The current interest in learning Chinese has been fueled by the growing strength of the Chinese economy and the need for Americans who are able to communicate at an advanced level in fields of business, science, and government. The present study reports the results of a survey of secondary school students enrolled in Chinese language classes with…

Presents a model for studying the process by which students decide to continue with, or to terminate, their second language studies. Previous research in the area is discussed. (MSE)

Study explored the motivations for students' choice of foreign languages. As long as foreign language study is elective in high schools, and as long as a variety of languages are offered, students' motivation will remain important for foreign language educators, especially in schools where various language programs compete with one another for…

Describes "Project Languages," a research study which looked at: (1) reasons for language study, (2) its perceived contribution to secondary education, (3) availability of languages in the secondary schools, (4) reasons for the decline in numbers studying languages, (5) new developments in language offerings, and (6) current examination…

Analyzes answers to a questionnaire given to British secondary school children who had opted out of foreign language study. Identifies reasons why the students chose not to continue language study. Concludes that enjoyment of the subject and opportunities for contact with the country of the target language are factors motivating students to…

This paper explores enrollment for foreign language programs (FLPs) in French, Spanish, and German using data collected from students in Grades 7 through 12 in the Grand Blanc Community School District (Michigan) for the 1987-88, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, and 1992-93 school years. Research questions address: (1) enrollment figures, (2) loss rates…

This work is one in a series that focuses on nine languages representing the bulk of the second language learning effort in Australian education (Arabic, Modern Standard Chinese, French, German, Modern Greek, Indonesian/Malay, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish). These languages were categorized as the Languages of Wider Teaching. This particular work…

A study of the decline in second language enrollments in Scotland's upper secondary schools is summarized. A survey conducted in 1998, sent to a random sample representing 25 percent of all secondary schools in the country, elicited administrator and language teacher opinions concerning factors influencing language enrollments. Some students were…