Reviews research on proficiency levels attained by foreign language students, and describes an advanced Russian conversation course, which is geared toward students who have achieved intermediate-mid or intermediate-high oral proficiency and who are striving towards advanced level speech according to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign…

Describes the implementation of a "cyclic," practical model-based syllabus in a short pre-service teacher training course. Makes a case for an overt model-based approach to initial teacher training, with reference to recent developments in cognitive psychology. Research carried out on a model-based approach is presented. (Author/VWL)

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the applicability of task-based language teaching (TBLT) to state secondary foreign language classes. After discussion of method in general, TBLT is defined and its particularities described. Tasks are assessed as the basis for syllabus and then as the basis for method. In both cases, the proposals are…

In this study we identify some of the phonetic parameters that correlate with nonnative speakers' (NNSs) perceptual judgments of accent in English and investigate NNS listener perceptions of English from a World Englishes point of view. Our main experiment involved 3,200 assessments of the perceived degree of accent in English of two speaker…

The Somerset CSE Mode III integrated European Studies syllabus, which contains a French language course, is aimed at the lower and below CSE candidate. The second language element of the course is described and reasons for constructing such a course for less able students are discussed. (RM)

A course in Italian literature is outlined for the advanced high-school and the third-year college level, using a thematic approach. The choice of theme in this case is the city, specifically Rome. (AM)

The traditional secondary school language program with a sequential four-level format is being questioned; an alternative is a series of mini-courses elected by students after the second level of language study. Such courses are topic-oriented and may cover any field, from everyday conversation and journalism to an overview of literature or…

To meet the need for a short, self-instructional, tactical language course in a Far Eastern tonal language of potential military significance, a course in Mandarin Chinese was developed by adapting the methods described in Subtask CONTACT II with reference to a European language (Russian). The purpose of the course was to enable combat soldiers to…

Focuses on the input of a communicative writing syllabus that can be organized in terms of "rhetorical coherence" (concerned with the function and the act a piece of writing fulfills) and "text-forming resources" (the resources in English for making a piece of writing a text). (CFM)

This very brief paper is a description of a business course, "Business 350 Managing Diversity," at Elmhurst College in Illinois. The course is taught in an intensive 6-day, 42-hour format. The underlying philosophy of the course is that one becomes more open to the diversity of others by better understanding the diversity within oneself.…

Describes a certificate program in German popular universities, designed for adult students of French and based on communication needs and linguistic objectives. (AM)

Describes methods used to teach mathematical French in various institutions in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. (AM)

This paper describes a course in English as a second language developed primarily for medical students. The format and methods could be adapted, however, to any program concerned with teaching students to function in a profession involving a great deal of oral communication. (Author/CFM)

Examines the effectiveness of asynchronous electronic discussion assignments in university-level language courses. An exploration of syllabus issues provides some insights. (Author/VWL)

Describes the components, course objectives, texts and materials, and structure and assignment of The American University's translation course, which hones students' foreign language competence through its focus on the short-term goal of attention to subtleties of meaning in the foreign language and nuance of expression in English. (CB)