Cautions against a "synonymic" or "structural-semantic" approach to constructing texts and in reading them. Concern over matching each foreign word with a native-language word results in limiting the vocabulary of the text and the student's knowledge. Speech-act theory suggests a more flexible approach. (IFS/WGA)

Reviews several publications dealing with comparison of Italian and German, with a view to ascertaining how useful their material might be in constructing an Italian textbook for Germans. The material is found to be too theoretical, or too limited to the standpoint of German as a foreign language. More error analysis is needed. (IFS/WGA)

Using "begin" and "start" as examples, it is shown that English grammars (for German schools) are syntactically deficient in their description of verbs. Several typical grammar books are cited. Conclusions are drawn and proposals are made for constructing a new English grammar for German schools. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

In the form of a review article, the "English Minimum Grammar" developed by Hans G. Hoffmann (Max Hueber Verlag, Munich, 1973) is discussed, and the problems that beset the writer of a modern teaching grammar are pointed out. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

A textbook author should be sure that his or her philosophy is respected by the publisher. Materials should be published in a form and according to quality standards which meet the author's approval. Textbooks that are part of a core program or series will require the collaboration of other writers. (SW)

The article reports on work in progress on the preparation of a textbook for elementary Russian. Arguments are advanced for the presentation of highly marked and more differentiated material at an early stage. Also discussed are problems of the quantity of material to be presented and the introduction of vocabulary. (CLK)

An attempt to demonstrate the erroneousness of the principle that language teaching materials must be based on a detailed analysis of various parameters of texts of the target language, such as frequency, usefulness, basicness, or productiveness of lexical or structural items. (Author/FWB)

Suggestions for improving undergraduate language texts focus on four areas of concern. The author recommends that: (1) texts carefully delimit and objectively specify their scope, (2) writing be personalized, (3) materials be contextually exciting and challenging, and (4) objectives be "goal-oriented." (RL)

Italian pedagogical texts in general hold the position that the partitive is not obligatory as it is in French. However, some of these texts devote a great deal of time to repetition and transformation drills while others never mention the construction at all until the chapters on the pronoun replacement of accusative complements. Italian phrase…

This issue of "Schulpraxis," a Swiss journal for language teaching, is devoted to Italian instruction in Switzerland. It includes: (1) an interpretation of the poem "Le morte chitarre" by Salvatore Quasimodo, conducted in a girls' school in German Switzerland, (2) a presentation of principles for an Italian textbook to be based…

Methodological and theoretical options confronting second-language textbook authors are outlined. Analytic and synthetic methodological approaches, linguistic options, geographic variability, registers of language, spoken versus written language, cultural materials, and learners' level are discussed. (SW)

Sweden makes great effort to teach every citizen English. However, the simplistic views of language teaching which fad and folklore promote have made it difficult to achieve cumulative, verifiable improvements in teaching. This report briefly reviews previous systems of quantitative, partially automated analysis of language teaching materials…