In the high-stakes accountability English educational system, decisions made by government and agencies about curriculum, pedagogy and assessment drive school planning and actions. This paper analyses the drivers for the recent change to French German and Spanish GCSEs and highlights particular areas of the new specification which may damage the…

This study uses a cohort model--a combination of a study group, with readings and discussion, and collaborative curriculum design as a professional development tool--as a context for investigating a group of middle and high school world language teachers' beliefs about effective curriculum. The study explores whether this model could shift…

Although course assignments require English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher candidates to design activities, performance assessments, and lessons that balance the teaching of the English language and academic content, the ESL teacher candidates remain perplexed as to how to teach without a prescribed curriculum. The answer is challenging, given…

Thematic units are more than isolated lists of vocabulary, grammar points, or language functions. It is important to design thematic units from the national standards with clearly defined objectives. They should offer opportunities for connections with other content areas. Units should also have a strong cultural foundation, perhaps centered on a…

THE AIM IS TO STIMULATE INTEREST IN CONVERSATION FOR STUDENTS WITH A PREVIOUS BACKGROUND IN THE LANGUAGE. THE COURSE OF STUDY IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR BROAD UNITS - REVIEW OF PREVIOUS WORK (GRADES 1-6), HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL BACKGROUND MATERIAL, A BRIEF HISTORY OF TEXAS IN SPANISH, AND FOLK TALES AND LEGENDS. ALTHOUGH GRAMMAR IS TAUGHT INCIDENTALLY,…

The proverbial language of Spanish provides a resource for teaching and testing various aspects of phonetics, syntax, vocabulary, and cultural features of the language. Incorporation of these features into the Spanish curriculum can enrich the classroom experience. Specific suggestions for their use are provided. (Author/MSE)

This introductory conversational course is intended for the student who would like to learn some Spanish but is uncertain about his desire to continue its formal study. The course content includes greetings, numbers 0-100, days of the week, months of the year, weather, time, and family, colors, games, dances and songs, and sufficient grammar to…

It was found that the seemingly greatly increased oral fluency of Middlebury College seniors who had studied in college-sponsored junior year abroad programs did not carry over to written skills or to comprehensive grammatical knowledge. In the oral proficiency interview for Spanish, many returning students had no control of the subjunctive, a key…

Articulation of materials, methods, and educational objectives of language programs in French, German, Spanish, and Latin focuses on achievement goals in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, writing, culture, and language analysis for levels 1 through 5. The programs emphasize the attainment of language fluency through the audiolingual…

Sample examinations in French, German, Spanish, and Russian for the elementary and intermediate levels are contained in this publication. The French examinations test: (1) speaking ability, (2) listening comprehension, (3) vocabulary, (4) grammar, and (5) reading. The tests on German measure vocabulary, grammar, listening, and reading…

A guide for curriculum development in New York City's Spanish second language programs to be piloted in junior and senior high schools contains six cultural theme units for level 1 and the grammatical structures in Spanish for levels 1-3. The cultural theme units are designed to be used as a core for the acquisition of language patterns,…

The book for teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) contains 80 lists of words, expressions, constructions, ideas, and materials for use in ESL lesson planning and classroom instruction. The lists are presented in seven groups: (1) general vocabulary, consisting of 21 lists of English words used in various situations in daily life,…

The Texas framework for modern and classical language programs in the elementary and secondary schools is intended to (1) establish a philosophy for a proficiency-based sequential language program; (2) outline the overall language program as specified in state rules and legislative mandates; and (3) describe expected student proficiency levels and…

Essays on Spanish linguistics and related topics are dedicated to linguist Tracy D. Terrell. An introductory section gives a brief biography and a list of his publications. Essays include: "The Natural Approach to Language Teaching: An Update" (Tracy D. Terrell); "Two Mad, Mad, Mad Worlds: Notes on Natural Approach and the Writing…