The problems investigated in the present study are the identification of the most effective type of presentation of dialogues in language instruction--auditory, orthographic, or some combination of the two--and the measurement of the accuracy of pronunciation and the amount of dialogue retained by the student. The controlled experiment, performed…

This report contrasts the results of a rigidly specified, pattern-oriented approach to learning Spanish with an approach that emphasizes the origination of sentences by the learner in direct response to stimuli. Pretesting and posttesting statistics are presented and conclusions are discussed. The experimental method, which required the student to…

This three-month project utilized commercially prepared programed materials in French, German, and Spanish instruction for eighth graders selected for high language aptitude and above average ability. Interviews with participating students made after the completion of the project are the basis of the project evaluation which includes…

A 10-year educational experiment being conducted in England in which 18,000 elementary school students are taught French by non-specialist teachers is described. The methods used rely extensively on audiovisual materials. Discussion focuses on the following factors affecting the program: (1) sex of the student, (2) socioeconomic status, (3)…

This report of an educational experiment compares the methods and evaluates the results of two instructional approaches to language learning. The "community learning" method, in which emotional factors are believed crucial in the development of the instructional method, and a traditional approach are compared as to their effectiveness in the areas…

The transformational-generative concept of language learning as constructing a theory about language inspired this experiment. Language performance developed by a method of language learning designed to help the student study about a second language through manipulative exercises was compared to language performance developed by a method not…

This study is designed to compare "traditional" and "immersion" methods of language instruction to determine whether the latter is a viable alternative in four-year, secondary-school language programs. Both methods are evaluated on the basis of student achievement in comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing skills in Spanish. The hypothesis…

An experiment in programed language instruction based on the "Basic French" method of T. Mueller and H. Niedzielski is reviewed in this paper. Seventy-two civil servants participated in the program which provided for 60 hours of taped instruction. Experiment description, objectives, modifications, and a review of the structuring of lessons 1-20…

This study explores the relationships between a child's discriminatory abilities in the areas of pitch, intensity, rhythm, timbre, and tonal memory and his capacity to comprehend and speak the Spanish language. The Spanish accent is analyzed on the basis of intonation, stress, sinalepha, and phone production. These factors were tested both in…

There is a need for empirical investigation of the optimal length for drill sentences at various states of second language learning. This paper reports the results of a study that explores the effects of sentence length and grammatical structure on the ability of foreign students to repeat English sentences. It was hypothesized that sentences of…

This document discusses in detail the development and operation of a language program implemented in the Philippines, beginning in 1957, with the assistance of the University of California, Los Angeles, through the Rockefeller Foundation. The program faced a number of difficulties including a school system in the process of post-war rebuilding, a…

A three-phase research project involving eighth-grade students seeking to examine the potentialities of managed self-instruction in introductory modern language courses at the early secondary level is reported in this paper. Problems inherent in the development of instructional systems and differentiated language learning modes are explored with…

This study conducted at the University of Kentucky in 1967-68 tests the theory of interaction between discrimination and pronunciation through a field test. After a brief review of previous research in phonemic discrimination as related to foreign language learning, the procedures and results of the test are presented. The text used was "Basic…

This anthology of selected articles aims to assist teachers of foreign languages develop effective individualized programs. Introductory remarks underscore the importance of changing teacher attitudes toward their relationship with their students as well as individualizing their instruction. The nature of individualized instruction is examined in…

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of the assumption that auditory discrimination and pronunciation in a foreign language are closely related. If the assumption were to be well-founded, then it might be possible for foreign language students with high auditory discrimination ability to work alone in the language…