Poorly trained teachers, a very diverse population, heterogeneous grouping, and a milieu that is not particularly supportive of language education in general make the Greek universities a poor environment for instruction in languages for special purposes, including French, which has the second largest enrollment among languages. (Author/MSE)

A University of Texas, Austin, French course that uses dramatics as a focus for language practice and cultural awareness is described. Relaxation, movement, group dynamics, and interpretation of the text area are all seen as contributing to the language-learning experience. (MSE)

The theoretical foundations and research findings concerning sheltered French and English classes at the University of Ottawa, and an application of this model is examined as a means of ensuring better implementation and coordination of secondary French immersion programs. Quality of instruction and teaching strategies are emphasized. (18…

It is recommended that listening comprehension have a larger role in second-language instruction, particularly at intermediate/advanced levels. Sample materials focusing on the speech act of disagreement are proposed for university students of Italian. The materials expose students to a variety of registers and strategies and integrate language…

Discusses research regarding College of Liberal Arts students at the University of Minnesota where there are proficiency requirement-based second-language programs. Research results provide data that compare qualitative results on reading, listening, writing, and speaking proficiency tests of students from the proficiency requirement program at…

Discusses the practicalities associated with the introduction of proficiency-based instruction into university programs and courses that teach Arabic. Some of the additional responsibilities that such innovations place on the language teacher are identified, and issues for further discussion, research, and experimentation are raised. (19…

Narrative and tabular data from the 1990 Modern Language Association survey are provided on the status of foreign language programs. Findings are reported for institutional and departmental characteristics, applicants, enrollments, plans for enlarging graduate programs, numbers of doctorates granted, courses offered in the target language, and…

Discusses a case of language program revitalization at a major metropolitan university. Results of a pilot study aimed at assessing students' needs and redefining the goals and objectives of a traditional French program are presented. (Author/VWL)

Traces the development of innovations and renovations in the graduate and undergraduate German-studies program at Stanford University. Examines the conceptual framework within which the faculty was operating, discusses the practicalities and specifics of three experimental approaches within the German-studies undergraduate curriculum, and…

Argues that, although it is worthwhile to teach literature in its original language, there is merit to teaching foreign language literature in translation. Most college-level language teachers have the language competence to teach literature in English, and if it's not taught in the language department, it may be taught in the English department,…

Demonstrates the dangers of an Americanized world expanding through the importation of American English. Suggests that linguistic sameness creates a loss of identity and deprives people of specific cultures and languages to call their own. (Author/VWL)

Language departments have a natural niche in undergraduate and graduate programs. The process of cross-cultural travel and conscious explorations of responses to difference constitute a unique contribution that foreign languages and literature departments can make to higher education. The article discusses implications of this contribution in…

A transcript is provided of a radio program broadcast February 24, 1978, on the state of foreign language education. The participants in the discussion were leaders in the field, teachers and students from many parts of the United States and from all educational levels. The subjects covered are: some problems facing foreign language programs; the…

This paper describes the Foreign Language Alternative Program (FLAP) of Bellevue Community College, in Washington state. The program is designed to provide students with alternative choices best fitted to their individual needs, and is thus individualized and equipped to deal with both academic and vocational programs. The first year of a given…

A selective review is presented of the most recent theoretical pronouncements and practical applications of the interdisciplinary approach that are of significance to foreign language teachers and learners. The central focus is on problems and solutions within the two broad areas of institutional structures and curricula. Fifteen conclusions and…