This Peace Corps volunteer language training manual is based on the experience of two pre-service trainings and was guided by the Peace Corps language training curriculum. The learning approach is competency-based or topic-oriented to provide survival competencies. Three main sections review phonetics, topics for discussion, and practical grammar…

In a review of literature on second language learning, an opinion is put forth that certain assumptions underlying the theory and the research have influenced researchers' attitudes about second language development and diminished the objectivity of the research. Furthermore the content of the research must then be examined within its…

A study examined the relationship between two kinds of language competence, linguistic and pragmatic, within the larger domain of the learner's overall competence. Specifically, it investigated whether linguistic competence is (1) necessary, and (2) sufficient for pragmatic competence. Subjects were 14 students of French at Indiana University and…

Despite disagreement about the value of multicultural education, schools are putting some multicultural learning into the curricula already in place. This guide for parents describes the different ways that schools are teaching multiculturalism. Some schools emphasize programs that focus on information and teach about different cultural groups by…

A study of Japanese learners' acquisition of the article system in English noun phrases investigated whether (1) presence or absence of a modifier affected the choice of definite article used, and (2) whether the choice of definite article was influenced by reliance on knowledge of commonly-occurring sequences. Subjects were 111 Japanese…

A survey investigated the attitudes and preferences of business administration students concerning college courses in international business and job assignments abroad. Respondents were from 13 regional business schools, broadly distributed in the United States. All were public institutions. Questions elicited information about student…

How Chinese students and their teachers see the context and content of their learning is explored in the essays in this collection. Seeing these students in their own cultural backgrounds helps in the exploration of Western educational theory and practice as well. The contributions are: (1) "Learning Theories and Approaches to Research: A…

A study investigated the learning strategies and perceptions of second language learning of 12 students of advanced English-as-a-Second-Language at National-Louis University (Illinois). All subjects were surveyed, and one (Sasha), an articulate and highly motivated Ukrainian student, was interviewed in depth as a case study. Subjects were…

This report describes a project to develop an English grammar-checking word processor intended for use by college students with hearing impairments. The project succeeded in its first objective, achievement of 92 percent parsing accuracy across the freely written compositions of college-bound deaf students. The second objective, ability to use the…

A study investigated how teaching students of English as a Second Language (ESL) about American culture would affect their attitudes toward both American and their native cultures. Subjects were 61 freshman and sophomore Thai students of English in a Thai university, divided into an experimental group (n=31), which attended a course on American…

In response to findings from a study of community college students' motivations for studying a foreign language that indicated that many students cited "personal fulfillment," a second study was undertaken to determine factors that affected students' sense of fulfillment. Specifically, the study sought to determine the relationship between…

This curriculum guide is designed for the Arabic language training of Peace Corps workers in Tunisia, and reflects daily communication needs in that context. An introductory section describes the materials' organization and competency-based approach, and lists the 28 specific competencies targeted and the constructions taught within each…

A study investigated the effect of the language in which a text is written on the imagery and emotional response of biliterate readers. Subjects were 64 native Mandarin-speaking university students majoring in English in a Chinese university. Subjects read a letter describing a typical trip on a third-class train in either English or Chinese, then…

The brochure, intended for the parents of children in elementary school or younger, answers common questions about second language learning and instruction for children. In question-and-answer form, the following issues are addressed: the benefits of knowing a second language; why it is better for a child to learn a second language in elementary…

A study in two South African schools investigated the impact of encouraging free, voluntary reading on the English language skills of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners. Subjects were 139 fourth- through seventh-grade students in an experimental group and 105 students in a control group. Pretests of reading comprehension were administered…