bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Collaborative Partnerships for Articulation: Asking the Right Questions
Authors: Corl Kathryn A. , Harlow Linda L. , Macián Jan L , Saunders Donna M.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Ohio's Collaborative Articulation and Assessment Project (CAAP) was designed to address the problems and weaknesses that have traditionally accompanied the transition between secondary and postsecondary language instruction. In addition, it seeks to provide students with the opportunity to study a foreign language and culture in a continuous, efficient sequence from their secondary through their postsecondary years. This article describes: 1) the goals of the CAAP project; 2) the collaborative, process‐oriented approach used to define issues of concern; 3) activities that led to the development of an articulation plan; and 4) recommendations for enhancing articulation.
Interrater Reliability of the OPI: Using Academic Trainee Raters
Authors: Halleck Gene B.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The purpose of this study was to investigate the interrater reliability of proficiency level judgments of graduate student trainee raters on Oral Proficiency Interviews (OPIs). Trainees' ratings were compared with the judgments of a certified ACTFL tester for 150 interviews. In addition to reporting correlation coefficients, this study analyzes the relationship between proficiency level and its effect on interrater reliability. The data indicate that Superior and Intermediate Mid interviews resulted in the highest level of interrater reliability, while Advanced High, Advanced, and Intermediate High interviews were more difficult for the trainee raters to judge.
Grammar Groups In the Student‐Centered Classroom
Authors: Davidheiser James C.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Experience has shown many second‐language teachers that, although students learn some grammar at the elementary level, they need an intensive review at the intermediate level and still seem to make numerous grammatical errors in advanced courses. This paper briefly reviews the way grammar has been taught in the last 30 years and explores a successful student‐centered method of grammar instruction in second‐language classes that can aid retention.

By applying research about pair and group work, teachers can increase the quality of grammar instruction. Instructors briefly teach grammar in context. Pairs of students are then asked to compose several examples of the target grammatical structure, making any changes recommended by group partners. A final slate of examples is then presented to the entire class for review. By being responsible for practicing and integrating the grammar, students internalize, even at the elementary level, challenging grammatical points.
How to Avoid Language Breakdown? Circumlocution!
Authors: Salomone Ann Masters , Marsal Florence
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Circumlocution can prevent communication breakdown and is a required function at the Advanced level on the ACTFL Oral Proficiency scale. To encourage this communicative strategy, the researchers conducted a study of two intermediate college French classes. One class was encouraged to circumlocute; the other was not. Pretests and posttests measured gains in circumlocution. At the end of the term, both groups had significantly improved their ability to circumlocute. Although statistical results did not differ significantly between the two groups, qualitative data revealed that the experimental group learned to focus better on the salient features of lexical items and, therefore, to circumlocute more efficiently. Circumlocution games to encourage both linguistic competence and cognitive flexibility are included.
A New Perspective on Peer‐Editing
Authors: Amores María J.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT This article describes the peer‐editing behaviors of eight undergraduate students in a third‐year Spanish composition and grammar review course. Data collected over four months through interviews, participant observation, artifact inventories, and questionnaires revealed a strong tendency among informants to define the peer‐editing process in social and emotional terms, but did not support some of the previously held views regarding the effectiveness of the process. The author's findings challenge common beliefs about the effects that audience awareness and response may have on students' writing and students' attitude toward writing, and suggest implications for the classroom.
Students Take Flight with Daedalus: Learning Spanish in a Networked Classroom
Authors: Chávez Carmen L.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  While incorporating computer technology is time‐consuming and may be challenging for the language instructor, there is no need to reinvent the wheel when using computers in the classroom for the first time. Teachers in the second language classroom can benefit from the advances made in Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) programs. Leaders in this field encourage instructors to incorporate writing in all disciplines in order to develop critical thinking skills and prepare students for the workplace. Using computers as a medium for teaching a second language increases the amount of writing and trains the students to use computers in their discipline.

