An assessment plan to evaluate student outcomes of foreign language studies and four other disciplines at the State University of New York is presented. Measurement vehicles, including the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages rating scale, and assessment plan materials, such as the foreign language course handbook and portfolio…

Describes the Mount Washington German Magnet School in Kansas City, Missouri, a planned elementary (K-3) school that will provide students with the opportunity to participate in a German-English bilingual program. Parents choose either a total immersion or partial immersion program for students in this public, integrated school. (JL)

Proposed and existing models of research and professional development through which language faculty can participate in the reward structure are surveyed and evaluated for their applicability to the small multilingual, primarily baccalaureate department. All existing models are found to be burdened by political drawbacks, and a new model is…

A survey used to determine parents' attitudes toward implementing an elementary school foreign language (FLES) program in their children's school indicated support for a FLES program. Parents felt that foreign language study would have positive effects on their children's English language skills and increase their children's interest in continuing…

A three-month extensive reading program in England, inspired by Krashen's Input Hypothesis, used graded readers to improve English as a second language learners' linguistic skills. Program results showed a marked improvement in the subjects' language skills, especially in writing. (Author/CB)

Provides background information on Halloween and its celebration in North America, along with suggestions for student- and teacher-initiated activities for classroom use. The material and activities may be translated or adapted to various target languages in foreign, second, or bilingual education programs. (MDM)

Describes problems and attempted resolutions encountered in administering an effective study-abroad program in Paris, France, discussing program rationale, selection and preparation of students, academic life, and social life. (28 references) (CB)

Addresses problems posed by native speakers in Chinese courses and an Australian university's attempts to meet students' needs, including identifying and directing native speakers away from courses designed for nonnative speakers and a special purpose course for those native speakers who do not necessarily have a unified language experience. (CB)

The topic of minority groups is presented as a subject matter for a fourth-semester college German course combining culture with an introduction to literature. A course on Turks is described and textbook treatment of the topic is reviewed. A list of selected works on and by minorities suitable for German courses is appended. (18 references)…

Elementary school second language instruction began in 1840 but has in general been restricted to a limited number of schools and programs. In 1969, Louisiana initiated an effort to become the country's center of French language study, bringing together resources from French-speaking nations and setting an example for other communities. (MSE)

Argues that the concept of using different approaches to teaching foreign language literature to undergraduates and graduates may do a disservice to those who see the study of foreign literature as literature through language. Discusses teaching strategies to facilitate such integration. (19 references) (CB)

Describes a university's approach to determining, testing, and certifying students' proficiency levels for foreign language reading-for-research courses, focusing on the effectiveness of using the 1986 ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines in developing the university's guidelines. (28 references) (CB)

Summer programs and workshops for high school students at Simon's Rock College of Bard (Massachusetts) are discussed, with descriptions of the Writing and Thinking Workshop and the Foreign Language Institute and commentary from participating students and faculty. Opportunities for educational enhancement and student life around the campus are also…

Examines Japanese-U.S. joint venture language or U.S.-style education programs in Japan. These programs offer language and cultural education classes for those interested in English and for students who have failed in the Japanese education system. Problems facing these programs and the need to explore new, English-language education markets are…

Examines major principles and characteristics of cooperative learning, various instructional approaches, and the findings of cooperative learning studies in elementary and secondary schools. The relationship between cooperative learning and language learning is discussed. An annotated bibliography is included. (46 references) (LET)