This book provides 101 ideas and strategies to empower overall marketing efforts: (1) "Put On Your Thinking Cap" (e.g., define the problem before marketing it, set reasonable goals, and create a niche); (2) "Secrets to Boost Your Marketing Power" (e.g., emphasize the benefits, check out the competition, and sell oneself in as…

Presents case in favor of the teaching of foreign languages at all educational levels based on humanistic concerns. Calls for creation of language-centered liberal arts program to be installed in schools and colleges. (BK)

Explores factors affecting the successful maintenance of a college-level Portuguese language program, focusing on expansion of course offerings, cooperation with other foreign language programs, responding to student interests, and hiring and retaining instructional staff. (CB)

Explores the concept and goals of a "full-service" college foreign language department, which would offer a wide variety of courses and programs, reach out to a broad segment of the academic community, and attempt to develop collaborative, mutually beneficial programs with other departments. (CB)

Contemporary best practices in the profession encourage teaching as much as possible in the target language, but when university faculty were observed teaching Spanish, the majority spoke English during instruction and many engaged in frequent code switching (alternations) between English and Spanish. Findings indicate that instructors used…

This volume reports on innovative, useful evaluation work conducted within U.S. college foreign language programs. An introductory chapter scopes out the territory, reporting key findings from research into the concerns, impetuses, and uses for evaluation that FL educators identify. Seven chapters then highlight examples of evaluations conducted…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe how and why Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ) has developed a system aiming to effectively place students in freshman and developmental English programs. The placement system includes: triangulating data from external test scores, with scores from a panel-marked hand-written essay (HWE),…

In a paper published in "The Language Learning Journal" in 2005, Eric Hawkins describes his vision of language education as an apprenticeship comprising two stages. In stage one (ages 5-14), the purpose is "educational" and the focus is on language awareness; in stage two (14-19), the purpose is "instrumental" and…

The status of foreign language instruction is reviewed and guidelines are offered for taking action at all educational levels to improve foreign language instruction nationwide. Foreign language instruction has declined since the 1950's when the federal government first committed funds to improve programs and train teachers. National needs,…

The French Immersion Program at the University of Tulsa was evaluated. Eleven students enrolled during a six-week program were compared to 20 students enrolled in a traditional program at Ohio State University. Assessment was performed using an instrument designed to measure listening, reading, and writing skills. Students in the intensive setting…

Summarizes the report on Australian language policy that begins by commenting on the purposes of language study and then examines the best age to begin learning a second language. It also discusses language teaching methodology, bilingual programs, the teaching of languages at the primary and secondary levels, and the quality of language programs.…

Describes a restructured first-year college German course which combines the essentials of the conversational and traditional grammar approaches into a program of practical language that can be mastered, not just covered. (EKN)

Describes Five Colleges, Inc., a consortium formed in 1965 by Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith colleges and the University of Massachusetts. Details how the cooperation between these institutions has been successful and describes some obstacles encountered. Focuses on the effects of the cooperation on the schools' foreign language…

Discusses the background of a successful English as a second language program for children with learning problems. Describes the student selection criteria, placement procedures, and a syllabus. (EKN)

Describes suggestopedia and sophrology techniques and shows how to apply them within the limitations of the traditional foreign language classroom. Cites beginning French classes at Scarborough College as an example of these techniques improving class atmosphere and student motivation. (EKN)