Current research in composition theory maintains that students learn a grammatical structure more effectively when it is used in context. Bringing technological innovation to the second language classroom will enhance student interest and learning. This article describes the use of Daedalus Integrated Writing Environment (DIWE) in the networked computer classroom to teach Spanish grammar and composition.
Reading with a Purpose: Communicative Reading Tasks for the Foreign Language Classroom
Authors: Knutson Elizabeth M.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Recent reading research has shown that reading comprehension is a function of both text‐ and reader‐based factors. This paper focuses on the reader‐based factor of purpose, beginning with a review of research which demonstrates that reading texts with a particular purpose or perspective facilitates comprehension and increases reader interest. The paper suggests approaches to the teaching of texts that provide learners with purpose, including student‐generated text collections, communicative tasks with reading components, and prereading tasks for readings in literature or civilization. Finally, the paper argues that the concept of purpose provides a useful organizing principle for the coordination of reading instruction across the foreign language curriculum.
Interviews with Japanese FLES Students: Descriptive Analysis
Authors: Traphagan Tomoko Watanabe
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Three different analyses were conducted on the data from oral interviews with six child learners of Japanese, using a newly developed interview procedure called Pro‐I. The first analysis to assess the effectiveness of different tasks suggested that tasks sensitive to the students' understanding of certain critical syntactic structures and tasks manageable for children appropriate to their level of cognitive development were effective in discriminating students' language development levels. Also, free‐form tasks were effective to elicit ability of students with higher proficiency to its fullest, and tasks with motivating topics could generate drastically better, more expressive performance. This suggests that Japanese FLES assessments should include different types of tasks. In the second analysis, in which each student's language behavior was closely examined, it was observed that high‐level students tried to produce a greater quantity of Japanese with more complexity rather than more appropriate sentences, while most other students used one‐word answers extensively. Also, a high‐level student's performance exhibited monitoring and control over his own Japanese production. The third analysis found that young learners' phrase particle use was characterized by scarcity of misuse, omission, and pauses, suggesting children's tendency to learn multiwords as formulaic chunks. Repeatedly revealed characteristics unique to child foreign language learning throughout three analyses imply that we should not simply apply the instruction and/or assessment designed for adults to young learners and should accumulate knowledge necessary to develop instruction and assessment appropriate for children.
Post‐Institute Connections: Implementation and Outcomes of a Diffusion‐Based Electronic Mail Instructional Model1
Authors: Shelley Janine O.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Electronic mail's capability to provide opportunities for language exchange, establish ties with other cultures, and facilitate contact with other educators makes it an excellent medium to introduce foreign language teachers to the power of computer‐based technologies in education. This study describes diffusion‐based electronic mail instruction integrated into the four National K‐12 Foreign Language Resource Center 1994 summer institutes that 86 foreign language educators attended. Instruction was designed to introduce institute participants to electronic mail to provide them with a means of communication as they completed post‐institute collaborative projects. Results of this study suggest that the diffusion‐based instruction was effective in encouraging participants to use electronic mail. Participants who received electronic mail instruction used electronic mail significantly more than comparable foreign language teachers who did not attend the institutes.
Using Film to Build Writing Proficiency in a Second‐Year Language Class
Authors: Dodds Dinah
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  While the proficiency movement has produced numerous books and articles that deal primarily with oral proficiency, little has been published on the subject of writing proficiency. This article describes the writing curriculum for the first semester of a second‐year German course, designed using the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines as a framework. A traditional review grammar gives students practice manipulating words and sentences while films provide the context for creative, communicative writing. By the end of the semester, all students have mastered Intermediate‐level functions, while many can perform at the Advanced level.
Motivation and Language Learning with Students of Chinese1
Authors: Wen Xiaohong
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The present study investigates the motivational factors of students who are from Asian and Asian‐American backgrounds and learn Chinese at the university level in the United States. Seventy‐seven students at the beginning and intermediate levels of proficiency participated in the study. The data were collected through a survey method. Factor analysis, regression procedures, t‐tests, and correlation coefficients were used to address the research questions.

The results of the study indicate that intrinsic interest in Chinese culture and the desire to understand one's own cultural heritage are the initial motivation for students to start learning the Chinese language. Expectations of learning task and effort keep students continuing their Chinese at the intermediate level. In addition, motivational factors correlate significantly with desired learning outcomes from the expectancy theory. Based upon the findings, recommendations are made to enhance students' motivation, expectancy, and self‐efficacy in learning.
A Beginner's Guide to the Internet in the Foreign Language Classroom with a Focus on the World Wide Web
Authors: Green Anne
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The Internet is “a global communications network, comprised of millions of people using computers in every industrialized nation in the world“… “a treasure chest of information waiting to be discovered”… “huge and overwhelming and difficult to mentally grasp.“1

