scholarly journals Assessing Spanish Proficiency of Online Language Learners after Year 1

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
Rosalie S. Aldrich ◽  
Dianne Moneypenny
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Oral Proficiency ◽  
The United States ◽  
Spanish Language ◽  
Language Classes ◽  
Language Students ◽  
One Year

<p>Online (OL) second language (L2) courses are becoming more widely offered in the United States; however, little information exists about the effectiveness of OL L2 courses beyond one semester or course. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess Spanish students’ oral proficiency after completing one year of OL only L2 courses. At the end of year one, students (<em>n</em>=65) completed the Versant exam, which scored overall level of oral proficiency as well as four sub-categories: pronunciation, fluency, sentence formation, and vocabulary production. The results showed that 40% of OL Spanish students met the ACTFL benchmark of Intermediate-Low, while 49% scored Novice-High, one level below the benchmark. A portion (15%) of students not reaching Intermediate-Low scored within a few points of the benchmark. A majority of the students also met the benchmark for pronunciation and fluency, but not for sentence formation or vocabulary production. These results show that it is possible for students enrolled exclusively in online Spanish language classes to meet benchmarks. Thus, OL language students can and should be held to the same standards of oral proficiency as their peers in seated classrooms.</p>

scholarly journals Innovations in Integrating Language Assistants: Inter-Collaborative Learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 54-62
Author(s):  
Fumie Kato
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Japanese Language ◽  
Japanese Study ◽  
Language Classes ◽  
One Year ◽  
Study Abroad Program ◽  
Study Abroad Students

A language assistant (LA) program was introduced into a university-level Japanese program. The LAs in this program consisted of Japanese study abroad students, that is English as a second language students, coming to study from Japanese universities for either one semester or one academic year, as well as American learners returning from a one-year academic study abroad program in Japan. In the southeastern region of the United States, the Japanese language is not yet considered a major foreign language, thus few opportunities exist for American learners to connect with native speakers of Japanese. The LA program endeavors to ease this limitation. It has been extremely beneficial for our American learners to have opportunities to communicate regularly with Japanese study abroad students in the classrooms. Furthermore, it was found tremendously valuable for Japanese study abroad students and greatly helpful for the instructors as well. This paper describes the procedures and examines the effectiveness of introducing an LA program into Japanese language classes. To analyze the program, questionnaires were distributed to LAs (N=20); five department instructors wrote comments concerning the program; and five Japanese language learners submitted reflection papers. Analyses of the qualitative data indicate that the LA program has many advantages for everyone participating.

Second-language learners and taboo words in American English

English Today ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 44-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norma A. Register
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
American English ◽  
The United States ◽  
Taboo Words

A review of the problems learners of English can have with actual and borderline taboo usages in the United States

scholarly journals ¿Aproximación Natural o Método Cognitivo? La Enseñanza del Español como Segunda Lengua / Natural Approach OR Cognitive Method? The Teaching of Spanish as a Second Language

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Enriqueta Claudia Serrano Romero
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cognitive Approach ◽  
Natural Approach ◽  
Current Alternative

ABSTRACTIn the United States, typically since the 1970s, among the instructors dedicated to the teaching of a Second Language (L2) there is a great dilemma that may be caused by an apparent pedagogical confusion about the term competence and the teaching of grammatical rules. Cognitive approach has been feasible and current alternative for teaching a second language. However, literature in the field shows that teaching a foreign language is much more complex aspect than a simple choice. Also, it has been perceived that the student's purpose is not only using the language in regular basis of communicating but also in academic and professional settings. Second language learners must distinguish between acquiring a language and learning it.RESUMENEn los Estados Unidos, típicamente desde la década de los 70’s, los instructores que se enfrentan al dilema sobre qué método es más conveniente para la enseñanza de una segunda lenguas. La aparente causa puede ser la confusión pedagógica sobre el término de competencia y la enseñanza de las reglas gramaticales. Los instructores han recurrido al método cognitivo por figurar éste como la alternativa viable e inmediata para tal propósito. Sin embargo, la literatura especializada muestra que el tema sobre los métodos de instrucción de lenguas extranjeras resulta ser un problema más complejo que el de una simple elección, particularmente cuando se percibe que el propósito del estudiante no es sino sólo lograr el manejo de un idioma extranjero para la comunicación en todos los ámbitos y para cuestiones académicas y profesional, lo que involucra distinguir entre adquirir una lengua y aprenderla

scholarly journals Bridging English Language Learner Achievement Gaps through Effective Vocabulary Development Strategies

