Reports on a study of the learning styles of two adult classroom learners of German as a second language. The extent to which, and in what ways, learners' learning style varies, whether one learning style results in more effective learning, and the effect of instructional style on the subjects' learning outcomes are explored. (29 references)…

Examines how college English as a foreign or second language learners' beliefs about language learning are related to their learning strategy use. Results found that language learners' self-efficacy beliefs about learning English were strongly related to their use of all types of learning strategies, especially functional practice…

Focuses on the use of reflective audiotaped journals within a university content-based English-as-a-Second-Language course. Data came from 54 audiotaped journal entries made by 18 students and an unstructured ethnographic group interview. Results support the adoption of constructivist learning approaches that encourage students to take a more…

Examines reasons for Arab student use of a student resource center, and particularly the computers located there. A discussion focuses on the factors involved and the philosophy on which computer-assisted language learning (CALL) development was based, the programs used, and student attitudes toward using the computers for self-access learning.…

An attempt was made to evaluate the effectiveness of a standard one-year advanced English course at Haifa University by administering the same English comprehension test to students before and after the course. Results show that the higher the initial level of the student, the higher his improvement score. (CHK)

In a study of cultural differences and information dissemination, a group of unsuccessful Ethiopian English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) university students in Israel were compared with a typical Israeli EFL group. Results show that unsuccessful learners use similar strategies for reading comprehension, etc., but their use is "mechanical." (18…

Investigates the notion of autonomy in relation to distance language learning, and examines the skills and strategies needed by those learning at a distance in order to achieve successful outcomes. Explores in particular the dilemma posed by the highly structured nature of open university language courses and the need for learners to develop…

Discusses research into the effect of background knowledge on English for Academic Purposes (EAP) tests and discusses EAP tests in which the content of at least some of the test components is related to students' fields of academic study. Suggests that for international EAP tests, English for specific academic purposes testing be abandoned.…

Describes how in one English language teaching project in Japan, students studied English in a way that increased their ability to participate in their community, both presently and in the future. Searching out a range of information resources from their own context and on the Internet and connecting them with their daily life, they experienced…

Presents a checklist to see whether it can help shed light on English-as-a-foreign-language students' use of language learning strategies by looking at their diaries. Reveals interesting differences between successful and less successful students, and discusses questions about strategy use in general. (Author/VWL)

Attempts to identify a specific learning effect attributed to the use of concordance software by language learners. In a series of tests involving transfer of word knowledge to novel context, a small, consistent gain was found for words introduced through concordances.(25 references) (Author/CK)

Provides computer literate foreign language specialists in higher education with a manageable set of domain-specific design principles and guidelines for alleviating the complexity of design issues arising out of authoring hypermedia second language learning applications. Notes that the guidelines proposed result from a tailored selection process.…

Examines the effects of learning words grouped in semantic sets, using Japanese words paired with artificial words. A principal finding was that there was a main effect against learning semantically related words at the same time. The article concludes that presenting students with wordlists of new words in semantic clusters, rather than in…

Conducted a survey of college French as a foreign language students' reactions to narrow listening, the repeated listening of tape-recorded interviews of proficient speakers discussing a topic both familiar and interesting to the acquirers, and their assessment of its impact on their language development. Students found narrow listening to be…

Argues that both an over-theoretical approach and a too pragmatic orientation should be avoided in teaching reading in a second language. Examples of problems encountered by German learners of English are detailed against the background of a discussion of reading purposes. Course-planning to meet student needs is also discussed. (Author/AMH)