Classroom physical environment has been widely researched over the past few decades. In this respect, more recent attention has focused on the provision of structural and symbolic features; however, no study has been conducted to compare the structural and symbolic features of classroom physical environment in English as a foreign language (EFL)…

Relatively little research has considered how tasks are performed and experienced by students in different types of classrooms. Research shows that innovative classroom designs can lead to higher levels of cognitive engagement, connections between form and meaning, and more diverse forms of input (Schmidt, 1990; Svalberg, 2012) and are…

In this article, Jennifer Jones describes how at Pine Street School in New York City, they have dispensed with the traditional industrial model of schooling and are looking ahead to the future. The entire school was designed with optional learning environments. Jones describes innovative elements from varied seating (floor cushions, modular…

Dealing with different students' characteristics cannot be avoided by the teacher in everyday teaching. It is well-known that teaching English to young learners is different from teaching an adult. Therefore, teachers are required to understand the characteristics of the students in order to know the students' needs so that learning goals can be…

The traditional lecture-oriented teaching is still the norm in English as a foreign language education courses, but an innovative teaching model, expedited by recent advances in technology, becomes often popular across non-English-speaking subjects. The new model flips the usual classroom paradigm, in which students learn primary concepts outside…

Des Moines is an urban community located in the heart of Iowa. Des Moines Public Schools serves 32,000 students in a system with 62 buildings, including Central Campus--a Regional Academy. Central Campus is housed in four buildings, including the main campus at 1800 Grand located on the western edge of downtown Des Moines. As a regional academy,…

Discusses four objectives that guided the design of the teaching and learning areas of the Language Learning and Resource Center of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. These objectives are classrooms contiguous to the language lab, accommodation of small-group work, a flexible facility, and access to the outside world. (CK)

The purpose of this article is to suggest ways which will prevent students from responding automatically when they are working in the language laboratory." Suggestions for drills are made and sample drills are presented. (FB)

Spatial and temporal factors in the bilingual classroom that can be manipulated to maximize the bilingualism of Spanish-speaking elementary school children (that is, to minimize their lexical code switching) are presented in terms of models. The advantages and disadvantages of the dual language teaching model are compared to those of two…

This handbook is addressed to elementary school teachers, in an attempt to answer the following questions: (1) What is bilingual-bicultural education? (2) Why have bilingual-bicultural education? (3) Who is it for? (4) When should such education begin? (5) How does such a program start?, (6) What should a teacher having only a few students with…

Individualization and personalization of instruction in general and in foreign language study are examined. The historical and theoretical background of individualization and aspects of various programs are discussed. The concentration is on the literature and programs as developed in the 1971-73 period. Individualization of foreign language…

This brief examination of innovative foreign language programs in Wisconsin high schools begins with descriptions of the varied use and design of the language laboratory in three schools to increase self pacing, eliminate waste of time, and allow for tapes that supplement rather than repeat textbook material. Also described are (1) a course in…