For educators, the content of the curriculum really is like oxygen: it is the necessary precondition for improving schools, closing the achievement gap, engaging parents, and preparing teachers. However, when educators take the content of the curriculum for granted, they lose opportunities to coordinate and collaborate. Good curriculum instruction…

Based on Bailey's washback model, in respect of participants, process and products, the present empirical study was conducted to find the actual washback effects of the internet-based College English Test Band 4 (IB CET-4). The methods adopted are questionnaires, class observation, interview and the analysis of both the CET-4 teaching and testing…

In this article, the authors endorse a model that uses themes as springboards for language improvement, accompanied by the added benefit of content learning, though to differing degrees depending on the instructional setting. The themes that teachers choose to integrate into their language classrooms may reflect serious issues (e.g., elections,…

Traces the preparation of communicative syllabuses for courses at the School of Language and Culture for Foreigners in Siena, Italy. In particular, the communicative acts chosen for study, the language skills to be developed, the cultural content, and the teaching activities are discussed. (32 references) (CFM)

The primary aim of this minimum essentials course guide for grade 11 English is to increase students' confidence and sense of worth by allowing them opportunities to experience success in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The five goals of highest priority are (1) to help students listen effectively, (2) to help students speak…

This guide is designed to assist teachers using the "Cambridge Latin Course," a multimedia instructional system developed in the United Kingdom which can be adapted to the needs of pupils of varying backgrounds, ages, and abilities. The Guide focuses on Unit I, the first level of the Cambridge materials. The materials are especially suited to…

Under a contract with the Ministry of Education the working party prepared a general system for describing language teaching objectives to be used in higher education. The system is based on the specification of language use situations. By means of it the course objectives may be described in the form of communicative tasks, which the students are…

This packet contains both teacher's guides and learners' materials for a course on English as a Second Language (ESL) for parents of schoolaged children. Developed for use in the DuPage High School District (Villa Park, Illinois), the materials can be used with adaptations by other continuing education programs. The packet contains 14 lessons. For…

The cultural options available to teachers, strategies and techniques dealing with the inclusion of culture in the course, and severe pedagogical and culture-specific sources are discussed here. As a guide toward better understanding and evaluation of cultural options and strategies, twelve student-oriented cultural goals are listed. In order to…

This manual outlines lessons which concentrate on three areas of language study: grammatical skills, oral skills, and writing skills. Each lesson plan states the objective, the activities to be performed, the materials to be used and gives sample criteria for evaluating the student's mastery of the lesson. The grammar exercises include: sentences…

This module on effective communication is one of a series of modules designed to help teach students to become more self-sufficient in their personal and professional lives. This module contains teacher and student materials that are planned to help students become more relaxed, prepared, and confident when using written and verbal communications.…

A project was conducted to develop a curriculum package that defined the specific math, science, and language arts skills presently being taught at a vocational skills center that offered training in 20 job skill areas and served an 11-school district. The information gathered during the project was to serve as a basis for granting cross-credit to…