Abstract

This study examined the relationship of Spanish language proficiency as related to location and length of stay in a foreign language environment. The participants took a Spanish diagnostic test that measures Spanish proficiency through grammar principles and then answered a questionnaire concerning their language learning experiences, location and length of stay in a Spanish language environment.
It was found that Spanish language proficiency increased with longer lengths of stay in the Spanish language environment. No conclusive data were found to support the hypothesis that those in one Spanish-speaking environment attain a higher language proficiency than those in another Spanish-speaking area. The study aids which were most beneficial in attaining higher levels of Spanish proficiency were those activities which involve reading.
It is suggested that more research be done in this area using larger populations to assess whether the findings in this study are actual tendencies or caused only by chance.

Degree

MA

College and Department

Humanities; Spanish and Portuguese

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

1984

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etdm477

Keywords

Spanish language, Study, teaching, Foreign speakers, Mormon missionaries

Language

English

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