Prospective and retrospective studies of 1,659 secondary school students and 198 workers in England and Malaysia found positive relationships between intrinsic motivations for learning and working. The "diploma disease" thesis, which posits negative relationships between examination-oriented schooling in developing nations and intrinsic…

A study of the Wimmera (Victoria, Australia) Adult Literacy and Basic Education Group (WALBEG) surveyed 30 participants to identify reasons people undertook courses, assess the impact of WALBEG programs on the individual and on the community, and investigate possible use of new learning technologies in future delivery of adult programs. (CDS)

Discusses two practices of the centuries-old Chinese Confucian academies that might benefit the American college teacher today: how Chinese academies have fostered student-teacher rapport and how they developed student motivation to learn. The origins and loss of these traditions are also examined. (MSE)

Presents findings relating to a study on pupils' perceptions of the in-school foreign language learning experience. The study is part of a longitudinal study on the motivational perspectives of secondary pupils learning German. (Author/VWL)

Uses an attitude/motivation battery and matched-guise procedure to examine Kazak, Uygur, and Yi subject's ratings of Putonghua (PTH) and Chinese ethnic minority nationality (EMN) languages and 12 variables in PTH learning. Shows among other things that integrative orientation of Beijing people are the best predictors of EMN's instrumental…

Introduction: Foreign language learners also often hold different beliefs or notions about language learning (Horwitz 1987), and existing research suggests that learner beliefs have the potential to influence both their experiences and actions as language learners. Method: This paper reports on a study which investigated the language learning…

Language learning motivation plays an important role in both research and teaching, yet language learners are still largely understood in terms of North American and European cultural values. This research explored language learning motivation constructs in a Chinese cultural setting, where large numbers of students are required to study English.…

The 2008 Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, a joint conference with the Michigan World Language Association, focused on learning about the diverse backgrounds and needs of today's students and discovering new ways to help them succeed in reaching the goal of language proficiency. A wide variety of workshops and…

This book is about native English speakers teaching English as a global language in non-English speaking countries. Through analysis of naturally occurring dialogic encounters, the authors examine the multifaceted ways in which teachers and students utilize diverse communicative resources to construct, display, and negotiate their identities as…

The discussion of bilingualism and bilingual education focuses on three common concerns: (1) whether children will suffer if they become bilingual; (2) whether they will suffer from education using two languages; and (3) whether bilingualism and bilingual education are more successful when chosen or when imposed on a population. The three…

The skills and approaches to study were investigated for 549 students from Hong Kong/Macau enrolled in undergraduate distance learning courses with the East Asian Open Institute. The sample included students at all stages in their studies, from those in their first year to graduates with an ordinary degree and honors graduates. Correlations…

A study investigated Finnish high school students' second language learning motivation, attitudes, self-concepts, inhibitions, and selected personality traits. The study attempted to learn more about the nature, content, and functions of the "affective filter" in foreign language learning. A variety of relationships between these factors…

In this proceedings, attention is focused on career preparation and the relationship between general and specialized studies, as well as the link between theoretical knowledge and practical experience. The preparatory study for the congress was conducted in about 300 universities, primarily in Europe and America. Nearly 15,000 interviews were…

In this paper, the author reviews the research done on the learning efforts of adults and presents some high-priority directions for the future. The paper first defines major learning efforts (learning projects) and describes some recent changes in the practice and focus of adult education. It then provides a general picture of the frequency of…

This paper reports the findings of a survey to determine the effects, if any, that experience in playgroups had upon children of varying social class backgrounds in differing areas within the United Kingdom. The project aimed at answering two major questions: (1) Did teachers perceive differences in first year infant school children that they…