bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reading “Inside” the Lines: An Adventure in Developing Cultural Understanding
Authors: Evans Gilda Alvarez , González Olgalucía G
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  One of the major concerns of the foreign language profession today is to find a way to promote better cross‐cultural understanding while continuing to develop linguistic skills. This paper presents a series of oral and written tasks based on authentic written texts.

In this case, the texts, taken from magazines for Hispanic waders, clearly reflect the traditional Hispanic cultural value placed on close ties among Family and friends. A series of activities grouped into prereading, reading, and postreading tasks is provided along with some student responses to them. After locating appropriate authentic tests, activities can of course be designed for any language.

The authors argue in favor of such task progressions for authentic texts. Reading “inside” the lines can be a motivating and enjoyable adventure for the students, and developing the tasks can be a similar challenge for the teacher.
Proficiency Requirement‐Based and Nonproficiency Requirement‐Based Second Language Programs: How Do Students Rate?
Authors: Villar Susan McMillen , Meuser‐Blincow Frances
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This status study endeavors to answer the research questions: (1a) Are there differences between the performance of CLA students at the University of Minnesota and students of nonproficiency requirement‐based programs at other institutions on the CLA Spanish Graduation Examination of all four modalities? Further, (1b) Are there differences between the performance of students from private institutions and those from public institutions? Because a random sample was not feasible at the time the tests were given it seemed necessary to ask (1c) Are there differences between the performance of volunteer groups and entire population groups? This article also deals with a reasonable extension to the original question, which is: (2) What might account for differentialevels of performance that the test scorn show? Although this study only includes Spanish students, the results should be applicable to other language programs. The testing instrument, the CLA Spanish Graduation Examination, which consists of four separate tests, one for each of the four modalities, was administered during Spring 1990. The results from these tests provide data which compare quantitative results on reading, listening, writing, and speaking proficiency of students from the proficiency requirement program at the University of Minnesota with those from six nonproficiency requirement programs at six other randomly selected postsecondary institutions within the state of Minnesota.
Teaching About the Environment in the Foreign Language Classroom
Authors: Grossman Lois
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The author, a Spanish instructor and OPI tester; attended a workshop on introducing environmental issues into classroom curriculum. She shares her experience and the materials she developed for teaching about the environment in Spanish. Her approach incorporates oral proficiency goals and is based on authentic materials that are accompanied by worksheets that include prereading aercises, small‐group discussion activities and structured conversation and composition suggestions.
Teacher Training with a Twist: A Collaborative Project in North Carolina1
Authors: Rhodes Nancy C. , Heining‐Boynton Audrey L.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  With the growing demand across the country for foreign language instruction in the elementary school, there is an urgent and increasing need for qualified teachers. One of the reasons for the current shortage of trained elementary school foreign language teachers is the serious shortage of qualified teacher educators.

This article describes a three‐year teacher training project that aimed to improve the training of elementary school foreign language teachers at institutions of higher education. The components of the training model were based on the principle that, in order to be successful, teacher trainers should have experience observing and teaching at the level for which they will be training others.

