REPOR TRESUMES ED 010 877 AL DUO 06$ A PARAMETRIC STUDY OF LANGUAGE TRAINING INTHE PEACE CORPS. FINAL REPORT. Sy- CARROLL, JOHN B. AND OTHERS HARVARD UNIV., CAMBRIDGE, MASS. PUB DATE 66 ECRS PRICE MFS0.07 H046.44 161P. DESCRIPTORS- *LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION, *MEASUREMENTTECHNIQUES, *LANGUAGE TESTS, PORTUGUESE, *LANGUAGE PROGRAMS,SPANISH, APTITUDE, LEARNING, PEACE CCRFS, CAMBRIDGE A STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO INVESTIGATE FOREIGNLANGUAGE LEARNING IN BOTH INTRAINING AND FIELD PROGRAMS CFTHE PEACE CORPS; AND TO DETERMINE INDIVIDUAL-AND EXPERIENCEFACTORS AFFECTING THE RATE OF LANGUAGE LEARNING. THE OBJECTIVEWAS TO DEVELOP A PROTOTYPE FOR A PARAMETRIC STUDY INVOLVINGSUCH FACTORS AS LANGUAGE APTITUDE AND PRIOR LANGUAGETRAINING. A TOTAL CF 444 TRAINEES IN SPANISH AND 51 TRAIWES IN PORTUGUESE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO t'ERE GIVEN PLACEMENT TESTS AND LANGUAGE APTITUDE AND PROFICIENCYTESTS AT VARIOUS STAGES OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM. RESULTSSHOWED THAT PRIOR KNOWLEr3GE, NOT APTITUDE? DETERMINED THE DEGREE OF FLUENCY. A FOLLOWUP STUDY N'Afi DONE IN TIC FIELDWITH SIMILAR -RESULTS. RECOMMENCATIONS ERE MADE RESPECTING (1) LENGTHOF COURSE. C2) FURTHER TRAINING IN THE FIELD, (3) THEIMPORTANCE CF VARIABLES SUCH AS APTITUDE AND PRIOR KNOWLEDGE IN TRAINEE _SELECTION, AND (4) DEVELOPMENT OF A FRC:CRAM OF LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY MEASUREMLNT. (ML) : 'A ° ! '-) -';- ' -- ________________ 'I 1r7 ' ' /' '/D ' ' ' ¶ 4 ?yi cv 4 , k 4r4\ I' fi',, "-,' ) ,rs;-, .' i A \' , *, '''-ec ' H-.-;:--I r: " 1i' , *. ) r 4 Sd 'ç\ 1 ..", \ , \ " 1( \ - t: ':' . -. y1\ C! : (ç:'e 1)oi -' '7\ ',;'t! "'1' '''; r; Allil i \S.'? .: : , : i; r2 :; ,- :'\-' 4 1 r--- \ \' ' ? L: L:: ' : 4..jt: '' '1 ' L' I 1:' ;'-i--. 4: ' 'r_ ( ' ". \ k-' k 't . , .! 1i:_;:L " ', ' ! ' .'I r ,, 4 i:_ 4:4s': 4'1L' ''' \'."' j'' " '- 4 ' . r.rL:''' ' __ I. k 1R'';c t ;a\\\ \:c })T1 \;n ( : 4, \ .. ( ;. J4_ 4,' : . __I % ' r'° '4t,; % : ' 3L ¶.. b \ f J -'ç: - #' - ' .. : L;:t;i p iiE' ' ' ' .. ; ..'k'.'.14 , J ''. ,' .----,_4.'r' - ' :.c {, k' t I : 2:4 :' 's;:'c4I 4.k ! Ii . iV , ('A >w b _'? . k :;- '":;'/i.:$.i__z;- '4I/ ; ' ' ' r ,j 1' J1t e I : ! . I i-L7';' - 1 : ' 4 J : ; 0 41_c& '\* 1 I-'4".-. ' 0\.'1. \:; 'T'* 1 '4'I ff" 4 1 f' " k;k>H3 :' 4l 1V' - I := .t .1r- ¶l4;,/' I*' ( '-.4II :Di.--T.1b;! : -;- III,ç' -'--'4 -'l.:'- ''t "''" 'y''." ' '4A ' ' - -" ' (I I 1 ' .: -:," 1 ' I 1' I I - ',;1 - 1 I - % : \I '. I ,- - I" ,- 1 _( V -r - I ,A;;,., 4 ff - .",,. 'I .'1', ' 4: ',1. "- ..1 > - P. , , .... 4 a,,. , s .--4k` , ,4\ ,, I . ` . ' pp 1 1 1 I pp r* 1.12.,.rtt .. I r 01 "..>, , i 4L .,-., 1; .s,;4'i ." 41:'vr 1,`,44 "At.: - .' ,,,,, ' ' ' ."' p )1 , 0.11,,w)r ACKNOWLEDGMENT'S This study could not haVe beec completed withoutthe generous cooperation ntaff Of.the Pelee Corps of the -Training Program at theUniversity of New ticular we Wish' to thank In par=- the Director (at thetime the study was initiated), Marshall Itasca; the Coordinator Dr, of Spanish trainiagaMrs. Laura Calvert, the ator of Portuguese training, Dr. Coordin- Albegt R. Lopes, andour own Field Coordinator, Vernon Morgan. Mr. Also, thanks are expressed