Chinese students are frequently seen as passive learners because of their apparent reluctance to speak, particularly in English classrooms. However, this impression seems to reflect a stereotype which is likely to confound willingness to communicate (WTC) and communication behaviour. In this article we argue for more attention to be paid to…

This exploratory study examined the perceptions of minority graduate students toward online collaborative learning activities. The participants were 20 minority graduate students from diverse cultural backgrounds (10 African Americans, 5 Hispanics, and 5 international students from Africa) enrolled in online graduate instructional technology and…

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the challenges facing Irish organisations in the training and development of non-Irish workers. It analyses the importance of fluency in the host country's language and the approach taken by organisations in relation to language training. In-depth semi-structured interviews provide significant insights for the…

This paper explores a spectrum of problems and challenges students face while learning second language. Many educators and researchers have claimed that learning styles are insignificant component in the learning process. However, the study points out the significance of learning the students' learning style preference. The purpose of the study is…

For the last few decades, Australia has played a pivotal role in the supply of quality education to international students and other educational industries associated with them. In the higher education sector, in particular, international PhD student numbers continue to increase. However, the limited availability of resources for the students and…

The paper will explore the challenges students from selected South East Asian countries (Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia) face while studying English in Australia before entering into Australian University courses. These students must contend not only with different styles of teaching and learning, but also with the challenge of adapting to a new…

Little research has been done to investigate the influence of cultural differences on students' second/foreign language learning styles, with a focus on comparing between East and West classroom cultures. This study investigates the differences that East Asian students may encounter when studying in the English-medium academic environment. By…

Drawing upon evaluations of a teacher-training program for Muslim participants presented by Edith Cowan University staff in Singapore, this case study provides readers with insights into program design and management. It reports on lecturer and student attitudes as revealed in evaluations of the Singapore short course. In drawing the conclusion…

Learning styles are the mental processes and instructional settings a student uses most effectively while learning. Five dimensions of learning style related to cognitive processes are global-analytic, verbal-imaginal, concrete-abstract, trial and error plus feedback versus reflective, and modality (preferred sense for input). In addition, there…

Presents a 21-item questionnaire that teachers can use to discover their personal beliefs and biases about how individuals in different cultural, gender, racial, and religious groups learn best. Answers for each question are discussed, and brief descriptions of two research projects testing the impact of teaching to various learning styles are…