The training model paired North Carolina teacher trainers with experienced elementary school teachers who served as their mentors. The teacher trainers participated in the following activities: 1) an intensive four‐day seminar on elementary school foreign language methodology (also attended by their elementary school colleagues), 2) observations of their partners'elementary school language classes, 3) teaching of their partners'elementary school classes, 4) collaboration with the elementary school language teachers in the development of a teacher education curriculum, and 5) peer coaching with a new group of teacher trainers. These teacher educators were then responsible for incorporating the new material and methodologies into their universities' curricula and providing elementary school language instruction to undergraduate foreign language students preparing to become teachers.
The Art of French Business Letter Writing: Our Modern Form of “Préciosité”
Authors: Watts Françoise
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  French business letter writing is characterized by its convoluted and somewhat antiquated figures of speech. The practice of that exercise can be enhanced through the help of cultural references that can be found especially in 17th century literature and civilization. In its linguistic patterns, for instance, one recognizes a search for balance and harmony combined with baroque and almost “precieux” elements. As a vibrant part of the humanistic curriculum, French for Business offers students the opportunity to discover in its discourse reflections of a rich cultural tradition.
Student Views About the Contribution of Literary and Cultural Content to Language Learning at Intermediate Level
Authors: Martin Anne L. , Laurie Ian
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  It is well‐known that language students consistently rate the study of literature below the linguistic aspects of their foreign language course. The reasons for this low priority accorded to literary studies are less well understood. One plausible hypothesis was tested: Students do not perceive literary studies to be useful in helping them to achieve their primary goal of oral proficiency. This hypothesis can be supported from the evidence of a survey of a group of intermediate‐level university students of French, but it does not account for all the findings. The phenomenon of “culture panic” may be at least as important.
Some Problems and Caveats in ‘Communicative’ Discourse: Toward a Conceptualization of the Foreign Language Classroom
Authors: Brooks Frank B.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This article argues for a conceptualization of the foreign language classroom that matches descriptions of real functional language for communication within a cultural group. Teaching and learning are conceptualized as linguistic or communicative processes and the classroom is conceptualized as an emerging culture, that is, as a “linguistic community” within which students are learning both academic and social dimensions of language and language use. The social interaction that takes place in the classroom serves to shape and maintain both the classroom community and the goals of foreign language instruction. The article ends with suggestions for needed kinds of classroom‐based research from a social interaction perspective to help us better understand what actually goes on in the foreign language learning environment.
The Keyword Method and Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning: A Rationale for Its Use
Authors: Kasper Loretta F.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Acquiring a strong foundation in vocabulary is critical to successful foreign language learning. Many studies have shown that students can learn foreign vocabulary more easily and can retain that vocabulary over long periods of time when the mnemonic keyword method is used to teach the vocabulary. The keyword method is an associative technique that makes use of acoustic and imagery links between the foreign word and its English translation. The impressive levels of recall produced by use of the keyword method indicate that the method should be implemented into foreign language programs. This paper asks the question, “Why isn't the keyword method being used to teach foreign language vocabulary?” It addresses the possible concerns of language teachers, provides a rationale for using the keyword method to teach foreign vocabulary, and describes a procedure for implementing the method into the language class. Although examples are given for Spanish vocabulary, the method has been applied successfully to several other languages and can be used in any foreign language class.
Grammar Teaching for the Acquisition‐Rich Classroom
Authors: VanPatten Bill
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This article focuses on a reconceptualization of the nature of instruction in grammar for the acquisition‐rich, communicative classroom. Beginning with the acknowledgment that comprehensible meaning‐bearing input is necessary for second language acquisition, traditional instruction as explanation plus output practice is questioned. It is then suggested that grammar instruction would be more congruent with overall instruction if it were input oriented. The article then outlines a type of input‐based instruction in grammar called “processing instruction,” citing empirical evidence for its usefulness in addition to offering suggestions for continued exploration of grammar instruction
Arizona's Elementary Foreign Language Mandate, Phase I: Now That We Have It, What Shall We Do?*
Authors: Vigil Virginia D.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This article describes the Elementary Foreign Language Task Force's efforts once the Arizona State Board of Education passed a mandate requiring that all elementary schools teach a foreign language. The Task Force identified the essential components of an effective program: 1) coordination; 2) commitment; 3) integration of foreign language with other subjects; 4) goals; 5) staffing; 6) materials; 7) instructional principles; 8) examples of delivery systems; 9) articulation; 10) grades involved; 11) languages to be taught; 12) funding and legislation; 13) evaluation plan; 14) methods of implementation. The Arizona Task Force reviewed several existing programs with national prominence. These preliminary review effortsle d to a proposed model in which Arizona's school districts were to decide the target language of instruction once they identified curricular and personnel resources. In response, Northern Arizona University launched a strong teacher‐training effort during the summer of 1992. As a result, many of Arizona's children currently benefit from foreign language instruction.
Tuning in on ‘Prime Time’: Channel Effects in L2 Grammaticality Judgment Tasks
Authors: Hedgcock John , Lefkowitz Natalie
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Formerly held distinctions which opposed “conscious” to “unconscious” learning, “controlled” to “automatic” processing, and “learning” to “acquisition“have eroded as tenable models of L2 learning processes. Recent formulations of L2 development instead favor an approach which integrates linguistic theory with the information‐processing models advanced in cognitive psychology. Rather than relying on binary distinctions, processing‐oriented, task‐centered research features continua which accommodate the overlapping, interdependent dimensions of explicit and implicit knowledge, as well as learning with and without awareness.

