**INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH**

**AND STUDIES PROGRAM**

**(84.017A)**

![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.2805555555555554in" height="1.1875in"}

###### Fiscal Year 2002 New Grants

**Summary and Abstracts**

####### International Education Programs Service

####### US Department of Education

####### 6th Floor, 1990 K Street, NW

Washington, DC 20006-8521

+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| **Aw  | **Applicant/Project | **Pr              | **   | **FY | **FY |
| ard** | Director**          | oject/Type/Period | FY02 | 03** | 04** |
|       |                     | of Award**        | Awa  |      |      |
|       |                     |                   | rd** |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | University of       | Tajik Persian     | *    |      |      |
| 017A0 | Chicago             | Reference Grammar | *\$1 |      |      |
| 20002 |                     |                   | 46,1 |      |      |
|       | NELC                | IM 1 year         | 48** |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 5801 South Ellis    |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Avenue              |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Chicago, IL 60637   |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | John R. Perry       |                   |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | University of       | Teaching          | *    | \    |      |
| 017A0 | Wisconsin           | Authentic         | *\$2 | $166 |      |
| 20004 |                     | Indonesian        | 10,0 | ,000 |      |
|       | Center for          | Listening through | 00** |      |      |
|       | Southeast Asian     | Interactive       |      |      |      |
|       | Studies             | Multimedia        |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Ingraham Hall R.    | IM 2 years        |      |      |      |
|       | 207                 |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 1155 Observatory    |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Drive               |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Madison, WI 53706-  |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 1397                |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Ellen Rafferty      |                   |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | Montgomery County   | Aligning Advanced | **\$ | \$93 | \$92 |
| 017A0 | Public Schools      | Level Foreign     | 84,2 | ,000 | ,000 |
| 20009 |                     | Language          | 15** |      |      |
|       | 850 Hungerford      | Instruction with  |      |      |      |
|       | Drive Rockville, MD | National          |      |      |      |
|       | 20850-1747          | Standards         |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Pamela L. Garcia    | IM 3 years        |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | University of       | The Sound Systems | **\$ | \$99 |      |
| 017A0 | Wisconsin, Madison  | of Southeast      | 97,4 | ,000 |      |
| 20010 | Center for          | Asian Languages:  | 00** |      |      |
|       | Southeast Asian     | An Interactive,   |      |      |      |
|       | Studies             | Web-based CD-ROM  |      |      |      |
|       |                     | Project           |      |      |      |
|       | 207 Ingraham Hall   |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     | IM 2 years        |      |      |      |
|       | 1155 Observatory    |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Drive               |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Madison, WI         |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 53706-1397          |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Marlys Macken       |                   |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | Modern Language     | Survey of Foreign | **\$ | \$37 |      |
| 017A0 | Association of      | Language          | 45,0 | ,950 |      |
| 20015 | America (MLA)       | Registration in   | 91** |      |      |
|       |                     | U.S. Colleges and |      |      |      |
|       | 26 Broadway, 3rd    | Universities,     |      |      |      |
|       | floor               | Fall 2002         |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | New York, NY        | RE 2 years        |      |      |      |
|       | 10004-1789          |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Elizabeth Welles    |                   |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | Carnegie Mellon     | Literacy and      | *    | \    |      |
| 017A0 | University          | Early Language    | *\$1 | $115 |      |
| 20016 |                     | Learning:         | 11,0 | ,000 |      |
|       | Modern Languages    | Acquisition and   | 17** |      |      |
|       |                     | Assessment        |      |      |      |
|       | 5000 Forbes Avenue  |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     | RE 2 years        |      |      |      |
|       | Pittsburg, PA       |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 15213-3890          |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | G. Richard Tucker   |                   |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | University of       | Computer Assisted | *    | \    | \    |
| 017A0 | Arizona             | Instructional     | *\$1 | $220 | $227 |
| 20017 |                     | Materials for     | 24,0 | ,000 | ,000 |
|       | 1717 E Speedway     | Less Commonly     | 10** |      |      |
|       | Boulevard           | Taught Languages  |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Suite 3312          | IM 3 years        |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Tucson, AZ          |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 85721-0151          |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Alexander Dunkel    |                   |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | University of       | Web-based         | **\$ | \$31 | \$28 |
| 017A0 | California, Los     | Materials for     | 72,9 | ,000 | ,200 |
| 20018 | Angeles             | Teaching Zulu     | 34** |      |      |
|       |                     | language and      |      |      |      |
|       | Office of Contracts | Culture           |      |      |      |
|       | and Grants          |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     | IM 3 years        |      |      |      |
|       | 10920 Wilshire      |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Boulevard, Suite    |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 1200                |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Los Angeles, CA     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 90024-1406          |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Zilongile Sosibo    |                   |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | San Diego State     | Computerized      | *    | \    | \    |
| 017A0 | University          | ACTFL-based       | *\$1 | $190 | $195 |
| 20020 |                     | Screening Tool\   | 90,1 | ,200 | ,000 |
|       | 5250 Campanile      | IM 3years         | 00** |      |      |
|       | Drive               |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | San Diego, CA       |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 92182-4435          |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Mary Ann Lyman      |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Hager               |                   |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | University of       | Maximizing Study  | *    | \    | \    |
| 017A0 | Minnesota           | Abroad            | *\$1 | $140 | $146 |
| 20022 |                     |                   | 42,3 | ,000 | ,500 |
|       | 450 McNamara Center | RE 3 years        | 65** |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 200 Oak Street SE   |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Minneapolis, MN     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 55455-2070          |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Andrew Cohen        |                   |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+

