Explored how one skilled Spanish-as-a-foreign-language student in a third-year level class performed reading-to-write tasks. Case Study research methodology was used to investigate the process of reading-to-write within an academic language setting. Data were collected using stimulated-recall interviews. (Author/VWL)

Describes the collaborative effort between a professor of literature and a professor of language methodology in the development and implementation of a teaching strategies course for undergraduates and a workshop on the teaching of literature for teaching assistants in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at Ohio State University. (Author/VWL)

Focuses on developing courses that facilitate progress toward American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages advanced proficiency by discussing a third-year composition and conversation course designed to increase students' communicative skills. Also examines redesigning programs to meet the diverse needs of students and suggests links to…

Identifies and discusses ten factors that contribute to the difficulties that language learners may have in dealing with false cognates. Provides suggestions for minimizing confusion. (Author/VWL)

In order to identify what other elements besides linguistic deficits could be playing a role in foreign language learning difficulties, the Kolb Learning Styles Inventory was administered to students enrolled in regular and modified Spanish classes at a major U.S. university. Preliminary results gathered as part of a longitudinal study on learning…

This article introduces the reader to two online sources of materials for working on improving listening and reading skills. The materials are intended for learners already at Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) Level 3 (Superior) proficiency in Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Russian, and Spanish, who desire to reach Level 4 (Distinguished, or…

This qualitative study focused on the learning experiences of four third-year Spanish student enrolled in a college-level Spanish composition and conversation course. The study provided insights into the impact of expanding out-of-class opportunities to engage in communicative task through the use of streamed feature films, online chats, and video…

Describes how the resources of nearby Spanish-speaking communities could be exploited by Spanish programs at universities along the United States-Mexican border. (Author/AM)

A foreign language teacher describes her simple and inexpensive strategy for recruitment and publicity to build a strong foreign language program in the Crook County, Oregon, schools. Inexpensive methods of acquiring and developing instructional materials are also described. (SW)

A study investigated the effect of relevant background knowledge on the reading comprehension of students of Spanish. Students with limited knowledge of baseball took a comprehension test on a Spanish-language report of a baseball game. Results indicate that background knowledge is possibly more important than language level for comprehension.…

Discusses a questionnaire administered to beginning Spanish students at Iowa State University, designed to identify and set priorities for student-perceived communication needs. Compares the results with a similar survey of beginning French students at Purdue. (EKN)

Reports on an experiment in which one group of high school students was taught using Total Physical Response (TPR) for 20 minutes a day and a control group was taught by the usual manner. Results showed students in the TPR group scored better on standard unit tests and expressed greater satisfaction with their teacher and course. (EKN)

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)

In a survey, undergraduate students of Spanish and Portuguese were asked to describe their professional goals and the function of language ability in these goals. Results show that cultural and humanistic goals of language study continue to be valued by undergraduates. The survey is described and implications discussed. (CHK)

Teenage detective novels sustain reading interest because of their unique components: peer-level sleuths, suspense, intrigue, fast action, and opposing forces of tension. A Spanish teenage adventure series by Pedro Casals illustrates the merits of classroom use of this genre. (15 references) (Author/MSE)