Universities across the country are experiencing a decline in the number of undergraduates choosing to major in the humanities in general, and similar trends have been observed specifically in the study of foreign languages (FLs), cultures, and literatures. The educational and social psychological literature has explored uptake, or a student's…

The 2007 Modern Language Association report spurred research regarding the professional development of foreign language graduate students. This article first reviews existing proposals for the professional development of graduate students, then addresses the relevance of helping graduate students to develop the knowledge and skills that are needed…

This article is a description of a graduate pedagogy course on using film in language courses at the university level; the principles and methods taught are adaptable to any level and any second (L2) or foreign language course. The focus is the methodology, or topics and themes covered by the course, and results of the implemented method: student…

Chronicles the steps taken in developing a curricular project to design, implement, and evaluate a simulation business course for beginners learning Japanese at the university level. The steps in developing the program, from the selection of materials to the evaluation of the entire project, are presented together with insights gained from the…

Describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of a noncredit introductory course in the Spanish American novel. The materials and lectures were based on texts in English translation and were prepared with the intent of stimulating interest among students with diverse backgrounds. This course was used as part of an Elderhostel program.…

Projects of second-year university students enrolled in French classes are described. Instead of regular classes, projects on similar subjects were grouped and presented to the class as a whole. Student reactions obtained through a questionnaire are also reported. (SW)

Reports on an experiment in which one group of high school students was taught using Total Physical Response (TPR) for 20 minutes a day and a control group was taught by the usual manner. Results showed students in the TPR group scored better on standard unit tests and expressed greater satisfaction with their teacher and course. (EKN)

This article presents a 35-item, scaled questionnaire including questions designed to elicit information from students evaluating language teacher effectiveness and perceived value of course content, plus data needed to determine relevant characteristics of surveyed students. Results of a survey using this questionnaire in university Spanish…

Asserts that to revitalize foreign language study we need: (1) a reevaluation of the setting in which foreign language programs exist; (2) uniform standards for initial student placement in foreign language programs; and (3) continual updating by teachers, administrators, and guidance counselors of the objectives, methodology, and content of the…