While much second language acquisition research has focused on characteristics of in-class language study, little is known about the characteristics and effectiveness of out-of-class language study. This exploratory study addresses this gap by analyzing questionnaire data from 707 adult students enrolled in intensive (6-16 months) language study…

This article is the first large-scale study to document the speaking proficiency outcomes of intensive programs in less commonly taught languages in US higher education. Speaking proficiency was measured by pre- and postprogram ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interviews (N = 484) in 14 languages: Arabic, Bengali, Brazilian Portuguese, Hindi, Indonesian,…

This article probes the extent to which postsecondary Spanish learners can substantively increase their knowledge of Spanish over a two-week period within a context of language and content instruction for four hours per day. The article considers the relationship of an immersion experience to upper-level literature and culture classes. Insights…

This study explored the development and maintenance of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) among 352 American learners of Arabic who completed summer intensive language programs in five Arab countries. Data were collected through a survey that was based on the 2007 draft of the Culture Proficiency Guidelines (Lampe, 2007; later adopted by…

This study investigated the composition of the social network that the homestay offers learners in an intensive summer Arabic language program in diglossic and multilingual Tunisia and examined the types of language socialization as well as the overall linguistic and intercultural competence such opportunities present. The study specifically…

Though much of the research looking at the issue of language in the Spanish heritage language field is intended to guide the Spanish heritage language teacher in the classroom, students' voices are often stifled. This article fills this gap by giving voice to students' opinions on language use in the Spanish heritage language classroom. Survey…

This study and analysis are designed to find a common, practical measurement tool that may be used for intra- and interprogram evaluation of Japanese programs, especially in the higher education context. First, three previous methods of evaluation (the Oral Proficiency Interview, the Nihongo Noryoku Shiken or Japanese Language Proficiency Test,…

Discusses various aspects of a summer intensive Spanish course, including its evolution, materials used, and how it differs from regular courses. Advantages and disadvantages of the course are given from both the students' and teachers' point of view. (EKN)

Describes a college Spanish program consisting of a ten-week, intensive language course on campus and a ten-week, cultural immersion program in Mexico. (KM)

An intensive French course, offered as an experimental summer course at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, was a learning experience in which students were intrinsically motivated. Assumptions of Frank M. Grittner concerning motivating students in language programs are discussed. (SW)

An intensive course in Spanish is described which met daily for eight weeks from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Time was divided among classroom instruction, native speaker groups, and the language laboratory. (RM)

Details a program of intensive language learning at Kenston (Ohio) High School that begins with a two-and-one-half-hour-a-day class and ends with a three-week homestay abroad on school time. The approach involves using foreign language for communicating about matters relevant to the students combined with a no-grade, no-fail system. (Author/EJS)

A description is provided of Washington State University's undergraduate intensive language course. The course, designed primarily for freshmen, provides classroom instruction for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week during the 8-week summer session. Course goals, content, and methodology are covered. (SW)

The Central Intelligence Agency converted an intensive, two-week, introductory Spanish language course from a classroom course to an interactive videodisk course permitting students to learn the same material in three to five workstation hours, with one additional hour of teacher instruction. The course also integrated other instructional…