The papers focus on an overview of current developments, language needs of secondary students, and the status of syllabus and examination changes. In addition to the opening and closing addresses and reports from 15 informal workshops, six papers are provided on such topics as reasons for learning a foreign language (A.R. Clarke and others), the…

Discusses a study of the relative benefits of a year-long reading comprehension course for English as a foreign language students, compared with an intensive summer course using the same curriculum. Students were separated into groups according to their language abilities. Although improvement in both cases was nearly equal, the summer course is…

Presents an overview of activities in field of computer-assisted language learning at the University of Dundee (Scotland). These include: (1) use and testing of a self-instructional teacher's package, (2) development of the computer-controlled tape recorder, (3) cloze-type gapping exercises, and (4) projects aimed at the word processing component…

Discusses the role of assessment in determining whether the investment in an early start in a foreign language has been worthwhile, suggesting that it is important for reasons, such as feedback to parents and the public, informing national policy development, and school self evaluation. Describes an independent evaluation of modern languages in…

This book contrasts non-Soviet approaches to language testing and provides definitions from four Soviet language test experts. The role of foreign language teaching, the function of tests, and theoretical problems are discussed, with considerable focus on communicative competence. The book discusses test standardization and classification and…

The use of the Language Background Questionnaire is analyzed, and the following criticisms are offered: (1) the varying nature and range of questions used, (2) the inclusion of indirect language background questions, and (3) previous methods of categorization of individuals into groups using language background scores. (SL)

The expansion of foreign investments in the United States prompted Eastern Michigan University to develop a new curriculum in business French. The program leads to a major in business French and to the Diploma of Commercial French offered by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris. (SW)

This is a summary in outline form of the English language teaching situation in Cameroon. Cameroon is officially a French/English bilingual state but English at present plays the minor part. There are five francophone and two anglophone provinces with populations of five million and one and a half million respectively. In the anglophone provinces…