This document is one of a series of guides to self-evaluation which builds on the advice given in the publication "How good is our school?" (2002 edition). This guide should be used to evaluate the quality of educational provision for bilingual learners, principally those who are learning English as an additional language (throughout the…

Presents the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages' provisional generic descriptions for nine levels (novice-low, novice-mid, novice-high, advanced, advanced plus, and superior) in the following areas: (1) speaking, (2) listening, (3) reading, (4) writing, and for six levels in culture. (SED)

This digest provides useful information on starting an elementary school foreign language (FLES) program. Individual sections address the following: (1) cautions in planning a FLES program; (2) initiating the planning process; (3) designing the program, with special attention given to scheduling and language choice; (4) programs that lead to high…

Guidelines for Hebrew language proficiency are presented in two companion volumes which are identical except that one gives examples of various linguistic forms in Hebrew and the other provides them in Roman script. These guidelines are based on the generic guidelines published in 1986 by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.…

Decries the emphasis in foreign language curricula on rapid attainment of speaking skills. Advocates eliminating formal speaking exercises and focusing on reading and writing skills, with intensive English grammar review at regular intervals, for the first two years of foreign language training. (SR)

Language qualifications and graduates are likely to be in demand in the 1990s and in the future. In response to this demand, this book provides information and advice to sixth formers (British students aged 16 or more) who wish to extend their study of languages and to equip themselves with marketable linguistic skills. The book will also provide…

The communication difficulties of foreign teaching assistants (TA) in U.S. colleges are addressed in 11 articles, with attention to the problems of the TA system as a whole in the spirit of international educational exchange. Titles and authors include the following: "'The Foreign TA Problem'" (Kathleen M. Bailey); 'Toward an Anthropology of the…

Speaking a second language is probably the most difficult skill to test in that it involves a combination of skills that may have no correlation with each other, and which do not lend themselves to objective testing. In addition, what can be understood is a function of the listener's background and ability as well as those of the speaker. Another…

A manual for use in training French and Spanish language examiners at the Foreign Service Institute is presented here. After a discussion of the history of the language proficiency test and of the testing procedure and evaluation techniques, the following topics are covered: (1) language proficiency ratings based on the absolute criterion of the…

This booklet explains that teachers need to upgrade the strategies they use to help students who are learning English as a Second Language (ESL), describing several strategies that have been derived from advances in bilingual education and ESL research during the last 20 years. The introduction explains first language acquisition. The next section…

The MEXUS program, a transnational, undergraduate, dual-degree program in the United States and Mexico, addresses the problem of how universities can better prepare students to manage business in an interdependent global marketplace. The program was initiated as a consortium of four institutions (San Diego State University and Southwestern College…