Interpreting as an exercise of language skill is presented as a necessity for communication, limited (in the instructional process) to everyday situations. Interpreting offers something different, and is therefore a source of motivation at the intermediate level. Basic characteristics of the skill, teaching hints, and types of exercises are…

A General Accounting Office recommendation that the government foreign language training community maximize its resources has resulted in a revitalization of the Interagency Language Roundtable in the last two years. The five new committees formed and their work are described. (RM)

A language resources center includes a large audio cassette library along with a standard dial access laboratory system. Students may check out and use cassette tapes to listen and record, and teachers may check student recordings on a flexible schedule. Tapes are also synchronized with slide series for audiovisual presentations. (CHK)

This article discusses the use of authentic oral documents such as radio or television programs as instructional materials for teaching English to native French speakers. Sample transcriptions are included, and teaching methods are discussed. (Text is in French.) (CLK)

This article describes a program designed to give native French speakers who already speak English further skills in oral presentation, public debate, and the language of business negotiations. (Text is in French.) (CLK)

In teaching Japanese as a second language, structure should be introduced through the spoken language so the forms are already familiar when the reading begins, just as the native Japanese child masters a syllabic writing system first then learns characters so that the graphic representation occurs within familiar grammatical patterns. (SCC)

It is argued that three misconceptions about language learning have limited the utility of performance objectives in individualized second language instruction. These misconceptions--confusion between competence and performance, inadequate identification of linguistic elements, and assumption that linguistic elements correspond to learning…

Two questions, what is a contrastive grammar, and what is comparable across linguistic systems, are touched on. The problem of the exact relationship of contrastive linguistics to linguistic theory is addressed. Two perhaps mutually exclusive views are discussed. See FL 508 197 for availability. (Author/RM)

Discusses the possibility of introducing the booklet "Now Listen Carefully" (Volk und Wissen, Berlin 1975), which contains 72 texts. A topical arrangement of the texts into teaching units is attempted, and hints on method are given. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

Describes a partially self-instructional program designed to deal with the correction of errors in second language learning. The purpose of the program is: 1) to sensitize future teachers to types of errors that occur in oral language practice, and 2) to help teachers make decisions as to how to correct errors effectively. (CLK)

Describes an experiment carried out with 360 pupils with different social backgrounds from 11 classes in 4 Realschulen. The investigation was concerned with the possibility of introducing cassette recorders and record-players into the home assignments. On the whole, the results were assessed as positive. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

This research aimed to investigate the effect of computers on the test and inter-rater reliability of writing test scores of ESL learners. Writing samples of 20 pen-paper and 20 computer group students were scored in analytic scoring method by two scorers, and then the scores were analyzed in Alpha (Cronbach) model. The results showed that the…

Describes and evaluates French immersion programs in New Brunswick, covering grades 1-12. (CK)

Four methods of teaching a second language are discussed: (1) traditional approach, involving a limited amount of study each day; (2) second language study followed by study of another subject in that language; (3) early immersion in the language in grades k-2; and (4) late immersion, where exclusive use follows traditional language study. (CK)