This paper presents a research study designed to investigate the characteristics of effective teachers of English and the uniqueness of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). The research is based on four general categories: English language proficiency, educational perception, organization and communication skills, social and emotional…

This paper presents a case study of using blended learning to enhance students' language skills and learner autonomy in an Asian university environment. Blended learning represents an educational environment for much of the world where computers and the Internet are readily available. It combines self-study with valuable face-to-face interaction…

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…

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) Statewide Survey series provides policymakers, the media, and the public with objective, advocacy-free information on the perceptions, opinions, and public policy preferences of California residents. Inaugurated in April 1998, this is the 116th PPIC Statewide Survey in a series that has generated a…

A study examined the efficacy of homework assignments on the learning and academic achievement of 13 high school students in a second-year German class. During the first and second quarters of the 1993-94 school year, each homework assignment was checked by the teacher and assigned a grade of two points if it was complete, one point if incomplete,…

A study examined the historical, cultural, social, pedagogical, and psychological factors affecting Chinese students' language learning styles and attitudes, particularly concerning learning English as a Second Language (ESL). The first section offers an overview of considerations in understanding the cultural background that students bring to the…

The report summarizes a survey of 600 Hispanic parents, each with one or more children in grades 1-12, designed to document parents' experiences with school programs for limited-English-proficient (LEP) students and to ascertain their attitudes about the programs' goals and practices. Parents drawn from five metropolitan areas with large Hispanic…

Research on beliefs about second language learning based on a model designed by Elaine Horwitz is reviewed. The model is incorporated in the Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) developed for students of English as a Second Language, college students of commonly taught languages (French, German, Spanish), and college teachers of…

A study investigated links between writing apprehension, preferred writing processes, and academic achievement in 28 adult learners of English as a Second Language (ESL). One group was of varying language background in an intensive intermediate ESL class and the other consisted of francophone Canadians in an evening intermediate ESL writing class…

A study examined linguistic minority parents' views on bilingual education, motivated by recurrent controversy surrounding public school provision of bilingual education for language minority students. Multiple-choice questionnaires in English and Spanish were answered by 299 Latino parents whose children were enrolled in bilingual education…

The report on the status of Japanese language teaching in Australia gives a broad view of Japanese study and discusses current educational issues in some detail. An introductory chapter offers a brief overview of the history, objectives, and issues of Japanese language instruction in Australia. The second chapter details features of instructional…