By explaining the Internet in simple terms and offering suggestions for its use, this paper will attempt to provide the language teacher with the impetus to get online and to integrate the tremendous resources available on the Internet into the classroom. The language teacher who wants to utilize the Internet in the classroom faces four challenges. The first is to come to a working knowledge of the history, language, and worldview – the culture–of cyberspace. The second challenge is to establish an actual hardware link to the Internet. The third is to become aware of the breadth, depth, and limitations of the resources available on the Internet. The final challenge is to integrate the diverse and variable quality of information, resources, and opportunities available through the Internet into the language classroom. Our understanding of and interaction with the borderless and dynamic medium of cyberspace can aid us in the teaching of language and culture.
Group Work is NOT Busy Work: Maximizing Success of Group Work in the L2 Classroom
Authors: Davis Robert L.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Pair and group activities have become a staple in the L2 classroom, but in many cases instructors do not use the techniques appropriately or to maximum effectiveness. This proposal for training pre‐ and insewice teachers in the use of group work is based on the principles of action research: first it outlines some issues in the design and implementation of these activities and then includes suggestions for the postobsewation remodeling of activities within a task‐ and content‐based framework for language instruction.
The Sociocultural Message of Language Textbooks: Arabic in the Israeli Setting
Authors: Brosh Hezi
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT:

This paper investigates both the explicit and the implicit sociocultural messages conveyed by language textbooks. Twelve Arabic textbooks taught in junior high schools in the Hebrew educational system in Israel were examined. The findings indicate that Arab society is presented in a partial, subjective, and unbalanced manner. The textbooks under investigation do not reflect the new reality in the Middle East in the era of peace nor the contemporary Arab culture. These findings are especially significant in light of the fact that within the Israeli setting Arabic textbooks constitute one of the most meaningful sources of knowledge about Arab society.
Multimedia Computer‐Assisted Reading in Business Chinese
Authors: Hong Wei
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of multimedia computer‐assisted reading in Business Chinese. In this study, the software “A Multimedia Chinese Reader for Advanced Students” was utilized in the elementary Business Chinese class at Purdue University. Experimental in‐class and multimedia computer‐assisted readings were conducted to examine the effectiveness of multimedia computer‐assisted reading in comparison with the conventional paper‐pen‐dictionary reading method. The study results showed that computer‐assisted reading is much more effective in improving students' reading efficiency and in enhancing students' comprehension of Business Chinese articles than the conventional reading method. Such factors of the multimedia technology as speed, electronic dictionary, and sound effects contributed considerably to the students' reading efficiency. This study concluded that reading proficiency of second‐year Business Chinese learners can be much more efficiently achieved with the assistance of multimedia technology.
A Language‐Focused Needs Analysis for ESL‐Speaking Nursing Students in Class and Clinic
Authors: Cameron Richard
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Because clinical experience is essential for nursing education, even students with modest‐to‐low proficiency in English as a second language (ESL) receive training and provide care in clinics. Yet modest‐to‐low language proficiency could prove hazardous for the students or their patients. Therefore, these nursing students would benefit from special classes in ESL Such classes require prior needs analyses that precisely articulate academic and clinical language needs. These needs statements serve as suggestions for course content. Reported here are the results of an extensive needs analysis for ESL‐speaking graduate nursing students. The approach to needs definition derives from Stufflebeam et al. (1985). The analysis focuses on skills required for school, clinical practice, and interaction with a multicultural, socially stratified patient population. Resulting needs statements are organized in terms of (1) Speech Production Accuracy, (2) Academic Performance, (3) Clinical Performance, (4) Dialect (Cultural) Variation, and (5) Inferencing Skills.
Autonomy at Any Price? Issues and Concerns from a British HE Perspective
Authors: Hurd Stella
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  To remain viable in today's stringent financial climate, British university departments are having to recruit more and more students and look increasingly to less costly alternative forms of delivery. Autonomous learning is seen by many to be the obvious option. Some language departments have responded by introducing autonomous language learning into their curriculum, and there are a number of interesting and innovative approaches that have been developed in a small number of universities. This article sounds a warning that it is neither an easy nor a cheap alternative and that there are important economic, psychological, pedagogical, and practical issues to address if autonomous language learning is to achieve any measure of success.
Instruction and Exposure: How Do They Contribute To Second Language Acquisition?
Authors: Shresta Tej B.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Adults have access to two distinct approaches to develop their second language competence. These are instruction and exposure (Krashen 1982). Both approaches contribute to second language acquisition in their unique ways. This article describes how they contributed to the development of oral proficiency in English as a second language in mutually exclusive learning situations in Nepal.

