The problem is English language learners (ELLs) in adult education and college programs in the United States need support in achieving learning goals due to a lack of qualified English as a second language (ESL) teachers in their home countries. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand how ELL students in Indiana perceive the…

The purpose of this research is to reveal and compare the language proficiency profiles of Purdue's Chinese and Indian graduate applicants in various disciplines to take a step towards the development of Language Proficiency Literacy (LPL) of graduate admissions decision makers. The study argues that before being able to offer LPL development…

This longitudinal case study investigated the developmental trajectories of two participants enrolled in an ITA oral communication course at Purdue University. The course provides language support to the ITA population who play a crucial role in higher education programs in the U.S. (Gorsuch, 2016). Over four months (i.e., one semester), I…

This study is an investigation of the effects of linguistic features on quality of second language (L2) writers' essays for writing course placement at Indiana University Bloomington (IUB), and by implication at other universities and colleges. This study addresses the following research questions: (1) To what extent do selected linguistic…

The theory underlying L2 oral fluency has focused on cognitive processes, particularly proceduralization (Anderson, 1983; Levelt, 1989, 1999) and linguistic constructs, especially vocabulary and grammar (Segalowitz, 2010). Towell, Hawkins, and Bazergui (1996) argued that development of formulaic language enables automatic speech production.…

In 1964, Deaf and hearing stakeholders convened at Ball State Teachers College in Muncie, Indiana, to discuss the state of signed language interpreting in the United States. One topic of discussion was the competencies these interpreters should exhibit. Four decades later, Witter-Merithew and Johnson (2005) described American Sign Language…

In many U.S. states, there is a growing population of academically, culturally, and linguistically diverse English learners enrolling in the public educational system. It is important that collaboration occurs between content area teachers and ESL specialists at the secondary level for supporting and equipping teachers with the skills that they…

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that influence international students' sense of belonging. An in-depth review of existing research on sense of belonging helped me identify 18 factors closely connected to the sense of belonging of international students. I categorized these factors into four groups: (a) academic integration,…

This study compared the levels of anxiety that students experienced when taking a foreign language in the classroom with those taking a foreign language at a distance. It also aimed to determine if the student's academic performance in the course could be predicted by his or her foreign language anxiety level. The sample consisted of 107…

Knowledge of local norms and conventions of interaction and ability to use them appropriately as well as the ability to negotiate meaning with interlocutors are important for ESL graduate students and prospective teaching assistants in an English-speaking university context. The interactive communication (IC) assessment using a paired student…

This project focuses on the design of an online version of Purdue University's English 10600-I, First Year Composition for International Students course. In order to determine the curriculum design approach that would be most likely to lead to student success, a thorough investigation into all relevant aspects of distance education was conducted.…

Patterns and perceptions of language teachers in a professional development program were examined through various forms of classroom discourse & multimodal products. Research questions include: What kinds of learning patterns emerge with the use of Skype in an online environment? What phases of cognitive engagement are evident in Skype…

Already academically at risk, students in the rapidly growing English Language Learner (ELL) student population in the United States face additional challenges due to regression of English language acquisition over the average ten-week agrarian summer break when they return to homes in which Spanish was the primary language spoken. While the…

This study investigates adults' ability to change their phonetic systems in perception and production, specifically upon exposure to a new dialect in adulthood. It further addresses the relative importance of binary biological sex and socially constructed gender in predicting an individual's sociolinguistic variation. Perception and production…

Over the last 15 years, the Latino population has expanded at a rapid pace in the United States. This national trend has been mirrored in Indiana. As a result, school districts within the state have developed structures and supports for the growing number of Latino students arriving in their schools. This study highlights some programs developed…