In this study, learners performed metalingual and preference tasks requiring them to utilize L2 knowledge brought to mind under one of two conditions: 1)byan aural “priming” activity (a listening exercise) designed to tap into memory without recourse to explicit rules, or 2) by a written task (a multiple‐choice grammar exercise) aimed specifically at invoking explicit L2 rules. Francophone secondary students of English as a foreign language (N=169) took a 50‐item aural test involving judgments of well‐formed and ill‐formed English syntactic structures, and a parallel written multiple choice test containing corresponding strings. The “primed” group, which took the written test before the aural test, significantly outperformed the “unprimed” group (p ≤ .01), which took the aural test first; performance levels on the written tests were statistically comparable. Two‐way ANOVA results indicate important differences between recall with awareness and recall without awareness, strongly suggesting a positive role for “priming” via the written channel in foreign language learning. That is, completion of the written task prior to the listening task appeared to enhance learners performance significantly on the latter, possibly because of the explicit character of the former.
“Teachers Teaching Teachers” Revisited: The Bay Area Foreign Language Program‐ A Model that Works
Authors: Haro María‐Paz , Ashton‐Beardsley Dawne , Silva Duarte M.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Efforts to improve instruction in K‐12 schools in California have included a variety of professional development programs ranging from short‐term endeavors aimed at specific instructional objectives to more comprehensive undertakings designed to extend and enrich the professional preparation of teachers, which in turn will benefit California students. This article describes one such effort‐the California Foreign Language Project (CFLP), and more specifically the Bay Area Foreign Language Program (BAFLP)‐one of CFLP's ten regional sites. BAFLP and its cadre of teacher‐leaders aims: (a) to implement communication‐based foreign language instruction in their classrooms and to help develop a sense of collegiality at their schools; and (b) to identify and develop effective strategies to address the challenge of educating California's highly diverse student population.
A Yen for Business: Language Learning for Specific Purposes ‐ A Japanese Example
Authors: Austin Theresa , Nakayama Chisako , Oda Akiko , Urabe Sadako , Ley Yoshiko
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The following paper chronicles the steps taken in developing a curricular project to design, implement, and evaluate a simulation business course for beginners learning Japanese at the university level. The steps in developing the program, from the selection of materials to the evaluation of the entire project, are presented together with insights gained from the experience and suggestions for improvement. The paper concludes with issues that are still unresolved and new directions to explore.
Charting a Course for Change: Basic Grant Proposal Writing for Foreign Language Teachers
Authors: Colville‐Hall Susan G. , Hunn Diana M.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Foreign language teachers who face decreasing budgets can acquire needed materials and develop new units or programs through small grant funding. It is believed that all teachers have the capability of obtaining grants because of their pedagogical knowledge of lesson‐planning which has strong similarities with grant proposal writing. Pairing that knowledge with the ability to locate an appropriate source is key to successful grant writing and enables teachers to effectuate the organizing of a proposal. This article suggests seven steps for novice proposal writers, provides the names of agencies and addresses of potential funding sources, presents examples of successful proposals written by foreign language teachers, and encourages all teachers who want new materials, equipment, programs, resources, and study or travel funds to make the necessary application to obtain them.
Awareness of Text Structure: Is There a Match Between Readers and Authors of Second Language Texts?
Authors: Hague Salty A. , Scott Renée
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The purpose of this study was to investigate the types of rhetorical structures that beginning‐level Spanish students encounter in their textbook reading materials. The intent was to determine if there was a match between the types of structures that English‐speaking students are most typically able to demonstrate awareness of and the the types of structures used by authors of reading materials found in Spanish textbooks. Also considered in the investigation was the issue of authentic texts and how they were the same or different than texts specifically written for textbook purposes. Finally, an analysis of words used to signal text patterns was done both for the authentic passages as well as those that were artificially constructed. Fifteen textbooks used to teach Spanish as a foreign language were selected randomly for inclusion in the study and from those 15 books, 39 passages were analyzed.