There were 58 randomly selected subjects in the study, who came from two distinct groups. The first group was composed of people who had learned English mainly through formal classroom instruction with grammar‐based approaches. The second group was composed of people who had learned English mainly through informal contact with English‐speaking people. English speech samples were collected through personal interviews and presentations based on visual materials. These oral responses were judged holistically by five independent judges. They were also analyzed by means of grammar and fluency‐related errors. Data were analyzed using t‐tests and correlation procedures.

The main finding was that both instruction and exposure contributed to second language acquisition in their own unique ways. The former seemed to promote accuracy and the latter fluency. For communication purposes, however, fluency seemed to be more critical than accuracy.
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors that Contribute To the Difficulty of Learning False Cognates1
Authors: Frantzen Diana
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The difficulty posed by false cognates stems largely from two sources: intrinsic factors (inherently confusing characteristics of false cognates themselves) and extrinsic factors (ambiguous, contradictory, and sometimes incorrect input). This article identifies and discusses ten factors that contribute to the difficulties that language learners may have in dealing with false cognates and provides suggestions for minimizing the confusion. The terms “reliably false cognates” and “unreliably false cognates” are proposed to differentiate the false cognates that never have overlapping meanings from those that have both false and true cognate meanings.
Teaching Idioms
Authors: Cooper Thomas C.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Since idioms are figurative expressions that do not mean what they literally state and since they are so frequently encountered in both oral and written discourse, comprehending and producing idioms present language learners with a special vocabulary learning problem. Idiom acquisition research, however, has uncovered a number of findings that have pedagogical implications for idiom instruction. This article summarizes these research findings and presents the language teacher with a systematic plan for teaching idioms to native language learners, bilingual students, and foreign language learners.
Back to the Future: A Look at Present Textbooks and Past Recommendations
Authors: Lally Carolyn
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Year after year, and issue after issue, journals devoted to language learning and instruction are filled with articles describing new methods, reporting research, and making recommendations. Naturally, the goal of these articles is to improve L2 instruction by moving the profession forward. Although the desired outcome may be the same, the present article takes a different approach by pausing a moment to look back. Specifically, two articles published in the late 1980s are revisited in order to determine whether or not suggestions made nearly a decade ago are reflected in recent textbooks.
Successful Teaching Strategies: Findings from a Case Study of Middle School African Americans Learning Arabic
Authors: Moore Zena T. , English Mark
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  A six month case study of ten African American Middle School students in an inner‐city school setting provided the data for the article. Successful strategies were based on theories of discovery learning and synergistic learning styles. The classroom allowed for free physical movement, bonding and multisensorial activities. Students were incorporated into planning lessons and activities, as well as in teaching. Students visited sites in the community where they used the language in real life situations. Contrary to previous research findings on L1 L2 transfer, the study showed that the students' L1, (African American English), facilitated the learning of Arabic.
Language Skill Levels, Textual Modes, and the Rating Process
Authors: Child James R.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This paper first considers the organization of the wording of the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) descriptions of four language skills across five levels, principally as they relate to second‐language learners. It then summarizes another paper by the author in which he posits four textual levels that may be reasonably assumed to cover the communicative needs of speakers of most, if not all, languages. Finally, it suggests an approach to rating whereby texts typical of each level can serve as models in assigning skill levels.
Culture, culture and “culture” in Foreign Language Teaching
Authors: Shanahan Daniel
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT “Culture,” which is taking on increasing importance in contemporary foreign language pedagogy, has also been the subject of much debate. Definitions of what culture is have proliferated, from Matthew Arnold to Levi‐Strauss to Edward Hall, and not infrequently lines of opposition have formed around them. But if we abandon an oppositional mode of thinking and address the question of culture and language learning from the perspective of the affective elements contained within both, we may be able to adopt a more ecumenical approach to the former and provide ourselves with a much more powerful tool for helping students acquire the latter.
Identity Labels and Self‐Reported Language Use: Implications for Spanish Language Programs
Authors: Villa Daniel , Villa Jennifer
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT Demographic changes in the U.S. population are reflected in the students entering Spanish language instruction programs. These programs face a student body with a wide range of language skills; from those with no knowledge of Spanish to those who are natively fluent in the language. In response to the increasing number of students who enter Spanish classes with some degree of heritage language skills, many programs across the nation have instituted what are commonly called Spanish for Native Speakers (SNS) courses. However, participation in such classes is generally not mandatory, and not all students who possess heritage language skills enroll in SNS programs, opting instead for classes designed for non‐native speakers. This article, then, examines the relationship between self‐identification labels and self‐reported language use, among other factors, of students who have self‐selected into SNS courses. A principal goal of this study is to work toward a better understanding of certain identity features of students with heritage language skills, in order to inform future curriculum development in student‐centered SNS programs.
The Effects of Proficiency Level and Passage Content on Reading Skills Assessment1
Authors: Mecartty Frances H.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This study is designed to investigate the use of reading skills by intermediate and advanced learners of Spanish and to determine whether performance on these skills is uniform across learners and across reading texts, and whether there is a gradation of skills from least complex to most complex.