to the several hundredPeace Corps trainees and teers who, often under trying Volun- conditions, tookour tests and answeredour question - naires, both during-theUniversity of New Mexico training period and invarious count- ries of Latin America atmid-tour gatherings. We hope that their effortsin behalf of our research can contributeto the further Amproveeent of lenguage trainingprograms both in,the Peace Corpsand in other settings. Finally, we are grateful to the personnel in the ResearcbDivision of the Peace Corps, tit.' Joseph- doiliai-Dr. Robert Krug, and Miss NitziMall=s, for their advice, help, and generalsupport. The writing of.thisreportwas the joint effort of the staff. were drafted ty John,L..D. Clark, Parts of the report Thomas M. Edwards, andFannie M. Hendrick. principal investigator, The however, did further draftingof sections and the final of the report; he takes editing sole responsibility forthe statements aad opinions herein. expressed :his. research Was:performed under a contract with thePeace Corps. John B. Carroll Copyright, 1966, by the President and Fellows ofHarvard College Reproduction in whole or in part pa sitte4 for any.purpoSeof the United States GoVernient. Printed in U. S. A. by the Harvard University PrintingOffice, Job -;;.- ,.-11'-'111043"22:1"ttiMISTIalt Page ** OOOO 0'0 OOOOOOOO C ii . 7 - Jr. '. -111 =of Figuiea :*- i`; - _:417 A - .- vii Abstract and Recoinstradstions,. s ., o, . .- ..,- .. Chapter, 1.-43ackgroUnd-- and-Purpose-of theStudy__ . -. ... 1 2 Overtido/ of the, Study Dstagn OOOO . OOOOO OOOOOO . 5 3. The Peace Corps Language Training Prograiit at the ttiii4ersiti of Nero-K014-c° ' 6 4. Description of Semple; Studied. 16 5. Nature of. the Data Collected 19 6. Parameters of Lansulte. Learning In FormalTrainin; 35 7. Parameters of Languago letariiing in the Yield. I, 0 ..... 65 8. Studiee of AttritiOu OO a........ 109 Beferinces 115 -Appendices A. Clots log FormOOOOOOOOOO o . .e OOOOO .......117 B. Foreign Language Questionnaire (edministorad- during training) C. Utionalle and oiputatiooa Virpeeddr:es -Used.in Questienuairs Fattof Ai:Artie. 129 D. Peace Corps Langmase .a 131 B. Procedure fer Non= 'tiOnof fro" Two Levels of MLA-Cooperative r *tit: into-s4$41. Store, -end Tobias of soosio,, .- -0 -? 0 132 - A A toilifout g, t; s ,* OOOOO 137 "- ar -,. 145 LIST or-10.0s, Uhl* Page 1; Proportions of Class Periods "Stent in..Different-.ACtivitiea_.-4 I .... 10 .PtcSgt:*f* 640a 4--4-80244br V Seetig*sThroulit ;- Oita Of . f. 4' '14 3. Perional Mitafor-theOriginal Sailiple -of Studentsof Speitisit 17 '4. PerstOnalData for the Origifial 'Semite of -Students ofPOrtnguese 17 5.Frequency Dietribu4ontOf SettledPlacementScores for Those Mithett _Spaniel placementTest Scores-and -ter DifferentleVels ofScore-.6..