Results of a survey sent to 180 undergraduates who had received intensive language instruction (in Mexico) while in high school indicate that study abroad experiences effects attitudes and behavior with regard to language learning and career choices. Survey showed positive change in self-perception; opportunity to gain language fluency; and desire…

This paper reports the results of a study of student evaluations of first-semester college Spanish. The study sought to determine how accurately student evaluations of teaching performance reflect teaching success. Results show student evaluation reflect very little of teaching effectiveness as defined by student achievement. (CHK)

Comparison of college students' (N=14) graded and ungraded Spanish compositions revealed that, when they anticipated receiving a grade, students wrote longer compositions with more complex sentences. However, the type and number of errors varied among students. (CB)

A study examined the occurrence of specific grammatical structures (double object pronouns, nominalization with "lo," demonstrative adjectives/pronouns, and possessive adjectives/pronouns) in oral samples of native speaker Spanish and compared the results with the treatment of the structures in six beginning-level college Spanish textbooks.…

In dual immersion classrooms, students from different language backgrounds are immersed in the minority language for large portions of the school day with the expectation that they will become equally proficient in their first language (L1) and in their second language (L2). Research on dual immersion indicates that students reach above-average…

Outlines a lesson in a college Spanish class in which the students were shown the close relationship between Spanish and Portuguese. This kind of class not only makes the students more conscious of the relatedness of languages but also can stimulate their interest in studying another language. (CFM)

Examines a sampling of current ESL reading instruction practices, addressing the concern that the lack of a generally accepted theory of L2 reading constitutes a major obstacle to teaching and testing ESL reading skills. Summarizes the results of two studies and discusses their implications for ESL teachers. (MES)

Examined the language and cultural attitudes of middle school students participating in a foreign language exploratory program. Some students participated in culture-related lessons that employed attitude-change theory. Results demonstrated that many students enter their first language class with misconceptions about language learning that may…

Comparison of the effects of error- versus message-oriented written feedback on second-language students' essays found that error corrections and rule reminders did not significantly improve students' written accuracy or enhance the ideational quality of their writing, whereas message-related comments promoted writing proficiency. (63 references)…

A study of native-language (L1) use in the collaborative interaction of five dyads of native English-speaking adult learners of Spanish as a second language found that L1 serves a critical function in students' attempts to mutually define task elements, provide each other with scaffolding help, and externalize inner speech. (Author/MSE)

Investigated whether the methodologies of explicit and implicit language instruction account for differences in the identification of grammatically well-formed sentences for college students of Spanish. Results showed that students receiving implicit instruction scored significantly higher in a grammaticality judgment test than those receiving…

Surveys 154 French, German, and Spanish language program directors in American univerities, offering a doctorate in foreign language fields, to find the extent to which applied and educational linguistics figure in their educational background and research interests. (Author/LMO)

Analysis of reading comprehension and recall of text by college students studying Spanish indicated that three components of background knowledge--context, transparency, and familiarity--affected the way learners read, comprehend, and recall passages. Interaction between these components and the reader is extremely complex. (CB)

Provides a listing of doctoral degrees granted in foreign languages, literatures, cultures, linguistics, and foreign language education in 1982. Entries are ordered by (1) major field, (2) institution, (3) dissertation author, (4) dissertation title, and (5) dissertation supervisor. (EKN)