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 134
Author(s):  
Charles Gibson
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Development ◽  
The United States ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Achievement Gaps ◽  
English As Second Language ◽  
Language Students

<p>Despite a well-documented history of immigration in the United States of America and rise in population of students that speak a language other than English, academic achievement gaps between English Language Learners and their native English language speaking counterparts from Grades Pre-Kindergarten through the college/university level still exist. This research paper conducted a review of philosophical and scholarly literature which displayed evidence that vocabulary development is a major section that educators should consider focusing for to better achievement with English as Second Language students. Implementing educational practices that promote high-frequency vocabulary learning, using teaching approaches that include cognitive and metacognitive strategy, along with incorporating computer-based instruction into language development activities were found to be effective strategies. The discussion of the identified strategies presented in the present review of literature concludes with recommendations for administrators and education professionals serving English Language Learners and English as Second Language students in various learning environments.</p>

scholarly journals The Relationship between Social Identity and Foreign Language Learning Motivation: The Sustainability of Heritage Language Learners

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 13102
Author(s):  
Luis Miguel Dos Santos
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Social Identity ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
The United States ◽  
Spanish Language ◽  
University Environment ◽  
Spanish Language Learners ◽  
The Relationship

This study aimed to explore the relationship between social identity and language learning motivations of a group of heritage Spanish language learners in a university environment in the United States. Based on the qualitative research inquiry with semi-structured interview and focus group activity tools, a group of 78 Spanish language learners in one university environment in the United States were surveyed. Under the open-coding and axial-coding techniques, the finding of this study indicated that the three main motivations were Latinx Americans with dual identities, interests in career development, and surrounding environments and individuals. Department heads, non-profit organisation managers, and researchers may use this study as the blueprint to reform and polish the current foreign language teaching and learning programmes, courses, and policies to meet the expectations of multilingualism.

scholarly journals Innovations in Integrating Language Assistants: Inter-Collaborative Learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 88-96
Author(s):  
Fumie Kato
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Japanese Language ◽  
Japanese Study ◽  
Language Classes ◽  
One Year ◽  
Study Abroad Program ◽  
Study Abroad Students

A language assistant (LA) program was introduced into a university-level Japanese program. The LAs in this program consisted of Japanese study abroad students, that is English as a second language students, coming to study from Japanese universities for either one semester or one academic year, as well as American learners returning from a one-year academic study abroad program in Japan. In the southeastern region of the United States, the Japanese language is not yet considered a major foreign language, thus few opportunities exist for American learners to connect with native speakers of Japanese. The LA program endeavors to ease this limitation. It has been extremely beneficial for our American learners to have opportunities to communicate regularly with Japanese study abroad students in the classrooms. Furthermore, it was found tremendously valuable for Japanese study abroad students and greatly helpful for the instructors as well. This paper describes the procedures and examines the effectiveness of introducing an LA program into Japanese language classes. To analyze the program, questionnaires were distributed to LAs (N=20); five department instructors wrote comments concerning the program; and five Japanese language learners submitted reflection papers. Analyses of the qualitative data indicate that the LA program has many advantages for everyone participating.

Progressive constructions in native-speaker and adult-acquired Spanish

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Fafulas
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
The United States ◽  
English Speaking

AbstractThis research documents the acquisition of a range of progressive constructions and their associated predictors of use by English-speaking learners of Spanish in the United States. The few existing studies on acquisition of the Spanish progressive by adult second language learners analyze only the

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