Let’s Talk LGBTQIA+:Strategies and Activities for Teaching Diversity and Inclusion in the Foreign Language Classroom at the College Level

In this presentation,the author explores strategies and activities that create a welcoming and nurturing environment for LGBTQIA+foreign language students at the college level in the United States.Indeed,as it is commonly stated,there is a clear lack of visibility,acceptance/tolerance,and inclusion of LGBTQIA+voices(active and proactive)in foreign language teaching and learning(pedagogical material as well as in-class attitudes and delivery).The reasons for this deficiency are diverse since they cover not only outward discrimination against and/or indifference(passive-aggressive behavior)toward the LGBTQIA+community and its plight,but they also illustrate the sheer,physical inexistence of quality material that can be used to create,present,and foster a welcoming and all-encompassing classroom environment that addresses the diverse spectrum of the LGBTQIA+community while its members try to learn a foreign language and(positively)negotiate how to express their very identity in their new language of choice.Moreover,the scant material that is available in the United States as well as in other Western countries where the LGBTQIA+community by and large is accepted-at least from the legal point of view-hardly represents and covers the subject matter in a satisfactory way.To address this gap,the author will provide some examples in European Portuguese(EP)and Italian(IT),followed by a courtesy translation in English,to illustrate some positive activities and strategies for including LGBTQIA+-related subject matter in the foreign language classroom at the college level.It is his desire that instructors of other foreign languages duplicate in their respective vernaculars the strategies and activities herein presented in order to create a welcoming and safe classroom environment that embraces the LGBTQIA+community as it goes through the enjoyable journey of learning a new language and culture.

Research on Foreign Language Talent Cultivation Mode Based on the Concept of Language Security

Language security is an important part of national security,and in the current complex international environment,the issue of language security is becoming more and more prominent and has become an unignorable part of national security strategy.As the bridge and link of international communication,foreign language talents’language skills and the level of national security awareness directly affect our country’s international image and the effect of international communication.Therefore,the establishment of a foreign language talent cultivation mode based on the concept of language security is not only an important way to improve the quality of foreign language education but also a realistic need to safeguard national security and promote international exchanges.Starting from the influence of the language security concept on foreign language talent cultivation,this paper analyzes the foreign language talent cultivation mode based on the language security concept,with a view to providing new ideas and methods for the development of foreign language education.

Research Nexus and Implications of Learner Identity in Foreign Language Education

One of the most obvious markers of an individual’s identity is their language.However,in some ways,the relationship between identity and language acquisition seems to be missed.In fact,a lot of studies have shown that identity may influence the reasons behind language acquisition,especially in bilingual or multilingual societies.Learning English can provide EFL(English as a Foreign Language)students with a good sense of identity and encourage them to practice their agency,which can improve learning efficiency and effectiveness.This paper examines how the efficacy and results of language learning are influenced by the learner’s identity.

Research on the Status Quo and Improvement Needs of Foreign Language Teachers’ Teaching Competence in Curriculum-Based Ideological Education in Xinjiang Colleges and Universities

This study investigated the status quo and further improvement needs of foreign language teachers’teaching competence in curriculum-based ideological education(CIE)in Xinjiang colleges and universities.The results show that the teachers’teaching competence in CIE is generally good,with the“cultivating quality”being the highest and the“scientific research quality”the lowest;there still exist several problems,such as teachers’lack of theoretical knowledge in CIE,lack of teaching resources,and insufficient abilities in teaching design and research.It is hoped that with the support and efforts from university administrations,teachers can improve their teaching competence in CIE through various approaches adopted and multiple measures taken,thus optimizing their teaching effectiveness,promoting the construction of CIE in Xinjiang colleges and universities in the new era,and contributing to Xinjiang’s high-quality development.

The Significance of Studying Course Design In Foreign Language Teaching

This paper discuss the significance of course design basing on the theory of some famous linguists like David Nunan and Xia Jimei. By the guadience of the principles of designing course, it aims to capture language teachers' attention on the significance of studying course design and offer some hints on how to apply the course design in foreign language

A Study on Left-behind Junior Students'Foreign Language Learning Anxiety

Since the 1960s, foreign language educators and researchers home and abroad have started to pay attention to the influence of the affective variables including language learning anxiety on foreign language learning. This thesis tried to find out the factors that may influence the foreign language learning anxiety level of left-behind students and put forward ways to help lower down the foreign language learning anxiety level of the left-behind junior middle school students.

A Study on the Experiences of Foreign Language Curriculum Reform in Contemporary Foreign Countries

The foreign language curriculum reform has laid a good foundation for the comprehensive implementation of quality education both in the aspects of theory and practice.However,the quality of foreign language teaching in China still lags behind some foreign countries.This paper discusses the latest development trend of foreign language curriculum reform to provide a reference to the new round of foreign language curriculum reform in China.