+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | Georgetown          | Assessment of     | *    | \    | \    |
| 017A0 | University          | Student Learning  | *\$2 | $173 | $172 |
| 20028 |                     | Abroad:           | 03,2 | ,000 | ,500 |
|       | Box 571013          | Addressing        | 32** |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 37th and O Sts. NW  | a Critical        |      |      |      |
|       |                     | National Need     |      |      |      |
|       | Washington, DC      |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 20057-1013          | RE 3 years        |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Michael J. Vande    |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Berg                |                   |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | Yale University     | Development of    | **\$ | \$60 |      |
| 017A0 |                     | Curricular        | 45,5 | ,000 |      |
| 20029 | Latin American and  | Resources:        | 00** |      |      |
|       | Iberian Studies     | Caribbean         |      |      |      |
|       |                     | Connections, The  |      |      |      |
|       | Suite 342           | Dominican         |      |      |      |
|       |                     | Republic\         |      |      |      |
|       | 34 Hillhouse Avenue | IM 2 years        |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | New Haven, CT       |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 06520-8206          |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Patricia Pessar     |                   |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | Center for Applied  | Investigating and | *    | \    |      |
| 017A0 | Linguistics         | Developing a      | *\$1 | $123 |      |
| 20032 |                     | Framework for     | 40,0 | ,000 |      |
|       | 4646 40th Street NW | Optimal           | 10** |      |      |
|       |                     | Assessment of     |      |      |      |
|       | Washington, DC      | Oral Proficiency  |      |      |      |
|       | 20016-1859          |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     | RE 2 years        |      |      |      |
|       | Margaret Malone     |                   |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | American Council on | Forging New       | *    | \$79 |      |
| 017A0 | Education           | Connections: A    | *\$1 | ,300 |      |
| 20034 |                     | Study in Linking  | 40,5 |      |      |
|       | One Dupont Circle,  | International     | 00** |      |      |
|       | NW Washington, DC   | Strategies and    |      |      |      |
|       | 20036-1193          | Student Learning  |      |      |      |
|       |                     | Outcomes RE 1     |      |      |      |
|       | Madeleine Green     | year              |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | The American Forum, | The Search for    | **\$ | \    |      |
| 017A0 | Inc.                | Identity: Russia  | 99,5 | $100 |      |
| 20035 |                     | and the           | 00** | ,000 |      |
|       | 120 Wall Street,    | Commonwealth of   |      |      |      |
|       | Suite 2600          | Independent       |      |      |      |
|       |                     | States            |      |      |      |
|       | New York, NY 10005  |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     | IM 2 years        |      |      |      |
|       | Andrew F. Smith     |                   |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | University of New   | Resources for     | *    | \    | \    |
| 017A0 | Mexico              | Teaching about    | *\$1 | $132 | $135 |
| 20037 |                     | the Americas      | 35,5 | ,100 | ,900 |
|       | 801 Yale, NE        | (RetaNet) Latin   | 52** |      |      |
|       |                     | America           |      |      |      |
|       | Albuquerque, NM     | Instructional     |      |      |      |
|       | 87131-1016          | Materials and     |      |      |      |
|       |                     | On-Line Community |      |      |      |
|       | Rebecca Bannister   | of Learning       |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     | IM 3 years        |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | China Institute in  | Cross-cultural    | *    | \    |      |
| 017A0 | America             | Connections Along | *\$1 | $100 |      |
| 20043 |                     | the Silk Road     | 00,1 | ,000 |      |
|       | 125 East 65th       |                   | 00** |      |      |
|       | Street              | IM 2 years        |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | New York, NY        |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 10021-7088          |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Marlene Kassel      |                   |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | Georgia Southern    | The Internet      | *    | \$90 |      |
| 017A0 | University          | Yoruba Dictionary | *\$1 | ,500 |      |
| 20044 |                     |                   | 12,1 |      |      |
|       | Africana Studies    | IM 2 years        | 00** |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | P.O. Box 8049       |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Statesboro, GA      |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 30460-8049          |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Frank Arasanying    |                   |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | Michigan State      | Strategic         | *    | \$79 |      |
| 017A0 | University          | National Planning | *\$1 | ,500 |      |
| 20047 |                     | and Coordination  | 16,4 |      |      |
|       | International       | of Distance       | 75** |      |      |
|       | Studies and         | Learning          |      |      |      |
|       | Programs            |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     | RE 2 years        |      |      |      |
|       | 204 International   |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Center East         |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Lansing, MI         |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 48824-1035          |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | David Wiley         |                   |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| P     | Cornell University  | Citizen           | *    | \    | \$53 |
| 017A0 |                     | Participation in  | *\$1 | $112 | ,700 |
| 20050 | School of           | the Global        | 05,2 | ,000 |      |
|       | Industrial/Labor    | Economy           | 31** |      |      |
|       | Relations           |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     | RE 3 years        |      |      |      |
|       | Ithaca, NY          |                   |      |      |      |
|       | 14853-3901          |                   |      |      |      |
|       |                     |                   |      |      |      |
|       | Lowell Turner       |                   |      |      |      |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+
| **TOT | ** **               | ** **             | **\  | **\  | **\  |
| ALS** |                     |                   | $2,4 | $2,1 | $1,0 |
|       |                     |                   | 21,4 | 94,7 | 50,8 |
|       |                     |                   | 80** | 34** | 00** |
+-------+---------------------+-------------------+------+------+------+

