The plight of Latin studies in American schools is exposed in the introductory remarks in this paper. Personalized approaches to instruction are discussed, and the author enumerates ways in which the classics may be used to arouse the aesthetic sensitivities of children. Teachers are urged to try to make Latin relevant to the needs and interests…

Student attitudes toward foreign language instruction are examined by means of an overview of 12 surveys conducted at high schools and colleges across the U.S. Findings indicate that students who are unsatisfied with their progress in learning a foreign language may have set unrealistic goals for themselves at the outset. Often they feel they are…

The distinction between learning a first and a second language leads the author to discuss the nature of "high school French" and student expectations. Secondly, the notion of relevance and foreign language instruction is scrutinized in the light of conjectured needs of contemporary American culture. The third major area of discussion examines the…

Selected passages from "Alice in Wonderland," seen as being analogous to the current state of the art of language instruction in American Schools, illustrate the decline of authority in the language classroom as a motivating force. Criticism is directed to the "bandwagon approach," which has led to the emergence of such terms as "program…

Noting that foreign language requirements have been abolished, reduced, or modified between 1966 and 1971 in over 45 percent of the B.A. degree-granting institutions in the United States, the author probes into the current status and uses of the language laboratory. It is suggested that the widespread decline in language enrollments is due in…

This minicourse guide for teachers of French is intended to help motivate and prepare students for travel in France. Activities are outlined in eleven related areas, including (1) planning for the trip, (2) currency, (3) going through customs, (4) tipping, (5) shopping, (6) guided tours, (7) touring on your own, (8) social life and entertainment,…

A series of four proposals for foreign language teachers suggesting the development of a "sales" approach to generate student motivation for language study is developed in this study. A brief analysis of advertising procedures used in television commercials underscores the importance of consumer motivation in sales programs. (RL)

Because of recent educational trends, reliance on the language club as an instructional supplement is no longer sufficient. This paper discusses the general decline of language clubs and the changing philosophy behind extracurricular activities, such as department-wide festivals, weekend programs, and trips abroad. These activities are suggested…

An attitudinal survey of students enrolled in second language programs in Virginia public schools is reported in this article. Discussion of the results indicates several areas in which language teachers could work toward the improvement of student attitudes and motivation. A principal reason for not continuing with a language program is noted to…

Learning theories proposed by William Glasser in his text, "Schools without Failure," were implemented in an individualized language instruction program in a small high school in northern Ohio. The theory suggests that the success factor is far more significant than the failure factor in developing learning motivation. The belief that individuals…

The principal discussion in this paper focuses on the student, teacher, administrator, and community as agents of educational change and on the conjectured future change in the field of language instruction. Additional comments on the fourth volume of the ACTFL-sponsored annual review of language instruction, "Foreign Language Education: A…

A prognosis of the possible state of the art of language instruction during the 70's suggests that new programs combined with new media and different attitudes may save this facet of American education from extinction. A review of the golden decade in foreign language instruction, the 1960's, discusses the role of the American Council of Teachers…

This pamphlet presents a rationale for the study of Latin during a period in which the relevance of foreign language instruction is being questioned. Observations on the value of language awareness, historical perspective, and the development of sound judgment support recommendations that the American Classical League and curriculum planners…

Pedagogical and psychological implications of group instruction in the foreign language classroom are explored in this article. Discussion of Lorraine E. Heard's study, "Foreign Language and the Group Context: Expanded Student Roles," contrasts the classical objectives of language instruction ("purposive,""cognitive," and "concerned with input and…