This practice report describes a 12-week stand-alone course designed to address the challenges university students face in foreign language classes. Adopting principles of transformative language learning, course content, activities and resources were designed and implemented to dispel myths and preconceptions regarding language instruction,…

Courses in virtual learning environments can leave recently enrolled participants in a state of loneliness, confusion and boredom. What course content is essential in the course, where can more information be found and which assignments are mandatory? Research has stated that learner control and motivation are crucial issues for successful online…

Based on Bailey's washback model, in respect of participants, process and products, the present empirical study was conducted to find the actual washback effects of the internet-based College English Test Band 4 (IB CET-4). The methods adopted are questionnaires, class observation, interview and the analysis of both the CET-4 teaching and testing…

Quantifies a sample of Spanish teachers' and students' perceptions of the students' reading wants and needs in English. The results show that often the teachers do not credit their students with much interest in English. The article concludes with a discussion of the results with respect to needs analysis in course design. (seven references)…

This teacher's manual grows out of a major research project that is attempting to discover the most effective methods of increasing motivation of the adolescent. The methods under study are combined into special courses that are given in schools by teachers, not in laboratories by research scientists nor in clinics by psychotherapists.…