University of Chicago\
NELC\
5801 South Ellis Avenue\
Chicago, IL 60637\
John R. Perry

**Tajik Persian Reference Grammar**

I propose to compile a comprehensive reference grammar of modem Tajik
(now generally referred to as forsii tojikT or Tajik Persian, i.e., the
Central Asian variety of the language known in Iran asfhs). The work
would be in English, using both Cyrillic and Perso- Arabic characters
for the examples (supplemented by romanized transcription).

A reference grammar is one of the three basic textual tools in language
training, supplementing both the instructional manual and the
dictionary. There is currently no comprehensive, user-friendly Tajik
reference grammar in any language. Of the two grammars available, one is
a three-volume work in Tajik from the 1980s, with a specialized
terminology and skeletal reference system; this is clearly unsuitable
for beginners. The other is a popular translation and adaptation of a
Russian descriptive grammar of Tajik from the 1950s; this is
Russo-centric, overly concise, and outdated (see Section 3 below).

> Since the dissolution of the U.S.S.R., with the emphasis on use of the
> national languages and increased publication and broadcasting in them,
> it is no longer feasible to regard Russian as a sufficient lingua
> franca for the region. Concurrently, the Soviet-era standard for
> literary Tajik is changing rapidly: many writers today are emulating
> Persian of Iran or Afghanistan, and materials are being published in
> Arabic script as well as Cyrillic. At the same time, the available
> pedagogic materials must continue to accommodate the researcher
> interested in Soviet-era publications. The desideratum is therefore a
> comprehensive, up-to-date reference grammar of all grammatical
> features of Tajik from 1925 to 2000, the data to be drawn from all
> periods and styles and reproduced in both of the currently used
> writing systems.
>
> The matrix for this work is already at hand in a 12,000-word
> linguistic description of Tajik which I have prepared as a chapter of
> a book dealing with the Iranian languages. This concise and
> specialized production will need to be expanded, modified, and
> provided with a comprehensive referential apparatus as detailed below
> (Section 11).
>
> The final format, besides that of a conventional book, might include a
> digitized edition for access on CD-ROM or via the Internet. I estimate
> that, working full-time, the whole task should take me twelve months;
> I am requesting essentially a replacement of salary for one academic
> year in order to complete the project.

 

University of Wisconsin\
Center for Southeast Asian Studies\
Ingraham Hall R. 207\
1155 Observatory Drive\
Madison, WI 53706- 1397\
Ellen Rafferty

## Teaching Authentic Indonesian Listening through Interactive Multimedia

This grant conducted primary research on the sound systems of Burmese,
Hmong, Indonesian, Khmer, Lao, Thai, and Vietnamese and produced
interactive web-based CD-ROM courses for teaching each one. Each CD-ROM
includes native speaker, high-quality recordings; words in orthography
and International Phonetic Association transcription; an acoustic
analysis menu option; recording capability that compares the student\'s
and native-speaker\'s productions; lessons on consonants, vowels,
prosodic system, language, dialects, writing system; orthography and
transcription practice (\'analyzing\') with computer correction;
sentences and dialogues; slide show; and help menus. This unique system
integrates four ways to learn: (i) Listening to native speaker (and
student\'s) production of words in isolation and sentences; (ii) Seeing
the pictures of sounds produced by native speaker (and student) and
using the visual information in spectrogram, pitch trace and wave form
as a tool for improving pronunciation; (iii) Modeling the
sounds-building better approximations of the new sounds through
repeatedly recording and comparing the student\'s and native speaker\'s
production; (iv) Analyzing sounds where the student works on new words,
with the computer checking and giving feedback on transcription or
spelling. Students can use the CD-ROMs on their own to learn at their
own pace and in whichever of the four ways best suits their individual
learning style. Staff worked with faculty teaching these languages to
insure that data and content for each language covered typical problems
encountered by L2 learners. The seven language CD-ROMS are used at
SEASSI and UW-Madison. Evaluations by students, faculty, and outside
experts are excellent.

Montgomery County Public Schools\
850 Hungerford Drive Rockville, MD 20850-1747\
Pamela L. Garcia

**Aligning Advanced Level Foreign Language Instruction with National
Standards**

The purpose of this project is to develop curriculum materials in
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to align with national standards
for use in Grades 9 to 12. These curriculum materials consist of clear
outcome statements for levels 4 and 5 of modern foreign languages and
instructional resource guides to assist teachers in implementing the
curriculum. At the close of Year 2 of this three-year project, data
indicates that substantial progress has been made toward meeting project
objectives. Year 2 project objectives relate to three major areas of
work:

1\. Development and publication of curriculum frameworks and
instructional guides that are aligned with national standards for Levels
4 and 5 of Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish for
students in Grades 9 to12.

