While studies have shown that additional language (Lx) learners build on knowledge of previously acquired languages (Ringbom 2007), the natural interaction between languages is rarely exploited in Lx classrooms. This study explores the nature of metalinguistic reflections and crosslinguistic connections during plurilingual consciousness-raising…

This research is about the underlying process language learners rely on to be able to engage effectively in unscripted conversations without premeditation, or "improvisation." To engage in improvisation in another language, one needs to recognize those elements of the evolving cultural context that are significant at the moment. By…

Duolingo is a commercial language-teaching platform that offers free courses on the web and on mobile apps. This study reports the ACTFL listening and reading proficiency levels of adult Duolingo learners who had completed beginning-level courses in Spanish or French. The participants (n = 225) were learners residing in the United States, had…

This book demonstrates how resources taken from positive psychology can benefit both teachers and learners. Positive psychology is the empirical study of how people thrive and flourish. This book explores a range of topics, such as affectivity and positive emotions, engagement, enjoyment, empathy, positive institutions, a positive L2 self-system,…

Japanese universities have lately begun to teach academic content in English instead of Japanese. In this article, I examine curricular and ideological issues related to having English as a medium of instruction (EMI) at a Japanese university before examining their links to larger cultural-political forces in Japan, including neoconservative…

In an effort to enhance the quality of education, universities and colleges are developing programs that help faculty and staff internationalize curriculum. These programs will purposefully develop the intercultural perspectives of students. "Curriculum Internationalization and the Future of Education" is a critical scholarly resource…

This qualitative multiple comparative case study investigated attrition in online Spanish language courses, from both instructor and student perspectives. Attrition rates in online courses have been found to be up to 50% higher than attrition rates in face to face courses, when studying the phenomenon of attrition in higher education. Attrition is…

We investigated the aptitudes, attitudes, attributions, and achievement of undergraduates identified as gifted who were taking a beginning Spanish course, and compared these characteristics to undergraduates in the same cohort group who had not been identified as gifted. There were differences in the aptitudes, attitudes, and achievement of…

Studies of Psychological Sense of Community (PSOC) have been conducted in association with various settings, and evidence has shown the impact of PSOC in local neighborhoods and communities, community organizations, and industrial organizations. On the other hand, relatively little is known about the effect of PSOC in student learning…

The model of content-enriched instruction focuses on the integration of grammatical and lexical forms within content to beginning-level learners (Ballman, 1997). This study used quantitative data to examine the efficiency and application of this model for second- and third-semester college French. It specifically responds to the following…

Discusses the role of grammar in foreign language learning and instruction at the beginning level in a university setting. Highlights grammar teaching in a basic French course at an Australian university, and relates what students in the course have learned about grammar. (Author/VWL)

Describes methods used in teaching an introduction to French literature to help students connect literature with their own knowledge so that they see it as a link to interpreting their world and themselves. Suggests teaching literature heightens students' awareness of the power of language, which makes them better users not only of French but also…

Explores the opportunities offered by the Internet for technology-based instruction in the beginning language classroom. Discusses computer assisted language learning as it is relevant to the purpose and introduces the main aspects of a task-based approach. Presents sample exercises that are based on a combination of these two aspects of teaching…

Suggests that first-year college students learning French should create a language portfolio that contains documents that illustrate what they have learned in French, along with a brief statement of what linguistic skill the document demonstrates. The goal of the portfolio is to make students more aware of their own learning, their strengths, and…

This study examined the effect of emblematic gestures on the development and access of mental representations of French expressions among 112 college students in a first-semester French course. It found that groups that saw the emblematic gestures forgot significantly fewer sentences than the group that did not see the gestures. Contains 34…