Analyzes the different types of texts that can be used in the teaching of Italian as a foreign language. Based on their communicative function, the texts are divided into the following categories: description, narration, instruction, argumentation, and exposition. Grids with examples of each type of text are included. (CFM)

Research among workers and entrepreneurs in three ethnic groups found that (1) ethnic employees in an enclave environment receive rewards in some ways superior to those available to their counterparts in the secondary sectors, and (2) special linkages exist between ethnic businesses that facilitate the prosperity of these companies in the…

This report focuses on the ninth year in which the Centre for Language and Communication Studies (CLCS) at the University of Dublin Trinity College offered foreign language modules to students who were not studying a foreign language as part of their degree program. The modules are designed to develop students' communication skills for purposes of…

This glossary is designed for users seeking to further understanding in the field of vocational training in the European Union. It was compiled by vocational training experts who were responsible for the contributions from their own countries and collated results. Contributions from individual countries have been written by the experts or compiled…

The comprehension of sentences expressing instigative causation was investigated in children aged two to four speaking English, Italian, Serbo-Croatian, and Turkish. Cross-linguistic differences in development revealed the roles of morphological and syntactic devices in processing these constructions. The word order systems of English and Italian…

This report states specific steps to follow in order to achieve the primary objectives of the Modern Language Association/American Council of Learned Societies Task Force, to improve the quantity and quality of second-language study in the commonly taught languages in the United States. (CFM)

Discusses what constitutes adequate language proficiency on the part of the language teacher for the classroom and the problems associated with defining and measuring the language skills of language teachers. Considers these issues in the context of an Italian language proficiency project undertaken at the University of Melbourne, Australia. (39…

Illustrates how to use ethnographic techniques to acquire a better understanding of classroom dynamics. The article focuses on the characterization of "success" in an Italian class through analysis of interaction patterns and purposes of the participants. Findings reveal the need for a continuity of teacher and students' goals, methods, and forms…

Argues that teaching about Italian dialects ought to form an integral part of the Italian curriculum and offers ideas on what could be included in such a course. Points out that the study of these dialects can teach students about the history and synchronic structures of standard Italian as well as the role of Italian sociolinguistics as it…

Examines the conflict between students' focus on learning the grammar and vocabulary of a foreign language instead of considering the culture that lies beneath the target language, in this case, Italian. Suggestions are made for overcoming the practical difficulty of imposing a language as a cultural entity upon the students. (25 references) (CK)

Examines how the significant sociocultural changes that took place in Hungary in the 1990s affected school children's language-related attitudes and language learning motivation concerning five target languages: English, German, French, Italian, and Russian. Analyses are based on survey data collected from 13- and 14-year-old pupils in 1993 and…

Briefly describes how Bristol Cathedral School uses a satellite dish and videotape recorder to gain access to French, German, Italian, and Spanish language television. Class and individual activities are mentioned that utilize prerecorded programs. Techniques for management of videocassettes and for selection of programs are also presented. (LMO)

Presents a historic overview and analysis of the Sardinian language (actually a system of dialects), and defines diglossia and bilingualism. A discussion focuses on research conducted in two junior high schools to determine the differences in linguistic behavior in two contrasting situations (village and city) in regard to Sardinian and Italian.…

Discusses the nature of good writing strategies, illustrates principles of correction and evaluation, and describes the elements of a writing curriculum for college students of Italian. The author suggests a series of writing activities and evaluation criteria to assess writing proficiency at beginning and intermediate levels. (26 references) (CK)

After a brief summary of the literature on interference and code switching, research with adult Sardinians living in Rome is discussed to determine the relationship between dialectal phonological interference and the degree of identification with the new culture. (26 references) (CFM)