2\. Field test curriculum and instructional guides for teachers that
provide exemplars of units and lessons keyed to the curriculum outcomes.
These materials are designed to ensure effective instruction, leading to
student success in the attainment of the curriculum outcomes.

3\. Disseminate materials to other schools districts.

University of Wisconsin, Madison Center for Southeast Asian Studies\
207 Ingraham Hall\
1155 Observatory Drive\
Madison, WI 53706-1397\
Marlys Macken

**The Sound Systems of Southeast Asian Languages:**

**An Interactive, Web-based CD-ROM Project**

This grant conducted primary research on the sound systems of Burmese,
Hmong, Indonesian, Khmer, Lao, Thai, and Vietnamese and produced
interactive web-based CD-ROM courses for teaching each one. Each CD-ROM
includes native speaker, high-quality recordings; words in orthography
and International Phonetic Association transcription; an acoustic
analysis menu option; recording capability that compares the student\'s
and native-speaker\'s productions; lessons on consonants, vowels,
prosodic system, language, dialects, writing system; orthography and
transcription practice (\'analyzing\') with computer correction;
sentences and dialogues; slide show; and help menus. This unique system
integrates four ways to learn: (i) Listening to native speaker (and
student\'s) production of words in isolation and sentences; (ii) Seeing
the pictures of sounds produced by native speaker (and student) and
using the visual information in spectrogram, pitch trace and wave form
as a tool for improving pronunciation; (iii) Modeling the
sounds-building better approximations of the new sounds through
repeatedly recording and comparing the student\'s and native speaker\'s
production; (iv) Analyzing sounds where the student works on new words,
with the computer checking and giving feedback on transcription or
spelling. Students can use the CD-ROMs on their own to learn at their
own pace and in whichever of the four ways best suits their individual
learning style. Staff worked with faculty teaching these languages to
insure that data and content for each language covered typical problems
encountered by L2 learners. The seven language CD-ROMS are used at
SEASSI and UW-Madison. Evaluations by students, faculty, and outside
experts are excellent.

Modern Language Association of America (MLA)\
26 Broadway, 3rd floor\
New York, NY 10004-1789\
Elizabeth Welles

**Survey of Foreign Language Registration in**

**U.S. Colleges and Universities, Fall 2002**

The Modern Language Association proposes (1) to conduct a national
survey or census of foreign language registrations in all U.S.
institutions of higher education, and (2) to compare the data obtained
from the census with other data from the same institutions, obtained
from earlier investigations undertaken by the MLA. The most recent
previous survey, taken in 1998-99, showed significant shifts in
registration totals for several languages: some commonly taught
languages showed decreases in enrollment totals, while a number of less
commonly taught languages, notably Chinese and Arabic, showed increases.
The shift in enrollments described in the 1998-99 survey report led to
larger numbers of inquiries by individuals, institutions of higher
education, public and private agencies, and by the press than any other
information released by the MLA in recent years. Some two hundred press
clippings in late 1999 alone attest to the level of public interest in
the information. Recent events have now drawn renewed attention to the
study of foreign languages. Accordingly, the MLA believes that the
status and trends of language registrations in higher education should
be monitored once again in the new century. The 2002-03 survey will
follow well-tested procedures that in the past\--in a series of surveys
going back to 1960\--have yielded a response of over 97 percent.
Therefore, the survey qualifies as a census. For the purposes of this
application, however, the terms will be used interchangeably, since most
educators regularly refer to the project as a survey. As in the past,
the data will be recorded separately for each responding institution,
language by language, with graduate registrations separated from
undergraduate. Summary tables will present the data from 2002-03
alongside comparable data from the preceding study in the series, the
survey of 1998-99. Other tables will also compare the 2002-03 results
with those of five other prior surveys, four of which were undertaken at
ten-year intervals.

In addition to the survey, the MLA will use the survey database to
create a special list of less commonly taught languages, showing for
each language the names of the institutions that report registrations in
that language, and the undergraduate and graduate registration figures.
The institutional names will be presented in alphabetical order, and an
index will be prepared showing the names of the languages arranged in
descending order of total registrations. Lists will also be prepared
showing the total number of institutions at which each language is
taught, with tabulation of these numbers by state, and in comparison
with the numbers recorded in previous surveys.

Carnegie Mellon University\
Modern Languages\
5000 Forbes Avenue\
Pittsburg, PA 15213-3890\
G. Richard Tucker

## Literacy and Early Language Learning: Acquisition and Assessment

The proposed research examines the progress of students participating in
long well-articulated sequences of Japanese and Spanish foreign language
instruction with a particular focus on the development of literacy
skills in their target languages. This research will: (1) provide a
model of longitudinal program documentation and evaluation\--appropriate
for the assessment of literacy skills in both cognate as well as
non-cognate languages\--that can be exported to other sequential foreign
language programs in elementary and middle school; and (2) contribute to
a knowledge of the instructional practices, development and transfer of
literacy skills from English to a commonly taught cognate language,
Spanish, which uses a similar alphabetic representation system, and to a
less-commonly taught non-cognate language, Japanese, which uses a
logographic system of kanji as well as two non-Roman alphabetic systems,
hiragana and katakana.

