This study was conducted in order to better understand how, if at all, language centers (LCs) are relevant in current technological and methodological contexts of second language education. Five language centers housed by four different institutions of higher education in the western United States were examined. Two representatives from each of…

Language laboratories exist in many language centres across the globe. Situated in the popularity of self-access and computer-assisted language learning in the present era, the study investigated tertiary-level English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' general and, particularly, negative views of speech analysis software. Two hundred and…

Autonomy in language learning is for many language centres in higher education a pedagogical goal. However, although autonomy is a concept that has been associated with language learning for almost 40 years, both the understanding of that concept and its implementation in classroom-settings and in self-access language centres vary considerably. In…

At the start of 2000 a new scenario emerged in Europe thanks to the Council of Europe and the European Commission who, in support of the Bologna Process (1999), laid the foundations for disseminating the value of multilingualism and multiculturalism. The aim was to create a framework of actions to make citizens more aware of respecting diversity…

Although English language learners (ELLs) have an increasing presence in postsecondary education, their unique needs are often unmet by institutions of higher education, partly resulting from their diversity--they vary in their educational backgrounds, English proficiency levels, career goals, and reasons for learning English. Many ELLs spend…

With the advent of web 2.0 and the ease of use of many hand-held devices, access to the internet has never been easier. This has been accompanied by a growing range of sites available for learning an L2. These sites offer lessons, explanations, exercises, corrections and feedback. It now becomes time once again to question whether physical bricks…

Describes a study of a university-sponsored English as a second language program from two aspects: (1) foreign students at all levels using commercial ESL audiotape programs in an independent electronic laboratory, and (2) foreign students at all levels using laboratory-specific audiotape programs in a controlled electronic laboratory. (Author/SED)

Presents a survey and case studies that demonstrate that cooperation within institutions of higher learning is worth the effort in increased efficiency. Some steps the language media center can take to develop cooperation with other media units on campus include developing an informal network of relationships with other media unit directors and…

Assessment of the effectiveness of workstations teaching English-as-a-second-language content, vocabulary, and idiomatic expressions through an adventure film found that the workstations were highly motivational and stimulating, while their effectiveness depended on the students' individual learning styles. (Author/CB)

Tests given over several semesters of university language laboratory work showed that laboratory periods longer than 35 minutes become unproductive because of fatigue. A change of procedure after 30 minutes--such as test exercises--will activate the learners' power of concentration for another 15 minutes. (IFS/WGA)

Discusses four objectives that guided the design of the teaching and learning areas of the Language Learning and Resource Center of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. These objectives are classrooms contiguous to the language lab, accommodation of small-group work, a flexible facility, and access to the outside world. (CK)

This article reports on how foreign language instructors at Arizona State University at Tempe are encouraged and taught to use technology in their teaching. Section one introduces the reasons why technology is helpful for foreign language instruction. Section two describes foreign language instructors' attitude toward using technology in their…

Teaching Black English as a foreign language can improve communication between individuals and enrich the language patterns of Standard English. Essential areas of study in such a course (vocabulary, grammar, translation, and to some extent, environmental exposure) can be programmed on a computer. In fact, a computer supplies the perfect tool for…

Determined the effectiveness of the use of the language laboratory to teach counseling skills. A 52-minute self-instructional training tape program was developed in which a reflection of feeling was modeled. Results showed that the self-instructional tape program is an effective procedure for teaching counseling skills. (Author/RC)

This study examined 29 second-year undergraduate students of Spanish using a self-access learning environment for the first time, focusing on their language attitudes and learning strategies. The results show that, even as modern languages majors, the students possessed a model of language and strategies for learning that were significantly…