The purpose of this research study was to investigate pedagogical approaches for improving reading compliance and critical, insightful discussion in the higher education classroom. Research on reading compliance in higher education reveals that students are often not reading their assigned texts. This problem compounds when instructors attempt to…

Abstract Educators are encouraged to engage military veterans enrolling in college in the use of "expressive writing" and related assignments as curriculum interventions to assist these student veterans in their transition from military to civilian life. This article describes semester-long studies conducted in 2015, 2016, and 2017 in…

This exploratory study analyzes learner-learner interactions within a virtual environment when collaboratively reading Spanish poetry in a Hispanic literature course at the college level via an ecological theoretical perspective (van Lier, 2004). The goals of the study are (a) to present empirical data that illustrate the theoretical construct of…

The present empirical study scrutinizes the use of short stories via computer technologies in teaching and learning English language. The objective of the study is two-fold: to examine how short stories could be used through computer programs in teaching and learning English and to collect data about students' perceptions of this technique via…

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of virtual literature circles (VLCs) on Chinese university English as a foreign language (EFL) students' independent English reading. The importance of independent reading for EFL students to develop critical thinking, language proficiency, and good readership was extensively discussed and…

This study compared learner perspectives regarding using PCs and smartphones as learning devices. A total of 167 Korean university students completed online assignments designed to maximize interaction with these devices. The assignments required students to submit their responses regarding assigned reading passages for a semester. Then they…

This case study aimed to examine ways Korean university students in an English critical reading class participated in educational action projects. For this purpose, the reading class was designed to enhance students' critical thinking skills and global citizenship as readers. Eighteen students in the class were taught by the teacher how to read…

This paper describes the structure and activities of READ (Reading Effectively Across the Disciplines), a pilot initiative to improve students' critical reading skills, disciplinary literacy and academic success. READ employs a multimodal design that consists of faculty training in disciplinary literacy instruction and curricular enhancement,…

Student success in higher education often involves the effective integration of source texts into students' writing (Horowitz, 1986); therefore, advanced second language (L2) students are particularly well served by effective reading-to-write instruction. Teaching L2 students to write from sources is challenging because of several issues,…

This study investigates bilingualized dictionary use of Taiwanese university students. It aims to examine EFL learners' overall dictionary use behavior and their perspectives on book dictionary as well as the necessity of advance guidance in using dictionaries. Data was collected through questionnaires and analyzed by SPSS 15.0. Findings indicate…

This article explores students' perceptions of inductive and deductive methods of teaching reading in Finnish and Hungarian in a higher education setting. A guided inductive discovery method of reading involves independent work and minimum vocabulary and grammar explanation before the reading assignment is given. A deductive pre-taught method…

This qualitative research study was aimed at examining the experiences and perceptions of students at a four-year college in New York City who were enrolled in an integrated reading and writing course designed to help students connect the literacy skills learned in the course to other contexts. Focusing on three students enrolled in the course,…

This study examines the ways in which college students in Japan overcame sensitivity to external evaluation and increased their willingness to communicate in English. It is not uncommon for university students in Japan, who are otherwise proficient speakers of English and motivated to learn, fail to exhibit English competency in real communication…

For novice and experienced instructors alike, facilitating online discussions can seem like a daunting prospect. Many ask themselves how to do so in an effective and meaningful way that actually adds to the course experience rather than seeming like mere busywork. The MANIC discussion strategy is one that promotes deeper student interaction with…

A successful lecture that includes meaningful class discussions requires students to be familiar with the topics covered in the assigned reading. However, because college students frequently do not complete such reading prior to class, instructors are faced with the challenge of finding methods that would encourage students to do so. The purpose…