An Empirical Base for Teaching the Past Tense in German as a Foreign Language
Authors: Watzinger‐Tharp Johanna
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The selection and sequence of grammar remains an unresolved issue for foreign language teachers. A survey of three leading German textbooks revealed little coherence and lack of authenticity in the presentation of the different German past tense forms. The present study offers an empirical analysis of native speech data as a base for teaching the past tense in German as a foreign language. Interviews with 75 native speakers showed that: 1) the present perfect serves as the dominant past tense form for main verbs in the German colloquial standard; 2) modal verbs, the copula sein ‘be,’ haben ‘have,’ and certain formulaic expression occur in the preterite; and 3) the use of the past tense forms is linked to contextual and social factors. A German syllabus, then, must include a discussion of verb type when presenting the everyday use of the German preterite and present perfect. The study points to the situational and social contexts influencing the use of grammatical structures rather than merely presenting con‐textless rules governing their use.
Higher Order Thinking Skills: Tools for Bridging the Gap
Authors: Williams Mary , Lively Madeleine , Harper Jane
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  As educators target the articulation between university lower‐division language‐acquisition courses and upper‐division literature courses, higher order thinking and awareness of cognitive processes become increasingly important tools in bridging that gap. We will discuss the theoretical underpinnings of this issue and demonstrate the design of conversation activities and materials. Emphasis will be on the development and sequencing of the linguistic and critical thinking skills necessary to organize ideas, express and support opinions, synthesize, draw inferences, and evaluate.
The Whole Language Approach in the FLES Classroom: Adapting Strategies to Teach Reading and Writing
Authors: Redmond Mary Lynn
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The Whole Language Approach provides a learning environment in which the student participates in meaningful language experiences. Through the process of constructing language for communication purposes, the student develops the ability to listen, speak, read, and write in a natural manner. In the FLES program, where there is limited exposure to the foreign language, the adaptation of whole language strategies can be an effective tool for instruction. This article will discuss the development and implementation of an instructional unit that applies selected whole language strategies to teach reading and writing in the beginning stages of literacy in French. The unit details how an authentic folktale can be used as the focus of instruction for integrating topics from the elementary curriculum to form a well‐designed L2 curriculum that meets the needs of the FLES program.
The Concept of “French” in Foreign Language Texts
Authors: Wieczorek Joseph A.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  One common trend in French‐as‐a‐second‐language texts is to expose students to the many facets of France. The texts therefore ignore to a large extent the cultural and sociolinguistic contributions of the 42 countries that boast French as a primary, secondary, or tertiary language. The position of this essay is that linguistic and cultural aspects of additional francophone countries are necessary for a well‐rounded perspective of French as a language spoken over a large geographic area and by a diverse population. This study looks at 12 textbooks and additional language learning materials, chosen to represent various authors, publishers, and philosophies. A brief analysis was made of the presentation of material concerning the country or area represented. Information about countries other than France averaged about 5.13 percent of the texts surveyed. In addition, little dialectological information was provided about France itself. The lack of a multicultural and multidialectal approach may foster some undue prejudice toward certain language varieties and may impede communication by inadequately preparing our students for real‐world language use. Some 21 suggestions are offered for a more balanced approach to the French language and francophone cultures for both instructors and learners.
Constructing Culture Study Units: A Blueprint and Practical Tools
