English Training Program Research Articles

Benefiting Remote Tibetan Communities with Solar Cooker Technology

In the remote northwestern Chinese province of Qinghai (Tibetan plateau), the Tibetan people struggle to gather yak dung, wood, straw, and other fuels for heating, boiling, and cooking—the basic necessities for survival. Over the past seven years, extreme cold (-35°C) and drought has had a significant effect on the environment, the Tibetan people, and the livestock and crops upon which these people depend. The environment has become increasingly denuded and many Tibetans, both farmers and herders, are caught in a vicious cycle of destitution. The use of solar cookers as a partial substitute for dung, wood, bushes and straw has helped alleviate this cycle. This paper reports on the accrued benefits to remote Tibetan communities following a program of solar cooker introduction to 48 such recipient communities. Work carried out in 2003 primarily by Tibetan students studying in an English Training Program, at the Qinghai Nationalities Teacher's College, Qinghai Normal University, Xining City, PRC (supported by the Canada Fund) combined with observations over three visits to the region in 2003 and 2004 are discussed.

The Research on Learning Management in a Network-based English Training Program : The Effect of Observational Messages by E-mail

The Research on Learning Management in a Network-based English Training Program : The Effect of Observational Messages by E-mail

Effectiveness of Implementing Computer-assisted Language Learning Technology in an English for Specific Purposes Training Program

An increasing number of private and public organizations and educational institutions are incorporating Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) technology into either their traditional classroom setting, or online English for Specific Purposes (ESP) training programs. In the role of facilitating students' learning, it is important for all stakeholders of ESP training programs to investigate the effectiveness of implementing online learning CALL systems into the distance learning environment and the traditional classroom environment of the programs. In order to determine the “effectiveness” of a corporate ESP training program, the approach for this study was to evaluate trainees' pretest and posttest scores related to the ESP training program. The experimental group of this one group pretest and posttest design study was a group of 18 Chinese adult male trainees enrolled in a flight academy's Aviation English training program that implemented with online learning CALL technology blended with an instructor, in central Florida. The intervention of the study was the implementation of online learning CALL technology blended with an instructor in the classroom environment. The length of the intervention was eight weeks of Aviation English training that implemented blended learning instructions. In addition, a survey instrument was developed to collect data on students' basic information, attitudes toward learning English with CALL technology, motivations for study English, and their perceptions of CALL technology as facilitating interactions among students. The surveys were completed by the students before and after two months of intervention. The study found that within two months of the implementation of the blended learning in the Aviation English training program, participants had significant improvement on their test scores. Participants in the study generally had positive attitudes toward learning English with CALL, before and after two months of the Aviation English training program. They also had positive perceptions of CALL technology in facilitating interactions in the classroom, before and after the training program. The study also found that participants who had positive perceptions of CALL in facilitating interactions in the classroom tended to have positive attitudes toward using CALL in learning English.

Overachievers and Underachievers in the Network-Based English Training Program II : Students' Performance Data and Questionnaire Results for the Reading Program

Overachievers and Underachievers in the Network-Based English Training Program II : Students' Performance Data and Questionnaire Results for the Reading Program

A network−based English training program for working adults

A network−based English training program for working adults

A Lifetime of Dedication to Language Education: An Interview with Russ Campbell

Dr. Russell Campbell was Professor Emeritus of the Department of Applied Linguistics and Director Emeritus of the Language Resource Center at UCLA. A key figure in the field of language education, Dr. Campbell was always committed to and fascinated by the study of language. Throughout his career, he worked on pioneering language education and research projects both domestically and internationally. His interests ranged from the design and development of English language training programs for professionals overseas, to the preservation of heritage languages in the United States. An active member of the profession, Dr. Campbell held several positions of leadership. He served as President of TESOL in 1971-1972 and sponsored and directed the first TESOL Summer Institute in 1979—a program that is still running today. Besides his extraordinary career accomplishments and contributions to the field of applied linguistics, Dr. Campbell served the UCLA community with unwavering enthusiasm. Easy-going and unpretentious, he helped and supported thousands of students—for whom he always had time—and inspired just as many.

Intensive English Training Program for Future Leading Engineers of MHI

Higher English ability than before is, and will be, requirea for engineers working for enterprises whose activities are now spreading to every place in the world. In particular, the English abilities engineers should acquire concern with those of writing technical reports, manuals, and documents for patents as well as for doing a short presentation in English. A three-day intensive English training program for future leading engineers of the company has been conducted as one of the education programs of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Details and key points of the above program are briefly reviewed. Room equipped with computer facilities is extremely efficacious for improving the skill for technical English writing.

Computer-Assisted Extracurricular English Training Program

Computer-Assisted Extracurricular English Training Program

Evaluation of pre-departure English training program

The program evaluation reported in this article covers three batches of participants, from 1996 through 1997, sponsored by the Directorate General of Higher Education projects to prepare faculty members of teacher training institutions for overseas studies. The result outcomes could be achieved when the initial English competence requirred for participating in the program was at least at the Pre-Advanced level. The criterion validity of the TOEFL-Equivalent test developed by the program was assured, and the test could, therefore, be used as a good predictor of the International TOEFL. Other recommendations are also given for the improvement of the planning and implementation of the program in the future

English training for professionals in China: Introducing a successful EFL training programme

China's fast economic development is assisted in many ways by English-speaking Chinese professionals. This article presents a general picture of how intensive English training for Chinese professionals is carried out in China. It first explains why it is necessary to train Chinese professionals in English, the educational and social background, then it introduces the new intensive English training course for professionals. The second part of the article concentrates on the CCECC English training programme, an example given by the author to illustrate how such an English training course is run in China, its curriculum, pedagogical approaches and principles with measures taken to make it a successful programme. The practice and experience gained from running this kind of intensive English training course might be informative and helpful to teachers of English in other developing countries, who are engaged in similar teaching tasks.

Preparation: The Key to Successful English in the Workplace Programs

Growing numbers of limited English proficient (LEP) workers in American industry need effective English training programs which focus on the language skills they will need to maintain and advance in their job positions. On-site programs, commonly called English in the Workplace (EWP) programs, are being established at industrial settings, but these programs cannot be successful without adequate preparation. Based on a functional-notional approach to curriculum design and utilizing naturalistic methods of gathering information about the workplace, the focus is on the identification of communicative competence or how workers will use English within specific situations in order to carry out their jobs. A naturalistic approach to gathering information about the workplace requires extensive observation and indepth interviewing. It facilitates a thorough understanding of the workplace and documents in detail the interactions of LEP workers. In addition, it provides an appreciation of the perspectives of the LEP workers themselves, their supervisors, and their coworkers regarding the communication skills needed in the workplace. The information gathered through the naturalistic approach allows the EWP program to design a functional-notional curriculum which efficiently and effectively meets the language learning needs of LEP workers. This article details the elements of a functional-notional syllabus and integrates them into the identification of three objectives for a preparatory information gathering stage. Specific techniques consistent with a naturalistic approach are discussed in a three phase plan to implement a functional-notional approach to curriculum design in the workplace.