This study investigates the major difficulties experienced and perceived by students of Chinese as an additional language (CAL), as well as the coping strategies they employed. It is a qualitative, 8-week case study that attempts to provide descriptions and analyses of a particular group of learners' learning difficulties and their coping…

Describes a research project based on a questionnaire designed to determine the language needs in French of English-speaking Canadian diplomats assigned overseas. (AM)

Discusses the importance of clear objectives, pleasant learning atmosphere, and positive attitudes in the second language classroom handling low-ability students. A student questionnaire form is appended. (AM)

A questionnaire given to graduates and students of English revealed that: most use of their English was in the home country; aural comprehension was most important, followed by reading-comprehension, speaking and writing. Abroad, English was used more in non-English-speaking countries than in England or the USA. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

Examines the different attitudes of native speakers in understanding a written genre of Modern Standard Chinese--sales letters. The study focuses on the use of formulaic components appearing in real Chinese sales letters and compares these components with the advice given in textbooks. Findings reveal a gap between business teaching and business…

Results of a survey of 200 parents attending baby and child clinics in North Wales show that parents know less about language development than about other areas of child development. Results suggest that both monolingual and bilingual parents and their children would benefit from improved information on how to facilitate language development. (43…

Presents the results of an anonymous, Internet-based questionnaire study on target language and first language use in university-level foreign language classes. Goals were to develop preliminary components of a descriptive model of target language and first language use and explore the relationships between target language and student anxiety…

Examines the effects of Urdu, a phonologically transparent orthography with regular letter-sound correspondences, on the development of reading in English. Finds that children with high levels of vocabulary knowledge and phonological awareness in Urdu were more likely to do well with English reading tasks as opposed to visual memory tasks. (CMK)

Reports research in cross-cultural differences between Americans from the United States and Germans, regarding the connotations of vocabulary items, specifically two sample words: "Cliquen" and "Kneipen." Over a period of five years, more than 50 native speakers from both cultures, who had experience with the other culture, were interviewed on…

Provides an example of one process used by a teacher-researcher to increase and expand the use of relevant materials, knowledgeable teachers, and teamwork with subject matter professionals in English for academic purposes' (EAP) programs. The study was conducted for an EAP program in a civil aviation school in Turkey. (Author/VWL)

Explored the challenges and teaching strategies of 133 Asian bilingual educators using a detailed questionnaire developed specifically for the purposes of the investigation. Participants were asked to rate how important specific practices, strategies, and challenges were in their teaching of Asian bilingual students. (Author/VWL)

Eighty-five high school students of French were tested orally by an outside evaluator over a 2-month period. Includes several sample tests in a variety of formats as well as the questionnaire administered to students before and after the treatment to measure their attitudes toward French and oral evaluation. (Author/VWL)

Reports results of research investigating the reading strategies of four nonnative speakers of English who were considered underprepared for academic study at a U.S. university. Through analysis of think-aloud protocols, questionnaire data, and indicators of comprehension, identifies strategies learners use in their native language (Spanish) and…

An English discourse completion questionnaire consisting of 60 situations designed to elicit suggestions in English was administered to 28 native speakers of Chinese or Malay and to 12 native speakers of American English. Non-native speakers of English were more direct in their responses. Native and non-native speakers significantly differed in…

Examines the components of motivation in foreign language learning in institutional/academic settings without regular interaction with the target language community. A motivational questionnaire to define the relevance and characteristics of integration and instrumentality in foreign language learning was developed and administered to learners of…