Discusses the development of a notional functional syllabus for university second language classes. (EKN)

Discusses one approach to teaching French grammar in a university second year communicative-oriented course. (EKN)

Discusses using structure drills in the foreign language classroom including use of same grammatical structure with slight variation, notional/functional drills, and situational dialogs. Suggests necessity of looking more closely at techniques in order to better understand teaching operation. (Author/BK)

This article addresses program design for foreign-language teaching. It examines the complexities of specifying the outcomes and selecting and sequencing the content, outlines the principal program types in existence today, and offers a general proposal for future programs. (MT)

Discusses how to fulfill the goals of communicative language teaching in a first-year German course while at the same time teaching grammar. Illustrates one aspect of "functional grammar" as it can be taught in the first six weeks of a first-year course in German at the university level. (SED)

Reports on a project in communicative computer-assisted instruction for students of German, which incorporates elements of surprise and variety into the sessions with the computer. Using a notional format, word games are used in relevant ways, creating a similarity to real conversation. This, in turn, gives the students a normal range of…

The authors stress the importance of using a "science-oriented" syllabus when teaching a second language for specific purposes and identify the linguistic concepts which must be incorporated into such a syllabus. They discuss their experience in teaching Italian for specific Purposes at the National University in Somalia. (CFM)

Discusses a questionnaire administered to beginning Spanish students at Iowa State University, designed to identify and set priorities for student-perceived communication needs. Compares the results with a similar survey of beginning French students at Purdue. (EKN)

Describes an exercise that familiarizes students with the language of German weather reports, so that they will know what kinds of information to listen for. The exercise also helps students expand their vocabulary. The article includes transcriptions of actual German weather reports. (SED)

Describes an attempt to design a first-year university French course along lines laid down by researchers associated with the Council of Europe and proponents of the communicative approach. Aspects discussed include approach and objectives, public, materials, activities, and evaluation. (Author/AMH)

The Integrated Language Skills course offered by the University of Hong Kong is offered to students who have had exposure to English in the classroom but who need additional work to develop skills in using that language. The course aims at providing opportunities for students to familiarize themselves with university activities which are then…

Describes principles for designing a proficiency-based course to prepare students for the ACTFL/ETS Advanced Plus/Superior level according to Interagency Language Roundtable guidelines. Proposes ways to combine grammatical and "functional/notional" syllabuses with a proficiency approach. Examines the implications of these principles for…

In an effort to help teachers implement the communicative approach in the classroom, the approach is defined; its implications are outlined; and some strategies for rendering classroom practice more communicative are presented. A university course-planning model is used to help teachers plan activities within a communicative framework. (MSE)

Addresses problems that arise in applying functional/notional syllabus design to general-purpose academic courses. Proposes steps that attempt to solve three major problems: (1) how to link functional and linguistic categories; (2) on what basis to select and sequence materials; and (3) how to develop functional ability in all four skills.…

The notion of a communicative approach has developed considerably since it first began to influence teaching practice and as teacher-researchers have refined their understanding of the concept of communicative competence. At present, adopting a communicative approach has two aspects: (1) it means formulating teaching/learning problems in terms of…