As a followup to the 1979 report by the President's Commission on Foreign Language and International Studies, "Strength Through Wisdom," a study was conducted to learn what progress has been made toward improving international knowledge among Americans. State foreign language supervisors and others responsible for international education…

Developing literacy in adults who speak English as a second language (ESL) means more than rote memorization of letters and sounds, because literacy implies a familiarity with the language and culture sufficient for comfortable interaction and communication of ideas to others. Literacy can be defined as (1) a matter of language, (2) having many…

A study was undertaken to assess the French second language proficiency of kindergarten students in two intensive French programs and to assess the development of mother tongue skills of native English speakers in a third program. The three subject groups were as follows: (1) students in a full-day immersion program; (2) francization (half-day)…

An ethnographic study of a Philadelphia elementary school program in English as a second language focused on the way children's first and second languages were used in the classroom, and how this use of language was connected to the learning process. It was found that despite teachers' claims of emphasis on communication skills, a number of…

This report, derived from a survey of foreign language supervisors in each state and the District of Columbia, provides an overview of the various state initiatives and activities in foreign languages and international studies. The report is intended to provide some useful information to national policymakers, state governments, and concerned…

The development of a successful short-range forecasting model for predicting enrollment in a university intensive English course began with examination of the characteristics (nationality, enrollment patterns, persistence) of both course participants and no-shows; the resulting figures revealed consistent patterns for country of origin and for…

The Language and International Trade Program instituted in 1978 at Eastern Michigan University enrolls three-fourths of the university's undergraduate and graduate foreign language and bilingual studies majors and has become the largest business language studies program in the United States. Important program components include an international…

Existing programs using language immersion strategies for teaching language-minority children in the United States are described. In those programs, instruction is conducted in English at a level understood by the limited-English-speaking students, the teacher is bilingual in the non-English home language, the teacher generally speaks only in…

This curriculum guide provides materials for teachers who work with the limited English proficient (LEP) population. Sections I, II, and III include an introduction, the mission statement, and philosophy statement. Section IV presents characteristics of various LEP students. Section V is a guide for effective teaching of English as a second…

Michigan Technological University has introduced a program which awards a certificate in Foreign Language and Area Study to students completing two years of the same foreign language and three area studies courses. It was developed in response to the necessity of dropping 19 foreign language courses. A survey of freshman English students revealed…

Brigham Young University has implemented a policy of allowing non-language majors, often with limited second-language proficiency, to study abroad. A study examined the effect of a six-month study program in Vienna (Austria) on the academic achievement and post-reentry language registrations of 224 students. Study-abroad students were matched with…

English language instruction, which is considered very important in Japan, is offered in 90 percent of all secondary schools and is studied by almost all students, even though it is an elective subject. English is considered a cultural and commercial link with the western world and has been taught in Japan since the mid-nineteenth century. Most…

The culture of the United States has been based on assimilation, in which new immigrants tend to put aside their past, including their linguistic past, and merge with the rest of society. As the United States economy becomes more intertwined with that of the rest of the world, these patterns are changing, and there is now a greater recognition of…

The American Graduate School of International Management (AGSIM) in Glendale, Arizona, founded in 1946, has a tripartite curriculum incorporating modern language instruction, international studies, and world business. All students at AGSIM are required to achieve conversational proficiency in at least one of the eight languages taught there.…

The basic hypothesis of this study is that language education could be more effective if planning were to aim at developing an individual functional trilingualism involving a first (indigenous) language, a second African (national) language, and an official (foreign) language. The study covers the following matters: (1) a survey of developments in…