Research in cognition has shown that expert learners in diverse fields, including chess, mathematics, physics, and language learning, approach new learning tasks differently than novice learners. More recent research in neuropsychology makes a strong claim that metacognition is separate from cognition and consists of two types of behavior: self-assessment and self-management. This article analyzes self-directed language learning behaviors of adult third-language learners based on qualitative data.
The Second Language Acquisition community has long held the homestay environment as the sine qua non of language study abroad (Davidson 1995; Brecht, Frank, Rivers, 1998a). Implicit in this view of the homestay environment is that a continuous immersion environment provides far greater authentic Target Language input than dormitory placements with non‐native speakers of the Target Language. In turn, this increased quality and quantity of input should lead to greater language gains during study abroad than those achieved by students in dormitory placements. An evaluation of these hypotheses is now possible: the 1976–1996 American Council of Teachers of Russian Student Records Data Base, which contains proficiency and background data on over 2500 study‐abroad participants, in both dormitory and homestay placements. Standard statistical techniques were used to compare gains made in Speaking, Listening, and Reading by dormitory and homestay participants. The following results obtain: homestay participants were slightly less likely to gain in speaking proficiency (mean rankdorm‐stay= 547; mean rankhomesty= 431; χ=27.26 p<0005), were likely to gain less in Listening (mean rankdom‐stay= 969; mean rankhomestay= 1132; χ=21.585; p<0005) and more likely to gain in Reading (mean rankdormstay= 969; mean rankhomestay= 1128; χ=20.713; p< 0005) than dormitory participants. These results stand counter to the intuition that greater auditory Target Language input would result in greater gains in Listening and possibly Speaking. Recent ethnographic research aimed at a description of the homestay environment (Frank 1996) and at learner behavior during study abroad (Brecht and Robinson 1995; Pellegrino 1997) provides an initial explanation for the “Homestay Effect.” Student preparation has a particularly strong influence on learning behaviors: experienced language learners may be more adept at managing the ceaseless flow of Target Language input than inexperienced learners. The results of the current investigation, along with recent work in Self‐Directed Language Learning and Immersion, suggest that students in homestay environments may benefit from training in the management of linguistic input.
This article presents the results of a 2014 survey of more than 2,100 U.S.employers on their requirements for multilingual employees. The survey found a Rebecca Rubin Damari (PhD, Georgetown University) reported giving advantage to multilingual applicants, and only 10% of respondents indicated that new hires "needed to speak at least one language besides English." In addition, the survey revealed employer characteristics related to demand for language ability: Industries with the greatest demand were government and public administration, information services, educational services, health care, and the administrative sector. Language skills were sought in combination with other skill sets, notably customer service, sales, vendor management, and marketing. Finally, the survey identified college majors sought in conjunction with foreign language ability. The study is unique in its size; its coverage of small, medium, and large businesses; and its focus on college recruitment and hiring. The results are critical to educational programs seeking to understand the value of language in the job market
With President George W. Bush's unprecedented call in January 2006 to expand the foreign language capacity of the United States, it has become clear that languages other than English (LOE) are of great interest to public policy in the United States. Yet the language capacity of the United States remains poorly documented. The 2000 General Social Survey (GSS) included new questions concerning the languages spoken by 1,398 respondents. Although about one quarter (26%) of respondents to this GSS sample claimed they could speak another language, only 10% overall said they could speak it very well. Those respondents who speak a foreign language were typically aged 25–44, graduate school educated, self‐identified as being of a race other than White, and living in large metropolitan cities and on the coasts. Spanish (50%), French (15%), and German (9%) were the most common languages spoken by the survey respondents. Whereas 67% of respondents who learned the language at home as a child said they could speak it very well, only 10% of those who learned it in school or elsewhere did speak it very well. As expected, LOE speakers gave significantly more responses revealing support of LOE and policies favorable to immigration, with LOE‐home speakers being more positive about these issues than LOE speakers who learned the language at school. These findings can help to inform national policy debates concerning how best to address the language needs of the United States.
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