This forum examines issues of intercultural competence and language education, discussing the extent to which language courses provide students with intercultural competence and the extent to which intercultural competence and language skills are, or should be, linked. With language education in the West in inarguable decline, the authors face the…

Describes the history and present state of teaching English in Hungary. The status of English is discussed, along with the study done by the International Association of the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. The study, in part, investigated achievement in Hungarian English classes. Educational policy and teacher training are also discussed.…

Reports on 7 case studies of a 15-hour conversational English program for Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong college students. A comparison of pretests, course work, and posttests showed a small rise in the scores of four students and a nonsignificant drop in the scores of three students. (contains 13 references) (MDM) (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse for…

This study examined listening comprehension in 82 university students who participated in an American Council of Teachers of Russian language program. Questionnaire data reveal that specific listening activities are not common in college Russian courses, and that students have little confidence in their ability to comprehend what they hear in a…

A discussion of the implementation of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) second language proficiency guidelines in Florida's public schools and colleges includes a brief review of literature about the guidelines, background information on the oral proficiency movement, and a description of the effects of the movement…

Gives results of a national survey of foreign language teachers, department chairpersons, and state coordinators and consultants to find out their most pressing questions about foreign language teaching and learning. Respondents' concerns included testing and evaluation, promoting interest in foreign language study, developing oral proficiency in…

This manual presents activities designed to encourage speaking in elementary and secondary school Spanish language classes at the novice and intermediate proficiency levels. Following guidelines outlined in the Utah "Foreign Language Mastery Curriculum Guide," each of the activities is identified according to the topic, level, and…

A review of eight program proposals for improving and strengthening foreign language and international education programs indicates a need for a strong federal role in terms of programs and grants for elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels of study. (CB)

This report presents results of a systematic analysis of an extensive database on study in the former Soviet Union assembled by the American Council of Teachers of Russian (ACTR) over a period of nearly 20 years. The purpose of the report is to document in detail the data used, the analytical strategy and methods employed, and most importantly the…

The development of a program and curriculum for instruction in technical English for Saudi Arabian petrochemical plant operator trainees studying in the United States for two years was undertaken by the University of South Alabama's English Language Center. The program was designed to accommodate (1) the degree of skills and prior learning of the…

The National Association of Self-Instructional Language Programs (NASILP) offers a program option for institutions that lack the resources to develop a regular second language program but want to offer instruction in a broad range of languages for international businesses. The cost-effective, media-intensive approach consists of a controlled…

This manual presents activities designed to encourage speaking in elementary and secondary school German language classes at the novice and intermediate proficiency levels. Following guidelines outlined in the Utah "Foreign Language Mastery Curriculum Guide," each of the activities is identified according to the topic, level, and…

Major factors influencing goals and outcomes of foreign language education are reviewed in order to identify a common core of goals. Alternative approaches to specifying outcomes are discussed and sample lists of outcomes for three levels of study are presented. The review of the main influences on the educational scene during the past decade…

Three articles discuss aspects of current foreign language instruction in Hungary. "Foreign Languages in Hungarian Schools Today" (Karoly Fulop) surveys the current status of second language instruction, the developments made since reforms were recommended in 1972 and 1979, and possible directions for further development. It looks first…

Louisiana's elementary school French second language program is described. An introductory section gives background information about program history. The second contains a statement concerning the foreign language crisis in American education, written to be used as a public awareness presentation. Section 3 outlines the state's overall program…