Researchers at the National Center on Performance Incentives recently examined teacher attitudes towards pay for performance policies in education, and how these views vary by teacher experience, subject area specialization, grade level taught, educational background, personality characteristics, risk and time preferences, and feelings of…

Several definitions of the concept of "creativity" are examined in the introductory remarks of this article concerning foreign language instruction. Selected examples of innovational approaches to "creative" foreign language teaching are presented and underscore the belief that creative instruction resides in the ability of the instructor to…

Fundamental prerequisites for successful cross-cultural instruction in language programs are outlined in this paper. Attainment of instructional objectives is seen to be dependent on teacher attitudes and educational preparation. Problems confronting language teachers attempting to attain a measure of sophistication in the theory of cross-cultural…

A comparative analysis of foreign language teaching methods considered within the framework of the author's EBTA Cube (Eight Basic Approaches to Teaching) contrasts methods of instruction in three categories: (1) non-programed versus programed instruction, (2) mass versus individualized instruction, and (3) traditional versus compensatory…

Author proposes more freedom in all grades for pupils to exercise innate curiosity, make mistakes, help each other and experiment without constant evaluation. Teachers would become facilitators of self directed learning", participating (and making errors), suggesting ideas to put to practice and clarifying rather than judging from on high. (PD)

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…

An experiment is suggested in which scansion, particularly of hexameters and elegiacs, may be taught orally and without use of visual symbols through the rhythmic patterns characteristic of the writings of the ancient poets. The author argues that a reading of the Latin hexameters by "cola" will introduce an element of rhythmic stress in addition…

Articles written by teachers of Russian for their peers in similar classroom environments are intended to aid in the development of curricular innovation. The articles, all based on practical and direct experience, include: (1) "Direct Methods for Teaching Russian," (2) "The Eclectic Approach to Teaching Russian," (3) "So-Called Linguistic…

This report focuses on the nature and structure of the question and its use as an educational technique enabling the language teacher to involve his students in the use of the target language. Discussion concentrates on: (1) the question in the basic level class, (2) the question as a testing technique, (3) the question as a vocabulary activator…

Five papers presented at a language conference are compiled in this report. They include: (1) "Le Francais au Pot-Pourri," or "Adapting the 'Open-Classroom' to the Teaching of Foreign Languages," (2) "We Can Teach Anyone to Speak French," (3) "The Use of Puppetry in the Teaching of Foreign Languages," (4) "A New Perspective for Integrated Foreign…

A reading theory which distinguishes between reading as a passive recognition process and a cognitive participatory activity requiring active interpretation is discussed in this article. The method, considering reading as "thought and dialogue," stands in opposition to conditioned response theories basic to audiolingual methodology. It…

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…

Reports and papers from the Washington Association of Foreigh Language Teachers' conference held in Spokane, Washington are compiled in this study. Documents include: (1) "What Price Survival?" (2) "The Application of Linguistics to F. L. Learning," (3) "Bellevue Plans Pilot Project," (4) "Juanita High School German Exchange," (5) "Foreign…

Investigated the effects of four writing experiences, grade, and reading level on elementary students' narrative writing. For 14 days, students wrote in response to 4 stimuli. Poststudy writing samples indicated students wrote in response to a common but different writing prompt. There were main effects for grade and reading level. (SM)