This digest highlights the planning phase of developing and implementing middle school foreign language programs, focusing particular attention on program types and criteria for selecting an appropriate program. Specific issues addressed include the following: (1) Which language or languages should be taught? (2) At what grade level should foreign…

There has been a significant increase in new foreign language programs at the elementary school level in recent years. Many of these programs, often referred to as foreign language in the elementary school or FLES programs, have been implemented to comply with state mandates, while others have been developed in response to parental pressure for…

The rationale behind international homestay exchange programs for high school students is discussed and several existing exchange programs are described. Such programs serve to enhance motivation for language learning, cultural awareness, positive attitudes toward the host country, and parental and public consciousness of other cultures. The…

This digest describes the implementation of a successful district-wide elementary school foreign language (FLES) program that resulted from the superintendent's vision to have all students in the district study a common foreign language throughout their schooling. This vision was based on the superintendent's belief that American secondary school…

This Digest discusses the increase in the number of immigrant secondary school students who come to the United States with limited education and effective programs for serving this student population. For these students to succeed in school, they must learn to read, write, understand, and speak English, develop academic literacy in English to make…

An examination of foreign language syllabus design reviews current literature on six syllabus types and discusses the process of choosing and integrating syllabi for classroom use. The six syllabus types are structural, notional-functional, situational, skill-based, task-based, and content-based, characterized as differing by increasing attention…

This digest discusses the issues involved in implementing middle school foreign language programs. A number of implementation and instructional issues are highlighted, including: scheduling, staffing, teacher recruitment, teacher certification, staff development, curriculum development, teaching methods, and instructional materials. (VWL)

This state-of-the-art review explores types of foreign language (FL) programs, the rationale for early FL study, research evidence, program development, evaluation issues, and areas for further development. Chapter 1 outlines the various types of early FL programs that have been implemented, such as foreign language experience (FLEX) programs,…

This book highlights information from a project that focused on where and how content-based English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction has been implemented in pre-K through Grade 12 classrooms in public schools across the United States. A database was constructed of 3,000 public schools that have content-ESL programs. Descriptions of the…

The state of the art of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) in instruction of English as a second language (ESL) is examined. An overview of computer applications in the field discusses computer roles in language learning, computers and the standard curriculum, computer requirements for different types of CALL (instructional, collaborative,…