^n% -the -Spa-WV'Pleat Test- 23 6. Items Contributing to Factor I, Interest inForeign Languages 25 7. Item; 'Contributingto Factorn,Coetpulsilifity 8.Items COntributingto Factor111, Preference for -Audiolingual Instruction 26 9. /teas Centributing to Factor IV, HomeExposure to Foreign Language* 26 10. Vies= and Standird'Deviations of electedPredictor and -End-of- TrainingCriterion Variables 38 11. Intercorrelations of End-of-Training TestVariables 39 12. Means and StandardDeviations ofEnd-of-Training Proficiency Tests for Those Who Did (Group A) 'and Did Not (CroupB) Take the Spanish Placement Test 41 13. Prediction of-Endiaof-6Triiiiiitig'Prafielitney Scores from Three Predictor Variables, N = 218 Students (Group A)Who Took a Spanish IlieelairlitItiit4atthe -Mallet -Of Tteiiiing. ..; . ..43 14. Prediction .of tine-.T.4.:r.sinins Proficiency Scoresfrom Two Predictor Vaitilbles,1--= .118-Students( Group B) WhO Did Not Teke a Plateseent Test st the Outsetof Training. 46 15. Prediction dtlEnda'of4iiiiiiing-,PrOficieneyStoreS- from -Three Predicter--Varlables; with Aesumed Valueof Spatilih -Placement Score fOr Group B Equal to 21.4467.1; a336, Comprising Grotpsi-L'add-1.-Combined ;;; 49 16. Prediction of *ndi4Of.61fiiiining Profiiiitidy`SdOret-Ir-ray--Bight Predictor Vertebrae': -N' =.1.111Siudints-(briiiiiV4)'0,1R-Y'TOokrit. PiatiOint- TiSt at the of Treining, 51 IT. lhadieticin-4',End;t0f4raiining -ProficiencyScores froin Eight Pe4ettirie =, 51- -Students- (Grogiv.B) Who Did Not Take:411f iii i it '-"Tee:'t at the,.00tiset of Training /.!-' AMM111111*........=1,!....IMOMPol..imi=1:16.-711. .1.1GACVstOCMCDPINWINCIargerliaCIAMAMENMZ46211711"-~ailerneMWM- LiOt- of Tables(continued) dire_" la.* Average Interccirfele,zionw, Page Within and BetweenGroups of- Oriterion Variab ., ._ -.. 4 4/* 4. 053 Fredictien of 047a4rgin#gProficiency Scores fromMAT Subtext*. N volOkSAUdentn.(ftplaGroup,A1 Whol4n4taiSpenish Plateeept, Test theNtletlpflgalOinv., . 54 20. Prediction otknei!offIraining 110171: dem-40;os from MAT . Subteits. N 95 Students(froh- Omq:k-B), WhoDid Not Takea Spanish Placetkent,Test,at the Outset: pf Traintng e. *- 4 *.* 55 21. Prediction of End-of4tainingProficiency Scores fromSim Predictor VaYiables. N 27 Students of Portuguese . 0000 il . .58 22. Differences ,.ttween-the- Means; ofGroops.X (No Prig?Training in Portuguese) and Y (Prior_Treinivg in Portuguese)on Predictor and End-of-TrainingVariables 59 23. Mena and Standard Deviations of Predictorand End-of-Training Achievement Variables forGroups X and S (Portuguese Students) 60 24. Correlations Between Predictor andEnd-of-Training Achievement Variables for Groups Xend 'Y (Portuguese Students) . *** 60 25. PCV ContingentsTested in the Field 66 26. Primary and Secondary Jobs Listed byPCVs in the Mid-Tour Questionnaire 68 27. EListening Score at End of Trainingvs. Reported Effect of Language Problems on Job Performance DuringFirst Month 1 70 28. Self-Ratings of Spanish LanguageCompetence During the First Month in the Field . OOOOOOOOOOO 72 29. Length-of Time in the Field and Durationof Reported Unstrap Difficulties 73 30. Self-Ratings of Spanish LanguageCompetence at the Mid-Tour Fellow-up 31. Comparison of Reported Effects .of LanguageProblems. on.Job Performance in the First. Month in the Field and Time of the Mid-lour F011owf!up OOOOO -411 0 1, ****** '0 77 32. PCVs' Recommendations for- Changes in.the Language Training Program Frequency Distributions of Language ProficiencyTest Score; at Mid-Tour compared--tolhose,0siPPar TOW,for-the-Sues Individualist, at End-of-Traipingo Qualification,GrouPiv*,- - 81 344eansOtXndardDivietiOni,and intereorrelitionsof Language FrOfiCien4yleitS,MyenAgE04,0fIraigngt-.04.4t,-,Midiaour,