Leaders in government and business are expressing a need for stronger programs in foreign language education that address national and state needs in defense, diplomacy, and commerce. The deterioration in foreign language capabilities in the United States results from declining participation in foreign language and cultural education. No concrete…

An analysis of the lexical content of four recently published textbooks for college-level introductory German is presented. The study investigated the extent to which the materials prepare students for the intermediate level, as cited in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages' (ACTFL's) proficiency guidelines. The lexical items…

This report describes the results of the Massachusetts study of foreign languages, part of the second phase of the Massachusetts Educational Assessment Program. The assessment was conducted using a random sample of students from all over the state during one year of testing. The report is presented in five sections: (1) background of the study;…

This instructor's handbook of ten listening comprehension exercises, each consisting of 30 unrelated paragraphs, is part of the basic course in Indonesian. Beginning with the 36th week of instruction, the exercises are introduced at the rate of one per week. After hearing each paragraph, listeners have 10 seconds to indicate which of four English…

Proposes a National Foreign Language Center which would develop a comprehensive national policy on foreign language teaching and would provide guidance in research and instruction. Its primary goal would be to promote the improvement of foreign language competency of Americans. (LMO)

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)

Discusses whether the goal of language proficiency is reasonable or even possible given the language textbooks available. Examines the description of the French language in college-level French language textbooks (all of which take a structural approach) to see if they lend themselves to the acquisition of a functional speaking ability. (SED)

The goal of this report is to identify factors that led to success for L2 (second language learning or acquisition) students at Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) (Massachusetts). The author intends to use the results of the study to write proposals to secure funding for the success of more L2 students. He originally intended to read a total of…

This interview with Glenn H. Nordin, Assistant Director of Intelligence Policy (Language and Training), Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, explores in depth the officially perceived language needs of the U.S. military in the foreseeable future. Questions and answers include the following: How has the end of the Cold War affected…

Presents results of a background survey and proficiency test of student teachers at Sultan Qaboos University in the Sultanate of Oman. TEFL student teachers lacked confidence in their speaking ability but had a positive attitude toward the use and study of English in their country. (61 references) (LT)

Finnish university language centers are responsible for testing the foreign language proficiency of nearly all university students. It is important that students are assigned equitably to courses, including Language for Specific Purposes (LSP) courses. It is also important in LSP teaching for students' needs and opinions to be taken into account,…

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 Iowa guide to foreign language curriculum development, the result of a 1985 state mandate, is designed to help local teachers and administrators build on and improve current curriculum and instructional methods. An opening section outlines the rationale, philosophy, and goals of the guide, and subsequent sections focus on curriculum design and…

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…