There has been a significant increase in new foreign language programs at the elementary school level in recent years. Many of these programs, often referred to as foreign language in the elementary school or FLES programs, have been implemented to comply with state mandates, while others have been developed in response to parental pressure for…

This digest provides useful information on starting an elementary school foreign language (FLES) program. Individual sections address the following: (1) cautions in planning a FLES program; (2) initiating the planning process; (3) designing the program, with special attention given to scheduling and language choice; (4) programs that lead to high…

A high intensity language training (HILT) summer program in English as a second language and Spanish as a second language offered to second through eighth grade students in the North Monterey County Unified School District (California) during the summers of 1982 and 1983 is described. The program funding, design, admission, development, and…

Examples of four kinds of elementary school programs in second language instruction are described: eight Foreign Language in the Elementary School (FLES) programs, one Foreign Language Experience or Foreign Language Exploration (FLEX) program, one partial immersion program, and one total immersion program. An introductory section provides…

A language education specialist who has studied elementary school second language programs, primarily in France but also in other European countries, outlines the factors he has found contributing to program success and makes recommendations for further development of second language education in Europe. Seven conditions for effective programs of…

Reflecting the mood of educational planners of the early 1960's toward the establishment of language courses in public elementary schools, this leaflet considers factors vital to the success of proposed FLES programs. Discussion centers on: (1) school readiness for the program, (2) justification for the proposed program, (3) scheduling, (4) choice…

The guide is designed as a resource to help elementary school administrators and teachers in the Grand Blanc (Michigan) Community School district understand the rationale for beginning an elementary foreign language program, program types, and specifics of the district's model and philosophy. Chapters address the following topics: the rationale…

RESULTS ARE GIVEN OF A 1965 QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGNED TO SHOW INDIANAPOLIS FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROGRAM PRACTICES BELOW THE NINTH GRADE IN COMPARISON WITH THE PRACTICES OF 46 OTHER LARGE CITIES. QUESTIONS WERE ASKED ON (1) LANGUAGES TAUGHT, (2) LEVEL AT WHICH LANGUAGE STUDY IS BEGUN, (3) PROGRAM CONTINUITY, (4) PUPIL PARTICIPATION, (5) HOW TIME FOR…

This committee report considers premises for foreign language instruction in elementary schools (FLES) and offers ideas culled from analyses of FLES syllabi. Major attention is directed to administrative problems and indicated solutions including student selection and election, teacher recruitment, suggestions for certification, choice of language…

Research studies from different areas of the country are cited to support a favorable view of the effects of FLES instruction and to identify the most effective FLES instructional arrangements. Effects of FLES instruction on language achievement in elementary and high school and on general achievement in elementary school are noted. A study on…

FLAME (Foreign Language Alternative Mastery Example) is a model for foreign language in the elementary school (FLES), conducted after school and focused on development of a broad vocabulary base, especially cognates and terms relevant to the student's everyday environment. In the program, FLES student teachers collaborate with a university-based…