Authors: Arries Jonathan F.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  For years the leading voices in foreign language education have spoken to the issue of how to incorporate culture study in the second language classroom. There are essentially two schools of thought about culture study: a traditional “activity” approach and an “anthropology‐process” model. Both schools have inspired innovative and successful techniques, yet seldom do the theorists of either group relate these to a specific language acquisition theory. A theoretical foundation for any model of culture study is important to practitioners, as it provides a blueprint according to which teachers can judge the adequacy of the activities in their repertoire. In this essay, I describe three integrated activities that students and teachers can use as tools to construct and evaluate a culture study unit at the novice level. I conclude with a summary of a psycholinguistic theory of language acquisition and append examples and evaluation forms.
Current Foreign Language Practices in Middle Schools
Authors: Met Myriam
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This article reports the results of a survey conducted in 1992–93 of foreign language programs and issues in middle schools. Members of professional associations representing state and local foreign language supervisors were surveyed to ascertain the nature and extent of exploratory and sequential course offerings in grades 6–8. The survey also elicited supervisors' views on major issues in foreign language education in middle schools. The results reveal that the nationwide movement to transform junior high schools into middle schools has had significant implications for foreign language instruction. The results further suggest a need for close collaboration between middle school decision‐makers and foreign language educators
What We Know About Relationships That Develop Between Cooperating And Student Teachers
Authors: Hall Joan Kelly , Davis Jackie
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The student teaching practicum is a significant part of the foreign language teacher education program and as such deserves focused attention. In this article we examine six different role relationships that developed between a cohort of cooperating and student teachers of high school Spanish during a ten‐week student teaching practicum. We discuss two dimensions of these relationships that were significant to their development, complementarity and reciprocity, and conclude that student teachers who formed reciprocal relationships perceived their cooperating teachers and practicum experiences more positively than those who formed only complementary relationships. We discuss the role that the university supervisors might have played in the development of these relationships and conclude by suggesting how this study might help other foreign language teacher education programs.
Students' and Teachers' Beliefs About Language Learning
Authors: Kern Richard G.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This study compares one group of students' beliefs about language learning with those of their teachers and with those of their peers at another institution. It furthermore examines change in students' beliefs in relation to those of their instructors in an effort to develop hypotheses about the potential influence of teachers' beliefs on students' beliefs. Beliefs were assessed by means of the Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory, developed by Horwitz (1985, 1988). Results were found to be significantly affected by the type of analysis: global analyses of group means and percentages showed overall similarities between teachers' and students' beliefs as well as between students' pre‐ and posttest responses, while analyses of individuals and course section groups revealed much greater differences. The findings of the study suggest that teachers' beliefs are but one of many factors that affect students' beliefs about language learning and that multivariate research designs are needed to explore with greater precision the complex interrelationships between learners' and teachers' belief systems.
Using Foreign Films to Develop Proficiency and to Motivate the Foreign Language Student
Authors: Hennessey Janis M.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT: This article will look at the problems of showing a foreign film to foreign language students. It will then go over the means of using a film to develop proficiency and to motivate the students. The film used as an example is Jean Cocteau's La Belle et La Bete (Beauty and the Beast). The author selected this film because it can be used in courses on both the high school and college levels. A foreign film in any language can be substituted successfully using these guidelines to improve foreign language learning.
Coming to Grips with The Culture: Another Use of Dialogue Journals in Teacher Education
Authors: Bacon Susan M.
Published: January 2009

