This study examines the perceptions of employers, university authorities, English teachers and students concerning needs to promote English achievement in a Mexican university. By drawing on data collected from focus groups and questionnaires, the evidence suggests that there are several needs which hinder the attainment of English objectives in…

Ideologies of language (and language learning)--in concert with discourses of individualism and meritocracy that characterize neoliberalism--shape pedagogical policies and practices in ways that are consequential for multilingual students all over the developing and developed world. To investigate how such intersections and influences work in…

THE FIRST DRAFT OF THIS FLES PROGRAM REVIEW GUIDE WAS INFLUENCED BY THE LONG-ESTABLISHED GUIDE FOR REVIEW OF SECONDARY SCHOOL LANGUAGE PROGRAMS. SEVERAL INFLUENTIAL SOURCES FOR THE GUIDE ARE LISTED, INCLUDING (1) PROFESSIONAL LITERATURE ON FLES, (2) STATEMENTS PUBLISHED BY STATE DEPARTMENTS OF EDUCATION AND THE UNITED STATES OFFICE OF EDUCATION,…

Explores recent reports on the state of education and on the language education profession's response to recommendations for improving instruction and suggests that language educators unite to clarify for the profession and for others what is being done in foreign language education. (CB)

Gives reasons for the failure of FLES programs in most schools, and proposes the home-school language switch program in which English-speaking students are given their kindergarten, first grade, and most of second, third, and fourth grade instruction in a foreign language. (Author/DR)

Academic preparation in foreign languages has declined since 1965 and many colleges and universities have eliminated competency requirements. Possible solutions to improve foreign language study include requiring a foreign language for all potential teachers, upgrading preparation for foreign language teachers, beginning study early, and…

Proposes a "flexible and systematic framework" for evaluating English for specific purposes programs, including the evaluation of program aims and objectives, materials, methodology, teachers, interaction, students, improvement, and constraints. (CB)

Educational goals and objectives of foreign language programs in the United States are described. Trends in objectives are divided into a practical and a personal domain. Practical considerations include: (1) the duty of the school systems to provide a thorough basic education for the taxpayers' dollars, (2) career education, (3) equality of…

A specialist conceptualization of French-language teacher education is proposed for Western Canada where French is a minority language. The discussion addresses the philosophical basis for this approach, the three forms of French language schooling, contributions of bilingual educational methods, and program design. (MSE)

Describes the projects of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education's (ASHE) Foreign Language Consortium, established through federal funding in 1985 to enhance teacher training programs. The impact of the Consortium on foreign language instruction in Alabama is discussed. (Author/CB)

This booklet, based on a nationwide study of elementary school foreign language programs, addresses the following topics: (1) why students should learn a foreign language; (2) information that may help persons select and initiate a specific type of program; and (3) a detailed description of three elementary school approaches used in the country…

TWO POLICY STATEMENTS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS BRIEF DOCUMENT. THE FIRST, PREPARED IN 1956, LISTS QUALIFICATIONS FOR FLES PROGRAMS. THE 1961 STATEMENT OUTLINES OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES OF FLES PROGRAMS, AND CONCENTRATES ON SEQUENCE, ARTICULATION, EXPERIMENTATION IN PROGRAMS AND METHODS, AND FLES TEACHERS. (AS)

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)

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 communicative/experiential syllabus reported on here reflects real-life language use needs. The first chapter is introductory. The second elaborates…

The German Studies Association's guide to German studies curricula addresses the design of curricula for elementary, secondary, and postsecondary institutions in the United States. An introductory section provides background information concerning German area studies in general, and includes a definition and list of the broad educational goals of…