Professional training for language instructors needs to be more accessible and high-leverage in order to meet the growing demand for proficient users of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese languages. More specifically, teachers of these languages need exposure to effective teaching methods designed to meet the language-specific needs required to help…

The study aimed to examine the effect of using a program based on the Connectivism theory on developing EFL prep stage students' critical literacy. A one- group pre-post test design along with a mixed research approach incorporating both quantitative and qualitative assessments were utilized in the study. A group of twenty-five second prep stage…

Building on Freire's (1970) emancipatory learning theory and Yosso's (2005) community cultural wealth (CCW) approach, this article examines parents' participation in a family literacy project. Specifically, we focus on 10 Latina mothers and explore their interactions and relationships as a type of meaningful parental involvement. The research…

This paper presents a model of collaborative and reflective professional development for teachers that focuses on student learning. The model comprises a cyclical series of lessons that were carried out in Hong Kong with 94 Secondary Four (Grade 10) students. The lessons were designed to develop the reading skill of inferring characters' traits…

This study empirically investigated the impact of an online learning community project on university students' motivation in learning Chinese as a foreign language (CFL). A newly-proposed L2 motivation theory--the L2 motivational self system (Dornyei 2005; 2009)--was used as the theoretical framework for this study. The three aspects of motivation…

This study, framed within sociocultural theory, examines the interaction of adult ESL test-takers in two tests of oral proficiency: one in which they interacted with an examiner (the individual format) and one in which they interacted with another student (the paired format). The data for the eight pairs in this study were drawn from a larger…

In the present pilot study we examined how a school-wide intervention model, "Positive behavior, interactions and learning environment in school" (Norwegian acronym: PALS) contributed to risk reduction in immigrant students through the promotion of social competence. The aims of the PALS project were to promote social competence through…

A review of research finds considerable evidence that second language instruction is beneficial (1) for children as well as adults; (2) for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students; (3) on integrative as well as discrete-point tests, and (4) in acquisition-rich as well as acquisition-poor environments. Implications for theory and instruction…

This article describes Funetics, a game for teaching introductory French to gifted students that uses cartoon logos to represent words. The principles of logo formation and implementation are discussed. The article also reviews the psychological theory embodied in the game, how gifted students process the game, and the game's pedagogical value.…

In English as a second language/English as a foreign language classrooms where teacher-fronted instruction is still the norm, small group work tends to be avoided because conversational activities among nonnative speakers are generally thought to be of little use. The validity of small-group work among nonnative speakers is defended with both…

The value of transitional bilingual education (TBE) is discussed in the context of two competing theories of second language learning: (1) first language (L1) knowledge facilitates second language (L2) learning, and (2) the best way to learn English is to maximize time spent using it. First, the facilitation theory is examined in light of recent…

Culturally responsive programs incorporate the child's native language and cultural knowledge as part of the curriculum. In addition they consider the child's development in terms of relationships among self-concept, culture and achievement. While it has been established that self-concept and ability to achieve influence one another, the way in…