The German Studies Association's guide to German studies curricula addresses the design of curricula for elementary, secondary, and postsecondary institutions in the United States. An introductory section provides background information concerning German area studies in general, and includes a definition and list of the broad educational goals of…

This document presents an operational model of a thematic aerospace education school--the August Martin High School (New York). Part 1 briefly describes the nature of aviation/aerospace education and the background of the school. This background information includes how the school was formed, rationale for an aerospace thematic school, research…

In response to the need for specialized French language skills among foreign students at France's prestigious engineering school, the Ecole Nationale de Lyon, an intensive language instruction program was developed. The 3-week program precedes the school year so that language immersion and orientation targeted to the particular student group can…

The reading skill development of anglophone kindergarten children in French immersion programs in Canada is the subject of the two papers included in this document. The first paper describes a study that examined the English reading ability of both kindergarten and first grade children in immersion programs and compared the results with those of…

The curriculum guide for Alberta's three-year French language program, which spans grades 10 through 12 and is intended for jurisdictions able to offer only the minimum language program, includes the following components: a set of objectives reflecting the province's goals of basic education and a rationale to support the inclusion of French in a…

Research suggests that the learner is the only one who knows, intuitively, the relationship between the objectives of the evaluation and his or her actual knowledge at any given time. Experience shows that students use some form of self-assessment in the normal classroom setting. The University of Ottawa's Centre for Second Language Learning…

The potential use of interactive videodiscs for teaching foreign languages, and factors to be considered in evaluating such programs, are discussed. Two types of existing programs, developed and used at Brigham Young University, are described: adaptations of existing video material, such as the classic Mexican film "Macario," and free branching…

A guide to setting objectives for foreign language instruction provides a model for specifying comprehensive objectives and a discussion of their nature and educational implications. It follows up on the suggestions made in the "Threshold Level" series begun in 1975 with more complex specifications. Chapters define aims and objectives, examine the…

The role of different types of testing instruments in second language programs is discussed. Knowledge-based tests, including discrete-point and integrative tests are contrasted with direct tests, including the Foreign Service Institute Scale and the Australian Second Language Proficiency Ratings (ASLPR). The ASLPR is described in detail in terms…

The progress of three groups of university students enrolled in a first-year German course was evaluated after one completed academic year. The achievements of two control groups, a day and an evening class taught by conventional methods, were compared with those of an experimental group taught using suggestopedic methods. Additionally, for the…

To supplement its French faculty, the Department of Modern Languages at Central Missouri State University (CMSU) has hired foreign students through the Institute of International Education (IIE), a clearinghouse for French and German university students wishing to teach in the United States. During the 1983-1984 academic year some 35 institutions…

Differences between English and Arabic are examined to assist the English as a second language (ESL) teacher. It is suggested that in order to know how to help students, ESL teachers must understand what the problem or difference is and why it is occurring. The sound systems of English and Arabic, including the suprasegmentals of intonation,…

This evaluation report of the Newark (New Jersey) School District's ESEA Title I program examines its eight major components as well as student performance in noncognitive areas and parental involvement. Included among the program components are the Language Experience Program (LEP), Computational Skills Project (CSP), Program for English…

In addition to presenting detailed guidelines for foreign language curriculum development in Georgia public schools, this guide includes illustrations of a variety of classroom approaches to meeting course goals. The overall rationale for the guide is to bring programs and curricula at all levels in line with both societal needs for…

This analysis of the crisis facing the United States because of a general lack of interest in foreign language study deals with several facets of the problem. Its 12 chapters address the following questions or issues: (1) the traditional conflict between Americanization and cultural and linguistic pluralism; (2) the shift in the world economic…