European Languages and Societies Commons^™

Transcultural Perspectives In English Language Education: Teaching English In The Czech Republic From An American Lens, Bailey Price

Honors Projects

This project aims to provide a thorough examination of the English language education landscape in the Czech Republic, shedding light on key aspects such as the age of initiation, fluency attainment expectations, and the influence of various educational tracks. It delves into the sociocultural factors shaping English language acquisition, including the perceived necessity of learning English, parental language practices, and generational differences in proficiency. To capture the perspectives of American English teachers working in the Czech Republic, my research explores their attitudes, expectations, and challenges. This considers factors such as the necessity of knowing the Czech language and the perception …

The Ethics And Philosophy Of Outdoor Education: Hidden Lessons Within The Leikskoli Curriculum In Isafjordur, Iceland, Cici Conroy

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Icelandic curriculum structures itself amongst six pillars: “literacy, sustainability, health, and welfare, democracy, and human rights, equality and creativity” (Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, 2014). The United States national standards for their state public schools focus on two central points: math and English language learning (Participant 6, personal communication, 2022). The way these structures are upheld reflect values, goals, and systems of knowledge. Depending on where a child is raised, the skills learned in the classroom will result in a completely different attitude toward environment, place, and success. In the United States, success seems to be defined by …

Creating An Integration Framework For The European Union? Comparing The Role Of Language In Integration Policy Regarding Education And Labor Participation Rates In Germany And Sweden, Kate Elizabeth Persson

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Social And Cultural Aspects Of Language Learning In Study Abroad, R Samuel K. Schirm

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

This paper reviews Social and Cultural Aspects of Language Learning in Study Abroad, edited by Celeste Kinginger (2013). This collection of papers showcases modern study abroad research, particularly what Coleman describes as the "whole-person" approach, in which study abroad participants are studied as complex individuals rather than as members of a larger homogenous group of students studying abroad. While there is a slight focus on both American study abroad participants and on learners of French studying in France, despite Kinginger and Coleman advocating for including a broader range of participant home countries and languages studied in the volume's introductory chapters, …

Community Learning In Alcála De Henares: Symbiotic Learning Blurs The Line Between Teacher And Students, Emily Dushek

International ResearchScape Journal

This article about experiential learning explores the challenges and rewards of international service-learning within a Spanish community in Alcalá de Henares. The paper describes the author’s experience as a teacher of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) in Comisiones Obreras (the “Workers’ Commissions”). In order to teach adult learners English, the author developed a form of “symbiotic learning.” This paper is part of the “From Praxis to Press” section of the journal.

Perceptions Of Equality And National Identity Amongst Young British South Asian Muslims In Bradford, England, Simon J. Reid

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the wake of urban riots and terror attacks in the United Kingdom, British public debate and policy have focused on the nation's immigrant communities. These debates have commonly called into question whether immigrant communities in Britain are sufficiently integrated into "mainstream" society and included in the nation. These questions have been particularly focused on the country's immigrant Muslim communities because they have, over the years, been accused of segregating themselves from, and within, British society. This study explored the local and national identities of young British South Asian Muslims in Bradford, which is one of the largest Muslim communities …

Language Policy And Education: Space And Place In Multilingual Post-Soviet States, Kara D. Brown

Kara D. Brown

Institutional isomorphists and other proponents of world culture theory argue that schools around the world are converging in many ways, while anthropologists and others question this conclusion, often arguing that local cultural differences belie superficial similarities. These viewpoints are not merely academic explanations of the spread and apparent convergence of education policies and practices around the world, but are often present in policy and practice. The authors seek both to shed new light on these often-entrenched positions and to refocus the debate by considering the presence and influence of such views in the policies and practices of international teacher exchanges. …

The Global Geek: Language Training For It Students’ Study Abroad In Austria And Germany, Gwyneth E. Cliver, Deepak Khazanchi

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Publications

The Modern Language Association’s (MLA) urgent appeal for the restructuring of the undergraduate language curriculum, “Foreign Languages and Higher Education: New Structures for a Changed World,” emphasizes a need for language departments to enrich their upper-division course offerings beyond the traditional literary studies model in order to attract and retain broader interest in language learning among students with diverse academic interests and needs. Citing the National Science Foundation’s 2003 Survey of College Graduates, it stresses that only 6.1% of undergraduates whose primary major is a foreign language later achieve doctorate degrees and concludes that departments should provide upper-division language courses …

Interview Of Bernhardt Blumenthal, Ph.D., Bernhardt Blumenthal Ph.D., Derek Casey

All Oral Histories

Dr. Bernhardt Blumenthal (d. 2012, age 75) was a La Salle graduate of the class of 1955 where he majored in German. After graduating from La Salle he earned his master's in German from Northwestern University, earned a Fulbright scholarship to study in Germany for a year and returned to begin his doctorate in German Literature at Princeton University. Upon graduation from Princeton in 1963 he was hired by La Salle to begin his career as a professor of German language and literature. In 1969 he became the Director of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures and held that …

Interview Of Leo D. Rudnytzky, Ph.D., Leo D. Rudnytzky Ph.D., Meghan Mccormack

All Oral Histories

In this oral history, we cover Dr. Rudnytzky’s life from his early childhood in Ukraine and Eastern Europe to his formative years in the United States. He provides a detailed account of his time as an undergraduate student at La Salle University. The interview then spans his graduate studies and early years of teaching at La Salle, along with the differences between his time here, at Ivy League schools, and at foreign institutions. The subject discusses his involvement in various ethnic and religious groups and his impact on La Salle by way of symposiums, speakers, and programs, which he has …

A Study Of The Out-Of-Class Experiences Of Saint Mary's College Students Studying In Maynooth, Ireland, Carolyn S. Langley

Dissertations

Problem Statement. The purpose of this study is to describe the out-of-class experiences of 21 students who studied in the Saint Mary's College Ireland Program in Maynooth, Ireland, during the 1998-1999 academic year. It examines (1) how the program orientation influenced students' desire to become involved in out-of-class activities, (2) how out-of-class experiences fostered students' learning of the Irish culture, and (3) how the experiences influenced students' attitudes toward cultures other than their own.

Methodology. This study employed descriptive qualitative research. Focus groups were conducted to gather data used in developing questions for long interviews, and these long interviews …