This mixed-methods explanatory sequential study aimed to identify the most commonly used World Language curriculum models in New Jersey high schools, assess the level of curriculum coherence in Spanish programs, and examine their impact on student learning. Surveys and interviews with high school Spanish teachers revealed that, while theoretical…

The Problem: In the field of English as a Second or Foreign language, Borg (2003) observed that studies of teacher cognition can be divided into two broad curricular areas of grammar and literacy. Notably, however, there is limited research on the cognitions of foreign language teachers of English within the intercultural dimension of language…

The present project is a research-based and practice-tested online synchronous curriculum for English language learners with the Russian language mother tongue. The curriculum's theoretical component is grounded in Vygotsky's, Leont'ev', and Engestrom's "Cultural Historical Activity Theory" as well as in scholarly papers on the influence…

This dissertation examines the skills, knowledge, and support needs of novice and experienced Languages for Specific Purposes (LSP) teachers in higher education in the United States. Using a critical ecological approach (CEA) framework, it aims to contribute to the global growing body of research on LSP teacher preparation that has thus far…

The scholarly discourse around English as an international language (EIL) is reflected in educational policies and is a determining factor in proposals for ELT curriculum design and pedagogical practices (Matsuda, 2017). The purpose of this study is to examine Iraqi pre-service teachers' attitudes toward EIL and explore the perceived role and…

A common drawback in traditional language education is that all students in the same class use the same content. Since students may have different backgrounds such as prior knowledge and learning speed, one single curriculum may not be able to accommodate every student. Unfortunately, most students cannot afford personalized language learning,…

The teaching of English as a second language (ESL) to adult learners in the 21st century focuses on a combination of oral and written skills geared toward success in a variety of settings, including the workplace and post-secondary institutions. The study was intended to determine if specific curricular components recommended for syllabus design,…

This qualitative design based research study examined the Connected Learning theoretical framework coupled with academic language scaffolds for Long Term English Learners (LTELs) in a secondary public school setting. The participants of this study were students that have been in the United States for more than six years and have yet to be…

This dissertation study explores the relationship between Ladson-Billings' (1992, 1994, 2006) early scholarship and work with Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) frameworks and the literacy practices of the multilingual students in my community college classroom. This qualitative, interpretive case study draws upon CRP and sociocultural frameworks…

The blended learning model, which combines the traditional face-to-face learning method with an online application such as a learning management system (LMS), became popular and more practical for both teachers and learners in foreign and second language education because of its effective methodology for course delivery and socialization…

This study investigated an emerging language learning culture by examining the relationship between teachers' pedagogical beliefs and perceived efficacy in two cities in southern Texas. Drawing on Bandura's (1994) theory of self-efficacy and Ashton and Webb's (1986) notions about teacher efficacy, a multi-sited case study was conducted to explore…

This one-year study explores the possibility of integrating critical pedagogy into undergraduate English writing classes in Taiwan. The participants were the students in 2 first-year writing classes taught by the researcher. For these classes, I reinvented Freire's (2000) pedagogy of the oppressed, which emphasizes problem-posing, dialogue, and…

The dissertation investigates the effect of a concept-based approach to teaching the Chinese temporal system to English-speaking university learners at the elementary level. The pedagogical framework, Systematic-Theoretical Instruction (STI), adopted in this study was proposed by Piotr Gal'perin and originated from Vygotsky's…

This dissertation investigated the concepts of literacy held by Thai teachers of university-level Foundation English courses, the connection between concepts of literacy and EFL literacy instruction, teachers' literacy-teaching practices, and the challenges these teachers faced in teaching EFL literacy. The relationship between the concepts of…

In recent years, researchers in the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) have become increasingly interested in the implications of sociolinguistic research for L2 learning. Among the many questions that arise are whether the development of sociolinguistic competence should be an instructional goal as early as the beginning level, and what…