This collection resulting from a workshop on language teaching methodology contains the following papers: (1) "Current Views and Principles on Unlocking the FL Treasure Chest," by R. Lado; (2) "Effective Ways of Teaching First-Year French," by J.G. Nicholas; (3) "Teaching Conversation and Comprehension Skills in Elementary…

Instructional materials, bilingual programs, and developments in second language learning research and methodology are discussed, primarily in terms of their implications for ethnic schools. The rationale is given for an ongoing analysis of instructional materials for ethnic bias, and a few examples of positive treatment of ethnicity from current…

A study was conducted to determine the extent to which listening comprehension is impaired when students are confronted with the colloquial use of French, as opposed to its formal use. It was found that amoung 128 prospective French teachers who participated in the study, there existed a low comprehension level of colloquial French, a discrepancy…

A summary report is presented of interviews with 28 bilingual teacher aides who work in ten elementary Schools Austin Independent School District. The interviews were conducted to provide data to assist the project staff in assessing ongoing activities of the aides as well as specific process objectives. They were designed, therefore, with a…

A summary report is presented of the first of two interviews with a random sample of parents of kindergarten, third and sixth grade students in the project. Undertaken as part of the evaluation of the Parental Involvement Component of the Title VII Bilingual Project, the interviews had a twofold objective: (1) to measure the degree of home support…

The purpose of this text is to develop elementary conversational skills in Telugu. The language materials consist of four types of language learning activities. The first, and most predominant, is the unit microwave cycle. These cycles divide the learning process into two basic phases, the first of which involves mimicry, memorization, and…

This article describes an attempt to give university students of English as a second language instruction in writing literary essays. The students were given literary commentaries to listen to in the language laboratory, and then were asked to summarize these commentaries, using, as much as possible, the structures contained in the original…

This article deals with the issue of gaining proficiency in oral expression in a second language. A functional approach to teaching oral proficiency is outlined, an approach which focuses on the audience as a determining factor in the speaker's linguistic output. Claims in the article are based on an experiment in the teaching of oral proficiency…

This article considers the issue of the application of linguistic theory and knowledge about the way language functions to second language teaching. It is suggested that this application should be carried out by taking into account educational factors, such as the intended audience, the teaching methods, and the educational objectives. The choice…

This paper questions the purpose of testing in second language instruction. Comments are based on an examination of tests used by the Defense Language Institute for students of English as a second language. Two kinds of tests are used: the English Comprehension Level (ECL), used primarily as a basis for setting exit requirements, and "Book…

The theme of this issue of ELT Documents is the use of the language laboratory in language learning. An article by A. Maley summarizes the conference on the use of the language laboratory for advanced learners, held in Paris, 2-4 Oct. 1974, from which two main perspectives emerged. One is critical of the structuralist audio-lingual assumptions…

The purposes of this paper are to: (1) describe the general linguistic situation in Alaska, (2) describe the bilingual education situation, and (3) discuss the effectiveness of the bilingual education programs and give an idea of the potential of bilingual education as a social force in Alaska. Much of the information is summarized in a number of…

St. Bonaventure University holds a Language Day each spring, hosting some 3,900 area junior high and high school students. The buildings and facilities of the university campus are used, and activities include language competitions (exhibits, interpretative readings, language productions, audio-visual presentations and essays); a fiesta; foreign…

The influence of mother-tongue interference is examined on the basis of data from two tests at different levels of English proficiency: a commercial-college level, covering 4-5 years of English studies, involving a composition and translation test, and a preuniversity level, covering 7-8 years of English studies, with a multiple-choice test. A…

This is a text intended for use with adult beginning classes in ESL in a 15-week intensive course. The major objective of the text is to develop communicative competence. Therefore, the structures are taught through mechanical drills, meaningful drills, and finally communicative drills, so that "teacher talk" is gradually diminished and "student…