This research will enhance our understanding of the \'literacy
milestones\' of children studying a foreign language across the years,
how these milestones may differ depending on foreign language, first
language, and amount of study, and the classroom practices that
encourage or prevent literacy growth.

## 

University of Arizona\
1717 E Speedway Boulevard\
Suite 3312\
Tucson, AZ 85721-0151\
Alexander Dunkel

## Computer Assisted Instructional Materials for Less Commonly Taught Languages

This three-year project seeks to strengthen an increasingly critical
area of the U.S. educational infrastructure by expanding our national
capacity to offer the Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs) in a wide
variety of learning environments. In order to develop cadres of
professionals in various fields who possess significant language
proficiency in LCTLs, innovative programs, materials, and instructional
delivery systems must be created that promote increased cooperation and
collaboration among secondary and postsecondary institutions, government
agencies, businesses, and other organizations concerned with language
learning and sustainment training.\
\
The materials to be developed will use our original language teaching
authoring software, MaxAuthor, created at the UA over the past decade in
a series of successful projects. The four languages to be included in
the project based on their educational and national importance are: are
Ukrainian (Level 1), Turkish (Level 2), Kazakh (Level 3), and Cantonese
(Level 2). The materials will be published by UACLP on DVD and on an
E-commerce Internet host.

In addition to materials development, we will continue to make MaxAuthor
free for non-commercial use to authors worldwide who wish to create
their own lessons and provide technical support and improve MaxAuthor so
that it can be used to create lessons for hundreds of languages
supported by Windows2000/XP such as Indic and bi-directional languages
(e.g. Arabic, Hebrew). By providing the completed courseware and the
capacity to develop additional lessons to NASILP member institutions,
this project will promote the study of a wider range of LCTLs in
secondary and postsecondary institutions and beyond.

## 

University of California, Los Angeles\
Office of Contracts and Grants\
10920 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1200\
Los Angeles, CA 90024-1406\
Zilongile Sosibo

# Web-based Materials for Teaching Zulu Language and Culture

The goal of this project is to develop interactive Web-based materials
for teaching Zulu language and culture. Analyzing, editing, and
formatting videos and stills were completed in June 2003. During the
summer of 2003 the P.I. created and recorded Zulu text for stills. The
P.I. and the translator are currently performing two tasks: (1) Editing
raw stills audios and formatting them to QuickTime, and (2) Creating
Zulu texts and synchronizing them with corresponding stills and audio.
All the videos have been edited and synchronized with Zulu and English
texts at this time. The project has acquired additional personnel,
including Dr. Mills from Loyola Marymount University in California,
Individual Technical Assistants (ITCs), and the programmer. So far three
tasks have been completed: (1) The prototype template which the
programmer is currently building on the computer, (2) Integration of
videos and stills, culminating in nine modules, and (3) The Introductory
Module of \"Family and Social Tree\" and Module 1 of \"Greetings.\" The
P.I. is finishing Module 2 of \"Introductions.\" In 2003 the P.I.
presented the Zulu materials at numerous conferences and workshops. On
April 30, 2004 she will present a paper and a demonstration lesson at
the African Languages Teachers\' Association (ALTA) conference at the
University of Wisconsin-Madison. Future tasks involve developing the
remaining modules. Upon completion in March 2005, Zulu instructors will
pilot the materials and provide feedback. The materials will be
available to the public by July 31, 2005. Funds for this project have
been utilized efficiently and no changes have been made on the original
budget.

San Diego State University\
5250 Campanile Drive\
San Diego, CA 92182-4435\
Mary Ann Lyman Hager

**Computerized ACTFL-based Screening Tool**

Since 2001, five institutions (DLI, California; BYU, Utah; LARC,
California. CAL, Washington DC; and ACTFL, New York) working as a
consortium have been designing and creating proficiency screening tests
in Arabic and Spanish (ILR levels 0-2) for use on a nationwide scale.
With additional funding from the Department of Defense, items to test
Arabic (ILR levels 3-5) and Persian (ILR levels 0-5) are to be created.
LARC has committed to supplying items for ILR levels 3-5 for Spanish.
Thus, the final products will be diagnostic oral proficiency screening
tools at all levels of three languages (Spanish, Arabic, and Persian).
Tests of speaking skills are to meet the following requirements: The
tests must be \"low-stakes\" instruments, designed to serve a variety of
purposes. Primary among them is that these tests would be predictors of
performance in ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interviews. Another purpose is to
screen applicants who would participate in the specially-tailored
programs off the Center for the advancement of distinguished language
proficiency, funded by the U. S. Department of Defense (National
Security Education Program). They must provide benchmark information to
foreign language programs on the progress of majors and other foreign
language students on their oral proficiency. They must be adaptable to
high-volume testing purposes, such as performance testing for
programmatic improvement. They must serve as preliminary or screening
tests of oral skills. They must be web-delivered, with recordings of
oral performances saved to a database on a web server, for easy rating
and accessibility for linguistic research.