Subjects read two authentic unabridged passages in Spanish and were asked to answer questions based on the skills isolated for the study. These skills are: a) locating details which include the subskills recognition and paraphrase; b) simple inferential skills which include understanding words in context and recognizing cause and effect; c) complex inferential skills which include recognizing main ideas and drawing conclusions.

The results of the study showed a) a significant three‐way interaction of level, passage and skill; b) a significant interaction of passage and skill; c) a significant interaction of level and skill; and d) a significant main effect of skill. The findings of the study lend support to a hierarchy of skills. However, it is argued that reading comprehension cannot be viewed in terms of a discrete set of skills when the nature of reading is so complex.
Communicative Grammar Teaching: A Problem for and a Message from International Teaching Assistants
Authors: Salomone Ann Masters
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Grammar teaching within the context of the communicative approach is an issue for the entire foreign language teaching profession. International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) find this topic particularly vexing because of their normally strong grammatically oriented language learning backgrounds. Qualitative data obtained from Teaching Assistant (TA) surveys, interviews, journal entries, and videotape critiques were analyzed to discover the specific concerns of ITAs about grammar and how these concerns influence the identified ITA problems of language, cross‐cultural communication, and pedagogy. A thematic summary of the data and pedagogical implications for TA and ITA training are presented and serve as a call to ITA trainers for clearer instructions about grammar teaching.
Junior Teacher Internship: Promoting Cooperative Interaction and Learner Autonomy in Foreign Language Classrooms
Authors: Thomson Chihiro Kinoshita
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  In teaching and learning foreign languages in places where the target language is not spoken, it is difficult but important to increase interactive opportunities among learners. A junior teacher internship project, in which a group of third‐year Australian university students of Japanese participated regularly in first‐year Japanese classroom activities, as well as lesson planning, is examined in this article. The article discusses learner autonomy and cooperative learning, the project procedures, and project evaluation in terms of reactions by both first‐year and third‐year students and observations by participating teachers and the project coordinator. Evaluation of the project indicated increased interactive opportunities among the third‐year students as well as the first‐year students, enhanced motivation of first‐year students, raised third‐year students' awareness in learning and teaching, and as a result, promoted cooperative and autonomous learning in the learners.
Modern Languages in the American College Curriculum: The Coming of Age
Authors: Lalande John F
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This article traces the path taken by modern languages into the American college/university curriculum. It begins with the Colonial Era and concludes with the World War I Era. Some of the arguments for and against the teaching of modern languages are identified, as well as the unique relationship enjoyed between modern languages and a liberal arts education.
The Effectiveness of Computer‐Assisted Interactive Glosses
Authors: Nagata Noriko
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This paper introduces a new Japanese courseware program, Banzai Readings, and presents an empirical study based on the program. Banzai Readings provides reading texts accompanied by glosses to enhance second‐language learners' reading comprehension. Several studies support that marginal glosses are more effective than no gloss in learning second‐language vocabulary (e.g., Hulstijn et al. 1996, Watanabe 1997). Since marginal glosses can be presented in different formats, it is of interest to determine which formats are more effective than others. This study investigates the effectiveness of two types of glosses using Banzai Readings. The single‐gloss version of the program provides a single English translation for each target vocabulary item or target grammatical structure occurring in the reading text. The multiple‐choice version of the program provides two possible translations in a multiple‐choice format, followed by immediate feedback in response to learners' selections. The result of the study is that the multiple‐choice format is significantly more effective than the single‐gloss format. The study illustrates how educational software design decisions can be usefully guided by empirical studies of the relative effectiveness of different versions.
In Search of a Coherent Curriculum: Integrating the Third‐Year Foreign Language Classroom
Authors: Mittman Elizabeth
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  In response to theoretical developments in literary and cultural studies, many arguments have been made for revising foreign language curricula in recent years. However, a number of practical questions remain, particularly in the upper division, regarding (a) appropriate content and (b) the relationship between content and language instruction. The author discusses a third‐year level course on postwar German culture in terms of the combined goals of increasing students' cultural knowledge, critical reading skills, and linguistic fluency. Such a course provides a possible template for language programs working toward an integrated curriculum.
The Student View on Effective Practices in the College Elementary and Intermediate Foreign Language Classroom
