Ekaterina Nemtchinova is Professor of Linguistics at Seattle Pacific University, USA, where she was named "Professor of the Year" in 2018. Her research interests include teacher education and technology in language teaching. She has previously authored a number of articles and textbooks in these areas.

• Foreword by Benjamin RifkinAcknowledgments List of contributors1. Introduction: Enhancing beginner-level foreign language education for adult learnersEkaterina NemtchinovaPart I: Teaching Language Competence2. Postsecondary language learners’ ideal L2 self in a beginning Chinese, French, and Spanish classroomsYan Xie and Laura Ziebart 3. Experience with application of usage-based model of language to beginning L2 instructionSerafima Gettys 4. Enhancing grammar acquisition among beginner-level learners of Chinese using the flipped learning modelHongying Xu 5. Building beginning Spanish language learners’ linguistic and cultural competence through online task-based instruction Lina Lee Part II: Teaching Intercultural Competence6. Integrating culture in language curriculum from beginning to intermediate level in a blended learning environment: A design-based empirical studyShenglan Zhang 7. Intercultural competence in elementary-level language classes in higher educationIslam Karkour8. The culture portfolio: Assessing growth toward intercultural competence Julianne Bryant9. Employing concept maps in teaching foreign language culture Elmira GerfanovaPart III: Teaching with Technology10. Pathways to digital L2 literacies for text-based telecollaboration at the beginning levelMaria Bondarenko and Liudmila Klimanova11. Student satisfaction and engagement in a beginning Ukrainian blended-learning course: Debunking fears of blending and lessons learnedAlla Nedashkivska12. Data-driven learning in a low-level language classroomKatya Goussakova13. Поехали! Training Russian prefixed verbs of motion in virtual realityKristin Bidoshi and Ekaterina NemtchinovaPart IV: Assessment and Evaluation14. An exploration of beginner-level Korean learners’ perceptions and participation in collaborative writing tasks for learning-oriented assessmentYunjung Nam and Hakyoon Lee15. Feminist assessment in elementary world language coursesVeta Chitnev16. Assessment of the relationship between derivational morphological awareness and second language reading comprehensionAnna Shur

"This book delivers exciting research focused exclusively on the vital first year of language study. Its four thematic sections – Approaches, Intercultural Competence, Technology, and Assessment and Evaluation – will be immensely useful to all language instructors, regardless of language taught." - Jason Merrill, Professor of Russian, Michigan State University; Director of the Middlebury College, Kathryn Wasserman Davis School of Russian, USA"This book presents critical research findings and practical recommendations focused on language instruction at the elementary level in colleges and universities. I recommend this well-organized volume to all those working to encourage these language learners in their efforts to become effective communicators in today’s globalized world." - Marilyn S. Severson, Professor Emerita, Seattle Pacific University, USA"With a thoughtful collection of empirical studies on a range of critical issues in the field of foreign language education, this volume fills in the gap of research devoted to novice level adult language learners in college and university programs. I highly recommend this reference book for professionals looking for research ideas and pedagogical recommendations in program design and curriculum innovation." - Yilin Sun, Professor, Seattle Colleges-South Seattle College; President of TESOL International Association (2014-2015), USA