In pattern drills, the context must be clear. Frequent repetition is necessary, and spontaneity must be sought. Intonation must be considered as well as content and structure. Pattern drill should start with one sentence, but progress beyond the sentence level, to free use of the materials. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

Seven textbooks for teaching Business English are examined with respect to the following criteria, for their suitability in a Business English course: (1) Vocabulary, (2) Structures, (3) Communication situations and practical operations, (4) Taped materials, (5) Variety of text material, and (6) Written production. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

This paper describes a course in English as a second language developed primarily for medical students. The format and methods could be adapted, however, to any program concerned with teaching students to function in a profession involving a great deal of oral communication. (Author/CFM)

Discusses student evaluation in foreign-language courses and argues that passing a multiple-choice test should not be a course objective. Suggests that achieving such an objective does not ensure that students understand the topic or that they will use their new knowledge in new situations, nor that they know how to analyze to the appropriate…

Reviews the relationship between pedagogy and interaction by analyzing extracts from second-language (L2) classrooms using a conversation analysis methodology. Points out that the relationship between the two is necessarily reflexive and concludes that it would be preferable for pedagogical recommendations to harmonize with the interactional…

Presents discussions that have taken place in an electronic forum by language lab professionals to discuss issues relevant to their everyday work. The discussions covered focus on the practicality of digital audio lab, good programs for instructional technology, "Systeme-D /Atajo" writing assistant programs for French and Spanish, and LCD…

Discusses a new joint degree program involving the study of a language and its culture launched at an Australian university by the engineering faculty. Students who complete the program will be awarded both a Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Arts degree. The arts degree course is in the field of international studies and includes subjects…

Describes a study in which Australian high school learners of Japanese were given the opportunity to practice their communicative skills with native speakers. Students' performances were analyzed before and after a brief period of introspection. Results indicate that learners made few gains in terms of their own output although there was an…

Explores the impact of a change in status in language programs and the culture of second language learning in Australian schools, particularly in light of declared goals such as a language other than English for all and the integration of language teaching and learning with Australia's external political and economic priorities. (32 references)…

Describes a project trying to implement the nationally developed Curriculum Profile for languages in Australia from the vantage point of three teachers. Notes that the objectives of the project included highlighting teacher perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of the profile, discovering difficulties experienced by teachers in applying the…

Examines the concept of culture from the perspective of language teaching and explores how conversation analysis assists in the teaching of culture in interaction. Argues that one outcome of language teaching should be communicative competence, that the model of language underlying an assessment is crucial, and that the interdependence of language…

Describes the changing social context of Asian language teaching in Australian universities and considers the increasing salience of the economic argument for Asian languages found in major reports on languages in education. Reviews major criticisms of this economic argument. (five references) (Author/CK)

Compares the acquisition of the syntax of negation in first-language development and second-language acquisition, particularly the acquisition of colloquial French and German by native speakers of Spanish. The comparison is intended to shed light on the principles and mechanisms underlying first- and second-language development. (67 references)…

Trends in teacher-conducted classroom research on second- and foreign language instruction are examined, drawing on relevant current literature. Problems in research methodology and in motivating full-time teachers to conduct research, and areas in which research is fertile, are examined. (MSE)

Examines classroom research as a means of professional renewal for language teachers, drawing on experiences in an Australian program to train teachers as action researchers with the support of a research community. Concludes that incorporation of professional renewal processes in formal classroom research projects is a way to maintain teacher…