There are many untested, long-held assumptions within the field of study abroad concerning the impact of program elements such as study duration, language of instruction, program models, and student housing choices. One assumption embraced within the field is that direct enrollment (or full immersion) programs are more effective at achieving a…

The education of Latino students in the United States has been characterized by a misunderstanding of the role of language and culture in their learning. The author describes some strategies that principals can use to create conditions for their success, including in-depth knowledge of Latino students and their families, dual language programs,…

This study investigated the effect of the cultural background of immigrant children on affective variables in learning three different languages. Participants were students in secondary multicultural classrooms in Spain. A total of 114 students, aged 12 to 16, answered a questionnaire based on Gardner's Attitude = Motivation Test Battery assessing…

The characteristics and particular problems faced by non-native speaking (NNS) teachers of foreign languages are being increasingly addressed. NNSs currently constitute the majority of language teachers in the world, but they have different needs and concerns from native speakers (NSs). Research is being conducted to uncover these needs and…

This study is concerned with possible relationships between general foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA), foreign language reading anxiety (FLRA), gender, extended overseas experience, and classroom performance. Versions of previously published measurement scales (the FLCAS and the FLRAS) were administered to three different groups in nine…

This study compared the narratives of three groups of advanced speakers of Spanish with different learning backgrounds. The first group was made up of heritage speakers; the second group was composed of missionaries that had recently returned from a two-year sojourn in a Spanish-speaking country; and the third group comprised students who had…

This paper describes the development of Spanish-language proficiency in bilingual preservice teachers at a university on the Texas--Mexico border. A survey with open-ended questions was administered to preservice teachers in bilingual and English as a Second Language certification programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the paths…

This article discusses the results of a survey conducted to explore how students and host teachers perceive the strengths of nonnative-English-speaking (NNES) teacher trainees based on their classroom practice. Responding to a questionnaire evaluating the NNES ESL teacher trainees in their classrooms, host teachers named the following as their…

Background: There is a need to provide students with a repertoire of strategies to enable them to know what to use when and for what learning task. What they need to do is acquisition and use of the most important of skills; learning how to learn skills. Purpose: The present study aimed at investigating the effects of a suggested training program…

The Office of Civil Rights (2001) and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Antunez, 2003) mandate that language proficiency and academic achievement be measured in order to provide equal educational opportunities to English language learners and have an accountability system for their language and academic growth. The Cognitive Academic Language…

Results of a Hong Kong survey, described in an earlier report, are summarized here. The study investigated the English vocabulary size of native-speaking adults (n=78), non-English native-speaking adults--Chinese (n=20), and non-English native Chinese-Speaking non-Chinese (n=9). The vocabulary used reflected British rather than American English…

A structural model of school learning was tested to examine both direct and indirect influences of previous grades, quality of instruction, motivation, quantity of instruction, and homework on Hispanic-American eighth-grade students' academic achievement, while controlling for background variables. The model was analyzed with path analytic…

A project to develop a measure of English language proficiency (MELP) for use in a national survey of income and education, to estimate the number of people of limited English proficiency, is reported. The preferred form of the instrument was a short series of questions to be asked by an interviewer and answered by an adult member of a household.…

This curriculum guide outlines a program designed for Cree high school students in Alberta, Canada to study their Native language and culture. The curriculum is also appropriate for non-Native students. The first part of the guide, concerning philosophy and rationale, discusses the history of the Cree language and culture, stressing the importance…

This curriculum guide outlines a program designed for Blackfoot students to study their Native language and culture. The curriculum is also appropriate for non-Native students. The guide outlines general learner expectations, including: (1) acquiring basic communication skills in the Blackfoot language; (2) developing cultural sensitivity and…