Reports on teacher reaction to a compromise proposal dealinq with the reform of A level and N level language syllabuses. (AM)

The Committee for General and Technical Education of the Council of Europe commissioned a comparative study of modern language teaching in European primary and secondary schools, the results of which are presented here. School systems and plans of primary and secondary education in the 21 member states of the CCC are reviewed, along with the…

A series of discussions among members of the language departments at SUNY/Buffalo was held to examine ways of improving language teaching methodology in the college, particularly at the second-year level. The suggestions resulting from these meetings are offered as a practical response to the decreased enrollment in language courses. The…

The aim of the conference discussed in this report was to make a critical appraisal of the achievements of language teaching in the polytechnics and similar institutions, and to attempt to suggest lines for future development. All speakers were encouraged to be critical and provocative in order to stimulate conference discussions on how language…

The teaching of Spanish in American schools and colleges to native speakers of Spanish has its origin in two main factors: the need for acceptance by the teaching profession of maintenance and development of the Spanish spoken natively in the United States, and the need for cultural determination by the nation's native Spanish speakers. In light…

This paper is designed to pinpoint the problems facing the teaching of foreign languages and suggests strategies that can be used in meeting these problems. The problems facing the profession have been assessed by observing foreign language teachers in the classroom and in conversations with them. Problems include the varying rate at which…

The data presented in this paper indicates that the present Spanish language program at Mesa College serves only one quarter of the student body and probably even a smaller fraction of the community. This situation exists because the recommended curriculums for 52 of Mesa College's 66 lower-division majors, largely nongeneral liberal arts and one-…

The "waystage" objective for adult modern language learning in the European unit/credit system is described. Waystage is an intermediary objective below "threshold level," the latter stage being the minimum proficiency level likely to be required to function adequately in temporary contacts with foreign language speakers in…

In Part 1, Ann A. Beusch reports on the integration of intergroup education into the total curriculum of Maryland's school system. Attention is drawn to the contributions made by language teachers concerned with the needs of the various ethnic groups in the state, with primary emphasis given to issues of cross-cultural communication and awareness.…

The minicourse in foreign language teaching is an outgrowth of the diversified curriculum that is based on the personal-benefit theory. The importance of the individual and the need for a differentiated program designed to foster individual interests and maximize individual potential is stressed in this theory. The rapid growth of alternative…

A project was undertaken for the promotion of unit/credit systems for language learning by adults. Project aims were to: (1) show that anaylsis or identification of language needs ought to be an intergral part of the unit/credit language learning processes; (2) show that all parts of the system are interdependent, including analysis of resources…

This book is designed to assist those who work with non-English dominant students by providing resource information relevant to second language teaching and learning. The articles in the series encompass both theory and practical learning techniques in six general topics. The articles in the first text of the series, concerning background and…

The notion of a functional syllabus has received widespread attention in recent years, so much so that in many cases it is being used where it is not suitable. One question is to what extent the functional syllabus may provide a framework for learning language structure, as it is difficult to impose any kind of structural organization on a…

This is the final report describing a supervised program of self-instruction in critical languages at the undergraduate level. The project was begun at a single college in 1963, was expanded to a statewide basis in 1966, and was again enlarged to run on a national basis in 1969. In 1971-72, over 1,000 students were enrolled in these programs at…

A survey is presented of modern language teaching in Great Britain since the establishment of their Modern Language Association in 1893, with particular emphasis on developments during the past 20 years. The following topics are addressed: the influence of linguistic research on methodology, the situation in higher education and the schools,…