"Area studies" are here viewed as "civilization"; the concept is described and specific topics suggested. Area studies may start in the beginning class, using dialogs and role-playing, anticipating real-life situations in the foreign country. A sample teaching unit for grades 8-9 is presented. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

Suggests guidelines for the teaching of culture and presents a possible classroom vehicle. It is emphasized that while refinements of civilization should not be ignored, culture as perceived by the man on the street should be of central concern, particularly in early states of language study. (EJS)

Offers lists of goals and criteria and refers to various approaches to the teaching of area/culture studies. Concludes that such studies have only an ancillary function in FL teaching, where the primary goal is achieving ability to communicate. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

It is argued that proposed integration of cultural studies into French studies threatens French language enrollments because of its nonliterary focus and de-emphasis of traditional instruction in western civilization. A fundamental conflict of perspectives of the two fields persists despite some efforts to reconcile them. (5 references) (MSE)

Describes an advanced French civilization course, some of the instructional materials used, and the teaching methods adopted. (AM)

Lists and describes several U.S. Government documents relating to France and French civilization. Their pedagogical value is also discussed. (DB)

Focuses on activities that took place in courses on contemporary French society. In these courses, students and instructor attempted to develop a series of analytical tools from a systematic body of visual, oral, and textual materials in order to increase cultural understanding and speech styles of French-speaking communities or social groups.…

The seven chapters in this reader include articles on Iranian history, geography, educational system, government, poets and poetry, and anecdotes. Accompanying cassettes are readings of the articles and vocabulary pronunciation practice. The reader includes an English-Persian word list. (DLI/JB)

The selections of Chinese writing included in this feature are an attempt to help listen to the collective voice of China, to provide teachers with materials which will help students place themselves within the Chinese culture. The article is divided into sections entitled Poetry, Peking Opera, Picture Story Books, Crosstalk, Kuaiban (Chinese…

Proposes the use of postage stamps as sources of information and visual aids in teaching the culture and civilization of the German Democratic Republic. Illustrates how stamps can provide interesting insights into areas such as history, economy, socio-political customs, foreign policy and the arts. (MES)

This is a discussion of the ten guidelines drawn up at the German Studies Conference, Bloomington, Indiana, 1972, entitled "Teaching Postwar Germany" in America. (Text is in German.) (TL)

This resource bibliography with over 500 descriptive annotations on Canada, a product of a conference on Canadian Studies held at the University of Maine, Orono, in September, 1969, is designed to make teachers of social studies and other fields at both the elementary and secondary levels more aware of the variety of available teaching materials…

This article provides an analysis of textbooks available for teaching French civilization and ranging in orientation from subjective, historical, geographical, cultural and sociological approaches to anthropological, semiotic, comparative and linguistic ones. The content and the format of the texts is dealt with, as well as various teaching…

Based on an examination of numerous manuals, the current content and approaches to the study of French contemporary civilization are presented. Analytic commentary is provided of the books considered. (SW)