This thesis reports on an evaluative study of the first 300-level Spanish class at Brigham Young University. The information gathered describes the history of the class and changes in curriculum and goals over the years. It also describes students who have taken the class: native Spanish speakers, heritage speakers, returned missionaries, students from lower-levels, students with a background in another Romance language, and presents information as to how well the class has met the needs of each group of students, as well as suggestions to better meet student needs. Results indicate that there is a general satisfaction with the first 300-level Spanish class across the different categories of Spanish students in this class. Data also indicate that additional review of the class may be beneficial in order to 1) increase horizontal articulation, 2) better meet General Education requirements, 3) increase the student preparedness from Spanish 206 to 321, and 4) improve instructor training.

Brigham Young University (BYU) first implemented the Spanish Computer Adaptive Placement Examination (S-CAPE) during the Fall Semester of 1986 and it has been used ever since. The S-CAPE was designed to determine course placement into beginning and intermediate classes for students who have previously studied Spanish. A 10% increase occurred this year (2014) in students who have served missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Many of these returned missionaries gained language proficiency on their missions, and some go to BYU to begin or continue their studies. Because of the increase in enrollment of students with intermediate and advanced Spanish fluency, the BYU Department of Spanish and Portuguese needed a way to accurately place these students. This study analyzed the S-CAPE to see if it was reliable and capable of placing more advanced students. The S-CAPE was not originally designed to place students above SPAN 206. In addition, other factors that contribute to student placement at BYU are evaluated. Recommendations are made for improving the validity of the S-CAPE, as well as the language skills tested by the S-CAPE. Further recommendations are made to upgrade the process of placing students registering for Spanish at BYU.

Este estudo investiga o sucesso no processo de bilinguismo português/japonês de seis jovens retornados do Japão. Como sucesso no bilinguismo, entendemos pelo caso em que o indivíduo, mesmo após uma longa permanência no Japão e vivência no sistema escolar japonês, tenha conseguido após o seu retorno no Brasil, manter o domínio na lingua japonesa e possuir uma proficiência linguísitica em português suficiente para seu ingresso no ensino superior brasileiro. O referencial teórico sobre bilinguismo foi baseado nos estudos de Skutnabb-Kangas (2008); Cummins (1984); Baker (1993); Nakajima (2010). Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas presenciais e online, sendo analisados os seguintes três domínios na trajetória de vida desses colaboradores que, baseados em uma auto-avaliação, foram divididos em 2 grupos bilíngues dominantes em português e bilingues dominantes em japonês : (1) ambiente linguístico no Japão (2) atitudes dos colaboradores com os estudos da L1 e L2 e (3) ambiente linguístico no Brasil. O estudo comprovou que o apoio de familiares e de terceiros constitui um fator importante na motivação dos estudos, bem como na superação de desafios surgidos na adaptação linguística e cultural. Foi também observado que os colaboradores de ambos os grupos tiveram que investir na aprendizagem da língua por um longo período para o desenvolvimento da proficiência linguística acadêmica ALP (Cummins, 2001; 2011) até o ingresso na faculdade. Em relação à rede de apoio formal, foram verificadas as seguintes ações para minimizar os problemas relacionados ao não domínio da língua japonesa no contexto de imigração no Japão: ingresso em escola pública de região com alta concentração de brasileiros, ingresso em faculdade japonesa por programa especial para retornados e ingresso em escola brasileira ações essas realizadas pelos colaboradores do grupo dominantes em português. Por outro lado, os do grupo dominantes em japonês utilizaram as seguintes medidas para facilitar a adaptação linguística e escolar no Brasil: ingresso em escola privada com curso curricular de japonês, ingresso em escola técnica e ingresso em escola pública estadual. Em ambos os grupos foi observada a frequência em cursos preparatórios pré-vestibular. Concluiu-se que o uso dessas redes de apoio formais infuenciou positivamente no desenvolvimento da ALP dos colaboradores. / The study herein aims to investigate success in the process of Portuguese/Japanese bilingualism of six youngsters returned from Japan. In our view, successful bilingualism happens in those cases in which even after a long stay in Japan along with an experience with the Japanese school system, the individual has managed to keep his mastery of the Japanese language after returning to Brazil, and be proficient enough in Portuguese so as to be admitted to Brazilian higher education. The theoretical framework on bilingualism was based on studies of Skutnabb-Kangas (2008); Cummins (1984); Baker (1993); Nakajima (2010). Both in-person and online semi-structured interviews have been conducted focusing on three aspects in the life trajectory of interviewees who, based on self-evaluation, have been divided into two groups: Portuguese-dominant bilinguals, and Japanese-dominant bilinguals: (1) linguistic environment in Japan (2) attitude of interviewees with the study of both L1 and L2; and (3) linguistic environment in Brazil. The study has proved that support both from family and others is key to generate motivation for studies, as well as to foment the overcoming of problems arising from both linguistic and cultural adaptation. It has also been observed that interviewees in both groups had to invest on language learning for a long period of time to develop academic linguistic proficiency ALP (CUMMINS, 2001; 2011) until they were admitted to college. As for the formal support network, the following actions aiming at alleviating problems concerning nonmastering of Japanese language in the context of Japanese immigration in Japan have been taken: admission to a public school in an area with a high concentration of Brazilian people; admission to a Japanese college by means of a program specially designed for returned, and admission to a Brazilian school, being all those actions taken by interviewees in the Portuguese-dominant group. On the other hand, those in the Japanese-dominant group have taken the following measures to facilitate linguistic and school adaptation in Brazil: admission to a private school with Japanese language in the syllabus, admission to a technical school, and admission to a state public school. Attendance to college entrance examination prep courses has been observed in both groups. it has been concluded that the use of those formal support networks has had a positive impact on the development of ALP of interviewees.

