The globalisation of higher education and the resultant increase in the cultural and linguistic diversity of the student body has cast the spotlight on English language proficiency as never before. How universities best assess applicants' linguistic suitability for their future degree studies, set appropriate proficiency thresholds, and put in…

The incorporation of intercultural competence (IC) in higher education (HE), through the internationalization of the curriculum (IoC) faces challenges associated with policy and programing, levels of support, staff and faculty preparedness, and skill development opportunities for students. The premise is that IC can be better integrated in IoC…

The initial response to COVID-19 exposed widespread racism and Sinophobia across the world, which contributed to a rethinking of equality and diversity in Higher Education (HE) and beyond. Within Modern Languages, much attention has been placed on decolonising the curriculum. The death of George Floyd in 2020 further contributed to an increased…

Many of the actions of Colombia's National Programme for the Development of Foreign Languages (Programa Nacional de Desarrollo de Lenguas Extranjeras--PNDLE) have been carried out in elementary and secondary education, but there is not much information about its impact in institutions of higher education. The aim of this article is to present the…

Describes a series of courses developed by Seattle University's foreign language department in cooperation with the professor of military science which tries to relate foreign language study to the specific needs of the ROTC cadets. The normal five-quarter credit course has been restructured into a series of variable credit courses. (SED)

Integration of Francophone culture into the language curriculum rests on a suggested three-step approach, involving extensive student research. Goals are (1) recognition of the geography of French-speaking regions; (2) sensitivity to cultural components (e.g., music, art); and (3) familiarity with at least one significant political, historical,…

The revision of an intermediate-level college French grammar course whose enrollment had been falling steadily is described. The three goals were (1) building on aural-oral competence gained earlier; (2) rigorous and systematic introduction to reading and writing skills; and (3) preservation of enthusiasm built in a newly revamped introductory…

Explores issues relating to the formulation of policy for summer programs for language learning, describing one university's experience with student demand, student motivation and progress, course timing and structure, academic staffing, administrative organization, student and staff evaluation, and funding. (three references) (CB)

Foreign language teachers' catalog course descriptions are criticized for using inappropriate arguments for them and for not clearly articulating the need for language study. These arguments favoring language study are categorized as sociopolitical, instrumental, and cognitive, and are examined individually. (MSE)

Discusses a four-year project now in the second year at Earlham College to increase the use both by faculty and students of foreign languages. Provides the background to the project, the detailed objectives, and abbreviated comments on accomplishments to date. (EKN)

Describes the development of and the reaction to a course in Business French at the University of Hawaii. Its success, coupled with its recognition by state and academic officials, brought about the initiation of similar courses in other languages and the development of French for travel industry management majors. (SED)

Describes two departments that house both English and foreign languages, one at a small private liberal arts college and the other at a regional state university. Discusses some of the problems that occurred when the two disciplines were combined and the surprising advantages of such a collaboration. (SED)

Describes two NEH sponsored workshops for the development of foreign language and literature programs which took place at the San Francisco and Houston MLA meetings in 1979 and 1980. Resulting efforts to strengthen foreign language programs as essential components of humanistic education are illustrated by reports from 1979 workshop participants.…

Reviews research about orality and literacy. Since foreign language students are already somewhat literate in a first language, the traditional orality-based foreign language teaching should be revised to first teach reading and writing, the literacy skills. (DJD)

Foreign Language across the Curriculum (FLAC), a practice that modifies non-FL liberal arts courses to include an FL reading component, is described as implemented at two private colleges. It is concluded that FLAC offers only a token FL benefit to most students. (33 references) (LB)