Explores the concept and goals of a "full-service" college foreign language department, which would offer a wide variety of courses and programs, reach out to a broad segment of the academic community, and attempt to develop collaborative, mutually beneficial programs with other departments. (CB)

Argues for the viability of international education as the primary guiding principle for foreign language education, pointing out how foreign language programs can teach about language, history, values, and beliefs of other national groups and foster more effective interactions in political, cultural, economic, and global realms. (15 references)…

Explores recent reports on the state of education and on the language education profession's response to recommendations for improving instruction and suggests that language educators unite to clarify for the profession and for others what is being done in foreign language education. (CB)

Analyzes the objectives of foreign language teaching at the higher education level from the perspective of languages for specific purposes (LSP) and suggests that specifying the purpose of language teaching objectives in foreign language degree programs can contribute both to the practical relevance of graduates' proficiency and to the inner…

Twelve public universities in Colombia, responding to a questionnaire regarding the current status of English for specific purposes, indicated that they distinguished between general English classes for persons specializing in languages and special classes for those studying other fields through program organization, instructors, goals and…

Discusses whether the goal of language proficiency is reasonable or even possible given the language textbooks available. Examines the description of the French language in college-level French language textbooks (all of which take a structural approach) to see if they lend themselves to the acquisition of a functional speaking ability. (SED)