The example of Lyons Township High School in Illinois is used to illustrate possibilities for increasing enrollments in high school foreign language departments. At a time of declining overall enrollment, the foreign language enrollment at Lyons increased from 33% to 55% of the student population. The first step in the process was image building,…

Describes how the Spanish department at Central Michigan University began an experimental program in an attempt to address the surging Spanish enrollments. The description of the program includes quantitative and qualitative assessments that may serve as a model for other undergraduate programs of similar size. (Author/VWL)

Comprehensive statistical data about foreign language instruction in Queensland, Australia, secondary schools are presented in 63 tables and figures. The purpose of the report is to provide an overview of recent trends in foreign language enrollments, distribution of foreign language teachers, school foreign language course offerings, and…

Discusses large state schools' needs for placement and assessment tests resulting from the large enrollments in foreign language courses, and reports on the development and field test of an item bank developed at the University of Iowa for the placement and assessment of language students. (14 references) (GLR)

Presents a model for studying the process by which students decide to continue with, or to terminate, their second language studies. Previous research in the area is discussed. (MSE)

Data on modern language instruction in each member country of the European Community are presented, largely in tabular form with some narrative. The number of tables provided for each country varies according to educational system, and data are arranged to facilitate comparison between countries. The conclusions of the Council of the European…

Describes the intensive French program at Western Maryland College. Concludes that the program has helped to reverse some of the dwindling enrollments in French. (EKN)

Describes the intensive German program at North Texas State University. Shows how the intensive course model may be adapted to tight budgets. (EKN)

Draws on information in the Modern Language Association database to identify changes through time in registration levels and the percentage of institutions that offer various languages and language clusters and discusses trends within groups that differ by several institutional characteristics. (nine references) (CK)

Discusses the oversupply of language graduates. One solution is a double major and a shift from a literary orientation to one applicable to business or professional life. The audiolingual approach at the American Graduate School of International Management emphasizes the understanding of language structure. (JAC)

Detailed, illustrated instructions are given for construction and decoration of an indoor foreign language kiosk to promote interest in foreign languages among students and teachers. The kiosk can be constructed in a home shop or possibly by a college theater department, high school woodworking department, or institutional physical plant. Once…

A report is presented of work in syllabus construction and language planning in Finland from the middle of the 1960s to the present. An introductory chapter describes Finland's parallel educational systems, which provide for speakers of the two official languages, Finnish and Swedish, and for instruction in the other national language as well as…

Reports from 20 state supervisors of foreign languages were compiled. Each report describes a state's elementary-level and secondary-level foreign language programs and activities as of November 1979. Topics covered include basic foreign language programs, trends in foreign language enrollment, teacher training, work with other divisions within…

Discusses an introductory course in basic conversational Spanish that raised enrollment. It is noted that the course interested students who desired a basic knowledge of spoken Spanish and those students who feared failure in regular courses. It was found that some students later enrolled in regular courses. (Author/AMH)

Examines the languages (German, Italian, French) year-10 British students choose to study and shows how each language has fared to provide a basis for comparisons across languages. Also examines the results of interviews with students to determine the motive behind decisions to pursue or drop a language. (five references) (CK)