Veteran and novice teachers of foreign languages at the Pre-K-8 level often state that visiting classrooms of accomplished teachers is the best professional development they have ever experienced. It is one thing to read about best practices and another to see them in action and then be able to implement them. Having the chance to visit the class…

The literature on English for Specific Purposes (ESP) has largely ignored one of its most distinctive features: many ESP teachers have to teach subject-specific texts from areas outside their primary areas of expertise. This paper addresses this issue by investigating the teaching practices and cognitions of three teachers of maritime English in a…

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 paper discusses steps that high school foreign language teachers can take to select appropriate textbooks for their classes. Teachers should: (1) determine their department's philosophy; (2) look at their students' needs; (3) ask department members for suggestions; (4) review school district guidelines; (5) examine as many textbooks as…

Discusses the European Community's languages program, LINGUA. Describes hopes of dismantling foreign language barriers and facilitating the free movement of persons and ideas and the growth of firms and trade. Notes that the program includes continuing education of language teachers, student exchange, innovation in teaching methods, and…

This report describes the use of the natural approach to second language instruction to improve the teacher training program at Purdue University (Indiana). First, the report discusses the establishment of a permanent, non-tenure-track position of Assistant Director for Beginning Levels of Spanish. Second, focus is on the improvement of the…

A discussion of FLES (foreign language in the elementary school, including introductory, exploratory, or immersion) looks at the challenges that need to be identified and met for successful planning and implementation. The role and importance of FLES in the 1990s is briefly reviewed, FLES program types are outlined, and FLES is examined in greater…

The National Core French Study had the objectives of defining and developing four syllabuses and assessing their applicability in Core French classes in Canadian elementary and secondary schools. The language syllabus presented here is an inventory of the principal language units that the student must acquire to communicate in French in natural…

The National Core French Study had the objectives of defining and developing four syllabuses and assessing their applicability in Core French classes in Canadian elementary and secondary schools. The Culture Syllabus is reported here. The first chapter defines "francophone culture" and discusses its role in Core French program. A review…

Poorly trained teachers, a very diverse population, heterogeneous grouping, and a milieu that is not particularly supportive of language education in general make the Greek universities a poor environment for instruction in languages for special purposes, including French, which has the second largest enrollment among languages. (Author/MSE)

This fact sheet on English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction provides brief explanations of the following: the meaning of the terms ESL and ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages); student motivation for taking ESL classes; how long it takes to learn English; ESL adult enrollment rates; ESL program design options; general methods and…

The National Core French Study had the objectives of defining and developing four syllabuses and assessing their applicability in Core French classes in Canadian elementary and secondary schools. The general language education syllabus discussed here is intended to improve the psychological conditions for second language learning by adding to…

Existing empirical research on core French instruction is reviewed, and research directions are proposed in four areas: program design, program objectives and outcomes, curriculum issues, and teacher education. Experimentation with alternative instructional designs for delivery of core French is seen as a high priority. (84 references) (Author/MSE)

A discussion of enrollment variability and faculty hiring in college second-language departments looks at issues in how institutions handle staffing policy, graduate student admissions, offering graduate students a realistic picture of postgraduation employment prospects, and the master-apprentice relationship of the faculty member and graduate…

This collection of stories about adult second language learning includes five teachers' anecdotal accounts of experiences using the participatory process. In these accounts, the teachers describe a variety of tools and processes used in the classroom to draw out issues that can be transformed into thought-provoking discussions and language…