University of Minnesota\
450 McNamara Center\
200 Oak Street SE\
Minneapolis, MN 55455-2070\
Andrew Cohen

# Maximizing Study Abroad

This research study investigates the impact of the Maximizing Study
Abroad guidebook series on study abroad outcomes and programs. It is
divided into three sub-studies focused on study abroad students, program
professionals, and language instructors.\
\
The Students\' Guide study asks: Do students use the strategies in the
guide, how, in which contexts, and how frequently? How effective is the
guide in developing language skills and culture learning? Eighty-six
university students studying abroad in Spanish- and French-speaking
countries during Spring or Fall 2003 participated in the study. Half of
the students received the Guide, participated in an orientation, and
submitted bi-weekly electronic journals. Data includes pre-post measures
of language and culture learning.\
\
The Program Professionals\' Guide study examines: How do program
professionals use the guidebook, what are their reactions, and does it
provide them with new insights? The sample consisted thirteen abroad
advisors (U.S. based and on-site) each of whom received the Guide and an
orientation. They were to use the guidebook materials in pre-departure,
on-site, and re-entry activities with students. Data includes monthly
journals and an exit questionnaire.\
\
The Instructors\' Guide study explores: How do language instructors use
the guide? Does the Guide provide them with new insights? How do they
use it with students who may not study abroad? After receiving an
orientation one French and three Spanish instructors incorporated
guidebook materials into their language course curriculum. Data includes
monthly journals while teaching, focus groups, an exit questionnaire and
interview.

# 

Georgetown University\
Box 571013\
37th and O Sts. NW\
Washington, DC 20057-1013\
Michael J. Vande Berg

# Assessment of Student Learning Abroad: Addressing a Critical National Need

During the past year, we have moved forward with this project as
planned. We have fully integrated Dickinson College, the fourth partner
in our consortium, into the research agenda. Dickinson students, along
with students from Georgetown and the other consortial institutions,
have been participating in the formal testing, which began, as planned,
in fall 2003. Participating students have completed pre- and post-tests
of the Simulated Oral Proficiency Interview (SOPI), the second-language
instrument, and of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), the
instrument that measures gains in intercultural sensitivity. We are also
in the process of administering the post/post-tests of the IDI at the
students\' home campuses; in doing so, we are piloting the on-line
version of the IDI, a step we have taken in order to increase student
participation in the project. We convened the final of the project\'s
four workshops in spring 2003. Like the other three workshops, it was
designed to allow faculty from the four consortial institutions to
identify learning competencies that they believe students acquire
through studying abroad. The project\'s outside consultants, working
with other members of the Research Team, have identified four
competencies that all of the faculty groups identified as important in
the learning of their majors abroad. The consultants have now completed
the development of a third instrument, a qualitative interview guide
designed to measure the extent to which students in the four broad
disciplinary areas do in fact acquire, develop or enhance the four
shared competencies in studying abroad.

# 

Yale University\
Latin American and Iberian Studies\
Suite 342\
34 Hillhouse Avenue\
New Haven, CT 06520-8206\
Patricia Pessar

**Development of Curricular Resources: Caribbean Connections,**

**The Dominican Republic**

This project published Caribbean Connections: The Dominican Republic,
and a Spanish Companion Reader to fill gaps in secondary and community
college Spanish language, and area studies curricula. An essential
curricular resource, Caribbean Connections: The Dominican Republic
broadens the thematic and geographical areas of courses with Latin
American content taught throughout the United States by embracing the
diverse history and culture of the Dominican Republic through both
factual and fictional accounts.\
\
Grant-funded activities began in August 2002. Six Master Teachers
attended a curriculum-writing workshop at Yale and provided feedback on
the material selected for the book and developed lesson plans. In fall
2002 and winter 2003, readings, lesson plans and oral history interviews
were adapted to a 9-12 grade and community college level. In Spring
2003, the draft materials were tested in 9-12 grade classes (and one
community college class) in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York.\
\
Grant-funded activities continued throughout Year Two, when
recommendations were evaluated. Changes to the draft volume were made
throughout 2003 and 2004. By July 2004, the final English volume had
been copyedited, and in fall 2004 a Spanish Companion Reader was created
and copyedited. Both editions were published in July 2005 and a
comprehensive dissemination and promotional plan were launched soon
thereafter.

Center for Applied Linguistics\
4646 40th Street NW\
Washington, DC 20016-1859\
Margaret Malone

**Investigating and Developing a Framework for**

**Optimal Assessment of Oral Proficiency**

The Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL), in collaboration with the
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), under
U.S. Department of Education and the International Research and Studies
grant (P017A020032) developed a replicable framework describing the
delivery of level-specific oral proficiency assessments via the World
Wide Web.\
\
The research undertaken to produce the framework and task specifications
involved analysis of the characteristics of tasks used in oral
proficiency assessments, including telephonic and technology-mediated
oral proficiency instruments. This analysis determined the optimal task
characteristics so that specifications can be written for the production
of test questions that most efficiently obtain ratable speech samples
and recommendations for the best ways to use a Web-delivered format for
this test, including hardware, software and data storage and coding
issues.\
\
The main goal of the Computer Assisted Screening Tool (CAST) Framework
development project was to design a test development and delivery model
that could be adapted for use in any language. The framework's adherence
to emerging technical standards of Web-delivered assessment will
encourage institutions to share tests and components of tests that have
been developed for Web delivery and to contribute to the development of
standards where gaps exist.\
\
The framework guides test developers to produce affordable, accessible
assessments of oral skills. Using the World Wide Web to provide
optimized oral proficiency assessments will create new possibilities for
encouraging institutions to increase their attention to the improvement
of speaking skills, thus strengthening our national language resources.

