Investigates the attitudes of Brazilian English-as-a-foreign-language learners toward the target language. The focus is on their perception of the importance of English as a language for international communication, the role of English within Brazil, and the learners' expectations of time and energy to be consumed in the learning of the language.…

Students in lower-level Spanish classes completed a questionnaire assessing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for learning Spanish, feelings of autonomy and competence in language learning, integrative orientation, and perceptions of teachers' communication style. Results of a path analysis showed that the more controlling the teacher was…

The study examined an ESL writing class, which consisted of 36 students, at a community college of Hong Kong. The students took part in three online collaborative writing tasks by sending drafts to peers who gave them suggestions and comments for improvement and working together on the completion of the writing tasks via email. The 36 students…

The present research investigated the effects of an interdisciplinary program on Chinese music and culture, based on a sociocultural approach to multicultural music education. The program was introduced to 250 fifth- and sixth-grade children in three schools in New York, USA. Reports and questionnaires were collected from the teachers, students,…

The present article is part of a large-scale study conducted in Ontario that investigated gender differences in motivation to learn French. However, for this particular article second language (L2) motivation theory is the primary focus. Over the past 30 years of research, the study of L2 motivation has evolved. There appears to be a definite…

In many countries around the world there is a current focus on the restructuring of education systems in a bid to increase the "quality" of the educational experience for pupils in order to raise their academic achievement. However, the definition of quality as expressed through policy may not always accord with the aims and aspirations…

For the thirty-sixth year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the annual AECT Convention in Anaheim, California. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two…

Learners' motivations for participating in adult basic education (ABE) are important; determining their needs is crucial to evaluating programs to see if their needs are being met and is also important in determining instructional content and methods. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 323 randomly selected ABE students in Iowa. During…

A theory of interest is presented, with comments on the assessment of interest in a student. The concept of interest as an affective state, elicited by certain characteristics of the material, is not sufficient, since situational factors do not seem solely responsible for making information more interesting. The educational interest theory here…

An educational experiment concerning second language acquisition is described in this report. It is hypothesized that low ethnocentrism, positive attitudes toward the other group, and an integrative orientation toward language comprise high motivation, with the opposite criteria controlling low motivation. Puerto Rican children involved in the…

This study attempts to determine whether stated behavioral objectives, learner activities, and self-pacing increase both learner input into instructional decision making and comprehension as well as improve attitude. The subjects for the study were drawn from three sections of a principles of communication course which were all taught by the same…

In tests third graders accepted the idea of equal occupational opportunity, but eighth graders from low socioeconomic backgrounds were more pessimistic about their chance of achieving advanced education and a good job. (Ed.)

A study of students' attitudes at the Kassel People's University, most of whom were housewives, revealed that the prime motivation was planned vacations and the ability to communicate. Understanding of foreign countries, their culture and politics was not sought by most. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

A study of age and time differences in motivation for learning French and in attitudes toward French instruction found attitude variation decreasing with time, and found rural and suburban students' attitudes linked most to the learning situation while urban students' motivation was rooted in desire to communicate in French. (MSE)

Describes a study of the effects on second language attrition of attitudes, motivations, and reported language use by learners during a six-month period after the completion of an intensive French course. (SED)