Points out weaknesses characteristic of current language textbooks and suggests that future textbooks will concentrate on culture, values, and interest areas. (RL)

Cautions against a "synonymic" or "structural-semantic" approach to constructing texts and in reading them. Concern over matching each foreign word with a native-language word results in limiting the vocabulary of the text and the student's knowledge. Speech-act theory suggests a more flexible approach. (IFS/WGA)

Reviews several publications dealing with comparison of Italian and German, with a view to ascertaining how useful their material might be in constructing an Italian textbook for Germans. The material is found to be too theoretical, or too limited to the standpoint of German as a foreign language. More error analysis is needed. (IFS/WGA)

Paper presented December 1972, Bangkok, Thailand. (RL)

These tenses may be taught effectively through pattern drills and structural exercises, followed by careful explanations designed to distinguish them from the plus-que-parfait, which may be taught concurrently. Guidelines for textbook presentation of these tenses are included, as are descriptions of their forms and usages. (DB)

Using "begin" and "start" as examples, it is shown that English grammars (for German schools) are syntactically deficient in their description of verbs. Several typical grammar books are cited. Conclusions are drawn and proposals are made for constructing a new English grammar for German schools. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

Compares the structure of German textbook dialogues to that of actual spoken German and discusses the implications of this comparison for writers of textbooks and for teachers. (PP)

In the form of a review article, the "English Minimum Grammar" developed by Hans G. Hoffmann (Max Hueber Verlag, Munich, 1973) is discussed, and the problems that beset the writer of a modern teaching grammar are pointed out. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

A textbook author should be sure that his or her philosophy is respected by the publisher. Materials should be published in a form and according to quality standards which meet the author's approval. Textbooks that are part of a core program or series will require the collaboration of other writers. (SW)

The article reports on work in progress on the preparation of a textbook for elementary Russian. Arguments are advanced for the presentation of highly marked and more differentiated material at an early stage. Also discussed are problems of the quantity of material to be presented and the introduction of vocabulary. (CLK)

Discusses requirements for extrinsic and intrinsic individualization of text and exercise construction in foreign languages. (RS)