The focus of this study is the development and implementation of the Iterative Needs Assessment/Evaluation Model for use as part of an English curriculum reform project at a four-year university in Japan. Three questions were addressed in this study: (a) what model components were necessary for use in a Japanese university setting; (b) what survey…

This article reports a 2-year case study (2003-2005) on teachers' instructional practices, and the impact of teacher understandings and training upon the teachers' implementation of the Communicative Oriented Curriculum (COC) initiative in the context of a major curriculum innovation in teaching English to young learners in Turkish state schools.…

An interaction of processes (e.g., design, implementation) and elements (e.g., curriculum) form a matrix for language teaching programs. The concept of stakeholders within this program matrix is elaborated: learners, teachers, administrators, and controlling authorities. A worksheet is appended. (Contains 56 references.) (Author)

A review of literature on organizational theory and educational administration focuses on strategies for successful introduction of planned curriculum changes or program improvements in English-as-a-Second-Language programs. Three important considerations in the implementation of change--the nature of educational organizations, the change process,…

Although three types of foreign language program exist in elementary schools (immersion, partial immersion, and core courses), there is no conclusive evidence as to what length of instruction time results in greater student achievement. A logical approach to foreign language teaching at the elementary level is one that integrates foreign language…

Any employment-related English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) program, whether conducted on the job or as pre-employment training, results from five steps: conducting a need analysis of the language and cultural awareness needed to perform successfully in the workplace; developing a curriculum, based on objectives, that identifies and prioritizes…

This guide provides a road map for Connecticut school districts as they develop and implement a world languages program appropriate for the 21st century. It describes what students should know and be able to do at various grade levels and stages of language learning. The five chapters include the following: (1) "Introduction" (overview…

This report by the American Association of Community Colleges summarizes the results of a nationwide year-long study on foreign language education. Programs, called Improving Foreign Language Education projects at Community Colleges, were implemented at a total of 36 American colleges to enact proposed changes in curriculum and foreign language…

Indiana State University?s (ISU) foreign language requirement curriculum serves as a model for the 21st century. Unique to the program is an emphasis on integrating the common goals of general education and multicultural studies with the development of critical thinking skills to reach overall objectives of communicative competency, cultural…

Three New York City public school projects funded by the New York State Education Department's Bureau of Bilingual Education had the common goal of improving the quality of instruction in schools that the state's Comprehensive Assessment Report (CAR) had designated as needing special assistance for raising low student performance levels. The…

This digest discusses the issues involved in implementing middle school foreign language programs. A number of implementation and instructional issues are highlighted, including: scheduling, staffing, teacher recruitment, teacher certification, staff development, curriculum development, teaching methods, and instructional materials. (VWL)

The implementation of New York City secondary-level transitional classes in English as a second language (ESL) is evaluated. The classes are designed to improve the listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in English necessary for success in mainstream classes. This evaluation, based on data gathered via site visits, interviews, and an…

The aim of this collection is to present "state of the art" papers in language curriculum studies by writers who have been actively involved in shaping theory in the field and who, between them, have applied that theory in almost every part of the world and in a variety of contexts. Papers include the following: "A Decision-Making Framework for…

Development and implementation of an interdisciplinary elementary and early childhood teacher education program at Baruch College (New York) was characterized by many internal and external tensions and pressures. One of the important factors which had to be considered was the ethnic diversity of both the college's and the city's student…

For many years, the modern language enrollment at Butler University included many students with a second major in education, and the language curriculum served this population. As the number of teacher trainees diminished, foreign language majors increasingly indicated second majors in business. To serve this population, the foreign language…