This paper summarizes the major conclusions of a four-year study designed to measure the intercultural and second language learning of more than 1300 US undergraduates enrolled at 61 programs abroad. Focusing on the central research question--whether US students learn effectively when left to their own devices while abroad, or whether students…

This article examines the Paper Partners program at Ryerson University, Toronto. This peer-mentoring program was developed to support the academic writing skills of students whose first language of academic study was not English. The program integrated a team of student-facilitators, a talk-aloud co-editing process, and a reflective feedback…

According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities (2005), students with disabilities often must demonstrate failure in order to qualify for academic accommodations. For students with disabilities, this failure may be life-altering. The present article argues that alternative curricula (modified teaching and assessment plans) should be…

This article has emerged from a large-scale, nationwide attitudinal study (n=2397) into the motivation of learners of English in Japan, which initially found that enjoyment of the learning experience seemed to be the major factor in the motivation of English learners. However, subsequent examination of the data revealed several incongruities in…

This article reviews the multimedia instructional design literature based on cognitive load theory (CLT) in the context of foreign language learning. Multimedia are of particular importance in language learning materials because they incorporate text, image, and sound, thus offering an integrated learning experience of the four language skills…

Facebook (FB) is currently considered as the most popular platform for online social networking among university students. The purpose of this study is to investigate if university students consider FB as a useful and meaningful learning environment that could support, enhance and/or strengthen their learning of the English language. A survey was…

This article reports on year-long critical ethnographic study conducted in a Singapore school and examines how the standard English language educational policy is interpreted by a Secondary 3 (Grade 9) female student from China. She is a member of an exclusive group of academically able students who has been carefully recruited by the local…

The educational experience related over the following pages is the result of several research projects undertaken after an evaluation of the vocabulary size of final year English philology students at the University of Granada (Spain), who were found to have a significant deficiency in their lexical competence. In view of the results obtained,…

This large mixed methods study investigated the effects of the introductory second language acquisition (SLA) course on the beliefs of pre-service teachers (n = 381) enrolled over a three-year period at a state university in California. Pre- to post-course paired sample t-tests that were run on 23 beliefs statements from a widely used survey…

This handbook is a much expanded version of the original Learning Activities Survey published by Dr. Kathleen P. King of Fordham University in 1998. Based on her ground breaking research in this field where she used a mixed methodology research approach to study transformative learning, the book will provide a model of research, firsthand…

Teaching social studies concepts and skills through an introduction to world languages is a powerful vehicle for student learning. Simultaneously, teachers can increase student awareness of language diversity by teaching students about the world and its many countries and supporting English language learners. Fortunately, for linguistically…

The best way to learn is by having a good teacher and the best language learning takes place when the learner is immersed in an environment where the language is natively spoken. 3D multi-user virtual worlds have been claimed to be useful for learning, and the field of exploiting them for education is becoming more and more active thanks to the…

This article documents our efforts to design and implement a transformational opportunity for teacher credential candidates prior to their student teaching. Through the Case Study Project, candidates participated in an intensive one-on-one teaching and learning experience with a K-12 English language learner (ELL) in classroom settings. In…

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the actions of online language learners from an activity theoretical perspective. It also attempted to explain how the students' learning outcomes evolved from their online learning experiences. This explanation placed an emphasis on the learners' previous experiences, defining their activity…

The way many secondary schools are structured limits the ability of immigrant English Learners to achieve academically and develop social networks, often resulting in hyper-segregated learning experiences. This book explores the journey of a group of teachers in a secondary school as they work to change the ESL program for immigrants in their…