Describes the "Almanach Vermot," a type of encyclopedia on French language and culture, and indicates ways in which this publication may be of use in the French classroom. (AM)

Discusses the history and proliferation of programs for study in Spain. The content, location, length and objectives of these courses are various. Choice of a director with the ability to plan and administer a program effectively is crucial. Quality of programs and teaching must be improved. (Text is in Spanish.) (CHK)

Is it worthwhile? "Mais oui," claims one teacher. Is it fun? "Oui, wheee!" exclaim youngsters who explore another language. (Editor)

Examines assumptions about dictionaries, especially the bilingual dictionary, and suggests ways of integrating the monolingual dictionary into the second-language instructional process. Findings indicate that the monolingual dictionary can coexist with bilingual dictionaries within a foreign-language course if the latter are appropriately used as…

Discusses humorous incidences of translating an idiom from one language literally into another. Notes that words with a similar look or sound in English and the target language, or within the target language, cause confusion. (Author/CK)

Points out that poetry must touch a nerve in students as well as belong to them culturally in order to arouse their interest. Notes that one theme with which students may identify has been elaborated by Franco-Ontarian eco-poets. Reading their texts makes French a teaching target and invites study of geology, chemistry, economics, or history in…

Describes an algorithm for developing a domain knowledge base used in a Japanese language intelligent tutoring system. The domain knowledge represents a model of the expertise required of a student for proficiency in reading "katakana," a Japanese orthography. The algorithm described can generate a knowledge base of Japanese phonological…

Proposes implementing the technique of narrow listening to advance second-language learners' comprehension of casual talk. This activity requires a native-language speaker to digress on tape on a familiar topic of interest to the learner so that the learner can listen to the native speaker both in person and later via the tape as often as he…

Reviews a computer software program, "Power Japanese" ("PJ"), for learning Japanese as a second language. "PJ" incorporates colorful graphics, animation, sound drills, and games. (Six references) (Author/CK)

Presents a postmodernist critical analysis of the second language acquisition (SLA) theory-building literature as primarily represented in the writings of Beretta, Crookes, Eubank, Gregg, Long, and Schumann. Argues that there is no foundational reason to grant privileged status to the modernist view of SLA espoused by these scholars. (67…

Discusses efforts to locate studies on the older adult second language learner. Notes that one online and three compact disk databases were searched, using search strategies and subject headings appropriate to each particular file. Results reveal that most of the relevant studies were retrieved from the ERIC and the Linguistics and Language…

Discusses the advantages of travel and maintains that the spirit is continually energized to observe previously unknown things. The article argues that there is no better school for life than to witness the diversity of others' lives, habits, and tastes. (Author/CK)

Advocates practitioner-research, by teachers and learners, in their own language classrooms. Points out that teachers who are successful at integrating an investigative element into their teaching may demand collegial support to increase the chance for satisfactory research and that other teachers may develop a new professional concept of what…

Discusses how the interviewee first became interested in the application of sociocultural theory to second language acquisition, and what he sees as the appeal of such theory to studies of second language discourse. Discusses current research efforts regarding second language acquisition and describes an experimental language learning classroom.…

Reports on the success of a second-language learning program designed to develop a European awareness in students in a school in England in the hope that it will serve as an inspiring example to promoters of similar programs. Notes that the effort in setting up a European program of development offers the advantages of working closely with…