Discusses the general education role assigned by many institutions to foreign language departments and the difficulties that these have encountered in adjusting their course offerings and their goals to such role. Expresses the belief that the foreign language classroom is the ideal environment to teach the value of language as a heuristic device.…

Discusses recent changes in objectives of second language education including development of a more comprehensive theory, a set of communicative teaching strategies, and an increasing interest in the needs of the learner in the context of English as a second language project underway in the Modern Language Center of the Ontario Institute for…

Analyzes the final report of the President's Commission on Foreign Languages and International Studies, pointing out that the main thrust of its recommendations and proposals for funding is toward development of international studies with or without a foreign language component. Views this as a potential threat to foreign language programs. (MES)

Reports on a study of foreign language learning in Australia's primary schools in the mid-seventies. The role of immigration in the development of second language programs is discussed, along with the extent of federal government involvement. A state-by-state analysis of language programs is also given. (PJN)

Arguments both pro and con about the foreign language (FL) requirement are presented. Negative arguments center on the decreasing value of FL study and the inadequacy of skills developed in a four course sequence. Positive arguments concern immediate benefits to students and the importance of FL study in a liberal arts curriculum. (AMH)

The problem of when to begin foreign language instruction is considered. Detailed criticism is made of the conclusions of "Primary French in the Balance." An early start may be favored because of the effect on children's minds, and teaching and school improvements may solve problems of transition to advanced stages. (CHK)

An exploration of the reasons for the failure of former elementary school foreign language programs precedes the identification of issues that should be addressed to ensure the effectiveness of current and future programs. The three basic FLES program models, Foreign Language Experience (FLEX), sequential FLES, and immersion, are described. (CB)

Preliminary findings are reported from a survey conducted to determine the apparent absence of compensation for foreign language department chairs at some institutions. It is noted that, compared to the sciences or humanities, the typical foreign language program has greater and more complex tasks administratively and should, therefore, receive…

It is noted that language teaching in literature departments in many colleges and universities does not confer the same benefits or offer the same rewards as teaching literature. The problems this imbalance creates in academic rigor and continuity and the questions addressing why this is imbalance exists are discussed. (GLR)

Suggests the following methods for improving university-level German language education curricula: reduce skill-development time through immersion programs, adopt Zertifikat Deutsch als Fremdsprache as the proficiency standard for advanced students, and include literature from a variety of liberal arts disciplines in the reading materials for…

Incorporation of women's and feminist issues into foreign language programs has been limited mostly to literature, and not language, courses. Reconsideration of this traditional boundary must seek a greater balance in including women's issues in both foreign language literature and foreign language teaching and examination. (CB)

A March 1988 survey concerning the textual materials used and liaisons existing between secondary schools and universities is reported. The university survey focused on a variety of first-year programs, how language departments accommodate students with varying accumulated hours of French instruction, and faculty familiarity with provincial…

Describes Ohio University's course sequence designed to teach French and Spanish, through the use of print and broadcast media, to students majoring in journalism and other communication areas. Course development, funding, resources, speakers, and promotion are detailed. (CB)

Through its nonformal program for teacher education, the Peace Corps has been able to provide central and eastern European countries with more than 600 English teachers in recent years. The paper describes how the Peace Corps trains its volunteers to effectively teach English as a Foreign Language. (SM)

Paper responds to an article on a nonformal Peace Corps teacher education program that prepares teachers to teach English as a Foreign Language in central and eastern European countries, discussing various aspects of the program as important models for accomplishing the more diverse, larger, and problematic preservice education in America. (SM)