This report by the American Association of Community Colleges summarizes the results of a nationwide year-long study on foreign language education. Programs, called Improving Foreign Language Education projects at Community Colleges, were implemented at a total of 36 American colleges to enact proposed changes in curriculum and foreign language…

A study of school effectiveness for language minority students, authored by Virginia Collier and Wayne Thomas, is criticized as having two serious flaws. The first is that its methodology is a simple descriptive cohort analysis, seen as unscientific and producing misleading results because: each grade consists of different students; the number of…

This book describes 7 successful foreign language programs that start in preschool or the elementary grades and continue through high school, including both foreign language in the elementary school (FLES) and immersion programs. Written in clear and nontechnical language, this book is designed to be of use to anyone developing an early foreign…

Integration of extracurricular activities into the second language curriculum is supported in the context of culturally oriented communicative second language teaching. After methodological approaches in the literature are analyzed, various extracurricular program provided at the University of Toronto are described. (MSE)

The design and content of a required, fourth-year course in Soviet culture are proposed. The course has three distinguishing characteristics: basis in a broader, social sciences definition of culture; the Soviet Union as a frame of reference; and instruction in Russian. Its objectives are both cultural knowledge and language proficiency. (MSE)

The trend toward incorporating traditional social sciences materials into foreign language coursework, in order to increase enrollment, is explained and discussed. Controversy centers on trading aesthetic appreciations of foreign literature for course content on social and cultural issues. (MSE)

Presents the 1979 evaluation of the Peel County (Ontario) late immersion French program, in the context of some current issues in second language education in Canada. These include the comparative effectiveness of early and late immersion, the importance of intense exposure, and total accumulated hours of instruction. (Author/AMH)

Presents the results of a survey that endeavored to determine the extent to which Canadian schools were meeting the needs of non-English-speaking students. The discussion focuses on: (1) existing programs; (2) ESL classrooms in 15 school systems, and (3) models and personnel in five British Columbia school systems. (Author/AMH)

Presents a survey of the state of the language art, pointing at its incongruity with present educational enterprise and sociocultural trends. Suggests an early introduction to language studies based on cooperation with primary and secondary schools, an interdisciplinary approach to curriculum design, and a strong advocacy of liberal arts studies.…

Decries the stereotypes and prejudices that affect U. S. relations with the Hispanic world and with its own Hispanic minorities. Points out that these attitudes also affect the study of Spanish as a foreign language and suggests means by which educators can improve the Hispanic image among Anglo Americans. (MES)

Offers a general review of videotape in supervising foreign language teaching assistants and describes in detail the method adopted by the University of California at Davis. Describes this method as a three-person videofeedback model involving a teaching assistant, a TA supervisor, and a video analyst. (MES)

Presents an overview of the Dutch language instruction situation in universities outside of the Netherlands and Belgium, touching upon teacher statistics, students' reasons for studying Dutch, materials available for the study of the Dutch language and culture, and certification programs. (AM)

Stresses need for support of international studies and foreign language programs throughout the U.S. educational system. Reports status of foreign language instruction on National Association of Independent Schools campuses. Discusses primary goals of secondary level foreign language teaching. (JD)

The Chicago Board of Education's testing and tutoring program allows high school students to qualify for advanced classes, independent study, and credit in 29 foreign languages. Tapping the city's diverse ethnic resources for materials preparation and tutoring, the program has increased language enrollments by motivating students to explore their…

Describes the experiences of one instructor in designing and implementing a short course in scientific French for upper level students majoring in applied biology at Glasgow College. Materials used and aspects of scientific language chosen are briefly discussed. (LMO)