This essay focuses on advanced-level German instruction and advocates an open, flexible approach to integrating the recommendations of the much-discussed 2007 MLA report on "Foreign Languages and Higher Education." Specifically, language, literature, film, and cultural studies are combined to allow for the development of transcultural competence…

Last spring, the author distributed a survey to majors and minors in Hispanic studies at Connecticut College and at other schools to informally gather student attitudes toward the nature of Hispanic-studies courses as it pertained to their interests and goals. Although results were somewhat predictable, an unexpected finding was that of 148…

Proposes a novel approach to the teaching of writing for advanced language classes. This approach leads students working in pairs through various exercises that enable them to produce a text with given style characteristics. Students' texts are then discussed in class and finally compared with suitable literary models. (MES)

Argues for the reorientation in college undergraduate language-literature programs to include the interdisciplinary approach. A proposal is made to separate advanced language instruction from literature courses, to attract the language learning enthusiast as well as the literature major, and to integrate both language and literature into cultural…

Analyzes the expressive and stylistic role of punctuation in French literary works, pointing out that this aspect of language deserves more attention by teachers of advanced French courses. Suggests that students should be gradually sensitized to the value of punctuation as a tool for interpretation and production of creative writing. (MES)

Advanced level French syllabuses of the nine GCE Boards in the United Kingdom are examined. The Southern Universities Joint Board has recently introduced the most radical innovations. As an alternative to its traditional examination it offers Syllabus "B" which dispenses with prescribed tests, but where each student must produce for the…

A teacher of an advanced placement English class of over-stressed, over-busy, and rebellious gifted seniors describes how she used Kafka's "Metamorphosis" to help them adjust to this transitional period in their lives while keeping all reading and assignments within the class period. (DB)

An innovative examination of Rostand's "Cyrano" in an advanced placement program at the high school level is described. The class reads the original play, mostly out loud in class and memorizes three passages; then the film by Steve Martin is shown in class and comparisons are made. (MLW)

This paper examines the rationale for introducing popular culture into college-level English-as-a-Second-Language instruction in Mexico, drawing on research and theory in second language instruction, and it offers specific suggestions for classroom presentation of popular cultural content. It is argued that content in popular culture can enhance…