A method was devised for interskill comparative evaluation of instructional programs, termed growth-referenced evaluation. The method focuses on comparative rate of improvement and provides empirical indication of areas for program intervention and reform. It is explained with reference to a sample of 485 adult EFL students in a baccalaureate…

This study examined listening comprehension in 82 university students who participated in an American Council of Teachers of Russian language program. Questionnaire data reveal that specific listening activities are not common in college Russian courses, and that students have little confidence in their ability to comprehend what they hear in a…

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) measures the English language proficiency of foreign students who apply for higher education in the United States. It is administered according to a strict schedule through the International and Special Center (I&SC) testing program or at ad hoc intervals by institutional users as part of the…

Suggests classroom activities for improving listening comprehension skills in beginning and intermediate students. A passage of connected discourse from a native speaker of Spanish is provided as a model for realistic monologue. Sample test items and suggestions for suitable testing techniques are also given. (LMO)

Two groups of undergraduates differing in reading ability were tested on a number of reaction-time tasks designed to determine the speed of encoding visual information at several different levels, tests of sensory functions, verbal and quantitative reasoning ability, short-term auditory memory span, and ability to comprehend spoken text.…

This study provides validity information for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) by examining some of its inter- and intra-test correlates. (CFM)

Suggests that additional attention to the sequencing of the grammatical structures needed for receptive comprehension might alleviate the problems associated with first-year German textbooks. The simple past tense, word order, and the indefinite pronoun "man" are used to illustrate the concept of a receptive grammar. (14 references) (Author/CK)

The third annual conference of the National Academy for Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (NAIRTL) was held at Trinity College Dublin on 11-12 November 2009, and was attended by over 300 delegates. The theme--"Research-Teaching Linkages: Practice and Policy"--was timely and generated some fascinating papers, workshops and…

The tone, attitude and emotions of a speaker may convey more than his words -- and the leader must be perceptive to both. (Editor)

Reports a study showing that reading comprehension of college students who were poor readers increased when passages were rewritten editing out abstract nouns and verb-nominalizations and replacing them with either concrete nouns or full verbs, but that comprehension of average and good readers did not change with the revisions. (TJ)

Intact classes of university students viewed either a serious lecture or one of three versions of a humorous lecture. A test of comprehension and retention was given twice: immediately after the lecture and six weeks later. Results indicated that immediate comprehension was not facilitated by the use of humorous examples. (Author/MV)

Investigates conditions that enable viewers to predict future events while viewing a movie. Hypothesizes that predictions about future events can be supported by visual, auditory, and discursive information. Interprets data from two experiments in terms of pragmatic and causal factors in comprehension. (PA)

Examined the relationship between reading comprehension, reading vocabulary, and five dimensions of library anxiety: barriers with staff, affective barriers, comfort with the library, knowledge of the library, and mechanical barriers. Participants were 45 African American graduate students from various disciplines who were given the Library…

Suggests that most students approach organic chemistry classes with a certain amount of apprehension and try to just manage or memorize the material rather than understand it. Recommends the use of Bloom's taxonomy as a way to increase comprehension and gives an example of how to use it in an organic chemistry classroom. (SOE)