During the 2013-2014 school year, a charter school in Central Florida (which will be given the pseudonym "The Unity School") known for its practice of full inclusion launched an unconventional project. The Unity School, which serves children from preschool through grade five, began offering foreign language to all pre-kindergarten…

The purpose of the study was to conduct a comprehensive review of the research and best practices of exemplary elementary school World Language and Culture Programs. Specifically, (1) to assess the degree to which various program designs had most closely met the measurable goals of the American Council of Teachers of a Foreign Language, commonly…

This digest highlights the planning phase of developing and implementing middle school foreign language programs, focusing particular attention on program types and criteria for selecting an appropriate program. Specific issues addressed include the following: (1) Which language or languages should be taught? (2) At what grade level should foreign…

Any employment-related English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) program, whether conducted on the job or as pre-employment training, results from five steps: conducting a need analysis of the language and cultural awareness needed to perform successfully in the workplace; developing a curriculum, based on objectives, that identifies and prioritizes…

The Zanzibar Ministry of Education instituted an English reading program into all secondary schools in 1989 to raise the levels of English teaching and learning (English being the medium of instruction and testing from secondary level and beyond). The program description and conclusions include implications for program design and implementation.…

The guide is designed to help elementary school administrators and school communities in making decisions about FLES (foreign language in the elementary school) program design and implementation. An introductory chapter provides definitions of relevant program types (FLES, exploratory/FLEX, and immersion). The second chapter reviews the current…

A two-way bilingual program, in which limited-English-speaking Hispanic students and English-proficient students provide reciprocal language-learning experiences, was implemented in a Port Chester, New York elementary school. The program's features included a combined second/third grade, two classes (one limited-English-proficient and one…

A discussion of foreign languages in the elementary school (FLES) begins with a brief history of the program's emergence and status in the United States, a summary of the rationale for early language study, and descriptions of the major FLES program types. An Ohio survey of elementary school foreign language instruction is reported, and the…

An evaluation of Manitoba's French immersion programs at the levels of grades 3, 6, and 9 focused on program effectiveness in teaching listening comprehension and speech skills. The results for grade 9 are presented here. The first section describes the framework of the immersion curriculum and the listening and oral skills targeted in it. The…

The guide is one section of a resource kit designed to assist Peace Corps language instruction coordinators in countries around the world in understanding the principles underlying second language learning and teaching and in organizing instructional programs. This section focuses on staff development for language teachers. An introductory chapter…

Iowa's guide to developing and implementing programs for the state's limited-English-proficient (LEP) school population addresses issues in developing policies, identifying student needs, and planning educational programs. The first chapter discusses the legal and educational rationale for providing equal education to the LEP population, outlining…

An overview of empirical research conducted in Canada's core French language programs addresses eight major areas: (1) program characteristics and outcomes, (2) program supplements, (3) student characteristics, (4) enrollment influences, (5) teacher characteristics, (6) public opinion, (7) program implementation and administration, and (8)…

This study investigated the status of instruction in cultures and languages other than English in Queensland, Australia in preparation for development of comprehensive and coherent public policies for the field. The report addresses the following topics: the policy development process (project background and the nature of language education…

The report describes the implementation and continuing documentation of a Japanese second language program in a laboratory elementary school at the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania). The structure of the curriculum and instructional strategies used are described for each of the program's 2 years, and results of student assessments and…

A study investigated instructional administrative practices in workplace English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs and lessons learned in their implementation, with special attention given to innovative practice and its context. Data were drawn from a survey of 22 workplace literacy programs with culturally diverse populations in a variety of…