This practice report describes a 12-week stand-alone course designed to address the challenges university students face in foreign language classes. Adopting principles of transformative language learning, course content, activities and resources were designed and implemented to dispel myths and preconceptions regarding language instruction,…

The conceptualization of language assessment literacy (LAL) is currently a subject of debate in the language testing community, especially with regard to the role language components play in this construct. This is part of a broader discussion of generic and discipline-specific assessment literacy. Previous research on language teachers' LAL aimed…

Through an in-depth analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, this article offers a case study of the advantages and challenges in the application of the flipped learning approach in the instruction of Chinese as a foreign language at the beginning level. Data were collected from two first-year Chinese classes (one in traditional and the…

English is spoken in five countries as the native language and in numerous other countries as an official language and the language of instruction. In countries where English is the native language, it is taught to speakers of other languages as an additional language to enable them to participate in all domains of life of that country. In many…

Based on Bailey's washback model, in respect of participants, process and products, the present empirical study was conducted to find the actual washback effects of the internet-based College English Test Band 4 (IB CET-4). The methods adopted are questionnaires, class observation, interview and the analysis of both the CET-4 teaching and testing…

Problem Statement: Curriculum development involves the process of planning, setting up and running courses. The knowledge about designing syllabi, making choices of content and materials and assessing student performances plays an important role in curriculum development. Syllabus design is one aspect of curriculum development. It covers the kind…

The Standards of Learning in this publication represent a major development in public education in Virginia. Adopted in February 2007 by the Virginia Board of Education, these standards emphasize the importance of foreign language instruction in the Commonwealth and, therefore, are an important part of Virginia's efforts to provide challenging…

Describes a job-related foreign language course given to airline employees. Course objectives, course structure, and validation and evaluation procedures are discussed. (PM)

This course description presents information on Speech 50, Practical Oral Communication, a course offered at Fullerton College and designed to provide two-year college students with basic communication skills for use in everyday situations. Introductory material provides basic information on the course; the major course goals and long-range…

The writing course described in this paper is designed to utilize the existing listening, reading, and speaking skills of educationally disadvantaged students to teach writing skills on the college level. The paper discusses the rationale of the course, describes the content briefly, outlines the language skills employed in a typical week's…

Topics for conversation courses include conversational rules and structure, conversational strategies, functions and meaning in conversation, and social and cultural contexts. The direct teaching of conversational skills involves adding specific language input, increasing the role of consciousness raising, and sequencing communicative tasks…

This booklet describes a course on speedbuilding in Spanish shorthand. Topics include a course description, course enrollment guidelines, course content, suggested procedures, strategies, and learning activities; evaluative instruments; and resources for students and teachers. An appendix contains additional information such as a Spanish business…

Traces the preparation of communicative syllabuses for courses at the School of Language and Culture for Foreigners in Siena, Italy. In particular, the communicative acts chosen for study, the language skills to be developed, the cultural content, and the teaching activities are discussed. (32 references) (CFM)

The recommended syllabus for an exploratory course about Spanish and French languages and cultures and their relationship to English is presented. The guide provides suggestions for approaching course planning and teaching; a list of areas of instruction, material resources, and methods of instruction for the specific linguistic, general language,…

This booklet describes a course of instruction on the theory of Spanish shorthand. Topics discussed include course description; course enrollment guidelines; course content; suggested procedures, strategies, and learning activities; evaluative instruments, and resources for students and teachers. An appendix contains a Spanish business vocabulary,…