1The Ohio State University is Associate Professor of Spanish at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio.

ABSTRACT  The article describes using dialogue journals as part of a teaching‐methods course in a summer program in Spain. Participants were teachers of Spanish with a range of experience and language proficiency. The dialogue journal‐writing activity complemented class discussion and research into cultural phenomena. During the course, participants recorded their impressions of and adjustment to Spanish culture. The instructor responded to entries by encouraging writers to clarify and expand ideas. Journal writing appeared to help participants put experiences into an appropriate perspective, thus giving them insight into how to represent Spanish culture to their American students. The article describes the program, course, and journals. The author suggests that this kind of process writing has use in other phases of teacher education.
An Analysis of Results from the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview and the Chinese Proficiency Test Before and After Intensive Instruction in Chinese as a Foreign Language
Authors: Ke Chuanren , Reed Daniel J.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The study reported here investigated the nature of progress made in learning Chinese as a foreign language by adult learners in an intensive summer program in an American university setting. The Chinese language ability of 222 students was measured by a multiple‐choice examination and an interview test, which were, respectively: the Center for Applied Linguistics' Chinese Proficiency Test (CRT) and the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPT). There were 122 students who took the two exams both at the beginning and at the end of a nine‐week period of study. Analysis of the test scores yielded three main findings: 1) There was a moderate correlation between OPI scores and CPT scores; 2) Gains occurred on both exams, with more than half of the students improving on the OPI, and nearly all of them improving on the CPT; 3) Those students who improved on the OPI tended to have higher CPT scores than other students who had the same initial OPI score. The presentation of these results will help to document the extent to which it is possible for adults to master a foreign language under immersion conditions in a domestic setting. The data will be interpreted and discussed in terms of implications for language teaching and testing.
Immersion Grammar: A Changing Portrait of Glenwood School
Authors: Salomone Ann Masters , Elvina Palmam M.A.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT Research on French immersion has concentrated on the achievements of immersion students for the past 25 years. This paper focuses on the pedagogical beliefs and practices of immersion teachers in a large midwestem city. The original qualitative study revealed that the six teachers being studied were concerned most with classroom management and covering the content dictated by the local course of study. Teaching French language was their third priority. After five years, the four remaining teachers disclosed that all three concerns are now treated equally. Grammatical units interspersed into the immersion program are helping to prevent the fossilization of language that has been reported in the literature. These adjustments have been suggested by researchers and are being successfully implemented at Glenwood School.
Intermediate Conversation and Composition Courses: What Makes Them Successful?
Authors: Davidheiser James C. , Lorenz Kathryn M. , Olsony Nadine
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Successful conversation and composition courses entail a large amount of preparation and coordination. Three examples of courses that work well as a result of these efforts are outlined in this article, which is a report of a well‐received presentation at ACTFL 1993. Included are courses in German, French, and Spanish. Goals are described and common characteristics of each course are delineated. Student activities and assessment methods are highlighted. With syllabi included, these courses are presented not simply as theoretical models but as concrete examples of strategies that succeed in the communicative classroom.
An Exploration of Reading Comprehension, Oral Reading Errors, and Written Errors by Subjects Labeled Learning Disabled
Authors: Mabbott Ann Sax
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  There is a significant number of people labeled learning disabled (LD) who have extreme difficulty learning a second language. Although a large amount of research deals with learning disabilities, very little of it addresses the second language learning situation. The purpose of this research is to explore whether, and how, decoding and encoding problems with a first language acquisition carry over into the second language acquisition of five LD‐labeled students and what the consequences are for comprehension

