This report analyzes and summarizes the National Security Education Act of 1991 (NSEA) which authorizes a new program of aid for foreign language and area studies. The report discusses the legislation's aim to increase future national security through enhanced foreign language abilities and knowledge of other countries, the NSEA's authorized…

The Title VII Newcomers Program of the Austin (Texas) Independent School District served 104 students in its second year of operation. The program was designed to improve the English language proficiency and academic skills of limited-English-proficient (LEP), immigrant students in 3 high schools. Most were native Spanish speakers. Major findings…

A discussion of language teacher education focuses on the importance of making formative curriculum evaluation and curriculum development an integral part of the teacher education program. The paper begins with a description of the Russian Teacher Reeducation Program in Hungary, at Janus Pannonius University, a rigorous inservice program for…

Three empirical studies concerning reflective and rote learning in Finnish schools are described. In the first, a questionnaire given to school beginners reveals that during their first 12 weeks of school the children's estimates of the excitement and pleasure of learning and their conception of the role of understanding in learning decrease. The…

The five papers in this collection include: "Apprendre a apprendre les langues: 'Mais je veux etre un handicape linguistique!'" (Learning To Learn Languages: But I Want To Be Linguistically Handicapped!) (Richard Duda); "Pedagogie integree des langues maternelle et seconde. La conscience des problemes chez les enseignants et chez les enseignes"…

The fourth year of the partial immersion program in grades one through four at Key Elementary School (Arlington, VA), where half the day is taught in English and half in Spanish, is reported. Eight teachers and 85 students are involved in the 4 classes. As in other years, the "special" classes (music, physical education, and library) are…

Possible applications of satellite television and interactive video in language teaching are described. Advice is given on how to set up, expand, and effectively exploit these technologies in the classroom. A variety of activities are suggested for developing listening, speaking, and writing skills at different levels. The guide concludes with a…

An evaluative study in New York (New York) comprehensive half-day public school prekindergarten programs serving language minorities is reported. The study investigated effectiveness of city policy supporting the use of the children's native (home) languages for some portions of instruction. Information was gathered on: (1) supervisory staff's…

This booklet provides strategies for implementing whole-language reading and writing in classroom and tutorial settings for at-risk learners, with a focus on migrant students. The whole-language approach integrates reading, writing, listening, and speaking into language arts, social studies, science, and other content areas. Within an environment…

The Augustus F. Hawkins-Robert T. Stafford Elementary and Secondary School Improvement Amendments of 1988 (P.L. 100-297) amend most previously authorized programs of federal aid to elementary and secondary education, and authorize several new programs, most of which are consolidated into an amended version of the Elementary and Secondary Education…

In February 1992, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), in Washington, D.C., convened a 2-day roundtable meeting of education leaders with expertise in foreign language education and community college teaching and administration in order to formulate a foreign language education policy statement for AACC. This report presents the…

This book is designed to help second and foreign language teachers understand how languages are learned. Chapter 1 examines several theories on how young children acquire their first language, including behaviorist, innatist, and interactionist models. Chapter 2 presents and analyzes several theories on second language (SL) learning. Chapter 3…

This article is an exploration of differences among adults studying beginning English as a Second Language (ESL). Data was obtained through interviews with 20 Washington, DC-area Spanish-speaking adults enrolled in beginning ESL classes who had a range of different literacy levels in their first language. The interviews included two phases, one…

It is proposed that for second language learners to develop communicative competence, their instruction must address the sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic aspects of target language use. These three aspects of communicative competence are termed the "grammar of culture," and they are essential to understanding what is appropriate in…

The listing of learning resources for intermediate-level French second language instruction in Alberta (Canada) in grades 4-12 cites about 150 items in these categories: audio, video, and kits; communicative activity resources; computer software; cultural learning resources; games and puzzles; magazines and newspapers; posters, maps, and charts;…