Notes that teachers of German can use "Deutsche Welle tv" broadcasts on cable to create content-based teaching modules for beginning students of German. The article outlines strategies for developing video units focusing on various topics to be integrated into existing language programs. (Six references) (Author/CK)

Presents findings from a 9-month ethnographic study of cross-cultural learning for the purpose of helping teachers better understand classroom conditions and behaviors that support and hinder students' comprehension of teachers' spoken language. Follows an 8-year-old native English speaker in an Icelandic classroom. Suggests that…

Reviews multidisciplinary research on second culture and second language reading comprehension to support the claim that second language reading is an interactive process, involving the interrelationship of cultural schemata and discourse structure. Argues for the roles of cultural schemata and discourse structure in an interactive model of first…

The patterns of second grade French immersion students' spontaneous reading in English during the first and second year of their immersion program are reported and compared with their French reading performance. (MSE)

This paper describes the methodology of a study seeking to determine whether there is evidence that French immersion children with specific reading disability in one language also have the disability in the other language, and learning-disabled readers belong to the same subtype in both languages. (Author/JDD)

Computer-assisted studies (CAS) attract foreign language professionals' attention due to the reliability of personal computers, the decreasing cost of available technology, and the new generation of students for whom electronic media are a familiar habitat. This article focuses on a project of the Defense Language Institute that produced over…

Addresses the need for a more balanced approach in teaching observable culture (music, letters, and arts) and nonobservable culture (belief, behavior, and values) associated with the second language learning process by looking at the celebration of the Chinese New Year. Topics discussed include the Chinese Zodiac, household preparations and social…

One teacher's experiences with second-language instructional technology are recounted, including language labs, computer-assisted instruction, videotapes, personal computers, laser discs, and compact discs. The value of and potential uses for interactive multimedia are outlined. (LB)

Discusses a cooperative effort to solve the articulation problems among participating institutions of higher education and to dispel the stereotypes impeding these efforts. Participants value highly the collegial exchange afforded by the project and feel that the project reduced their professional isolation. Teachers instituted changes in…

Questions regarding reasons students select or decline to study German are examined, based on the results of a survey conducted among students of German in 127 U.S. high schools. Student responses are discussed in the light of academic, demographic, social, and familial considerations, and a profile of the 1990s student of German is constructed.…

The plausibility of including Legal Spanish (LS), especially for students who will pursue a career in law, in the undergraduate advanced-level Spanish curriculum is discussed. Topics covered include the rationale for LS majors and minors, background resources, pedagogical materials, an LS experimental course, and class meetings and required…

As educators target the articulation between university lower-division language acquisition courses and upper-division literature courses, higher order thinking and awareness of cognitive processes become increasingly important tools in bridging the gap. This article discusses the theoretical underpinnings of this issue and demonstrates the design…

Maintains that Switzerland's national spirit lies in cultural and linguistic diversity. Proposes a "Ten Commandments of Multilingualism" for Swiss citizens who share this core principle of national identity. Concludes that Swiss should be happy and proud to have a nation based on cultural diversity. (CFR)

Shows that teachers often severely underestimate the literacy abilities of Navajo children. Makes the case for creating school literacy environments that build on the literacy orientation children bring with them from home and that provide opportunities to experience literacy in a wide variety of functional and purposive contexts. (RS)

Describes a small-scale study into learners' attributions for success and failure in learning French. The study investigated the way in which learners conceptualize the notion of doing well, together with perceived reasons for successes and failures. Interviews were conducted with students (10-15 years of age) who were learning French in the…