As English is widely accepted as a lingua franca in today's world, the importance of the language has been acknowledged globally in the present case. To rank the countries in terms of their English language proficiency, the EF Proficiency Index is prepared each year. In this study, five countries having the highest scores according to the Index…

Foreign language (FL) acquisition requires not only the development of target language skills, but also a cultural understanding of the region and its people. While this article addresses the development of an advanced Chinese language and culture course using film, the principles illustrated can be adapted for use in other advanced-level FL…

Bilingual teacher education scholars continue to advocate for the improvement of Spanish language-related teacher preparation practices. However, the field is in need of research on how bilingual teacher educators across the U.S. are addressing this task in their work with future teachers. In responding to this call, I describe an approach and an…

Toastmasters is a widely recognized international club that aims to develop and enhance the art of public speaking by offering participants educational programmes and chances to speak before groups. This article reports on the integration of the Toastmasters approach to an EFL oral-communication class in Taiwan. As both the author of this study…

A discussion of the relationship of second language course content and testing focuses on the instruction and assessment of language proficiency. Basic principles of measurement of proficiency and syllabus design for proficiency and their implications are examined. An approach is recommended to syllabus design that has the learner's real needs at…

Argues that a gap exists in university-level foreign-language curriculum that requires a "bridge," that is, a course designed to take students from where they are to where they should be to study for a foreign-language major and describes the bridge course in Hispanic culture at the University of New Mexico. (four references) (CK)

An exploration of trends in Chinese language instruction discusses textbook-oriented programs, language pedagogy research, overemphasis on reading, curriculum design, and ways to improve and make proficiency-oriented programs more effective. (25 references) (CB)

The curriculum guide outline (CGO) developed for the Richland School District One (Columbia, South Carolina) represents a structured effort to coordinate the curriculum across disciplines. The CGO is an outline that guides the total curriculum content of a course and states the level of mastery acceptable for course credit. It has five components…

Singapore's grammar-based English language syllabus and the wide range of native languages and English oral ability among secondary school students make the second language teaching situation complex and the use of the communicative approach challenging but not impossible. While grammar is an essential element of second language proficiency, it is…

The model course content standards for foreign language instruction in Colorado's public schools, K-12, provide guidelines, not curriculum, for school districts to design language programs. An introductory section presents some basic considerations in program design. The two general standards for foreign language performance are that: (1) students…

Florida is experiencing a renaissance in foreign language study through more substantial curriculum and admission and graduation requirements in secondary and higher education. The increase has resulted in a critical shortage of foreign language teachers, to which the state has responded with a program of incentives, financial aid, and rigorous…

This guide outlines curriculum and performance standards for second language instruction in Wisconsin elementary and secondary schools. An introductory section describes the rationale for development of, and use of the standards for foreign language instruction and briefly discusses applications across the curriculum. A second section gives an…

This guide is intended to clarify for teachers and other instructional leaders the purpose and content of the foreign language curriculum of Georgia's public schools and to assist in more uniform preparation in foreign languages. The guide is organized according to the foreign language goals and objectives of the state's mandated core curriculum.…

The Hawaiian Language Immersion Program, implemented at the kindergarten/first grade level in an elementary school on Oahu and one on Hawaii, is described and evaluated. The program was instituted at the request of parents of students who had attended a Hawaiian language immersion preschool and was open to all students, regardless of ethnicity or…

An introduction to contemporary views of second/foreign language course design is intended for even relatively inexperienced teachers wishing to meet the somewhat sophisticated current expectations for language training. First, it provides theoretical background concerning the concepts of communicative competence and second language proficiency,…