Foreign language teachers and administrative leaders in Louisiana K-12 schools are tasked with providing foreign language education in various settings and under very different teaching environments. The Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) require college track high school students to fulfill 2 Carnegie Units. Achieving a fluent level…

As thousands of communities--especially in the South--became booming gateways for immigrant families during the 1990s and the early years of the new century, public schools struggled with the unfamiliar task of serving the large numbers of English-learners arriving in their classrooms. Instructional programs were built from scratch. Districts had…

To afford elementary school children in Louisiana the opportunity of attaining proficiency in French, the state legislature established in 1975 a state-wide French as a Second Language (FSL) Program. Learning goals were established for each grade, based on the use of specified instructional materials. The administrative structure of the program…

Elementary school second language instruction began in 1840 but has in general been restricted to a limited number of schools and programs. In 1969, Louisiana initiated an effort to become the country's center of French language study, bringing together resources from French-speaking nations and setting an example for other communities. (MSE)

The history of public policy concerning Cajun French instruction in Louisiana is reviewed, and the prospects for regeneration of the language in the state's schools are examined. (MSE)

An alternative high school for foreign languages and international studies established in 1982-83 by the Louisiana Department of Education in cooperation with two New Orleans area school districts is described. The school was established to provide an intensive foreign language study course and an international perspective on contemporary society…

This report presents an evaluation of the Louisiana state-wide program of French instruction at the primary level for the academic year 1972-73. The aims of the program were to show that second language learning is feasible and beneficial, can fit within the educational priorities of the Louisiana school system, and is valuable for both anglophone…

The experience described by Kay Hoag, Advocacy Chair of the National Network for Early Language Learning (NNELL), exemplifies the threat of program elimination and/or cutbacks that elementary school foreign language programs across the nation experienced with increased frequency during the 2002-2003 academic year. Reports of these threats…

A federally funded program to provide job skills, English language skills, and other support services to Haitian immigrants in Massachusetts and Louisiana is described. The Experiment in International Living and the firm of ACCESS, Inc., worked cooperatively with community organizations to serve a total of 794 Haitians in two areas in the…

A study investigated the elementary school programs in French as a second language in Louisiana, Quebec (Canada), and New Brunswick (Canada). The objective was to learn about the programs' underlying goals and philosophies, examine the teaching materials used at this level, evaluate the teaching situation, and survey teachers for their…

The curriculum guide for French second language programs (FSL) in the State of Louisiana, presented in French with some English introduction, outlines the objectives and design of newly mandated FSL instruction in grades four through six. It was constructed for use with any method or combination of methods of instruction in school systems having…

This report presents an evaluation of the Louisiana state-wide program of French instruction at the primary level during the academic year 1973-74. Aims of the program were to show that: (1) a second language learning program is feasible, educationally sound, and can fit within the existing educational program while utilizing the present staff;…

This report presents eight articles dealing with several aspects of foreign languages in the elementary schools (FLES) and bilingual education. "Why? What? How?" by M. Woodruff presents a view of the present situation of and future potential for FLES in the U.S. In "Reaction to: 'Why? What? How?'" R. Brooks raises questions…

This report presents an evaluation of the Louisiana state-wide program of French instruction at the primary level for the academic year 1974-75, the third year of the program's implementation. The focus of the evaluation is on the attainment of linguistic objectives and the measurement of the community's support of the program. The program…

The Louisiana guide for administration of secondary language programs in grades 4-8 outlines the state foreign language mandate and offers guidelines and suggestions for a variety of program elements. An introductory section gives the broad rationale for foreign language instruction and cites the state mandate. The guide then proceeds to specify:…