Knowledge of the strategies used by English as a foreign language (EFL) or second language (ESL) readers can help instructors teach these techniques and thereby enhance their students' reading comprehension. The present study compared three categories of reading comprehension strategies (metacognitive, cognitive, and socio-affective) to determine…

For immigrants, the acquisition of language, specifically the ability to communicate effectively, is one prerequisite of full integration into the host society. For an adult immigrant second language (L2) learner in Canada, access to opportunities that may enhance communicative ability are often limited to the ESL classroom. However, while…

The development and application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the field of Foreign Language Teaching (FLT) have had a considerable impact on the teaching methodologies in China. With an increasing emphasis on strengthening students' learning initiative and adopting a "student-centred" teaching concept in FLT,…

The research deals with the analysis of efficiency of the process of teaching and learning with use of the social dimension of Web 2.0 within the English for Specific Purposes course in pre-school and primary teacher education that would help students to become more cognizant and more responsive to the emerging needs of the market for educational…

Bilingualism (Sanz, 2000), motivation (Pintrich, 1989), and language aptitude (Grigorenko, Sternberg, and Ehrman, 2000) are crucial individual differences that contribute to successful adult language learning. Since Gardner's (1985) seminal work on motivation, many studies have shown that motivation is dynamic and that it affects language…

Due to the growing focus on learner independence, peer assessment has received a lion's share of attention in recent years. Nevertheless, this idea is novel to most English language teachers and students in Taiwan where traditional assessment is still dominant. This study investigated college students' attitudes towards and possible language…

This paper discusses the conception, goals, highlights, and outcomes of a four-week study-abroad seminar in the Dominican Republic (DR) for pre- and in-service teachers of English language learners from the New York metropolitan area. The seminar was designed to have teachers experience first-hand the phases and challenges of second language…

In a paper published in "The Language Learning Journal" in 2005, Eric Hawkins describes his vision of language education as an apprenticeship comprising two stages. In stage one (ages 5-14), the purpose is "educational" and the focus is on language awareness; in stage two (14-19), the purpose is "instrumental" and…

Two studies are reported that investigated the views of Danish secondary school students studying German. The first, an observational study, revealed that the vast majority of questions Danish students posed during German lessons concerned grammar and vocabulary. The second study was a questionnaire that revealed that the Danish students were…

Report of an investigation which examined the relationship between measured English-language proficiency, years of English-language study and the use of English as a medium of instruction for samples of Arabic-speaking Egyptian and Lebanese university students. (Author)

Reports on an investigation into the relationship between cooperative learning, perceptions of classroom support, feelings of alienation from school, and the academic achievement of university bound learners of English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL). Participants completed a modified version of the Classroom Life Measure, and their responses were…

Reports results from two questionnaires given to third-year adult learners of Spanish, French, German on beliefs regarding idiomaticity. Analysis of data showed that learners want idioms to be part of their language learning; they can predict their performances on idiomatic tasks; and they have specific beliefs on the importance of learning…

Examined the role of homework in foreign language instruction and learning. The study was conducted through questionnaires, interviews, and quantitative analysis of the amount of homework that foreign language teachers assigned their students. There was little evidence that homework either contributed to or detracted from the language learning…

Until recently, most foreign language education has been centered on the acquisition of grammar and vocabulary. While recognizing that grammar and vocabulary are essential tools for communication, the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning advocate "the acquisition of the ability to communicate in meaningful and appropriate ways with…

These two decades have seen a surge in interest in the study of motivation throughout the field of language acquisition. Several distinguished motivational theories have been established: self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985), goal-setting theories (Locke & Latham, 1990), attribution theory (Weiner, 1992), self-worth theory…