In language teaching, it has been universally acknowledged that students need not just knowledge and skill in the grammar of a language but also the ability to use the language in socially and culturally appropriate ways. In this article Michael Byram, who has been working on Intercultural Competence for quite some time in a variety of different…

Describes the systematic planning and subsequent implementation and evaluation of a systemwide Spanish program at the elementary level in a small school district in suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Discusses active participation by all senior administrators, the ways in which the language program has been incorporated into the overall curriculum…

Examined beliefs and perceptions of practicing professionals and those in leadership positions regarding developing and maintaining dual immersion programs to produce long-lasting language policy reform, language transformation, and a restructured school culture. Based on combined findings of the surveys and interviews, the factors that are most…

Describes the creation, content, and implementation of SALSA, a program developed to provide elementary school students in pre-kindergarten through second grade with their first experience with Spanish language and culture. After a short introduction in English, SALSA uses only Spanish for instruction. (Author/VWL)

Describes the successful organization of 2 foreign language days for middle school students and provides a synopsis of why an immersion day is an important activity and what steps a teacher might take in order to attempt such an endeavor. Guidelines for planning an immersion day are included. (Author/VWL)

Describes successful techniques for teaching mathematics through a foreign language (in this case Spanish). These techniques include using calendar and graphing activities, incorporating mathematics into the morning message, using cloze patterns, solving word problems, using the language of metacognition, and finding math happenings in everyday…

Describes a lesson that is part of a summer enrichment program in Japanese language and culture and is taught by Interactive Distance Learning (IDL) through the Southeast Kansas Education Center. The class is designed for students going into Grades 4, 5, and 6 and runs 2 hours daily for 2 weeks. (Author/VWL)

Describes the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program. GLOBE is a worldwide network of teachers and students representing over 6,500 schools in more than 75 countries. It is an excellent vehicle for learning a foreign language while exploring science, mathematics, social studies, and technology, providing a…

Provides insight into the teaching of modern languages to young learners in Hungary. Demonstrates how different the educational context is from the United States and how the Prussian educational tradition still influences today's processes. Also discussed are language teachers, resources of early language programs, young learners' attitudes and…

Discusses how foreign language teachers at Bay Point Elementary School in Pinellas County, Florida have worked to align assessment with the teaching process. Assessment goals, materials, parent communication, the process, benefits, and evaluation results of the assessment program are highlighted. (Author/VWL)

Describes a successful early start, long sequence Japanese foreign language in the elementary school (FLES) program that was identified as one of seven model programs in a national project funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Highlights literacy instruction in Japanese, student assessment, language camps, visits to Japan, parent…