Discusses the unique problems of the intermediate year of language instruction in which material taught in the first year of college Spanish or in three years of the language in high school is assimilated. The discussion uses the experience of Queensborough Community College of New York City as an example. (three references) (GLR)

Based on current second-language acquisition theory and research, it is proposed that curriculum planning and teaching activities be guided by three issues: supplying students with optimum comprehensible input; providing interaction in real communicative contexts; and increasing motivation to seek additional input and interactive opportunities.…

Multiple regression analysis of data regarding college students' oral proficiency in using the present subjunctive after residence in a Spanish-speaking country found a significant positive relationship between length of residence and subjunctive proficiency, and a nonstatistically significant positive relationship between formal study and…

Examines linguistic and social factors reflected in the development of American Czech, spoken by Czech immigrants living in rural Nebraska communities, distinguishing between fully competent, proficient, and imperfect speakers. Despite the undisputed English influence, American Czech shared characteristics with other enclave languages developing…

Demonstrates the following four-stage procedure for adapting foreign-language texts to improve college students' Spanish reading proficiency: selecting specific objectives for each section; selecting the linguistic elements needed to realize objectives; stating the type of control that is expected (conceptual, partial, or full); using appropriate…

Argues that the terms language expertise, language inheritance, and language affiliation are less vague than the more universally used terms native speaker and mother tongue, as the former terms allow the consideration of educational questions of language ability and language loyalty alongside a broader view of society. (Author/CB)

The development of communicative skills in a second language, it is argued, should include grammatical competence as well as form and message. The importance of grammatical instruction and teaching trends and theories are discussed, ending with the conclusion that the climate exists for development of a fully articulated theory of pedagogical…

Attempts to identify latent variables affecting the item responses of the diverse language groups taking the Test of English As a Foreign Language indicated that latent group effects were small. Results support equating with item response theory and suggest the use of a restrictive assumption of proportionality of item response curves. (Author/CB)

Reports on an experiment undertaken to explore further whether language proficiency is divisible or unitary, using the principal factor analysis, and to identify the factors involved with the scores of 58 subjects of similar language and cultural backgrounds. (Author/CB)

Discusses variables affecting the choice of learning strategies used by university foreign-language students (n=1,200). Research questions address the kind of strategies university foreign-language students report using and what variables influence the use of these strategies. (64 references) (Author/OD)

Discusses the development and production of TOPIC (Training for Oral Proficiency Interviewing Competence), an interactive video refresher training program that teaches interviewing and evaluation skills to German oral proficiency testers. The program can be used as a prototype for the development of refresher training programs in other languages.…

Provides a detailed evaluation of the oral proficiency interview and its underlying assumptions of validity and value. The similarities and differences between interviews and conversations are examined, and some of the major problems of proficiency interviewing are illustrated and discussed. (39 references) (Author/VWL)

Second language teachers responded to a questionnaire eliciting their opinions about the proficiency movement in second language education. Teachers had varying opinions and definitions of proficiency, of the potential benefits of teaching and testing for proficiency, and of theoretical and practical obstacles to implementating proficiency…

Briefly summarizes the impact of the proficiency movement in second language instruction, reviews major criticisms levied at the movement, and argues that the language profession must address these limitations and criticisms without sacrificing the undisputed achievements of the last decade. (CB)

Working definitions of proficiency and performance in language testing are established, and their role in multidimensional testing is examined. The discussion also covers the relationship between proficiency and performance, a comparison of both types of tests, and performance test scoring dilemmas. (Contains 17 references.) (Author/LB)