Foreign language and bilingual educators are in the unique position of being able to bring the world to their classrooms via the telecommunications technologies. Telecommunication is electronic communication over long distances by means of an online computer service, a telephone, a television, a satellite, or other long distance technologies. This…

In the field of English language teaching (ELT), a growing number of teachers are not native speakers of English. Some learned English as children; others learned it as adults. Some learned it prior to coming to the United States; others learned it after their arrival. Some studied English in formal academic settings; others learned it through…

This digest focuses on teaching integrated skills in the English-as-a-Second/Foreign-Language classroom (ESL/EFL). Segregated-skill instruction is examined and two types of integrated-skills instruction are highlighted: content-based instruction and task-based instruction. The advantages of integrated-skill instruction are discussed, and five…

This digest reviews the current status of pronunciation instruction in adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes. The current focus on communicative approaches to ESL instruction and the concern for building teamwork and communication skills in an increasingly diverse workplace are renewing interest in the role that pronunciation plays in…

This digest focuses on the American Council on the Speaking of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Speaking Proficiency Guidelines. The history and development of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines (originally, the ACTFL Provisional Proficiency Guidelines) are reviewed, the generic characteristics of each level of the speaking guidelines are presented in…

This digest provides a detailed description of the Program in Interpreting and Translating at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. Specific sections address the following: (1) the degree emphasis; (2) formal training and professional relevance; (3) departmental provision for interpreting and translating; (4) the expertise and experience…

This digest examines ways in which the foreign language laboratory can serve to support communicative approaches to language instruction by becoming interactive. Although, in one sense, this can be achieved through the acquisition of interactive hardware, this paper focuses on the pedagogical approaches to language lab use that create interaction…

Language Acquisition is determined by a complex interaction of a number of critical input, output, and context variables. This digest examines these variables and reveals that cooperative learning has a dramatic positive impact on almost all of the variables critical to language acquisition. The examination looks at how cooperative learning…

This digest summarizes the history of public libraries and library literacy programs; describes current delivery models; and discusses initiatives in library literacy, profiling one successful public library program that serves adult English language learners and their families. (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education) (Author/VWL)

After providing an overview of Internet, this Digest outlines information and services that Internet can make available. Specific focus is on the following: (1) electronic mail; (2) remote access to library and other databases; (3) subscription to lists and other electronic fora; (4) subscription to electronic journals; and (5) file transfer. A…

These six briefs summarize what researchers and practitioners have learned on several education-related subjects. They can be used by educators and community organizations in newsletters, handbooks, and school calendars. In "Foreign Languages in America? Gimme a Break!" a case is made for the importance of foreign language instruction for students…

The oral interview (OI) was developed to meet the need for a testing procedure of second language speaking skills. It has been refined and expanded several times since first developed in the 1950's for use by the U.S. Government. Now known as the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages/Educational Testing Services (ACTFL/ETS) scale,…

This digest discusses the assessment of proficiency in a foreign language for credit in higher education. This refers to the process of awarding academic credit for tested proficiency in a foreign language rather than for the number of years a student has spent studying a particular language. The Proficiency Guidelines of the American Council for…

Various elementary school foreign language programs (FLES) are introduced, including, regular FLES, content-based FLES, and exploratory foreign language programs (FLEX), and a description of each of the programs is presented. The following questions are addressed: (1) Where should FLES programs meet? (2) How are FLES and FLEX programs staffed? (3)…

This publication is divided into two parts. The first part, "Study Abroad for High School Age Youth: Status, Purposes, and Proposed Directions," is by Stephen H. Rhinesmith. This article describes the status of study abroad programs in secondary education, discusses the purposes of such study, and proposes directions for future developments that…