In today's rapidly changing globalizing world, it is hard to predict which of many languages a child can learn today will be most useful to them twenty and thirty years from now, when they enter a global work place, interact socially with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, and may face relocation opportunities to foreign countries. Some…

Historically, school officials, parents, teachers and others have expressed concerns about the implementation of foreign language in the elementary school (FLES) programs believing that precious time was sacrificed from the rest of the curriculum to make room for foreign language study. Some wondered if second language instruction made sense for…

Current literature in the field of foreign language describes the benefits and challenges of elementary foreign language programs that meet several days a week over the course of a year, however little is known about elementary school foreign language programs that provide daily instruction within limited time frames of several weeks during the…

Describes a successful program that introduced Japanese language and culture to children in Kansas. End of program survey results revealed that students, parents, and facilitators were overwhelmingly positive about the program. (Author/VWL)

An elementary school foreign language teacher reflects on her first year and a half of being a Spanish foreign language in the elementary school (FLES) teacher. Highlights challenges, frustrations, and positive aspects of the job. (Author/VWL)

Presents a school board presentation on the benefits of early foreign language learning. The presentation included success stories of students who began learning foreign languages at the elementary level. (Author/VWL)

Offers strategies to help elementary school foreign-language specialists become more effective in promoting early language learning. (VWL)

Gives a brief history of the National Network for Early Language Learning, an organization formed specifically to focus on the teaching of foreign languages to young children. A descriptive chronology is provided from November 1986 through 1997. (Author/JL)

Describes a Spanish-as-a-foreign language email project carried out with kindergartners through third graders from six elementary schools. The project involves a traveling Teddy bear named Tito. (Author/VWL)

Discusses a project that integrated French as a foreign language instruction and science through technology in Grades 1-4. (Author/VWL)

Describes the Japanese program at Mimosa Elementary School in Roswell, Georgia. The success of the program has been aided by collaborative team teaching, a spiraled curriculum, creative teaching methods, Teacher -made materials, and communication among teachers, parents, and administrators. he challenges are also discussed. (Author/VWL)

Describes the development of "Espanol para ti," a video program for teaching Spanish at the elementary school level. The program was designed for use in Clark County, Nevada elementary schools and is taught by a certified Spanish teacher via video twice a week, utilizing comprehensible input through visuals, games, and songs that are conducive to…

Describes the creation, content, and implementation of SALSA, a program developed to provide elementary school students in pre-kindergarten through second grade with their first experience with Spanish language and culture. After a short introduction in English, SALSA uses only Spanish for instruction. (Author/VWL)

Describes a lesson that is part of a summer enrichment program in Japanese language and culture and is taught by Interactive Distance Learning (IDL) through the Southeast Kansas Education Center. The class is designed for students going into Grades 4, 5, and 6 and runs 2 hours daily for 2 weeks. (Author/VWL)

Provides an overview of early foreign language learning and instruction in Japan. Discusses the role of the Japan Association for the Teaching of English to Children (JASTEC). (Author/VWL)