Discusses the possibility of anxiety in response to foreign- or second-language reading. Introduces the construct of foreign-language reading anxiety, offers a scale for its measurement, and reports on a preliminary study of reading anxiety in 30 intact first-semester classes of Spanish, Russian, and Japanese. (VWL)

This paper discusses an approach to foreign language teaching and learning that is being used to teach Russian to students at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, and English to students at Moscow State University in Russia. The approach relies on an alphabetical list of nearly 4,000 cognates and semi-cognates recognizable in both languages,…

This article reports on progress in three areas of research and development in computer-assisted language learning at Rutgers University: the IBM Coursewriter III used for grammar drills; ATS, used for tutorials; the devising of standardized routines and model statements. Accompanying charts illustrate the way computers are used for drills. (CLK)

This course blueprint was first drawn up in 1968 and was later coordinated by the Department of Russian at Birmingham University. Problems of self-instructional courses, details of a particular Russian course and why it had to be changed, and possible improvements for similar course are given. (SC)

Evaluation of the Russian oral and written proficiency of third-year university students (N=9) suggested a clear relationship between the students' initial oral proficiency ratings and the grammatical accuracy of their written compositions; the lower a student's oral proficiency rating, the greater the average number of written mistakes, and vice…

Analyzes representative texts now in use in undergraduate Russian instruction, and seeks to stimulate investigation of texts which may have been overlooked in this survey. (AM)

A study investigated the use of teasing as a teaching technique in a first-year college-level Russian class at a major university in California. The instructor is a native Russian speaker, and the class consisted of nine undergraduate students. A review of literature on teasing reveals its dual nature for conveying both a literal message of insult…

Describes experiment at Trinity College in Dublin in teaching Russian to future language teachers with objectives of sensitizing future teachers to problems of language learners and research. (BK)

Reports on a series of tests made to determine whether a correlation exists between modes of testing and the ability of Russian language students to place stress correctly. Contrary to the hypothesis, it was found that a significant variation did occur in the results obtained both for test type and test modality. (16 references) (MDM)

Examines whether mnemonic strategies can be successfully applied to the learning of a non-Roman foreign-language alphabet. Students were given materials presenting Russian letters and their English sounds on each page. Beneath each letter was a mnemonic. Findings indicate that these strategies enhance the learning speed of non-Roman…

This study was prepared to provide a convenient compendium of data for those participating in a conference on "Russian and Soviet Studies in the United States" held at the Institute of Advanced Studies in Princeton, New Jersey, in May, 1972. The purpose of the conference and of the study was to assess the state of teaching and research…

The final project report on development of an advanced Russian language listening and reading proficiency test is presented. It summarizes activities in the second year of the project, including dissemination of summer 1985 test validation results to participating higher education institutions, item analyses, completion of the final test edition,…

The lexical approach to teaching Russian grammar is explained, an instructional sequence is outlined, and a classroom study testing the effectiveness of the approach is reported. The lexical approach draws on research on cognitive psychology, second language acquisition theory, and research on learner language. Its bases in research and its…

The development of Russian language study in Australia since 1946 is described. A chart shows composition of Russian departments in Australian universities. Suggestions for promotion of Russian study are made. (RM)