Suggests the need for incentives to help combat the resistance or indifference regarding implementation of the national standards for foreign language learning at the university level, especially in upper division courses at large research universities. (Author/VWL)

Summarizes research demonstrating advantages of using British Sign Language, Italian Sign Language, and American Sign Language (ASL) as a second language with young children. Reports a qualitative study to determine whether American kindergartners can achieve bilingual ability in English and ASL in one academic year through exposure to a native…

Economic and demographic changes are dramatically increasing the need for adult education, basic literacy, and English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) programs. Millions of Illinois residents lack the level of literacy skills needed to obtain good jobs, perform well on the job, and function well in an increasingly complex society. Addressing the scope…

This paper examines the "business" of language programs. In particular, it focuses on the economic impact of English as a Second language programs physically located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada which draw and serve foreign students. The impact such programs have on the wider community will also be explored. A bibliography is included.…

The guide to self-study of programs teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) contains a series of essays on aspects of the self-study process and products. "Part One: Insights into the Self-Study Process" includes the following articles: "The TESOL Self-Study Program" (Ann C. Wintergerst, Carol J. Kreidler); and "Undertaking a…

The formative evaluation of a new Malaysian secondary school language curriculum is described. Reasons for choosing formative over summative evaluation are examined, and implementation of the evaluation to date is detailed. In the first two phases, state education officials were trained in principles and procedures of program evaluation, including…

The piloting of a new English language curriculum in Singapore's lower primary and lower secondary school in 1992 is described in three sections: (1) reasons for revising the existing curriculum; (2) objectives and procedures of the pilot testing; and (3) findings. The existing curriculum, implemented in the early 1980s, was found to be too…

This paper presents findings of a case study that examined parent participation at Glen Katherine Primary School (Victoria, Australia). It focuses on parent participation in and attitudes toward the Language Other Than English (LOTE)-Italian program. A cooperative-research committee composed of a school administrator, LOTE program staff, parents,…

There is now a need, just like in industry, for quality assurance in education, for injecting systematically planned and formal processes, precise definitions, objectivity, and measurability in education. The demand for educational excellence in industry is "out there," and companies in more advanced countries are partnering educational…

A project is reported that developed a test for students in foreign language in the elementary school (FLES) programs. Relevant tests in Spanish and English as a Second Language (ESL) were reviewed in order to develop a listening and reading test that could determine achievement in a typical FLES curriculum. Pilot testing was conducted with 121…

The Kalamazoo College Foreign Study Program has been in operation since 1958 and continues to enroll 85% of its students for one, two, or three quarters. The program offers a wide variety of options in Europe, Latin America, and Africa. Administrative arrangements and supervision of the programs are done by the two directors of the program at…

Two Australian language curriculum development projects are discussed: the Australian Language Levels (ALL) Project and the National Assessment Framework for Languages at Senior Secondary Level (NAFLSSL). While distinct, both projects are closely linked. Each project was launched in 1985 in a favorable climate and in response to cost, enrollment,…

Researchers have suggested a language factor as an obstacle in the mathematics learning process for students who do not have a command of English. A review of the literature is presented, focusing on the nature of the interaction between language and mathematics learning. Implications for the design of instructional activities are presented, with…

This paper reports on the review and revision of the Overseas Refugee Training Program's curriculum in English as a second language. The discussion focuses on the rationale and guidelines for the revision, the resources used to guide the process, and the criteria used in the selection of competencies. Specific intentions in revising the list of…

Five units of instruction for teaching vocabulary and higher order thinking skills in foreign language classes are presented. Introductory material considers the differences between language fluency and communication, and lists higher order thinking skills as: (1) classifying, verifying, hypothesizing; (2) making associations and generalizing; (3)…