Internationally, the trend of student-centered learning in higher education has emphasized the importance of aligning student learning outcomes with corresponding assessment methods. This study is conducted at a university in Vietnam by investigating 32 sets of syllabi and test specifications varied from English Language programs to English as a…

This study examines the perceptions of employers, university authorities, English teachers and students concerning needs to promote English achievement in a Mexican university. By drawing on data collected from focus groups and questionnaires, the evidence suggests that there are several needs which hinder the attainment of English objectives in…

This article reports on a qualitative study that investigated English learners' attitudes toward English as an International Language (EIL). Four major findings were identified in the current study. First, majority of the participants thought that English belongs to all its users, regardless of being its native speakers or not. Second, lack of…

Ideologies of language (and language learning)--in concert with discourses of individualism and meritocracy that characterize neoliberalism--shape pedagogical policies and practices in ways that are consequential for multilingual students all over the developing and developed world. To investigate how such intersections and influences work in…

A curriculum is a form of politics (Apple, 1993). The politics of a curriculum defines what is legitimate and valued and what is not. In Taiwan, the objectives of vocational high school (VHS) education are to prepare students to acquire relevant professional knowledge and practical skills and to integrate them into their future career development.…

Foreign language teachers are nowadays required to respond to the changes provoked by the advent of web 2.0 and the developments it has introduced in the learning behaviour of users, and to adopt a new teaching approach, integrating users' online social activities in their educational practice. In this new educational approach, users must be able…

This study reports on how a heterogeneous mixed-ability large class (63 students) turned into a cohesive and functioning class. To promote learner autonomy, students were made responsible to identify their own needs and objectives. The participants of this study consisted of undergraduate chemistry students who had taken the English for General…

In a discussion on amplified objectives in language evaluation, this paper delineates various strands of contextual input that constitute the design of a language program. Philosophical, sociocultural, and psychological aspects are included. Amplified objectives are discussed in the context of domain-referenced language testing and program…

Reports the findings of a nationwide survey of U.S. students majoring in a foreign language who study, work, and travel abroad. Presents a profile of these students which includes demographic characteristics, a description of motivational characteristics, the nature of intended international experience, the length of intended experience and its…

Educational goals and objectives of foreign language programs in the United States are described. Trends in objectives are divided into a practical and a personal domain. Practical considerations include: (1) the duty of the school systems to provide a thorough basic education for the taxpayers' dollars, (2) career education, (3) equality of…

This booklet, based on a nationwide study of elementary school foreign language programs, addresses the following topics: (1) why students should learn a foreign language; (2) information that may help persons select and initiate a specific type of program; and (3) a detailed description of three elementary school approaches used in the country…

Twelve public universities in Colombia, responding to a questionnaire regarding the current status of English for specific purposes, indicated that they distinguished between general English classes for persons specializing in languages and special classes for those studying other fields through program organization, instructors, goals and…

Two papers concerning secondary school language training are presented. "Foreign Language Training: Bridging the Gap between High School and College," by Michele R. Morris, outlines some of the problems of high school-college second language articulation from the point of view of a college teacher. Student placement in college foreign language…

The FLES Committee of the American Association of Teachers of French seeks to maintain interest in FLES through the publication of an annual report on important issues in foreign language instruction in the elementary schools. In the 1971 publication, the primary considerations are goals and guides to methods and materials in FLES. William Herold…

The United States has seen a tremendous growth in dual-language programs over the last decade. This rapid growth brings up questions about the congruency between labels and implementation. Our experiences observing some of the programs and listening to teachers talk about the programs in New York City led us to propose that many of the…