Projects related to the European Language Portfolio (ELP) carried out at the Language Centre of the University of Trieste are concerned to examine whether and to what extent "can do" descriptors can be extended to courses in Languages for Specific Purposes. The project reported in this article had two aims. The first was to explore what…

The expositions are a concentration of the pedagogical conception which has been developed in Lower Saxony for the reform of Secondary Level 2 within Work Group A (linguistic-literary-artistic area of study). They must be examined and judged in close connection with the "Aids for Secondary Level 2" published by the Department of…

Defining course objectives and testing these objectives are inseparable components of the education process. The development of a model using eleven language functions as the basis for testing communication in a second language is described. (Text is in French.) (AMH)

The English as a second language curriculum outlined in this guide was developed to meet the needs of non-English-speaking secondary school students in Texas. Emphasis is laid on the development of survival language skills. Two levels of instruction are presented, in which the teacher is asked to coordinate activities, materials, and evaluation…

Evaluates the International Baccalaureate (IB), a preuniversity, post-16, 2-year diploma. The IB contains four language features: communication and interaction, responsibility and transparency, language skills and contents related to the aims, and integration of program and assessment. The program compares favorably at higher levels with…

The foreign language/career education program at Crossland Senior High School in Camp Springs, Maryland, is described. Crossland High maintains two distinct divisions, the academic and the vocational. The new language program offers vocational students the opportunity to learn to speak and understand those foreign words and phrases most needed in…

Current developments in the field of language testing are synthesized with emphasis on their practical application in the classroom. The main areas of concern are: (1) the role of testing in the schools; (2) identifying and measuring teacher and student variables, such as, language proficiency of teachers; teacher effectiveness in the classroom;…

Suggests that consensus is the result of intellectual inquiry among scholars for some common purpose. External and internal forces impel the academic community to move beyond argumentation about what students should be able to achieve as they progress. Legislatures and boards of regents are exercising increasing oversight over public and private…

The determination of Objectives conditions the choice of materials, methods, and evaluation of results in all stages of foreign language learning. The first level is a necessary foundation, but by itself is insufficient for the study of literature or for communication purposes in a new linguistic milieu. The fundamental notion of language styles…

This guide consists of a set of goals and learning outcomes for the entire secondary German program, with emphasis on practical application of present-day spoken and written German. The goals and outcomes are divided so as to provide a suitable structure for course development and materials selection at the local level. The importance of…

These German culture packets are designed to accompany A-LM Level II and include a statement of the rationale behind the unit, the objectives of the packet, the activities themselves, and a brief evaluation by the student. The activities involve the use of the basic text, the student workbook, corresponding tapes, and fellow students as partners…

This guide was developed to assist schools in the process of self-evaluation of their foreign language programs in grades seven through twelve. The principal focus is on the teaching and learning process, with an emphasis on the quality of the curriculum, the training, experience and effectiveness of the instructional staff, the quality of the…

Two projects of the Ecole Normale Superieure de Saint-Cloud (CREDIF) are described and critically analyzed in this paper: the definition of a threshold level, "Niveau-seuil," in French and a learning module, "Looking for Work," intended to teach necessary written French to migrant workers. The threshold level section is a…

This document on the threshold level in French is the result of a project commissioned by the Council of Europe to produce a system of units in foreign language instruction for adults in Europe. The "threshold level" is conceived as the compilation of knowledge and skills a person would need in order to express oneself simply but…

The greatest need of language teachers today is a workable approach to teaching vocabulary. This is essential if students are to be enabled to achieve communicative competence, that is, to make a transfer from the textbook to the real world of French, as reflected in the French media. An effective and comprehensive approach to teaching vocabulary…