Assesses the ambiguous relationship between linguistics and foreign language teaching, noting that budget cuts in foreign language departments usually mean loss of linguistics and literature, and bemoaning the loss of language teaching in higher education based on formal elements of language (grammar, syntax, morphology) in favor of a…

Describes a French department's efforts to free itself of course sequences organized by century, questions the value of curriculum based primarily on the past and recommends that faculty members be more open to new approaches made accessible through theater, cinema, and cultural studies. (Author/VWL)

If comparative literature's current emphasis on literary theory is balanced by its participation in a practical and well-calibrated international studies curriculum, it may have arrived at a comprehensive definition of its nature and mission as an academic discipline. (CB)

Describes the Chinese-language program at Portland State University. Elements of this program include newspaper and classical courses; textbooks from China, Taiwan, and English-speaking countries; the use of characters on the first day; and a diverse student body. The university's goal is to make a solid Chinese education available to anyone in…

Urges foreign language departments at colleges and universities to take advantage of what is new--student demographics, academic preparation, the position of the humanities in society--and regard it as an opportunity to rethink the curriculum. Provides a six-stage outline of the process, from taking stock of what faculty members and their fields…

Provides an overview of Japanese second-language instruction in the United States. Suggests that, despite the quality and amount of resources, many Japanese programs are in an unstable situation. Discusses a project in Colorado that is working toward the common goals of Japanese instruction at the secondary and postsecondary levels. (Author/VWL)

Makes a case for studying the truly foreign languages--the less commonly taught languages. Discusses the needs and ramifications of supervising the teaching of less commonly taught languages, covering the nature of the curriculum, the state of the field, and available resources. (Author/VWL)

Focuses on the role of community colleges as education providers for population segments needing foreign language education. The article emphasizes the need to hire foreign language teachers with appropriate credentials, qualifications, and motivation and delineates interviews conducted with potential teaching candidates. (one reference) (CK)

Discusses critical issues facing the languages across the curriculum (LAC) movement. These include benefits to students derived from LAC offerings, effective curriculum design and teaching methods, benefits of LAC to teachers in other fields, and justification of the costs of long-term institutional support. (40 references) (CK)

A rationale is presented for improving the curricular design of intermediate- or advanced-level writing classes for foreign language majors. Seven practical guidelines include the following: the writing course should have its own place in the curriculum but should not stand alone as the sole undergraduate writing experience in the second language.…

The predicament of foreign languages in a liberal arts setting is addressed. It is suggested that bilingual language competency cannot be realized without an extraordinary increase in foreign language instruction and second-culture instruction: an extra year of undergraduate study combined with study abroad. (32 references) (LB)

Argues that a gap exists in university-level foreign-language curriculum that requires a "bridge," that is, a course designed to take students from where they are to where they should be to study for a foreign-language major and describes the bridge course in Hispanic culture at the University of New Mexico. (four references) (CK)

Discussion of the role of literature in the college second-language program, and in liberal arts education in general, argues that it is an ethical obligation to teach literary competence, or literary sensitivity, in the language of the author, because the "great books" are those that combine stylistic refinement with deep insight into the human…

Argues that, although it is worthwhile to teach literature in its original language, there is merit to teaching foreign language literature in translation. Most college-level language teachers have the language competence to teach literature in English, and if it's not taught in the language department, it may be taught in the English department,…

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)…