Outlines origins and outreach efforts of the federal National Resource Centers (NRCs) for Foreign Language and Area Studies, and describes the University of New Mexico's Latin American Institute. Activities include outreach to elementary/secondary schools, outreach with federal/state/local agencies, information services to…

The report provides an overview of recent developments in immersion second language education in Australia, contrasting the Australian experience with the Canadian one. Particular attention is paid to some developments that may have significance for the future of foreign language teaching, such as "cold-start" late immersion programs in…

The collection of essays on French second language instruction in Canada, directed to parents, includes: "Our Brave New World" (Andrew Kniewasser); "French in Your School: Identifying and Achieving the Right Program" (Carolyn Hodych, Jos Scott); "So, You're Worried About Becoming an Immersion Parent" (Judy Gibson);…

The content and design of a workplace communication workshop jointly sponsored by a university teachers' center and a local union are described. The workshop objective is to provide workers for whom English is a second language with upgraded writing skills needed to fill out report forms, improved document reading skills for reading charts and…

This study investigated the effectiveness of a second language program in seven schools in a medium-sized school district in central California during the 1994-95 school year. Three educational levels (elementary, middle, and high school) were examined from the perspectives of teachers (n=194), administrators (n=23), instructional aides (n=40),…

A discussion of French immersion education in Canada begins with a general examination of language immersion, including the historical context and social climate from which the immersion approach has grown in Canada, its beginnings in Quebec and spread throughout Canada, and the status of the approach in the United States, a number of European…

An evaluation of the bilingual education (BE) and English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) programs provided to limited English proficient (LEP) students by the Austin Independent School District (AISD) (Texas) looks at enrollment rates and trends and student achievement within the programs. In 1995-96, AISD enrolled 10,290 LEP students, about 14…

A study investigated the characteristics of 14 second language institutes available to adults in Sana'a (Yemen), an area in which second language instruction has historically been difficult to obtain. Data were gathered through interviews and observation. It was found that seven of the institutions offer English instruction, and five offer Arabic…

A study investigated Japanese college students' perceptions and assessments of their college English classes, and to what factors they attribute difficulty in acquiring oral English. Subjects were 189 students from a junior college and a university, in first- through third-year English conversation classes. Most were English majors required to…

The study looks at the role of immigrants in the workforce, status of English language learning in vocational and workforce education, and ways the system can enhance opportunity and productivity for limited-English-proficient adults. It begins by examining characteristics of the current immigrant workforce and future labor requirements. The…

This document consists of the three issues of "FLESNews" published during school year 1993-1994. This newsletter of the National Network for Early Language Learning contains articles on a variety of topics in elementary school second language teaching, listings of instructional materials, classroom instructional activities, and…

The curriculum guide for a Spanish two-way partial immersion program in the Francis Scott Key Elementary School (Arlington, Virginia) is designed as a reference for parents and teachers. It presents information, instructional objectives, and activities in the form of integrated instructional units for grades K-4. Introductory sections outline: the…

Ways that teacher educators can provide opportunities for novice teachers to develop their beliefs about teaching and learning and their teaching practices are discussed. It is suggested that practical teaching experience is essential to teacher development, but that teachers must also be able to process their experiences in ways that allow time…

A pilot program of foreign language instruction in Scottish elementary schools is evaluated. The program consisted of 12 projects in 76 elementary schools, articulated with their 12 associated secondary schools. French was taught in six projects, Spanish in four, and German and Italian in one each. Regular classroom teachers were trained and given…

The guide is one section of a resource kit designed to assist Peace Corps language instruction coordinators in countries around the world in understanding the principles underlying second language learning and teaching and in organizing instructional programs. This section focuses on selection and supervision of language teachers. An introductory…