The 2008 Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages focused on learning about the diverse backgrounds and needs of today's students. The 2009 Conference continued that focus and added diversity by instructors in using a variety of teaching methods, strategies, themes, technologies, and assessments. Presenters from all 17 states…

Canada's recommended new core French syllabus focuses on formal aspects of language while always taking into account the message and the communicative setting. Content is based on existing curricula and language sciences. Three components are included: setting, discourse, and grammar, with emphasis on the form/function relationship and correct…

Many teachers feel that the primary goal of language education is the development of communicative rather than linguistic competence. This shift in focus has affected syllabus design. However, no single syllabus appears satisfactory by itself. The grammatical syllabus is effective to instill in learners automatic production of accurate structural…

Manitoba's curriculum guide for German 100, 200, and 300 is designed to (1) make teachers of these courses aware of the official policy concerning the nature, goals, and objectives of the courses and approved teaching materials, and (2) provide instructional guidelines. The guide provides information about three sets of teaching materials from…

Most textbooks for teaching foreign languages have as their basis a grammatical syllabus. The theory has been that it is easier for students to learn a language if they are exposed to one part of the grammatical system at a time. Recently critics have questioned this theory, arguing that the grammatical syllabus fails to provide the necessary…

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…

Papers in this journal issue concern various aspects of foreign language syllabus construction. Titles and authors are: "The Threshold Level: A Notional-Functional Syllabus" (Barbara F. Matthies); "Functions of Grammar in a Language Teaching Syllabus" (William E. Rutherford); "Communicative and Grammatical Syllabuses to…

A number of issues in classroom second language instruction, particularly as they relate to grammar instruction, are considered in the context of recent research and theory. Discussion begins with a review of the nature and role of second language grammar instruction. Following this, these issues are explored: whether the native or target language…

Saskatchewan's Japanese second-language curriculum for grades 10-12 are presented, including goals and objectives in speaking, listening, reading, and writing defined for each level. Curriculum design and structure are discussed briefly, and the importance of cultural awareness and evaluation procedures are emphasized. (Contains 19 references.)…

The Manitoba Department of Education's curriculum guide to German instruction in grades 7 through 9 presents the approved curriculum, makes recommendations for its implementation, and provides information about sets of teaching materials from which teachers can make appropriate selections. The guide outlines the rationale for the curriculur and…

Sample lessons and instructional materials from a Japanese bilingual/bicultural elementary school program are presented. The lessons are designed to integrate Japanese language instruction with content instruction, using thematic units related to the core curriculum. The ten lessons are organized by target grade (K-5), and describe classroom…

The application of communicative and grammatical approaches to syllabus design for conversational English for specific purposes is discussed. Each approach is examined, and applications are suggested for each at different stages of instruction, based on learner readiness and the linguistic organization of the target language variety. At the early…

A guide developed by classroom teachers of foreign languages is presented. It is intended to be a practical tool for the teacher who wants to develop in students a set of skills which are sequentially presented. It is also directed to administrators and supervisors so that they too may participate in the development of a vital foreign language…

The collection of papers on course design includes reports of teaching practice and classroom research by teachers of English as a second language. Papers include: "Teacher Researchers: Perspectives on Teacher Action Research and Curriculum Renewal" (Anne Burns); "From Curriculum to Courses: Why Do Teachers Do What They Do?" (Susan Hood); "The…

The curriculum is designed for teachers of limited-English-proficient auto parts sales personnel, and consists of seven instructional modules focusing on automotive vocabulary and job-related communication skills. The curriculum begins with an extensive automotive vocabulary list. Outlines of the instructional modules follow, each containing…