This paper reports on an innovative five-day training program for foreign language teaching assistants (TAs) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW). The program developed out of a perceived need to train graduate students better for the teaching profession and to develop colleague support. In the UW program, the French and Italian, German,…

Interpreting, or oral translation, can be used in undergraduate second language study as a technique for developing oral skills. The technique can produce both sound linguistic judgment and confident oral and written performance that last beyond testing. It integrates four essential elements of oral/aural skills: comprehension, phonology/fluency,…

An examination of the principles and techniques of oral testing in British university-level final examinations in modern languages discusses: (1) the shortcomings of present oral testing procedures; (2) the theoretical controversy surrounding the design and value of oral proficiency tests, arising from research in English as a second language…

La Salle College's three-track Bilingual/Bicultural Master of Arts Program is described and its first operational year (September 1982 - August 1983) is evaluated. Track I served teachers of English as a second language, Spanish as a first language, and other classes within bilingual education programs. Track II served students from other fields…

Recommendations for designing a study abroad curriculum are offered to program directors, teachers, and study abroad leaders. The 13 essays and their authors are: "Study Abroad and the Liberal Arts: The Canon in Disarray" (Michael Kline); "Preparing for Study Abroad: Innovative and Traditional Library Resources" (Carolyn…

The commercial Spanish courses at Eastern Michigan University, examinations in commercial Spanish, and cooperative education exchange programs are described, and the university's new programs that combine the study of foreign language and business are briefly addressed. A six-course sequence offered on the junior, senior, and graduate levels cover…

A technique to help English as a second language students master the basic elements of expository prose is considered in terms of course objectives and the types of assignments used to accomplish them. A characteristic of many highly verbal students entering a college program is their propensity to "talk on paper" in an informal, ungrammatical,…

Situation comedy (sitcom) dialogs that are included in PLATO lessons for first year Russian students are described. These comprehension exercises make use of both the touch panel and the audio capabilities of PLATO. The sitcom dialogs were written by a native speaker of Russian and are based on the vocabulary in the textbook plus a small number of…

An exploratory, longitudinal study was undertaken to investigate how student self-assessment, course evaluation, and student evaluation of teaching can be incorporated into university second language instruction. Three issues were addressed: whether students evaluate themselves differently in first, second, and third year classes in the same…

Student replies to a questionnaire evaluating the use of the language laboratory revealed positive attitudes regarding the effectiveness of the individual practice the lab provides. They emphasized the need for a language lab monitor. Cross tabulations examined attitudinal differences among old and new users, professorial encouragement, and…

This handbook presents the perspectives of more than 60 leading authorities on the study and practice of adult and continuing education. The following are among the papers included: "A Selective History of Adult Education Handbooks" (A.L. Wilson, E.R. Hayes); "The Concept of Critically Reflective Practice" (Stephen D.…

An intensive course in English for business communication, offered at an institute for graduate-level teacher training in Ukraine, is described. An introductory section examines the need for and approaches to English-as-a-Second-Language teaching in Ukraine. The course consists of two main parts: a 14-week intensive general English class, titled…

A survey on the teaching of English for special purposes (ESP) at universities in the Bangkok (Thailand) metropolitan area is reported. ESP is a concern in higher education due to increased English use in Thai business. The survey involved five public and nine private institutions. It was found that all universities offered compulsory general…

In the context of the modern global society and economy, foreign language instruction is placing more emphasis on students' cross-cultural understanding and on using language to develop students' communication skills. These goals are evidenced by the current interest in Foreign Languages Across the Curriculum (FLAC) courses, which teach languages…

Two programs at the University of California, San Diego, (UCSD) in Spanish and Cultural Sensitivity are reported, one at the UCSD Medical Center and the other at the School of Medicine. These programs illustrate the power of culturally sensitive medical care versus a medical practice with non cross-cultural awareness that could result in patient…