American Council on Education\
One Dupont Circle, NW Washington, DC 20036-1193\
Madeleine Green

**Forging New Connections: A Study in Linking International Strategies**

**and Student Learning Outcomes**

This study, which drew on earlier research conducted by the American
Council on Education (ACE) on the internationalization of U.S. colleges
and universities, focused on student experiences and beliefs regarding
international education at \"highly active\" institutions. ACE
identified institutions as highly active in internationalization by
creating an internationalization index, (rating scale), and using data
collected from 752 institutions in a national survey conducted in 2001.
Institutions in the top two quintiles of scores on the index were
characterized as \"highly active,\" and the rest as \"less active.\" The
data sources for this report were 9,729 responses to a survey of
students attending eight of the highly active institutions identified
through the index, including two of each Carnegie type, and focus groups
conducted at these same institutions.\
\
This study also described differences between students from highly
active institutions and those from less active institutions, when such
differences were notable. To make such comparisons, the researchers used
data from the 2002 national student survey that was part of the larger
study to map internationalization in U.S. colleges and universities.
These comparisons should be interpreted with caution, in light of the
small sample size (1,250 student respondents drawn from 752
institutions).

Finally, the study presented recommendations for campus practice based
on findings.

The American Forum, Inc.\
120 Wall Street, Suite 2600\
New York, NY 10005\
Andrew F. Smith

**The Search for Identity: Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent
States**

The American Forum for Global Education is proposing to develop a
curriculum guide which will primarily focus on the fast-changing events
in 12 nations categorized as (a) Russia and the former Soviet Union
Republics of Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova; (b) Transcaucasian repubIics
of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan; and (c) Central Asian nations of
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

University of New Mexico\
801 Yale, NE\
Albuquerque, NM 87131-1016

Rebecca Bannister

**Resources for Teaching about the Americas (RetaNet) Latin America
Instructional Materials and On-Line Community of Learning**

The Resources for Teaching About the Americas Network (RetaNet) creates
and disseminates instructional materials on Latin America to secondary
educators. The site is also designed to be a wisdom community where
teacher users can rate and comment on the resources and how they use
them, and engage in dialogues. The RetaNet website with new content is
posted at http://retanet.unm.edu. The upgraded RetaNet site includes:\
\
\* 53 News in the Classroom (NIC) lesson plan compilations based on LADB
news stories have been produced and posted. There are over 100 lesson
plan suggestion modules (containing standards-based classroom activities
with related resource links) associated with the 53 NICs.\
\
\* Complimentary access for teachers to LADB\'s archive of articles
dating from 1986, and full text news stories on the LADB web site
(currently 302 registered teacher users located in 42 states and 2 US
military bases abroad);\
\
\* A searchable archive of 200 visual images to enhance teaching;\
\
\* A searchable database of curriculum materials, containing 1519 items,
of which 1149 can be requested on-line to borrow;\
\
\* A searchable database of 87 lesson plans about Latin America; the
largest collection of Latin America and US-Mexico border lesson plans in
English on the World Wide Web;\
\
\* A rating system for users to rate lesson plans, NICs, curriculum
resources, photos, etc. on the site, and a user interface with each
teaching resources encouraging users to discuss and collaborate on
lesson plan development.

China Institute in America\
125 East 65th Street\
New York, NY 10021-7088\
Marlene Kassel

# Cross-cultural Connections Along the Silk Road

A two-year project which created a user-friendly curriculum book
suitable for high schools, community colleges and universities
nationwide. The guide, From Silk to Oil, presents timely, accurate and
interesting information about cultural interconnections in Asia, past
and present, through a multidisciplinary, multicultural approach. The
comprehensive set of materials include academic essays, a chronology,
lesson plans, glossary, bibliography and a CD-Rom of the guide with
hotlinks. This state-of-the-art curriculum guide is a substantial
contribution to the educational field in the United States, and will
continue to be a valuable resource for youth as they live in a world
increasingly moving towards greater global interaction, exchange and
dependence.

# 

Georgia Southern University\
Africana Studies\
P.O. Box 8049\
Statesboro, GA 30460-8049\
Frank Arasanying

