Presidential address delivered at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) in Chicago, Illinois, December 30, 1969. (DS)

Issue devoted to the teaching of foreign literatures. (DS)

The present-day status of language instruction at St. Olaf College is viewed in the perspective of past requirements at the college. Reasons for student interest in German, the most popular modern language, focus on the influence of family ties with speakers of Norwegian. A discussion of methods of teaching German literature in translation is…

Central to this paper is the belief that the principal value of classical studies is that they are the foundation for a liberal education. The author proposes that the whole of the Graeco-Roman civilization be included in the development of the curriculum while urging interdisciplinary studies wherever possible. Commentary focuses on teaching…

The debate on the merits of classical education is reviewed through an examination of views of Henry Sidgwick in his "Essays on a Liberal Education" (1867). Running commentary focuses on two major concepts: (1) considerable change in teaching methodology is necessary if Latin is to survive, and (2) a majority of teachers in classical studies need…

Familiarization with the thoughts and creations of great minds, past and present, is a significant function of education. Many students, however, are effectively denied such opportunity for intellectual growth by the identification of education with job-training. Much of the curriculum neglects the past and the foreign. Humanists approach this…

Several reasons for continuing to emphasize literature as the "humanistic heart" of language instruction are developed in this paper. The arguments proposed are based on the following observations: (1) college teachers of second languages are trained primarily to teach literature; (2) literary study is a significant kind of learning; and (3)…

Reports on an experiment which sought to determine the effect of instruction in francophone African culture on the attitudes of students of French toward Africans. (AM)

Surveys some of the research evidence citing the positive effects on language students of foreign visits. A program in Leicestershire, England, in which students visit foreign countries, is briefly described. (KM)

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…

This paper probes for reasons of student discontent with current language instruction and suggests general educational objectives for all levels of instruction. The author comments on these areas of concern: educational relevance, foreign language requirements, educational objectives, native speakers, individualizing instruction, utilization of…

This paper describes an investigation conducted to determine student preferences for types of reading content in the study of French. The subjects were 438 students enrolled in elementary French courses in five universities. Reading interests were determined with a questionnaire consisting of brief descriptions of thirty items representing five…

In this paper, language teachers are urged to recognize the importance of adolescent psychology, and suggestions are given on how such knowledge can be used advantageously in reinforcing language learning and in teaching literature and cultural context. Parental attitudes toward education and language study and the reasons behind the choice of…

This consideration of the foreign language profession concerns goals and objectives of foreign language education, student and community attitudes, college foreign language requirements, enrollment, financial allocations, professional insularity, teaching and learning strategies, materials and technology, testing, and staffing. Goals have been…