University graduates across Europe face increasing professional language and intercultural demands. In France, foreign language competence is to be assessed for incoming undergraduates and Master's graduates are required to demonstrate "mastery" of at least one foreign language. Institutions are responsible for defining…

This study aims primarily to investigate the impact of learning multiple foreign languages on the use of metacognitive reading strategies (MRSs) by foreign language teaching (FLT) department students. A number of factors such as gender, hand preference, class, and programme with reference to their belief orientation were also involved in the…

This study investigated the responses of two groups (n = 85) of EFL learners toward their experience with extensive reading in a three-month EFL college reading class in which two novels (narrative) and fourteen expository texts were the main reading text. Using a three-part survey questionnaire and the follow-up interviews, this study attempted…

A study is reported that describes ways in which nonnative speakers assess, plan, and execute speech acts in certain situations. The subjects, 15 advanced English foreign-language learners, were given 6 speech act situations (two apologies, two complaints, and two requests) in which they were to role play along with a native speaker. The…

Analyzes the results of a survey made by the scholarly French magazine Passe-Partout of approximately 9000 language students and instructors in the Netherlands. The questionnaire consisted of sixteen questions designed to measure attitudes toward language learning, the interest, usefulness, and facility of French, German, and English, and toward…

Profiles of adult Americans' attitudes toward second languages and second language study were gathered by means of oral interviews conducted across the country, resulting in 64 viewpoints from 13 states. Results are reported through quotations from the statements of subjects. General benefits of language study were perceived to be increased global…

Student attitudes toward foreign language instruction are examined by means of an overview of 12 surveys conducted at high schools and colleges across the U.S. Findings indicate that students who are unsatisfied with their progress in learning a foreign language may have set unrealistic goals for themselves at the outset. Often they feel they are…

Presents the results of a questionnaire administered to students of Italian at the School for Foreigners of Siena to determine the following: (1) student characteristics; (2) student motivations for studying Italian; (3) student interests; (4) student linguistic needs; and (5) student evaluation of the program. (CFM)

A program of activities outside the language classroom, conducted by specially trained French speakers and designed to improve Anglophone student attitudes toward the French language and French Canadians as well as to improve language skills, has been found to be successful over a three-year period. (MSE)

Describes a study of first-year university students of Spanish done to discover their types of motivation for learning a second language and to investigate the relationship between type and strength of motivation. Findings indicate the existence of two types of motivation clusters that resemble the integrative and instrumental orientations. (SED)

This study investigated the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) listening needs of college students in Taiwan, examining the ESL conversational and academic listening abilities required by college students and differences in listening needs between effective and ineffective ESL listeners. Study participants were 296 Taiwanese college freshmen. The…

Presents preliminary attempt to gain insight into the self-perceptions of students and the teachers' observations regarding their students' abilities in English as a second language. Results show students and teachers do not view the students' language ability similarly. Suggests self-esteem may be a factor in motivating students. (Author/BK)

Reports construction of a questionnaire for measuring secondary students' attitudes toward learning French. Suggests that the instrument may be easily adapted to other languages. An appendix provides a list of scaled items on the questionnaire. (SJL)

Describes and analyzes results of a questionnaire, addressed to 438 students of Spanish in grades three through college, which sought to determine the reasons behind students' interest in learning a second language. (AM)

Examines experimental data relative to second language acquisition of English reflexives. The article focuses on an experiment designed to tap syntactic constraints of interlanguage grammar and on the consideration of the consistency of responses of individual subjects. Findings reveal the systematicity of interlanguage grammar much more…