A Comparative Study of the Value Orientations of Foreign Language Education Policies in China and the United States in the 21st Century

Since the 21 st century, both Chinese Mainland and the United States have formulated foreign language education policiesbased on their national needs. This paper makes a comparative study of the value orientations of foreign language education poli-cies in Chinese Mainland and the United States in the 21 st century and finds that both China and the United States have regardedtheir national interests as the essential value orientation of their foreign language education policies. To be specific,the core valueorientation of foreign language education policies in China is to enhance its cultural soft power.In contrast,the core value orienta-tion of foreign language education policies in the United States is to safeguard its national security. Through the comparison of thedifferent value orientations of foreign language education policies of the two countries, the paper provides some reference for the for-eign language education policy-making in Chinese Mainland.

Analysis of an event study using the Fama–French five‑factor model:teaching approaches including spreadsheets and the R programming language

The current financial education framework has an increasing need to introduce tools that facilitate the application of theoretical models to real-world data and contexts.However,only a limited number of free tools are available for this purpose.Given this lack of tools,the present study provides two approaches to facilitate the implementa-tion of an event study.The first approach consists of a set of MS Excel files based on the Fama–French five-factor model,which allows the application of the event study methodology in a semi-automatic manner.The second approach is an open-source R-programmed tool through which results can be obtained in the context of an event study without the need for programming knowledge.This tool widens the calculus possibilities provided by the first approach and offers the option to apply not only the Fama–French five-factor model but also other models that are common in the finan-cial literature.It is a user-friendly tool that enables reproducibility of the analysis and ensures that the calculations are free of manipulation errors.Both approaches are freely available and ready-to-use.

Reflections on Cultivating Critical Thinking in Foreign Language Courses in the Context of Integrating Ideological and Political Theories in All Courses

The education reform of integrating ideological and political theories in all courses is crucial in fostering virtue through education.In the new era,foreign language courses are increasingly prominent in moral education.Learning a language is not just about mastering its language form but also about critically examining the cultural connotations and thinking patterns embedded within it.Therefore,cultivating students’critical thinking skills should be a key focus in foreign language education.First,this paper examines the importance of fostering students’critical thinking in foreign language courses.Second,considering the characteristics of Chinese college foreign language courses,we propose that if we want to cultivate critical thinking among students through foreign language courses,we need to effect pattern transformations across four aspects:teaching philosophy,teaching content,teaching methodology,and teaching evaluation.These transformations also present requirements for foreign language teachers.They should focus on enhancing their comprehensive literacy,including ideological and political literacy,teaching design skills,and the ability to integrate teaching materials with logical thinking.And China’s Standards of English Language Ability(the CSE)serves as an important reference indicator for implementing these transformations.

The Situation, Policies, and Development of Foreign Language Education in Contemporary China

Foreign language education is an important part of Chinese education,but the overall foreign language education in China is still relatively underdeveloped.Foreign language education and policies in contemporary China are closely related to China’s political,economic,and social development.The contemporary Chinese foreign language education and policies,since the establishment of New China in 1949,can be divided into four periods.The first period is a period of domination by the Russian language(1949–1956),the second period is a period of exploration and transformation(1956–1966),the third period is a period of interruption(1966–1978),and the fourth period is a period of development and improvement(1978 to present).Understanding foreign language education and policies in contemporary Chinese universities can contribute to the future development of foreign language education and policies in China.

Development of International Chinese Language Education in Iran:An Analysis in the Context of Iran’s Foreign Language Policy Characteristics

This paper focuses on examining the relevant policies concerning Chinese language education within Iran’s foreign language education policy framework from the perspective of its historical context.By analyzing the characteristics of Iran’s foreign language policy and the current situation of Chinese language teaching in Iran,this paper studies the future development of international Chinese language education in Iran.

A Study of“Foreign Language+”Innovative Talents TrainingModel Driven by Social Needs

Recently,great changes have taken place in the field of foreign language talents training in universities.Training of foreign language talents should take both national strategy and local development into consideration.Traditional skill-centered foreign language talents training model has been gradually taken place by“foreign language+”model which can better adapt to new social needs and sustainable development of the foreign language major.In a word,foreign language talents training requires not only the language skills,but also professional knowledge and other abilities so that they can develop in full scale and meet the needs of the social development effectively.

An Empirical Study on Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety of College Students

Classroom anxiety could exert a tremendous influence on foreign language learners during their process of studying.Within this study,353 college students of China Youth University of Political Studies(CYUPS)are selected as participants;the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale(FLCAS)is applied as a tool and Statistic Package for Social Science(SPSS)software is used to analyze all the data to figure out whether there is difference on genders,grades,and majors among college students on their levels of foreign language classroom anxiety.The results show that considering all three anxiety perspectives:communication apprehension,test anxiety,and fear of negative evaluation,anxiety level between males and females are similar;there is also no significant difference among grades;however,English majors are significantly less anxious than non-English majors on test anxiety.

