The following articles on second language learning are collected here: (1) "Second-Language Study: Historical Background and Current Status" by Kenneth D. Chastain; (2) "The Value of Second-Language Learning" by Gilbert A. Jarvis; (3) "Psychology and Linguistics as Bases for Language Pedagogy" by Wilga M. Rivers; (4) "Differentiation of Language…

The effectiveness of the activities surrounding the work of the President's Commission on Foreign Language and International Studies in publicizing the status and needs of foreign language programs in the United States is reviewed. Three position papers produced for the Commission are examined. The "Resolutions on Language in American…

Describes the history and present state of teaching English in Hungary. The status of English is discussed, along with the study done by the International Association of the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. The study, in part, investigated achievement in Hungarian English classes. Educational policy and teacher training are also discussed.…

On the theory that the state can attract more foreign industry and tourism if residents have more foreign language skills, Tennessee is establishing the Tennessee Foreign Language Institute with state and private funds, solely to improve foreign language instruction. (MSE)

This book addresses the problem of the future of Germanics as a field of study at colleges and universities in the United States. It is noted that the study of Germanics has been losing tens of thousands of students for the past 25 years, that this slide downward is no longer attracting enough attention from the Germanics community, and if it…

The importance of faculty development programs involving coordination between institutions of higher education and elementary and secondary schools is discussed. High school language teachers often express an interest in tailoring their courses to foreign language study at the college level. Such coordination requires mutual understanding about…

Interest in the Far East has fueled dramatic increases in the past three years in the number of students taking classes in Japanese and Chinese. Many are studying these languages in conjunction with courses on business or economics in the hope that proficiency in the language will lead to lucrative jobs in international business. (MLW)

This article from the ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban Education reviews the history, strategies, and research evidence on the impact of our nation's response to bilingual education. Suggests future policy recommendations for expansion of bilingual educational services. (SA)

Reports from 12 state supervisors of foreign languages were compiled. Each report describes a state's elementary- and secondary-level foreign language programs and activities as of November 1980. Topics covered include basic foreign language programs, trends in foreign language enrollment, teacher training, work with other divisions within the…

Urges English for academic purposes programs to devise more holistic, task- and text-specific, strategy-oriented approaches for reading instruction. Recommendations are given for selecting reading materials, defining criterion tasks, and providing strategy instruction in reading strategies. The promotion of learner independence and use of content…

Examines the challenges facing new assistant professors in general and language program directors (LPDs) in particular, offering the perspective of two individuals who made the leap from graduate student to LPD, outlining the most significant and universal issues facing new LPDs, and providing insight into balancing the demands of the position…

The Zanzibar Ministry of Education instituted an English reading program into all secondary schools in 1989 to raise the levels of English teaching and learning (English being the medium of instruction and testing from secondary level and beyond). The program description and conclusions include implications for program design and implementation.…

Excerpts from the first "Bulletin" of the President's Commission on Foreign Language and International Studies and an outline of the coordinator's presentation to the Chicago hearing are presented. The objectives of the commission include recommending means for directing public attention to the importance of foreign language and…

The components of British Columbia's new curriculum for secondary level Asian language programs, which are designed around communicative acts rather than grammar, are described and the implications for material development, evaluation, methodology, and teacher education are discussed. (MSE)