This research consists of case studies of LD‐labeled subjects who have gained a degree of proficiency in a second language. The subjects' performance on written dictations, oral readings, and comprehension after oral and silent reading are compared qualitatively between their first and second languages. In general, it was found that the subjects had the same kinds of problems and made the same kinds of errors in both the first and second languages. By administering these tests and interviewing the subjects about their language learning experiences, the researcher also gained useful information about classroom practices and learning strategies that may help students labeled LD learn a second language.

All of these subjects (all adults) reported having extreme difficulty in the foreign language classroom as well as with English reading and writing skills. In spite of these problems with language, four out of five gained a high degree of fluency in their second language outside the classroom in immersion settings (as foreign exchange students, by marrying a native speaker, by working with migrant laborers). The fifth subject has been able to survive traditional university foreign language classes by working extremely hard and being very aggressive about seeking help. The paper discusses why these learners succeeded in learning a second language while many of their counterparts labeled LD fail.
French‐Language Satellite TV in the Classroom
Authors: Rose Russell G.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Foreign language teachers now have access to more instructional resources than ever before. One of these resources, a technology that is often underutilized, is satellite television. Satellite television can provide, especially in the case of French, a continuous stream of up‐to‐date, authentic language and culture materials to the classroom or lab. The challenge of satellite television is what to select among the many available programs and how to incorporate them into instruction. This article describes the elements of satellite technology, provides information on French and other foreign language programming, and offers suggestions for exploiting satellite television in the classroom.
Computers and the Language Laboratory: Learning from History
Authors: Schwartz Michael
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  In the 1950s and 1960s, educators and researchers were extremely enthusiastic about the advent of the language learning laboratory. Many felt at the outset that students would finally, through the use of high‐tech equipment, reach higher levels of proficiency in the foreign or second language in a shorter amount of time than students who did not use the available technology. This is not what researchers found. In retrospect, the problems with the research as well as with the existing software at the time are obvious. Materials were developed, published, and distributed without research into how best to use the technology. The result was a loss of credibility for foreign language education and for the use of technology in language learning in general.

In Smith's studies on the Pennsylvania project in the 1960s, he concluded that the use of a language laboratory had no discernible effect on student achievement. In fact, on a variety of tests, students who did not use the laboratory performed better than students who did use it. We know that assessment of student performance in this study was based on the grammar‐translation method. Since the students who used the lab were taught language via the audio‐lingual method rather than the grammar‐translation method, it is not surprising that they did not do well on the exams.

This parallels, to a large extent, what is happening today in the area of Computer‐Assisted Language Learning (CALL). First, many studies focus on what students can do with the computer rather than what students actually do. Researchers such as Garrett (1991) have pointed out that the existence of state‐of‐the‐art functionality that may allow students to search for lexical, cultural, or structural items does not necessarily lead to actual use of these features. Second, as with the early language laboratories, materials are again being developed without research into their pedagogical efficacy, and results are often disappointing. As a result, many educators do not see the value of using computers in teaching foreign languages. This paper will describe a variety of possible uses of computers going beyond traditional drill‐and‐practice programs.
Adolescent Language Learners on a Three‐Month Exchange: Insights from their Diaries
Authors: Warden Michael , Lapkin Sharon , Swain Merrill , Hart Doug
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This paper examines the diaries that were kept by 18 anglophone high‐school students of French while they spent three months in Quebec as part of an exchange program. The four main research issues deal with: 1) insights into the language learning process provided by the student diarists; 2) affective factors in language learning; 3) extralinguistic benefits of the exchange; and 4) the ways in which the diaries supplement other data, such as tests and questionnaires.

The analysis yields a great deal of information about individual differences among language learners. While generalizations about students' language learning strategies must await replications of this study, there are common themes with respect to affective factors. All the diarists express some degree of linguistic and cultural shock at the beginning of the visit. However, these initial feelings of frustration and anxiety gradually subside as the students become acclimatized and start to make linguistic progress, and by the end of the exchange all the diarists express satisfaction with their experience in terms of both language learning and personal growth.
How to Discover a Culture in its Literature: Examples from Steinbeck, Saroyan, and Pagnol
Authors: Nostrand Howard Lee
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The arts are the truly authentic expression of culture, and literature is the most explicit, the richest in verifiable evidence. Literature becomes even more rewarding when the author is one who rises above the received ideas to see the culture critically, as do Steinbeck, Saroyan, and Pagnol.

