Examines the difficulties students face in making the transition from skills acquisition courses to the study of literature in college foreign language programs. Proposes the creation of a series of courses that emphasize the development of both communicative skills and the analytical tools needed for the study of literature. (SED)

Suggests the following methods for improving university-level German language education curricula: reduce skill-development time through immersion programs, adopt Zertifikat Deutsch als Fremdsprache as the proficiency standard for advanced students, and include literature from a variety of liberal arts disciplines in the reading materials for…

Recapitulates some of the findings of the President's Commission on Foreign Language and International Studies decrying "Americans' incompetence in foreign languages". Criticizes certain attitudes and practices prevalent among university language professors, such as their indifference to the practical purposes of foreign language…

A discussion of articulation in second language education between instructional levels looks at the current state of articulation, issues in the transition from secondary to higher education, and proposes a new approach that shifts the focus from product to process. Three forms of articulation are distinguished: vertical; horizontal; and…

This digest focuses on the articulation of foreign language programs between secondary and higher education. The following questions are addressed: (1) What are urgent reasons for better program articulation?; (2) What forms does articulation take?; (3) What aspects of the educational process does articulation address?; (4) Are there examples of…

Examines the needs and concerns of college faculty members regarding the departmental ambience in undergraduate teaching and the difficulty of integrating research and teaching. The article advocates interdepartmental cooperation and resource sharing to foster positive change in faculty members' fields and to resolve the problems of faculty and…

A discussion of the status of German second language instruction, particularly at the postsecondary level, focuses on the role of standards, curriculum, and testing in increasing interest in and support for foreign language education. A substantial decline in German enrollments in the first half of the 1990s is noted, and possible reasons are…

Presents a survey of the state of the language art, pointing at its incongruity with present educational enterprise and sociocultural trends. Suggests an early introduction to language studies based on cooperation with primary and secondary schools, an interdisciplinary approach to curriculum design, and a strong advocacy of liberal arts studies.…

A discussion of articulation in second language education programs looks at issues in the transition of language learners from one educational institution to another, particularly from the secondary level to higher education, and proposes a process-oriented model for addressing these issues. It first defines the terminology of articulation…

Examines challenges facing scholarship in cultural fields at the university level. These challenges include economic concerns, political hostility, and a change in the status of foreign literatures. Departments of foreign languages and literatures must redefine their goal as foreign cultural literacy in order to remain viable. (nine references)…

Chronicles the steps taken in developing a curricular project to design, implement, and evaluate a simulation business course for beginners learning Japanese at the university level. The steps in developing the program, from the selection of materials to the evaluation of the entire project, are presented together with insights gained from the…

Analyzes 15 ongoing foreign language program articulation projects that demonstrate what can be accomplished toward establishing coherent sequences, goals, and assessments. (51 references) (CK)

A discussion of second-language curricula in South Australian universities looks at sources of influence on course offerings and content, including institutional administrative structures, institutional approach to organization of the curriculum, the recent reorganization of Australian postsecondary institutions, and government policy. (MSE)

The three papers in this report address the need for the inclusion of a business component in the foreign language curriculum, discussing instructional materials, teaching methods, and course design for the different levels of instruction from elementary school through college. The introductory paper, "The Business Component and FLS" by Louise R.…

A study was undertaken to assess the adequacy of current Master's and doctoral English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and applied linguistics program curricula in preparing administrators acquainted with administrative theories. Secondary objectives were to determine the appropriateness of such programs in preparing students for teaching, research,…