Authors: Conrad Dennis
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The majority of foreign language learners on our college campuses today are those that are engaged in such study in order to fulfill an institutional requirement, a common example being successful completion of the fourth‐semester course. Once the requirement has been met, formal foreign language study tends to cease. What does this particular type of foreign language student think of the foreign language‐learning experience? From their point of view, what activities or strategies are seen as being effective for their teaming? This article brings to light their opinions on some learning issues, notably those of expressivity and accuracy of target‐language production. The picture that emerges from the data suggests a blend of two leading considerations: using a structural approach involving corrective feedback and grammar, as well as a communicative approach where language is used for real communication purposes.
Writing, Reading, and Reading‐to‐Write in a Foreign Language: A Critical Review
Authors: Ruiz‐Funes Marcela
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT The development of reading and writing skills in a foreign language (FL) has a central role in the FL curriculum. The importance of these abilities is even stronger in upper‐level courses where reading and writing are assigned in combination, as in the case of reading‐to‐write tasks. In these tasks students are asked to read articles or literary selections and to react and respond to them in an insightful and critical manner (Horowitz 1986; Spack 1988; Flower el al. 1990; Kem and Schultz 1992). The complexity involved in these skills as well as the web of processes that readers/writers orchestrate have been unveiled by researchers in both first (L1) and second/foreign languages (L2/FL) who seek an understanding of the cognition of reading‐to‐write acts. In this article a review is presented of the most influential work done on the process of reading‐to‐write in the last two decades. Also, reference is made to the impact that research on writing process and reading process has made on the FL profession.
Classroom‐Management‐Classroom Survival: One Teacher's Story of Constructing Practice in a Computer‐Equipped Foreign Language Classroom
Authors: Burnett Joanne
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT “I volunteered to speak today, because in the midst of all this technological wizardry, I thought we should have a voice from the other side. Not all of us love computers. Not all of us have a natural bent for computers—on the contrary. I get bent out of shape. How can you visualize how they work when they have no moving parts? Why won't they tell you what's wrong when there's a problem? And my pet peeve is that there's no compromise with a computer. It always gets its way. And what I really question is the starry‐eyed assumption that technology automatically, by nature of being technology, improves the language course presentation and facilitates language learning.”
Enhancing Communicative Language Skills through Effective Use of the World Wide Web in the Foreign Language Classroom
Authors: Kost Claudia R.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This article addresses the use of the World Wide Web in the foreign language classroom. Methodological considerations for its effective implementation as well as various resources for instructors are introduced first. After the discussion of predidacticized material available on the Web, various practical examples of applications that focus on enhancing communicative proficiency are provided in detail. The article concludes with the presentation of several activities practicing different grammar items in a contextualized manner.
The Story of Proyecto Papán‐Folktales and Their Potential for Foreign Language Education
Authors: de Ramírez Lori Longer
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  After a theoretical discussion of the potential for stories in the foreign language curriculum, the author presents the results of a qualitative research study in which twenty‐two stories from the oral traditions of Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico were presented to students in five different media formats: picturebooks; audiotape; videotape; a Web page; and a Hypermedia program. The study found that most students understood unfamiliar vocabulary and past tense verbs in the context of the stories and were able to use this vocabulary in their story retellings and original story productions. Students were able to create their own folktales by recycling oral features from the stories into their own work. Overall, students across proficiency levels produced stories in Spanish that contained the main elements of story structure, advanced vocabulary and stylistic features that mimicked the folktales from the unit.
The Message Is the Medium: A New Paradigm for Content‐Oriented Instruction
Authors: Bragger Jeannette D. , Rice Donald B.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This article focuses on the Connections goal of the National Standards—i.e., on the integration of interdisciplinary content and language skills. Although content has always played some role in foreign language courses, the complexities of “connections” to academic content are far from being realized in the current foreign language teaching and learning environment. Consequently, this article proposes a developmental model for content‐oriented instruction that moves students from familiar to unfamiliar academic and cultural content while also taking into account their language level at each stage. In the process, the article offers suggestions on how to avoid the “sudden jumps” in difficulty, characteristic of language and literature courses both in high school and college, which lead to so much student/teacher frustration as well as to often dramatic drops in enrollment from level to level.
