Discusses how the audio-tutorial system originated, how it is currently implemented at Purdue University (independent study sessions, general assembly sessions, and small assembly sessions), and some factors which may determine the effectiveness of its application. (VT)

Assessment of the effectiveness of workstations teaching English-as-a-second-language content, vocabulary, and idiomatic expressions through an adventure film found that the workstations were highly motivational and stimulating, while their effectiveness depended on the students' individual learning styles. (Author/CB)

Declining use of the Michigan State University Language Laboratory is reported. The facilities of the laboratory, its physical appearance and location are described, and possibilities for improvement are mentioned. Possible alternative uses for the laboratory are suggested. (RM)

A review of stages in the evolution of the language laboratory shows that its function has changed in the past 20 years. Originally it was described as a way of providing a means for abundant practice of audiolingual drills. Currently, it is described as a learning center with multiple resources and functions. It might be characterized as a…

This course blueprint was first drawn up in 1968 and was later coordinated by the Department of Russian at Birmingham University. Problems of self-instructional courses, details of a particular Russian course and why it had to be changed, and possible improvements for similar course are given. (SC)

A promising way to enhance student listening performance with recorded materials is to mechanically retard or advance the speed of the tape and electronically correct the accompanying shift in pitch. With a speech compressor/expander, the language laboratory can eliminate the negative psychological effects of too much speed. Beginning students…

In recent years, individualized instruction has been gaining popularity in foreign language teaching. The results obtained from experimentation with this new approach has offered new insights into methods of teaching and students' needs. This article is based on experimentation with "A Programmed Course in Modern Literary Arabic Phonology and…

Discusses how computers have fundamentally changed the nature of the college language laboratory, examining specific computer programs and computer-based tools and systems. Computer-based language instruction will allow more individualized instruction, give students more control over what and how they learn, and expand the study of foreign…

A survey was carried out at the University of Nancy to determine how many students visited the tape library and how often, in one academic year. The academic year investigated was 1973-1974. One hundred eight students visited the lab the first trimester, 45 the second, and 14 the third. In general it was found that the more advanced the students'…

Multimedia computer programs that can be produced in a few hours by faculty or language laboratory staff could change the way colleges teach foreign languages. New tools allow exercises to be custom tailored to suit student interests and skill levels and to use authentic texts in new ways. Initial response by faculty users has been enthusiastic.…

In contrast with declining interest in the study of commonly taught languages in recent years, there has been a significant growth in the demand for instruction in the "neglected" or "other" or "less commonly taught" languages; schools and universities are therefore faced with the problem of providing the opportunity…

This issue of a biannual journal devoted to teaching methods and techniques in English as a second language (ESL), with emphasis on a Japanese instructional context, consists of the following articles: (1) "The Missing Element in Foreign Language Communication: Self-Disclosure," by Gertrude Moskowitz; (2) "Seven Clocks: Their…

This collection resulting from a workshop on language teaching methodology contains the following papers: (1) "The Role of Culture in Foreign Language Learning," by N. Brooks; (2) "Guidelines and Ideas to Boost the Enrollment in Foreign Language Courses," by L.F. Gonzalez-Cruz; "Cooking in the Classroom," by K. Boykin; (4) "Performance Based…