While the need for certified elementary foreign language teachers is on the rise, foreign language teacher educators frequently encounter difficulty in securing good elementary field experiences for their student teachers due to the dearth of fully developed programs of foreign language in the elementary schools (FLES). This article presents a…

The third year of an ongoing research project to document and evaluate an innovative Japanese language program in grades K-5 (n=195) is reported. Two strands of research are examined. The first deals with school and community ambiance, and attempts to capture in a systematic way the attitudes and perceptions of parents, teachers, and students in…

A project introducing English as a third language in 30 elementary schools in the Basque Country (Spain) is described. The program, emerging from a national curriculum reform effort, begins English instruction when students are eight years old, three years earlier than previously. Students are already bilingual in Spanish and Basque, both official…

This manual presents activities designed to encourage speaking in elementary and secondary school French language classes at the novice and intermediate proficiency levels. Following guidelines outlined in the Utah "Foreign Language Mastery Curriculum Guide," each of the activities is identified according to the topic, level, and…

Results of studies by four research teams on French as a second language in Ontario are presented along with commentaries. Merrill Swain and Sharon Lapkin's findings from the study "Bilingual Education in Ontario: A Decade of Research" are reported, and Michael Canale's discussion of the purposes and theoretical framework development of…

Presentations on aspects of foreign language instruction include: "A World Without Walls" (Lorraine A. Strasheim); "Practical Aspects of Individualizing Foreign Language Instruction" (Howard B. Altman); "Teaching Foreign Language Through Literature" (Jeanne Varney Pleasants); "Individualization of Foreign Language Instruction" (Howard B. Altman);…

To provide a more permanent foundation for foreign language education in general and for extracurricular FLES programs in particular, a project was funded by the Iowa Humanities Board and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Its overall goals were to ensure positive foreign language learning experiences for elementary and secondary school…

An annotated bibliography contains about 70 citations of instructional materials and materials concerning curriculum development for elementary school foreign language programs. Citations are included for Arabic, classical languages, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish. Items on exploratory language courses and general works on…

This guide outlines the Manitoban Department of Education's conversational French-as-a-second-language curriculum for second grade. The program is designed to introduce young children to the French language and culture through the learning of French sounds, vocabulary, and some sentence patterns. An introductory section explains the program's…

This booklet, based on a nationwide study of elementary school foreign language programs, addresses the following topics: (1) why students should learn a foreign language; (2) information that may help persons select and initiate a specific type of program; and (3) a detailed description of three elementary school approaches used in the country…

America's elementary schools are again ready for foreign language instruction. When commitment to such programs exists, funding can usually be found and creative use of existing materials and personnel resources can ease the budget. Provincialism is a greater obstacle. Foreign language programs can help to eradicate the anti-language attitude that…

This guide attempts to help local planners develop and implement curricula which will provide each student in Connecticut with equal opportunity for a suitable program in foreign language instruction. With a focus on K-12 programs, the guide provides an overview of current philosophies, objectives, methods, and materials in the foreign language…

A REPORT ON THE HISTORY OF FRENCH TEACHING IN THE UNITED STATES MAKES US AWARE OF THE GROWTH OF INTEREST IN MODERN LANGUAGE STUDY WHILE FOCUSING SPECIFICALLY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF FRENCH INSTRUCTION. THE CONSEQUENT STUDY OF FRENCH IS TRACED IN THE OPENING CHAPTER WITH A BRIEF PICTURE OF THE TIES BETWEEN FRANCE AND THE AMERICAN COLONIES.…

BECAUSE LANGUAGE ACQUISITION FOR A CHILD IS AN UNCONSCIOUS PROCESS, FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION IN THE ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM SHOULD AVOID "CONSCIOUS" LEARNING PROCEDURES AND STRIVE FOR A NATURAL SITUATION. LANGUAGE ACQUISITION FOR AN ADULT IS AN ARTIFICIAL, CONSCIOUS PROCESS, HOWEVER, AND NECESSITATES DIFFERENT TEACHING METHODS AND…

EXISTING FLES TEACHING MATERIALS ARE REVIEWED GENERALLY AND CRITICIZED, AND SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE FOR THEIR IMPROVEMENT. EMPHASIS SHOULD BE GIVEN TO KEEPING UP THE CLASS'S INTEREST AND PROVIDING TEACHING AIDS THAT ARE REALLY PORTABLE. A WELL-ARTICULATED, SEQUENTIAL TEXT SERIES FROM FLES THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL IS ADVISED. THEIR THEMES SHOULD REFLECT…