By investigating Vietnamese English learners' perspectives on influential cultural factors and barriers these factors bring to the development of learner autonomy, this study seeks to draw attention to proper consideration of the host cultural values in importing and implementing Western educational theories. A phenomenological approach was…

This exploratory Australian study tested a novel mobile-based language learning service intervention (via WhatsApp) called 'Chatloop' with 31 newly arrived migrants. This intervention was offered in tandem with the traditional Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) classroom curriculum. A mixed methods approach was employed to trial the intervention…

The Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) assessment is a proficiency test for university admission. Most research has focused on the paper edition, not the recent computer edition (CE). Validity research on other proficiency tests found that relationships between proficiency scores and academic achievement measures can be tenuous because…

This study examines the motivations of learners studying Welsh in the city of Esquel, Argentine Patagonia. Welsh is considered a heritage immigrant language in this region, given the fact that a group of Welsh settlers arrived in 1865 and established successful settlements. After a flourishing period, the process of acculturation reduced the…

In this study, we examine the fundamental difference hypothesis in language motivation, which suggests that language learning--at the motivational level--is qualitatively different from learning other school subjects. Despite being a long-standing assumption, few investigations have directly examined it. Using a comparative cross-sectional…

The province of New Brunswick is growing its population through immigration and retention strategies of newcomers to grow and stabilize its economy. Many communities, traditionally unaccustomed to such growth, are now experiencing a rapid shift in their ethnocultural populations. This report is based on a case study research conducted in three…

Many universities have instituted intensive English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programs to support international students. This qualitative study used interviews to gain insights into the experiences of 8 non-native English speaking (NNES) students who completed an EAP program before they enrolled in disciplinary courses at a Canadian university.…

The role of English as a second language (ESL) teachers and instruction as factors in student social and psychological acculturation is widely acknowledged. However, the function of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) is less well known in this regard, because research has focused largely on academic acculturation. This qualitative study…

An internally-developed tool was developed to assess the intercultural competence of students taking part in short-term study abroad programs. Four scales were built to assess possible change in students' host culture knowledge, cross-cultural awareness, cross-cultural adaptation, and self-assessed foreign language proficiency. Enrollment in a…

Explicit sociolinguistic instruction in language classrooms has become more widely accepted than ever, but the understanding and teaching of Canadian culture remains a controversial issue, particularly as Canadian culture becomes increasingly diverse. The degree to which Canadians are perceived to exhibit characteristics such as…

Acculturation and language proficiency have been found to be inter-related both from the perspective of second language acquisition (Schumann, 1978, 1986) and socio-psychological adaptation in cross-cultural contacts (Ward, Bochner, & Furnham, 2001). However, the predictions as to the effect of a particular strategy on success differ, with…

A survey of Polish and Romanian refugees, service providers who help with their resettlement, and refugee employers collected information about the refugees' resettlement experiences in order to update and refine cultural orientation (CO) training. The results show that these refugees have adjusted successfully to their new lives, have found…

This study examines the special situation of nonnative speakers of English who teach foreign languages at U.S. institution. It argues that modules designed specifically for mentoring international foreign language teaching assistants (IFLTAs) must be included in teaching assistant workshops and seminars offered by foreign language departments.…

An entrance and exit interview procedure designed to evaluate student progress in an intensive English program (IEP) is discussed. The program offers six terms of 7 weeks each per year. Students are interviewed within the first 10 days after classes have started, always by the same individual. Both personal and placement information are gathered,…

Supplemental educational services for limited Enslish proficient (LEP) Indochinese students (grades 6-12) are evaluated, based on data compiled during a 3-year period for a Title VII project in Camden, New Jersey. Project components included the following: instructional assistance; community school coordinator; curriculum development; tutor…