The proceedings of a two and one-half day symposium concerning the assessment of functional language ability through the oral interview process included the following papers: "The FSI/ILR/ACTFL Proficiency Scales and Testing Techniques: Development, Current Status, and Need Research" (John L. D. Clark, Ray T. Clifford); "The ACTFL…

Training courses for teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) at the elementary and secondary levels, implemented in Brunei in 1989, are described, and proposals for a new teacher certification level are examined. The first course leads to a diploma in elementary/secondary ESL teaching, and is characterized by both written and practical work…

The development and implementation of undergraduate second language programs at the University of Pennsylvania are analyzed in terms of several models of language planning. First, the stated foreign language proficiency goals of the four undergraduate colleges (arts and sciences, nursing, economics, and engineering and applied science), the Penn…

The report, from the General Accounting Office to the chairman of the Senate's committee on appropriations, responds to a request for review of Department of Defense (DOD) training of linguists engaged in intelligence-related activities. It summarizes its examination of: (1) the language and technical training provided to DOD linguistics; and (2)…

A resource is presented for those who work in bilingual education and who are involved in test selection. Initial information is provided regarding tests that might be used for student identification, placement and diagnosis, progress monitoring, exiting decisions, and program evaluation purposes. No endorsement or recommendation is implied and no…

A state grant to the Department of Romance Languages of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville has allowed development of a proficiency-based curriculum for first- and second-year French and Spanish. Most of the effort to date has been preparation of the syllabus based on specified goals and objectives, or student outcomes, focusing on allowing…

A survey of students of English as a Second Language at the University of South Florida found most ranked listening and/or speaking skills as most important to learn, and reading and writing skills much lower. They also perceived the inverse to be true of teachers. The challenge is to create a curriculum that provides for listening and speaking…

A project in Thailand to develop domain-referenced English language tests for use with Thai secondary and college students is described. The first phase consisted of developing standardized tests for listening, speaking, reading, and writing based on existing syllabuses, determining the common levels of English proficiency in those domains, and…

The report summarizes current knowledge about immigrant students in California public schools. First, the most recent available evidence concerning the size, ethnic composition, and other characteristics of fluent-English-proficient and limited-English-proficient language minority students enrolled statewide is reviewed. Data from the Los Angeles…

Kiswahili was declared the national language of Kenya in 1968 and since then has also been established as the language of parliamentary debate. There are, however, inadequate instructional materials in this language, particularly at the primary level of schooling. Since there are almost 20 different languages, or dialects, in Kenya, Kiswahili must…

Three different bilingual, bicultural curriculum, preschool models encouraged children to use three different interaction strategies, but the models had no lasting effects on the children's first grade interactions, according to a year's observation of the communication experiences of 42 Mexican American children of varying English language…

Correct pronunciation is often a later step in the process of teaching English as a second language. However, a focus on the correct articulation of vowels can significantly improve listening and comprehension skills as well as articulatory skills. Vowels and consonants differ in their acoustic properties. Unlike consonants, vowel sounds are…

Problems in the second language classroom that hinder students from speaking the language freely and creatively arise from three sources: the teacher, the student, and the material. Problems involving the teacher include the common lack of an overall and inclusive definition of the course goal, the role and dysfunction of teacher "authority" in…

The rules and regulations governing Texas schools' treatment of the language and academic needs of limited-English-proficient (LEP) public school students are reviewed. First, a historical overview of the state's laws and regulations governing programs for the LEP population is presented. Second, the state's language and academic assessment…

The Hawaiian Language Immersion Program, implemented at the kindergarten/first grade level in an elementary school on Oahu and one on Hawaii, is described and evaluated. The program was instituted at the request of parents of students who had attended a Hawaiian language immersion preschool and was open to all students, regardless of ethnicity or…