experiences that indicate that the open classroom -- the community itself -- constitutes distinct advantages over standard concepts. Using many actual cases, the authors show how students facing the realities of life -- particularly in urban areas -- provide their own and satisfactory answers to problems.…

This paper discusses the influence of home and school environments on learning in children. Studies are cited which support the hypothesis that the home environment is the major predictor of school achievement. These studies deal with "status" variables such as father's occupation and education, mother's education, and social and…

In educational and training environments, teachers assign their students independent research tasks that require locating, gathering, synthesizing, and summarizing information from one or more information resources containing large, and sometimes overwhelming, amounts of information. This study explored the information location and use activities,…

Motivation for returning to higher education was assessed for 117 adult female college graduates with children and 118 students who had withdrawn before graduation. Motivation was found related to previous education, age, marital status, life cycle stage, employment satisfaction, family support. Interrupters and persisters were generally similar;…

The purpose of this study was to identify cognitive and non-cognitive variables that will predict a student's ability to achieve success in the lowest level developmental mathematics course at San Jacinto College. The study examined the ability of cognitive variables (standardized entrance examinations, high school grade point average, and type of…

A Canadian study of student orientation (integrative, instrumental, or other) and its relationship to second language learning motivation and sociocultural factors in the learning environment is discussed. The study compared the orientations and stated reasons for studying a second language of over 800 grade 11 students with data on three…

The El Paso (Texas) Independent School District's district-wide program in majority-language (English) immersion is examined to determine the source of its success. The program's similarities to and differences from the Canadian immersion model are explored. The program's superior results in comparison with the same district's transitional…

Based on a long-term comparative ethnographic study in two Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) public schools, the study reported here describes what two teachers do to create successful learning contexts for the biliterate development of linguistic minority children in their classes. Two classrooms situated in contrasting community, program, and language…

This article reports an investigation into the factors that facilitate language learning. The first strand examines whether motivation is a predictor of as is widely accepted. In order to confirm this, Grade 10 students' motivation level was measured using two questions. Language gains were also measured and compared with the motivation level. The…

An observer's views of open-informal education and its central issues are presented in view of increasing interest in opening up classroom procedures and activities. The problems in defining Open Education are noted, but, in general, the events, relationships, activities and materials in the classroom are seen as being neither standardized nor…

The present study examines the possible effects of bilinguality on third language learning among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners with a focus on reading comprehension proficiency achievement. This study is a longitudinal survey of EFL learners in Urmia University in Azerbaijan, Iran, during 2002-2004. It compared 56 Turkish-Persian…

National data collected by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in 1981 (11,754 adults) and regional augmentation data collected in 1984 (812 adults) were analyzed to provide--in profile form--baseline information to assist practitioners and policy makers in having a better understanding of the educational needs of rural adult…

Reports on a multivariate study that examined the contribution of two independent variables--cognitive/academic proficiency in first language and attitudes and motivation toward English as a foreign language--on success in English as a foreign language in culturally different learners. (27 references) (Author/OD)