Factors Affecting Brand Loyalty of Private Universities: Case Study Guangxi University of Foreign Languages

In recent years,China’s private higher education has developed significantly,and private universities have become one of the“two schools”.However,due to the expansion of the scale of public schools,the limited supply of teachers in private colleges,and the mismatch between the supply and demand of graduate employment,the crisis of students in private colleges and universities has become increasingly serious,and the pressure of survival and competition is increasing.The main purpose of this study is to explore the influence of Guangxi University of Foreign Languages marketing mix and brand awareness on brand loyalty,and to provide recommendations for Guangxi University of Foreign Languages private universities.The researchers will use a quantitative approach to study the effect of two independent variables(marketing mix and brand awareness)on the dependent variable(brand loyalty).A total of 414 questionnaires were distributed to students of Guangxi University of Foreign Languages and analyzed using statistical software SPSS.Perform descriptive statistical analysis to understand the sample of respondents;perform reliability and validity analysis to ensure the reliability and validity of the questionnaire;perform correlation analysis to determine the correlation between independent and dependent variables;and perform regression analysis,to explore the influence and degree of influence of various factors on the brand loyalty of private colleges and universities.Research shows that marketing mix and brand awareness have a significant positive impact on brand loyalty of private universities.Finally,based on the research results,five suggestions are put forward from the perspective of private universities to help private university brands improve customer brand loyalty and their own brand competitiveness.

Motivation to Study a Second Foreign Language: A Case of Chinese University Learners of German

Not much research has been done on motivation to study a second,third or even fourth foreign language though learners of such languages have been increasing.To contribute to this,the present study examined German learning motivation of Chinese university students at different proficiency levels.A total of 297 German learners at three different proficiency levels at a university in Beijing filled in the questionnaires,of whom 191 answered the open-ended question and 50 were informally interviewed.Analyses of the data revealed the following major findings;(1)most respondents at cach proficiency level had limited access to and little chance to use German,liked the language,studied it(very)hard and did not think the language was difficult,(2)students at different proficiency levels studied German for similar reasons such as major study/research,further education,future career,interest in foreign language learning and German,and(3)students at higher proficiency levels perceived German to be more difficult and worked harder on it.Students at higher proficiency levels were both integratively and instrumentally more motivated to study German and had greater motivation intensity as well.It is clear that students at different proficiency levels were motivated to study German and that students at the advanced level tended to be more integratively motivated than those at the beginning level.Based on these findings,some suggestions are discussed.

A Study on the Compilation of Dictionaries for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language Based on the Second Language Acquisition Theory

This article intends to demonstrate the principles for dictionary compilation.To summarize,general rules are to be followed.At the same time,this article probes into the differences of Chinese to Chinese dictionary,Chinese to foreign language dictionary,dictionaries for the preparation of certain exams,learner’s dictionaries for reviewing errors,dictionaries with multimedia and dictionaries built via the Internet..In all,one of the key factors for dictionary compilation is the professionalism of editors and writers.The training of the people involved is vital,which would contribute to setting up a better order of the market.Acknowledgements should also be given to achievements in dictionary compilation.Revisions and polishing are required to improve the dictionaries on the market that have already won the acclaim so as to put their influence to the best display.

Non-English Majors’Foreign Language Learning Burnout(FLLB):A Validity Study

The goal of the present study is to develop a more suitable inventory to evaluate the burnout of non-English majors in China,which we called it foreign language learning burnout inventory(FLLB).The operative definition of burnout proposed by Maslach and Jackson is used to define three dimensions(exhaustion,cynicism and reduced efficacy).The selection of items is based on the existing burnout inventories,combining with the consideration of the features showed in the studies of foreign language learning.In the research,the data obtained from 101 non-English majors and is analyzed for the validity and reliability studies studies of FLLB.Three factors explained 56%of the total variance.Factor loadings ranged from.438 to.742.Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient for the sub-dimensions ranged from.861 to.915.The model indices emerged from the Confirmtory Factor Analysis is[GFI=.994,RMSEA=.067,[X^(2)=458.086,df=206,p<0.01]]indicated that there was a good fit.

The Role and Application of Situational Teaching in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language-A Case Study of Primary Oral English Class

The law of language learning has a theoretical basis.Language learning is a process of active learning,not of passive acceptance.Situational teaching is the extension and development of constructivist teaching.The correct use of situational teaching can stimulate students 125 interest,facilitate a harmonious relationship between teachers and students,as well as promote the cultivation of other skills among students,so as to improve the teaching quality of oral Chinese teaching as a foreign language and effectively complete the teaching task.However,there are some issues that should be emphasized when using the situational teaching method,such as how to create situations effectively,the problems that teachers should pay attention to when creating situations,and the principles of creating situations.