Use of texts to improve language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing at the intermediate level is discussed. Text selection is explained, and the use of several reading and writing exercises outlined. (CHK)

An outline of a method of teaching negative expressions, use of a short home film of an event familiar to students, suggestions for use of authentic documents in the language class, and examples illustrating the use of classified ads are treated in this "A comme" section. (Text is in French.) (AMH)

Knowledge of a foreign language can be vital for those in the health fields and police and fire services. Examples are cited, and reasons for learning a second language at different ages, from childhood to old age, are discussed. (LBH)

Responses of 155 state language supervisors, local education agency representatives, leaders of foreign language associations, and others to a questionnaire regarding states' development or adoption of guidelines to improve articulation or proficiency standards revealed that most states are engaged in devising or have devised some sort of…

Examines the listening comprehension of English-as-a-second-language learners by answering the following questions: (1) How do learners acquire information when repeatedly exposed to the same material? and (2) What influence will dictation practice exert on and to what degree is dictation practice related to the acquisition of meaning? (SED)

Reviews the general trends of research concerned with second language phonology, citing several principal factors involved in foreign accent such as age and native language interference. More recent investigations show that pronunciation of a foreign language is influenced by factors of stylistic variation and stages of development unrelated to…

Describes a method for examining oral communicative competence in a foreign language using an open form of role play. The method's reliability and accuracy lies in its basis on what is learned in the classroom. (CB)

Discusses a preliminary and sketchy hypothesis of second language comprehension based on empirical investigations into strategies and processes specific to second language comprehension. (Author/CB)

A new national program being developed by France's Ministry of Education will create nationally regulated certification of elementary level French language skills for foreigners. The certification is not attached to any course or curriculum but will be available to anyone with specific practical language competencies. (MSE)

Examination of two "simplified" adaptations of literary texts for less advanced learners of English as a second language found that attempts for lexical and linguistic simplification and linguistic standardization sometimes rendered the texts more difficult to comprehend and resulted in loss of narrative interest. (Author/CB)

Analysis of form-oriented and content-oriented lexical errors made by advanced German learners of English covers: theoretical aspects of form-orientation; a taxonomy of form-oriented approximations; content-oriented approximations; traditional concepts (of semantic organization); empirical evidence; and strategies for second language learning. (CB)

A case is made for the importance of studying literature as part of the second language instructional program. Literary criticism introduces linguistics, anthropology, metaphysics, psychoanalysis, and other areas and theories and ties them into into the study of language and literature. (CB)

Reviews second-language learning literature concerning factors which may affect adult students. Focuses on cognitive mechanisms, cerebral dominance theories, formal operations, motivation, and second-language teaching and learning. Offers suggestions for community college teaching and programs. (DMM)

In response to an earlier article on foreign language learning disabilities in college students, the article reports on a similar study using the Modern Language Aptitude Test and concludes that, as yet, tests are not adequate to determine a disability affecting foreign language learning. (DB)

Reports on the first attempt to develop an observation procedure based on the "profile analysis" approach to assess the syntactic and morphological development of adult learners of English as a second language. Problems with criteria assessment are described, and suggestions for refinement are given. (Author/DJD)