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)…

Traces the standards for foreign language learning as a template for an integrated second language reading curriculum (Grades 4-16), and argues for the early inclusion of authentic reading materials in the second language classroom. (Author/VWL)

In this article, the author describes the place of the oral proficiency guidelines as the only nationally recognized criteria for the assessment of communicative competence in speaking across languages and discusses learning outcomes studies based on the proficiency guidelines. The guidelines are now 20 years old, but learning outcomes are not…

Three papers on the outlook for second language teaching and learning introduce the conference on second language curriculum and evaluation. "My Story of Language Teaching" (Andrew Wright) describes a variety of personal and professional experiences in the course of 50 years of language teaching, each highlighting emerging social values…

Conference papers on bilingualism and children are presented, including: "The Nurture and Nature of Bilingual Acquisition" (Laurel Kamada, Liu Xing-Ying, Willeta Silva, Mary Goebel Noguchi); "Early English Acquisition in the EFL Situation" (Soo-Woong Ahn); "Age Factors and Language Proficiency in Child SLA" (Kazuko Yumoto); and "Development of…

The ability to communicate in a foreign language requires more than linguistic accuracy. To understand and be understood by others requires the ability to recognize cultural differences. For example, polite behavior in one language may not be the social equivalent in another language. In order to acquire cultural competence, students have to…

The new secondary education curriculum in Malaysia, which uses an approach integrating skill development, content knowledge, and values, is examined from the perspective of language teaching and learning. Specific attention is given to the ways that curriculum and materials design can contribute to overall student development, the primary…

The National Core French Study had the objectives of defining and developing four syllabuses and assessing their applicability in Core French classes in Canadian elementary and secondary schools. The general language education syllabus discussed here is intended to improve the psychological conditions for second language learning by adding to…

Research pertaining to adult second-language learning from television is reviewed. It is proposed that course design and marketing must begin with considerations of basic factors such as students' needs, nature of the target language, the uses to be made of the language, and the linguistic skills being taught. Decisions can be made best by keeping…

An annotated bibliography of 224 items drawn from the literature on instruction in English as a second language (ESL) includes citations from bibliographic databases (Educational Resources Information Center, Bilingual Education Bibliographic Abstracts, Bilingual Research On-Line, and Microcomputer Courseware Resource On-Line), professional…

This pamphlet presents a rationale for the study of Latin during a period in which the relevance of foreign language instruction is being questioned. Observations on the value of language awareness, historical perspective, and the development of sound judgment support recommendations that the American Classical League and curriculum planners…

Language instruction for business students at Nijenrode College, Holland, is the focus of this article. The basic philosophy and development of the program currently offered are aimed at improving better coordination among departments in order to provide students with an integrated set of faculties which will qualify them to perform the functions…

Explains the language program options available for Hispanic students. Defines bilingual education and its purposes. Explains the following aspects of the Integral Education model: primary curriculum focus on English, primary opportunities for oral Spanish, intermediate classes in the Spanish language, and transitional assistance. (DMM)

This article discusses the value of the notional-functional approach to language teaching and considers some sociolinguistic, psycholinguistic, and linguistic features of the notional-functional syllabus. (CFM)