Discusses heritage language students enrolled in Spanish as a foreign language courses. Students and teaching assistants answered questionnaires about course experiences and decisions. Results illustrate student perceptions about their level of expertise in Spanish, the advantages and disadvantages of having heritage fluency in a class of native…

Argues that despite the decline in enrollments in German at elementary and secondary schools and colleges and universities, there is reason to hope that interest can be invigorated. Suggests that there are easy instructional methods and materials for developing a new motivation in learning the language. (Author/VWL)

Persistent low numbers of African Americans in the foreign language teacher certification program at the University of Texas at Austin motivated the study reported here. Two groups of students responded to a questionnaire that sought information on foreign language experience at elementary and high school, as well as family experiences in foreign…

Adults learning English as a Second Language (ESL) come from different cultures and countries, vary in their education backgrounds, and have diverse reasons for learning English. While reports of overcrowded classrooms and long waiting lists for classes might indicate that intensive outreach and retention efforts are not necessary, many successful…

A discussion of the status of German second language instruction, particularly at the postsecondary level, focuses on the role of standards, curriculum, and testing in increasing interest in and support for foreign language education. A substantial decline in German enrollments in the first half of the 1990s is noted, and possible reasons are…

THIS ENROLLMENT SURVEY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDY IN RELIGIOUS SECONDARY SCHOOLS IS THE COMPANION PIECE TO FIVE OTHERS CONDUCTED BY THE MODERN LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION IN THE FALL TERM OF 1959, THE TERM SELECTED AS THE NORM FOR FUTURE CALCULATIONS. THE INTRODUCTORY SURVEY OF THE GROSS NATIONAL PICTURE WITH AN ANALYSIS OF ATTRITION AMONG FOREIGN…

The status of foreign language instruction in American education is the focus of the introductory remarks in this paper. The role of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages; current enrollment trends in language programs; and trends in teaching methods, teacher education, and the job market are briefly examined. A prognosis of…

The statistical data provided here were collected for the survey of foreign language registrations in institutions of higher education, fall 1974. The data were keypunched in 1975, and for this reason each page of the printout bears the heading "Language Survey 1975." However, all figures refer to language registrations reported for the…

The rapid growth of two-year colleges and their emphasis on transfer programs appear to have stimulated changes in modern foreign language curricula. Although curricula still depend on senior institution requirements, innovations emphasizing student needs and practical aspects of language learning are taking hold in curriculum design. (Author)

The most common reason given by students for not continuing in foreign language courses is a poor teacher. Efforts, therefore, must be made to admit and retain only qualified language instructors. (CFM)

The Chicago Board of Education's testing and tutoring program allows high school students to qualify for advanced classes, independent study, and credit in 29 foreign languages. Tapping the city's diverse ethnic resources for materials preparation and tutoring, the program has increased language enrollments by motivating students to explore their…

Describes strategies used at Christopher Newport College to encourage enrollments in intermediate and advanced foreign language courses. The college offers language minors to students in most other majors; these minors offer individualized specialization in the student's area of interest. (RM)

Discusses declining enrollments in German as a foreign language programs and what can be done to offset the erosion in small undergraduate programs. Twelve ways to attract students to German, ranging from placement strategy to technology, and fifteen ways to retain them, such as offering German social events and internships, are presented.…

Discusses the challenges and difficulties of Slavic languages, a field that is notoriously cyclical and is currently at the bottom of a cycle. The article chronicles the history of Slavic studies in relation to political developments since World War II, draws parallels between current trends in Slavic and other modern language programs, and sees…

Although intensive English programs (IEPs) in the United States have mushroomed in recent years, this trend may be slowing, an indirect result of changes in government policy toward immigration, reduced foreign student enrollment growth, and increasing competition from other English-speaking countries. In addition, evidence suggests some IEP…