Partners in Pedagogy: Collaborative Teaching for Beginning Foreign Language Classes
Authors: Lee Lina , Henning Sylvie Debevec
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This article describes the “Partners in Pedagogy Program,” a team‐teaching structure for the first‐year French and Spanish language courses at the Plattsburgh State University of New York during the 1993–1995 academic years. The overall goals of the program were (1) to facilitate pedagogical cooperation between college foreign language and literature faculty and local middle and high school teachers; (2) to improve articulation between secondary and post‐secondary foreign language curricula; and (3) to maintain or even strengthen the communicative skills of students, particularly speaking and listening, while increasing class size. Participants were faculty at Plattsburgh State University and local secondary teachers. The college faculty met with 25–30 university students on Mondays and Wednesdays for presentation of structures, as well as practice in reading comprehension and writing. High school teachers met with smaller groups of 15 students on Tuesdays and Thursdays for conversational practice of the structures and vocabulary building. Departmental faculty coordinated courses, meeting with their partners once a week to discuss pertinent issues related to syllabi, instructional material, procedures of testing and grading criteria. Both students and instructors responded favorably to the “Partners in Pedagogy Program.” Students commented that the conversational sessions allowed them to apply linguistic structures in more practical and realistic contexts. The atmosphere was relaxed, thus reducing learner anxiety. The program also helped both faculty and high school teachers develop an articulated foreign language curriculum in which they shared, discussed and agreed on the FL goals, instructional strategies and evaluation standards. The authors suggest that this type of teaching structure can enhance FL instruction.
Effects of the ACTFLOPI‐Type Training on Student Performance, Instructional Methods, and Classroom Materials in the Secondary Foreign Language Classroom
Authors: Gouoni Jane M. , Feyten Carine M.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of training foreign language teachers in the ACTFL‐OPI‐type training on student performance, instructional methods, and classroom materials in the secondary foreign language classroom. Proficiency‐based instruction is one of ACTFL's most significant contributions to foreign language education; however, scarce research data are available on the effects of the ACTFL‐OPI training at the secondary level. The hypothesis of this study was that teachers who had been trained in the ACTFL‐OPI‐type training would become more aware of factors contributing to a proficiency‐oriented curriculum. It was carried out in the secondary schools in Pinellas County, Florida, in which teachers who were trained in the ACTFL‐OPI‐type training showed a 35 percent increase in personalized communication, more specifically when expressing feelings, opinions, and judgments in class. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was found to be statistically significant in this communicative category (F= (1,4) = 13.07) at the .05 alpha level. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. The results of the teacher interviews and questionnaires also supported the hypothesis that trained teachers were more aware of a proficiency‐oriented curriculum. No significant differences were found on student performance. Further studies are suggested due to the large effect sizes found in the teacher categories
Word Processing and WWW Projects in a College Japanese Language Class
Authors: Kubota Ryuko
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This paper describes four computer‐assisted Japanese language and culture projects using word processing and the World Wide Web (WWW) conducted in a college‐level third‐year Japanese class, and reports the impact of the projects as assessed by student pre‐ and post‐questionnaires reflective comments from students, and instructor's reflective observation notes. Fourteen students provided their feedback on the four projects that they had engaged in: (1) journal writing; (2) creating a personal home page; (3) a Japanese culture project using the WWW; and (4) a collaborative class fiction using a discussion forum on the WWW. The projects were successful in that students enjoyed word processing, creating Web pages, and collaboratively creating a fiction all in the Japanese language. Students also felt that these projects benefited the overall development of their Japanese language skills, understanding of Japanese culture, and computer skills. They also felt that word processing made writing in Japanese easy. Observations found that students' motivation increased. There was also a significant decrease in students' anxiety toward using computers. Areas of difficulties included kanji recognition in word processing and in reading Web pages and mastering technical skills. This paper offers suggestions tor conducting similar computer projects in foreign language classrooms.
Seeking a Role for Grammar. A Review of Some Recent Studies
Authors: Krashen Stephen D.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Studies of the impact of formal instruction consistently show that more instruction results in, at best, modest increases in consciously‐learned competence, a conclusion that is consistent with the claims of the Monitor hypothesis.
New Paradigms for U.S. Higher Education in the Twenty‐First Century
Authors: Voght Geoffrey M.
Published: January 2009

