This booklet on the metric system and its presentation in the foreign language class has three main sections: (1) background material, including a brief history of the metric system and a rationale for teaching it in the foreign language class; (2) information for the teacher; and (3) learning activities. The second section includes terminology,…

Students at Mountain View High School, California, are participating in an experimental foreign language program which is based on individualized instruction within a modular schedule. This collection of sample materials which students and parents receive reflects the goals and requirements of the program. Materials include: (1) program…

This guide is designed to hel teachers in all disciplines to expand students' awareness of foreign languages and their importance in career education. The guide urges interdisciplinary cooperation between foreign language instructors and other teachers. Study and activity suggestions using foreign languages are made for elementary, junior high and…

The degree of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with placement of some 1,300 students in modern language courses at the University of Washington, Seattle, is ascertained at the conclusion of a semester's study. Discussion of the means used for placement in five freshman and sophomore language courses is contrasted with results of a questionnaire…

THE INSTITUTE OFFERED TEACHERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THEIR LANGUAGE COMPETENCIES AND TEACHING SKILLS, AND TO EXAMINE, USE, AND EVALUATE NEW INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. THE CURRICULUM INCLUDED COURSES IN METHODS, THEORY OF SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING, AND CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS. THERE WERE ALSO WORKSHOPS FOR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY TEACHERS OF FRENCH…

Analyzes changes that have occurred in language and culture teaching in Spain, Italy, and France in each country's specific context and discusses the scientific and pedagogical implications of each country's early bilingual education developments. (Author/CB)

Language Lotto is a game to sensitize second language students to a variety of conversational strategies and to what is implicit in spoken discourse. (MSE)

Describes a specialized authoring system known as a template, which usually targets only one subject and one format at a time. A template called DICTATE, which allows teachers to use the dictation format to practice auditory discrimination, aural comprehension, and orthography is discussed in detail. (SED)

Describes intensive summer institutes designed for elementary and secondary school language teachers of French and Spanish. Objectives include: (1) revitalizing the participants' language capabilities, (2) increasing their knowledge of literature and culture, (3) exposing them to less traditional literature and culture, and (4) encouraging…

Describes the format and content of two four-week sessions of an intensive summer institute conducted at Purdue University to help meet the needs of secondary school teachers of French, German, and Spanish. Participants were enrolled in three different courses: the target language culture, conversation and composition, and the teaching of culture.…

Discusses research on secondary school students' language communication strategies. Shows that despite grammatical errors and limited vocabulary, even second year students can understand each other and are able to use paraphrases and circumlocutions. (EKN)

This paper outlines the notion of (non)nativeness, central to foreign language (FL) education, in terms of an overarching ideology of standardization. It focuses on French and Spanish, because they are the two most commonly taught languages in North American FL classrooms and they have been seen to represent two seemingly diverse attitudes toward…

This very brief paper is a description of a business course, "Business 350 Managing Diversity," at Elmhurst College in Illinois. The course is taught in an intensive 6-day, 42-hour format. The underlying philosophy of the course is that one becomes more open to the diversity of others by better understanding the diversity within oneself.…

Presents discussions that have taken place in an electronic forum by language lab professionals to discuss issues relevant to their everyday work. The discussions covered focus on the practicality of digital audio lab, good programs for instructional technology, "Systeme-D /Atajo" writing assistant programs for French and Spanish, and LCD…

Compares the acquisition of the syntax of negation in first-language development and second-language acquisition, particularly the acquisition of colloquial French and German by native speakers of Spanish. The comparison is intended to shed light on the principles and mechanisms underlying first- and second-language development. (67 references)…