Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

1999

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MA

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

World Languages, Literatures and Linguistics

Committee Chair

Susan M. Braidi.

Committee Co-Chair

Frank W. Medley

Committee Member

Johan Seynnaeve

Abstract

This study describes the development of a cultural needs questionnaire intended to get a profile of foreign students' awareness of American culture. Specifically, the original questionnaire was designed to assess the level of awareness that English as a Second Language (ESL) students have of three aspects of American culture: family, gender roles, and education. The purpose of the development of student profiles resulting from this questionnaire was to offer one source of feedback to ESL teachers concerning these particularly relevant areas in which newly arrived students may be culturally confused. The piloting of the questionnaire revealed several problems inherent in the instrument which rendered it ineffective. The result of this research is a comprehensive re-design of the questionnaire, which can serve as a tool to measure ESL students' levels of cultural awareness.

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