Abstract: Our present and future economic security depends on our ability as a nation to communicate effectively with potential business partners, customers, and competitors around the world. Our success in the global marketplace is directly related to our ability to understand, appreciate, value, and within foreign cultures, differing sets of social customs, diverse economic contexts, and varied political systems. The colleges and universities that prosper in the future are those that will, among other things, focus foreign language curricula on the needs of students specializing in business and other professions, while modifying their business and professional courses and programs to include foreign languages, international perspectives, and cross‐cultural content. This article describes the fundamental changes in U.S. society and the world that are dictating modifications in the rules and assumptions for U.S. higher education, in general, and for instruction in foreign languages, foreign cultures, and professional preparation, in particular.
The FLES Attitudinal Inventory
Authors: Kennedy Teresa J. , Nelson Jack K. , Odell Michael R. L. , Austin Laurie K.
Published: January 2009

Abstract: This study investigated attitudinal changes experienced by elementary students studying a second language and presents the development of an attitudinal assessment instrument, its reliability, and a summary of findings from initial administrations of the inventory. The primary purpose of this study was to compare attitudinal differences between elementary students (K‐5) involved in a regular Foreign Language in the Elementary Schools (FLES) program with their peers who were not provided with additive foreign language curriculum. Results from the study showed that students participating in FLES programs had positive attitudes relating to school, perceived difficulty in language acquisition, perceived desirability of foreign language study, cultural views, and student self‐esteem and confidence levels in relation to their academic achievement in comparison with their non‐FLES peers. The conclusions of this study suggest that FLES programs provide students with improved motivation to participate, to persist, and to succeed in second language study.
Setting Students Up for Success: Formative Evaluation and FLES1
Authors: Vandergrift Larry
Published: January 2009

Abstract: A team of French teachers across Canada developed prototype evaluation instruments congruent with recent curriculum changes for core French. A series of formative evaluation instruments for beginning‐level students (grades 4–6) was refined and field‐tested. Encouraging results of the field‐test highlight a positive response to the experiential nature of the evaluation tasks. Both students and teachers commented on the potential of the various instruments to (1) help students organize their work; (2) raise student awareness of the processes of language learning; (3) provide students with useful feedback; and (4) motivate students to improve their performance in French.
The Changing Face of the Intermediate Language Curriculum1
Authors: Rava Susan
Published: January 2009

Abstract: Foreign language departments in institutions of higher education historically have faced a dilemma in formulating their intermediate curricula: How can they balance the needs of students completing language requirements with the needs of students preparing for advanced language or literature studies? This article calls for instructors and departments to pioneer in changing the intermediate language curriculum. The article represents an appeal for action and lays out guiding principles for change. The article will first examine today's foreign language teaching climate, especially as it affects the intermediate curriculum in higher education. It will then propose and explicate five curriculum guidelines that, when used together, meet the challenges posed by a changing academic environment.
First Language Influences in Second Language Composition: The Effect of Pre‐Writing
Authors: Lally Corolyn Gascoigne
Published: January 2009

Abstract: Within these exciting and changing times for second language (L2) writing, a wealth of studies — from those examining the effects of composition time constraints to inquiries into computer‐assisted writing software — have taken place. One area that begs further investigation is the role played by the native language during the brainstorming or idea‐generation stages of the second language composing process. This study sought to compare the effects of English language (i.e., L1) brainstorming activities with similar activities conducted in French (i.e., the L2) in terms of their effects on the coherence of compositions drafted by intermediate‐level college French students.
“Visions” of K‐12 Foreign Language Teacher Recruitment in Higher Education
Authors: Long Sheri Spaine
Published: January 2009

Abstract: This article addresses the role of college and university professors in foreign language teacher recruitment (K‐12) and lobbies for increased involvement in recruitment efforts. The discussion includes explanations of why many foreign language professors who are not affiliated with Schools or Colleges of Education frequently do not recommend foreign language teaching careers to their students. Also delineated are the benefits of more participation in recruitment efforts by foreign language professors from traditional, humanities‐based departments of foreign languages and literatures. The article concludes with 22 reasons to be a foreign language teacher — a resource for presenting the positive aspects of the foreign language profession to potential foreign language teacher candidates.