This paper uses the example of foreign languages to explore the integration of critical information literacy into the curriculum of various disciplines. By closely examining the practices and values inherent in the foreign language information environment, the paper suggests that a critical vision of information literacy provides the most…

A discussion of articulation in second language education programs looks at issues in the transition of language learners from one educational institution to another, particularly from the secondary level to higher education, and proposes a process-oriented model for addressing these issues. It first defines the terminology of articulation…

Chronicles the steps taken in developing a curricular project to design, implement, and evaluate a simulation business course for beginners learning Japanese at the university level. The steps in developing the program, from the selection of materials to the evaluation of the entire project, are presented together with insights gained from the…

This volume reports on innovative, useful evaluation work conducted within U.S. college foreign language programs. An introductory chapter scopes out the territory, reporting key findings from research into the concerns, impetuses, and uses for evaluation that FL educators identify. Seven chapters then highlight examples of evaluations conducted…

This article addresses program design for foreign-language teaching. It examines the complexities of specifying the outcomes and selecting and sequencing the content, outlines the principal program types in existence today, and offers a general proposal for future programs. (MT)

Examines the difficulties students face in making the transition from skills acquisition courses to the study of literature in college foreign language programs. Proposes the creation of a series of courses that emphasize the development of both communicative skills and the analytical tools needed for the study of literature. (SED)

Suggests the following methods for improving university-level German language education curricula: reduce skill-development time through immersion programs, adopt Zertifikat Deutsch als Fremdsprache as the proficiency standard for advanced students, and include literature from a variety of liberal arts disciplines in the reading materials for…

A survey of 368 second language teachers at the elementary school, middle school, high school, and college level in the southwest United States (Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas) investigated teachers' priorities for language instruction in the 1990s. Respondents ranked aspects of language instruction in priority order. Results were…

Recapitulates some of the findings of the President's Commission on Foreign Language and International Studies decrying "Americans' incompetence in foreign languages". Criticizes certain attitudes and practices prevalent among university language professors, such as their indifference to the practical purposes of foreign language…

A discussion of articulation in second language education between instructional levels looks at the current state of articulation, issues in the transition from secondary to higher education, and proposes a new approach that shifts the focus from product to process. Three forms of articulation are distinguished: vertical; horizontal; and…

This digest focuses on the articulation of foreign language programs between secondary and higher education. The following questions are addressed: (1) What are urgent reasons for better program articulation?; (2) What forms does articulation take?; (3) What aspects of the educational process does articulation address?; (4) Are there examples of…

Examines the needs and concerns of college faculty members regarding the departmental ambience in undergraduate teaching and the difficulty of integrating research and teaching. The article advocates interdepartmental cooperation and resource sharing to foster positive change in faculty members' fields and to resolve the problems of faculty and…

A discussion of the status of German second language instruction, particularly at the postsecondary level, focuses on the role of standards, curriculum, and testing in increasing interest in and support for foreign language education. A substantial decline in German enrollments in the first half of the 1990s is noted, and possible reasons are…

Presents a survey of the state of the language art, pointing at its incongruity with present educational enterprise and sociocultural trends. Suggests an early introduction to language studies based on cooperation with primary and secondary schools, an interdisciplinary approach to curriculum design, and a strong advocacy of liberal arts studies.…

The report describes the implementation and continuing documentation of a Japanese second language program in a laboratory elementary school at the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania). The structure of the curriculum and instructional strategies used are described for each of the program's 2 years, and results of student assessments and…