Discusses the problem of measuring the validity of interview ratings in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interviews (OPI), proposes frameworks to distinguish abilities from testing methods, and considers factors affecting test performance. Suggestions for research and development on the ACTFL OPI…

Discusses the ACTFL/ETS Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) in relation to current models of communicative skills and argues that the OPI fails to measure important aspects of communicative ability. Two Situation Tests, one written and one oral, are described as alternative measures of communicative ability. Examples are given in Appendices.…

Suggests instructional methods and communication strategies for second language learning which include the students' need to express themselves in non-pedagogic situations. Elements of basic awareness of face-to-face interaction are also presented. (Author/CB)

Analysis of language research and observation of two language classes suggest that, when teachers devote efforts to promoting students' encounters with and use of natural language, students will have the opportunity not only to learn about language, but also to arrive at proficiency in its use. (CB)

Discusses current literature dealing with the pedagogical implications of the ACTFL Provisional Proficiency Guidelines. The argument that grammatical accuracy needs to be stressed from the beginning of instruction is reviewed in the light of second language acquisition research, and it is suggested that such emphasis on grammatical correctness is…

Describes a study which examined the reliability, validity, and scalability of a new technique for constructing, administering, and scoring dictation tests to measure second language proficiency. Findings indicate that such tests can be constructed easily by dividing a coherent text into segments of increasing length. (SED)

Examines assumptions about second language acquisition by means of the anatomical model described in Part 1 of the study (see vol. 6, no. 2 of this journal). The analysis shows that the assumptions are rooted in the Direct Method and that they retard learning. Implications for second language instruction are noted. (SED)

Discusses the three main approaches to defining language knowledge and use: (1) the structural approach, (2) the functional approach, and (3) the general proficiency approach. Asserts that each approach has specific consequences for language testing and that no one approach can claim to be the only way of representing that knowledge. (Author/SED)

Researchers have discovered that learners' language learning beliefs play a crucial role in influencing learners' choices throughout the learning process. Some researchers suggest that understanding learners' beliefs about language learning can help improve their learning skills. Educators in Taiwan have long been concerned about learners' English…

This study examined data elicited by the Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory (BALLI), which was administered to first-year, advanced learners of French at the University of the West Indies. The questionnaire looked at students' attitudes regarding the difficulty of language learning, foreign language aptitude, the nature of language…

This paper looks at the nature of second language immersion learning and instruction through the lens of situated learning theory. This theory has strong relevance for language immersion practice and research. An emerging research program is introduced that is focused on the overlap of immersion learning and situated learning theory, and an…

This article offers the pedagogical norm as an approach to dealing with linguistic variation in instructed second language learning, suggesting that an invariant target language (TL) norm, based on the planned discourse of educated and cultivated TL speakers, is both elusive and illusory as a target for learners, especially at the beginning and…

This standard course of study for North Carolina public schools establishes competency goals and objectives directing the teaching and learning of foreign languages in North Carolina. It is a flexible guide to instruction, emphasizing what students should know and be able to do as they progress through various levels of proficiency and ultimately…

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), through the Immigrant Students and Secondary School Reform project, seeks to strengthen the capacity of state education agencies and districts to improve delivery of educational services to English language learners (ELLs) enrolled in high schools undergoing reform. This compendium was developed…

A description of a prototype computer assisted instruction system for teaching Russian. Although the course stresses the Russian morphological system, the construction of the computer program is applicable to other languages and language teaching specialties. (Author)