Global challenges in terms of producing more globally competitive graduates have given grounds to the need of students to enhance their English proficiencies. Although most Taiwanese students have studied English starting from their elementary education up to their senior high school years, however, research have shown that there is still a need to improve on the students' English speech proficiency. This presentation details an empirical study which aims to investigate how Public Speaking Anxiety (PSA) affects English as Foreign Language (EFL) students who took a yearlong public speaking course in Taiwan. More specifically, the study seeks to answer these four major concerns: 1.) what are the underlying factors behind the students PSA; 2.) to what extent can gender differences affects PSA and time of preparation for a speech (TPS); 3.) to what extent can gender differences and the different type of audiences affect the reported levels of PSA; and 4.) what are the advantages/disadvantages brought about by the yearlong public speaking course. This case study adopts a mixed-method paradigm, wherein methodology from both quantitative and qualitative is systematically combined. Participants were 82 third-year technical-vocational college students. The Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA) quantitative survey was used to determine the level of students' anxiety, while the qualitative focus group interview was accomplished to further understand the effects of PSA and gender differences with respects to TPS and types of audiences. Results show that the yearlong public speaking course had indeed helped diminish some if not all of the students' PSA. Furthermore, relationship between PSA and gender differences of the audience was significant. Lastly, female students have longer TPS and higher reported PSA than male students, however, is caused mainly due to their being grade conscious and fear of performing badly in front of their classmates.

The main objective of this study is to investigate the effects of the 20 college campus Toastmasters clubs all over Taiwan, towards the enhancement of its student members' global awareness. Within the concept of cooperative learning, promotion of global views by means of sharing various cultural concepts within the conducted Toastmasters meeting program, group works such as structured interaction and communication activities, and individual speaking activities, while not worrying about their grammatical errors are used as strategies.Using the qualitative research paradigm in terms of focus group and individual interviews, the current study gathers college student members' global viewpoints along with their insightful observations in order to understand the implications of such cooperative strategies. Results indicates that co-curricular programs in existing campus activities, such as Campus Toastmasters clubs, is capable of developing the students' global viewpoints and/or was able to help diminish their culture shock within a competitive diversely membered higher education milieu.

Recently, more and more universities are focusing on short-term study abroad programs.However, the actual advantages of such programs have not yet been empirically tested. The primary purpose of this study is to investigate whether such study abroad programs can influence participants and improve an individual's intercultural competence. Using both reflections found in journals and follow-up interviews, the study aims to reflect the key factors that contribute to the intercultural development of the study participants. This paper elicits and examines the students' study abroad experiences, particularly in the minimal impacts on the levels of intercultural competence and results of the 2011 summer study abroad program. It is hoped that future study abroad programs will find that this new approach can not only help college students learn better but that it will also shed light on the importance of intercultural competence through dialogue. Further studies are recommended with respect to the duration of the study abroad programs and the quantity/quality of the various activities involved in the enhancement of the students' intercultural competence.

It is hypothesized that students who are categorized in the C-level (low level) Achievement Grouping (AG) in English instruction classes did not necessarily performed at their peak potential in English language competence. Furthermore, it is assumed that the underlying concepts behind the low achievement levels may lies in two assumptions. First, Brophy (2004) addressed the situation with four categories of students based upon how expectancy-related motivational problems might cause students to develop low expectations for themselves.Second, the concept involving the use of AG, might have cause some of the more capable students to lower their achievement levels in English. In response, an action research was accomplished using a Cooperative Task-Based Learning (CTBL) model, based on the concept of learning motivation for students with low achievement levels in an attempt to enhance the students' English competencies. To evaluate the effectiveness of such teaching methodology, data were collected in the form of interview accounts, self-reflective logs, field notes, observations, and students' work sheets. Results show that numerous positive outcomes from both the teachers' and the students' perspectives were noted from the use of the CTBL. In addition, results also show that cooperative group work has proven to be an effective learning strategy. Lastly, useful implications based on the findings were given to shed light on issues regarding the positive effects of skilled-based curriculum designs.