Teachers’ self-efficacy and intercultural classroom practices in diverse classroom contexts: A cross-national comparison

This cross-national study provides new insights in teacher efficacy in today’s culturally diverse classrooms using survey data of 269 early childhood and primary school teachers in England, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland. Teacher efficacy can be viewed as a two dimensional concept in which both general beliefs are measured alongside (diversity-related) domain-specific beliefs. These beliefs are related to the cultural classroom context and the use of intercultural classroom practices. Our results indicate that policies and professional development targeted at the reciprocal relation between diversity-related efficacy and practices are important when preparing teachers for working in diverse classroom contexts.     

Evaluating the international dimension in an undergraduate curriculum by assessing students’ intercultural sensitivity

This formative, outcome-oriented, theory-based evaluation research study assessed the effectiveness of requiring an international (‘I’) course by measuring students’ intercultural sensitivity (IS) at the start and end of a semester. Findings revealed that students’ IS scores did not change regardless of the type of class in which the student was enrolled and were not significantly different based on gender, age, ethnicity, undergraduate classification, or number of ‘I’ courses taken. There were significant differences in IS based on religion, traveling outside the US, participating in a study abroad course, and the number of cultural events in which the student had participated. Regression analysis confirmed that religious affiliation and number of times traveled outside the US were significant predictors of IS. This study is an example of the use of theory-based evaluation in an educational system and provides important insights into what experiences affect college students’ IS.     

如何提高高职高专非英语专业学生的英语写作和翻译水平

分析了本校学生参加的云南省高校专科英语考试的成绩,认为非英语专业学生的写作和翻译能力低下的主要原因是学生对英语的重要性认识不足,学生的学习动机缺乏,学生的英语语法知识薄弱以及学生的词汇与短语的记忆不牢固。并论述了如何提高学生的这两方面的能力。     

Cross-cultural argument interactions between Israeli-Jews and Palestinians

This study examined the argument patterns that result when Israeli-Jews and Palestinians confront each other during group dialogues. We tested predictions derived from two theories. The first was a theory of cultural communication which predicted that Israeli-Jews and Palestinians would argue in a manner consistent with their respective cultural communication codes known as dugri and musayra respectively. Thus, the Israeli-Jews were expected to be assertive and the Palestinians more accommodating. The second theory was rooted in majority/minority power relations and predicted the opposite. The data were generated from reconciliation-based dialogue groups of Israeli-Jews and Palestinians. Communicative acts were coded according to the Conversational Argument Coding Scheme. Analysis of covariance was used to determine which patterns of argument distinguished the groups, and to identify variance attributable to lag sequences and individuals. The results were supportive of predictions from majority/minority power relations.     

期待翻译软件的新突破

因特网已渗透到人们的衣食住行及社会生活各个方面, 虽然网络没有国界, 信息不分种族, 但80% 的网站和90% 的网络信息是英文的, 多数国人与世界交流受到语障制约。国家科委早已将机器翻译列入“863”计划, 近年来翻译软件成果累累, 只是这些成果与人们的要求尚有较大距离, 此项研究仍然任重道远。     

如何做好图书馆的文献翻译服务

重点介绍了上海图书馆上海科技情报所提供翻译服务的具体做法．加强流程控制与质量管理、利用现代信息手段提高翻译质量、加强基础系统建设提供一流翻译服务和加强国外科技文献的开发研究等。     

松本君平《新闻学》一书的汉译与影响

《新闻学》一书在1901年已经由译书汇编社完成汉译,但未获出版。从1903年商务印书馆所刊行的《新闻学》一书的广告、征引和著录等情况看,它在当时产生了不小的影响,这种影响主要来自它对记者势力略显夸张的描述。     

Intercultural Communication and the Central States Region

This reflection essay describes the Central States Region as an area rich in intercultural communication. González describes Mexican American migrant farmworker organizing as an intercultural activity since the union activists attempted to influence both Mexican heritage and European heritage audiences. González also describes the many interculturalists working in the Midwest who influenced his early research.     

“I thought I’d have more trouble with white people!”: Exploring racial microaggressions between West African immigrants and African Americans

Racial tensions continue in 21st-century United States through the communication of racial microaggressions. We are interested in the communication of racial microaggressions directed towards West African immigrants by people with whom they expected to be allied, African Americans. Sixteen people who identified as West African immigrants were interviewed about communication struggles with African Americans in this qualitative, interpretive analysis. Owen’s thematic analysis was employed to analyze interview data. Results suggest the communicative impact of racial microaggressions on recipients is far-reaching and consequential. Narratives illustrate microaggressive communication occurs daily through invalidating, dismissive lines of questioning as well as targeted name calling and pejorative dialogue.