Historically, 18th century anecdotal accounts of the decimation of several tribes of U.S. of the Native American population by trading of infected textile blankets alludes to the role of retail in the transmission of infectious disease. This study explores implications of the modern day retail organization practice of reselling returned clothing textiles from a public health infectious disease perspective. A qualitative multi-case study, utilized responses from 20 open-ended, unstructured interviews of retail employees assigned to the returns process. Additionally, several informal observations of select U.S.based, top-ranked clothing retail organizations, identified by the National Retail Federation were completed. Select federal, state, and local public health regulations regarding returned clothing textiles were then examined in an attempt to identify potential public health risks. Under a general systems conceptual framework, the points of interaction between the complex adaptive systems seen in retailer and the public health organizations were examined for infectious disease and infestation implications. Using MAXQDA software to perform the analyses, it was found that current retail practices and policy present unacknowledged infectious disease or infestation transmission risks. The risk applies to all, but is particularly relevant to immuno-compromised individuals. Though the risk in accepting and returning clothing to the sales cycle is an industry wide practice, it can be mitigated. Suggested mitigation takes the form of health training, and introduction of disinfection sanitizing tools such as UVC light exposures, into the returns-resale process.The findings point to an opportunity for social change for consumers, retail workers, and the community through update of public health and retail practices.

