The use of literature courses in the teaching of English to nonnative university students in the Third World is discussed. Some English department literature courses are reviewed, and it is shown that, as taught in Arab countries, they do not significantly improve the students' performance because of the emphasis on content rather than mode of…

Outlines a program at St. Olaf College which allows language majors and others with language skills to take required humanities courses in German. This program offers students a chance to apply German skills that they have and at the same time meet their general education or major requirements. (LET)

Findings on foreign language programs are reported from the 1990 Modern Language Association survey in these areas: institutional and departmental characteristics, applicants, enrollments, plans for enlarging graduate programs, numbers of doctorates granted, and courses offered in the target language. (LB)

Discusses the challenges and difficulties of Slavic languages, a field that is notoriously cyclical and is currently at the bottom of a cycle. The article chronicles the history of Slavic studies in relation to political developments since World War II, draws parallels between current trends in Slavic and other modern language programs, and sees…

Surveyed 49 intermediate-level French-as-a-Foreign-Language college students to determine whether they preferred extensive reading or grammar instruction for language acquisition and practice, and why. Students overwhelmingly preferred reading as more pleasurable and more beneficial for language acquisition. They considered grammar instruction…

Nine comments are offered in response to "Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Preparing for the 21st Century" (1996). Issues discussed include teacher preparation, articulation, standards implementation, and standards in higher education. (Author/VWL)

This paper reports on a research project involving a sample of 19 state-educated students in their first year of a German course at Oxford University. The project is one of a number of research studies into widening participation issues funded by the Higher Education Funding Council of England (HEFCE) and the Sutton trust. The paper describes the…

Indiana State University?s (ISU) foreign language requirement curriculum serves as a model for the 21st century. Unique to the program is an emphasis on integrating the common goals of general education and multicultural studies with the development of critical thinking skills to reach overall objectives of communicative competency, cultural…

A University of Dublin (Ireland) curriculum restructuring project in the undergraduate second language program is chronicled, and ongoing curriculum development efforts are described. As a result of curriculum research, the university offered a series of freshman French and German courses in 1994-95 and a series of second-year courses to students…

A study investigated the nature and extent of English curricula and resources available for English language learning in Taiwan's universities. Data were drawn from a survey of 18 coordinators of English programs for non-English majors (EPNMs) in Taiwan universities and from examination of course descriptions. Results indicate that all…

The Advanced French Business course developed at St. John's University in New York is described. It emphasizes meeting students' needs for knowledge of the specialized vocabulary, expressions, and cultural information in a French-speaking business environment. It is designed for students who are at an intermediate-advanced level in French…

A collection of 31 articles addresses issues in college language department administration, focusing on the role and responsibilities of the department head. The following articles are included: "View from the Top: What a Liberal Arts College President Expects from a Language Department" (Schmidt); "View from the Top: What a Liberal Arts Dean…

Instructional materials designed for the content-based English as a Second Language program at Canada College's English Institute (EI) are presented in this manual. First, an introduction provides background information on the college, its student body, and the program. Drawing on relevant second language theory, this section offers a definition…

To alleviate problems associated with free composition as a method of foreign language writing instruction, the directed writing method was adapted for use in a college French composition course. High-quality French texts, often of only a page or two and written by native speakers, are used as a basis for grammatical analysis and discussion and a…

The English Language Institute (ELI) at Alaska Pacific University provides an intensive academic program designed primarily to prepare foreign students for successful participation in undergraduate or graduate programs. Students from the local international community have also been admitted to the program. These students have motivations, language…