## The Internet Yoruba Dictionary

The Edeyede Project is conceived as an inter-institutional initiative
designed to cater to the learners\' perspectives and concerns on Yoruba
instruction. Working with the knowledge of three specific areas of
concern identified by Yoruba learners, particularly in the United
States: i) acquisition and retention, ii) form and function, and iii)
usage and culture, the Edeyede Project was initiated with funds from
Yale University, and later transferred to Georgia Southern University as
a unique solution to these concerns. Supported by several institutions
with strong curricula in Yoruba language and culture, the Project is
constructed as a computer-based language consortium that saves as the
clearing-house for the Internet dissemination of Yoruba-English
bilingual dictionaries. The main goal of the Edeyede Project is to
compile via computer network a pair of basic bilingual dictionaries
(Yoruba-English and English-Yoruba) and a monolingual Yoruba dictionary
that will include technical/dialectal terms and cultural context; and
also be suitable for students studying Yoruba. These dictionaries will
be made available on-line via a search engine with wildcard capability,
on CD-ROM and in inexpensive print editions. The project will use a Web
interface to dictionary databases to enable native speakers and scholars
all over the world to submit additions and corrections to the
dictionaries with an ordinary Web browser, an approach pioneered by the
Kamusi Swahili Dictionary Project at Yale. This modality seeks to
achieve a cohesive integration of content-based language material with
culture-supported communication as a model for maintaining language
knowledge within and outside the classroom. In addition to usage
examples and basic grammatical information invaluable to learners, the
dictionary databases will also contain information primarily of interest
to linguists and scholars. Yoruba is one of the major languages of the
African continent and is spoken by more than 35 million people. Interest
in Yoruba is growing in the United States and around the world due to
its importance as a language of commerce in West Africa, as well as a
thriving Yoruba literature. It has become one of the most studied and
researched African languages; yet there are few up-to-date Yoruba
dictionaries available and none that includes specialized terms and
dialectical forms that are widely used in instructional texts and
newsprint. This is particularly a problem for students of the language.
Since the language data will be stored digitally, the completed project
will provide a comprehensive\--yet convenient and effective -modality
for the delivery of computer-mediated language and cultural materials to
all scholars with interest in Yoruba.

## 

Michigan State University\
International Studies and Programs\
204 International Center East Lansing, MI 48824-1035\
David Wiley

# Strategic National Planning and Coordination of Distance Learning

This two-year project will undertake research, studies, national
meetings, and policy papers to increase the range and accessibility of
offerings in the less commonly taught languages (LCTLs)\--an urgent and
increasingly important national priority. The project will contribute to
the critical national need to train more people in LCTLs by promoting
effective, strategically-focused, and efficient planning among the U.S.
Title VI National Resource Centers (NRCs), Language Resource Centers
(LRCs), and International Business Centers. This will enable the nation
to better utilize the scarce resources for foreign language learning at
the higher education level. This project will accomplish five activities
regarding the teaching of LCTLs in the United States: (1) Conduct a
survey and create a database about existing distance learning (DL)
courses in LCTLs and plans for developing new DL courses by the relevant
Title VI NRCs of each world area and LRCs as well as other relevant
major universities offering LCTLs; (2) Coordinate the development of
systematic criteria for prioritizing LCTLs for instruction and materials
development by consulting Title VI language coordinators to better serve
the national need; (3) Commission a paper on the current status of
coordination of LCTL offerings and materials development in Title VI and
other area centers for each world area; (4) Convene Title VI NRC
language coordinators and directors at annual meetings of area studies
associations to determine priorities among the many LCTLs of their area
(using the criteria for assessing the importance of the languages
developed in activity #2 above) and compile a report for each world
area; ( 5 ) For the high priority LCTLs identified in activity #4,
produce a report about courses being offered and learning materials that
are available to identify lacunae in courses, materials, and training
opportunities; (6) Convene an Expert Policy Roundtable to develop
recommendations about strategically meeting national needs to increase
learners\' access to LCTL courses, including a mix of distance learning,
summer intensive courses in the United States and abroad, academic year
programs, and other offerings. All of these survey and research
activities have a common purpose: to provide the nation, its
universities, and especially the Title VI National and Language Resource
Centers (as well as other language programs) with the data and the
strategic choices with which to conduct their own strategic planning for
creating DL and other new learning materials and resources in a
nationally coordinated manner. This planning will increase the
opportunities for more U.S. learners to be trained in LCTLs even if they
live at a distance from campuses where LCTL courses are being offered.
This project is being organized jointly by four Title VI National
Resource Centers (NRCs) at Michigan State University in African, Asian,
Latin American and Caribbean, and International Development with Women
and International Development Studies. It will be implemented in
partnership with the two other MSU Title VI centers - the Center for
Language Education and Research (CLEAR) and the Center for International
Business Education and Research (CIBER) - and also in collaboration with
the National Foreign Language Center (NFLC), the National Council of
Organizations of Less Commonly Taught Languages (NCOLCTL,), National
Foreign Language Resource Center at University of Hawai\'i, and the
Cenfer for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) at
University of Minnesota.

# 

Cornell University\
School of Industrial/Labor Relations\
Ithaca, NY 14853-3901\
Lowell Turner

# Citizen Participation in the Global Economy

Globalization, on many dimensions, has outpaced conventional
understandings. Existing perspectives in international relations, trade
theory, and international political economy provide useful starting
points, but cannot help us understand the growing push for democratic
regulation and citizen participation in the global economy. For this, we
need new research, concepts and college courses on global politics and
the global economy. The purpose of this project is to integrate recent
research findings on democratic participation in global institutions, to
conduct original research along those lines, and to identify appropriate
literature and develop course curricula for courses on the global
economy. Economic globalization, global political institutions and
transnational political actors have outgrown the limitations of existing
frameworks for teaching these subjects at the college level. Our
research is directed at identifying the process by which political
actors transform themselves into global actors, how they go about
engaging global political institutions or engaging trans-nationally in
the politics of other countries, and the effects of the democratic
development of a global political arena. We use this original research
and available secondary literature to locate or produce new course
material, and to create new curricula to teach undergraduates and
graduate university students about the dynamics of global politics.