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Este estudo investiga o sucesso no processo de bilinguismo português/japonês de seis jovens retornados do Japão. Como sucesso no bilinguismo, entendemos pelo caso em que o indivíduo, mesmo após uma longa permanência no Japão e vivência no sistema escolar japonês, tenha conseguido após o seu retorno no Brasil, manter o domínio na lingua japonesa e possuir uma proficiência linguísitica em português suficiente para seu ingresso no ensino superior brasileiro. O referencial teórico sobre bilinguismo foi baseado nos estudos de Skutnabb-Kangas (2008); Cummins (1984); Baker (1993); Nakajima (2010). Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas presenciais e online, sendo analisados os seguintes três domínios na trajetória de vida desses colaboradores que, baseados em uma auto-avaliação, foram divididos em 2 grupos bilíngues dominantes em português e bilingues dominantes em japonês : (1) ambiente linguístico no Japão (2) atitudes dos colaboradores com os estudos da L1 e L2 e (3) ambiente linguístico no Brasil. O estudo comprovou que o apoio de familiares e de terceiros constitui um fator importante na motivação dos estudos, bem como na superação de desafios surgidos na adaptação linguística e cultural. Foi também observado que os colaboradores de ambos os grupos tiveram que investir na aprendizagem da língua por um longo período para o desenvolvimento da proficiência linguística acadêmica ALP (Cummins, 2001; 2011) até o ingresso na faculdade. Em relação à rede de apoio formal, foram verificadas as seguintes ações para minimizar os problemas relacionados ao não domínio da língua japonesa no contexto de imigração no Japão: ingresso em escola pública de região com alta concentração de brasileiros, ingresso em faculdade japonesa por programa especial para retornados e ingresso em escola brasileira ações essas realizadas pelos colaboradores do grupo dominantes em português. Por outro lado, os do grupo dominantes em japonês utilizaram as seguintes medidas para facilitar a adaptação linguística e escolar no Brasil: ingresso em escola privada com curso curricular de japonês, ingresso em escola técnica e ingresso em escola pública estadual. Em ambos os grupos foi observada a frequência em cursos preparatórios pré-vestibular. Concluiu-se que o uso dessas redes de apoio formais infuenciou positivamente no desenvolvimento da ALP dos colaboradores. / The study herein aims to investigate success in the process of Portuguese/Japanese bilingualism of six youngsters returned from Japan. In our view, successful bilingualism happens in those cases in which even after a long stay in Japan along with an experience with the Japanese school system, the individual has managed to keep his mastery of the Japanese language after returning to Brazil, and be proficient enough in Portuguese so as to be admitted to Brazilian higher education. The theoretical framework on bilingualism was based on studies of Skutnabb-Kangas (2008); Cummins (1984); Baker (1993); Nakajima (2010). Both in-person and online semi-structured interviews have been conducted focusing on three aspects in the life trajectory of interviewees who, based on self-evaluation, have been divided into two groups: Portuguese-dominant bilinguals, and Japanese-dominant bilinguals: (1) linguistic environment in Japan (2) attitude of interviewees with the study of both L1 and L2; and (3) linguistic environment in Brazil. The study has proved that support both from family and others is key to generate motivation for studies, as well as to foment the overcoming of problems arising from both linguistic and cultural adaptation. It has also been observed that interviewees in both groups had to invest on language learning for a long period of time to develop academic linguistic proficiency ALP (CUMMINS, 2001; 2011) until they were admitted to college. As for the formal support network, the following actions aiming at alleviating problems concerning nonmastering of Japanese language in the context of Japanese immigration in Japan have been taken: admission to a public school in an area with a high concentration of Brazilian people; admission to a Japanese college by means of a program specially designed for returned, and admission to a Brazilian school, being all those actions taken by interviewees in the Portuguese-dominant group. On the other hand, those in the Japanese-dominant group have taken the following measures to facilitate linguistic and school adaptation in Brazil: admission to a private school with Japanese language in the syllabus, admission to a technical school, and admission to a state public school. Attendance to college entrance examination prep courses has been observed in both groups. it has been concluded that the use of those formal support networks has had a positive impact on the development of ALP of interviewees.

Social network development has been studied in the social sciences for the last several decades, but little work has applied social network theory to study-abroad research. This study seeks to quantitatively describe factors that predict social network formation among study-abroad students while in the host countries. Social networks were measured in terms of the number of friends the students made, the number of distinct social groups reported, and the number of friends within those groups. The Study Abroad Social Interaction Questionnaire was compared against these pre-trip factors: intercultural competence, target-language proficiency, prior missionary experience, gender, study-abroad program, neuroticism, extroversion, agreeableness, openness to new experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Results showed that pre-trip oral proficiency in the target language was the strongest predictor of the number of friends made in-country. Certain programs showed stronger predictive statistics in terms of size of largest social group, number of social groups, and number of friends made. A distinction is made between total number of friends and number of friends who are more likely to be native speakers. Neither intercultural competence nor personality showed a significant correlation with the number of friendships made during study abroad.