Situations from short stories of the two American writers, and an autobiographical film of Pagnol, are searched for evidence of the culture their authors represent. The approach proposed for this kind of inquiry assumes that the key to understanding what one sees at the surface–behavior, social relations, institutions, etc.–is to be found in the culture's underlying value system, which includes characteristic habits of mind and prevalent assumptions about human nature and society. This system evolves only at a rhythm of generations or even centuries, so that the culture has a persistent identity. The parts of the system color one another's meaning as they reinforce or limit one another, so that each culture is unique.

Provided we keep in balance the appreciation of literature's other aspects, this approach to its cultural underpinning can lead to perspective on a person's native culture, empathy toward other cultures, and awareness of one's own personal values.

Lacking from this perspective, however, are a needed awareness of non‐Western cultures, and the needed dimension of time. Brief selections from Latin and Greek literature can provide the latter, and the Athenian culture offers much more from which we can benefit.

The annotated References comprise a first group concerning the integrating of an effective cultural component into language teaching (References A), and a second group on the value system of American culture (References B). For the French value system, an inventory is available in a book that also contains thorough bibliographies.
Integrating Vocabulary, Grammar, and Culture: A Model Five‐Day Communicative Lesson Plan
Authors: Ballman Terry L.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  In recent years the foreign language teaching profession has participated in a movement away from the teacher‐dominated toward a studen‐centered environment. Today's focus is on developing what students can do with a language, not what they know about it. This paper presents a model lesson plan that thematically integrates vocabulary, grammar, and culture. By approaching lesson planning with a task‐based orientation, teachers may well find that what they need to teach (i.e., the vocabulary, grammar, and cultural information) will emerge naturally and will be more meaningful for students. The structure of the lesson is of special interest to beginning teachers, but has implications for teachers of all levels.
Teaching About Technology in the Foreign Language Class
Authors: Bailey Jutta
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Foreign language classes have made extensive use of technologies for the purpose of teaching and learning language. However, foreign language classes can teach students about technology and its importance in the culture(s) of the language studied. This paper addresses the issue of teaching content in the foreign language class and hopes to establish that technology is an important topic to be included. Suggestions for specific activities and integration into the beginning and advanced German class follow.
Can Strategy Instruction Improve Listening Comprehension?
Authors: Thompson Irene , Rubin Joan
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This paper is a report of a classroom‐based, longitudinal study of the effect of learner strategy instruction on listening comprehension. The subjects were students enrolled in a required third‐year Russian language course at a university. The listening materials consisted of video segments from simulated authentic materials developed for learners of Russian, segments from Russian television, and movies. The hypothesis that systematic instruction in the use of strategies will result in the improvement of listening comprehension was confirmed.
Focus on Form in the Foreign Language Classroom: Students' and Teachers' Views on Error Correction and the Role of Grammar
Authors: Schulz Renate A.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  While the professional literature abounds with treatises for and against the values of explicit grammar instruction and error correction in foreign or second language classrooms, few researchers have investigated student and teacher beliefs regarding the benefit of these pedagogical procedures. This paper reports on an exploratory study, conducted at the University of Arizona, which examines and compares foreign language student and teacher beliefs regarding the benefit of a focus on form in language learning. A total of 824 students and 92 teachers of the commonly taught as well as the less commonly taught languages were included in the study. Results reveal that the students surveyed are relatively favorably disposed toward a focus on form, regardless of language. However, some surprising discrepancies surfaced in teacher beliefs and in a comparison of student and teacher beliefs. The author recommends that in order to establish pedagogical credibility and increase their students' commitment to and involvement in learning, teachers make an effort to explore students' beliefs about language learning and to establish a fit between their own and their students' expectations.
Holistic Grammar Through Socratic Questioning
Authors: Koshi Annie K.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  When teaching grammar to second language (SL) learners, teachers should take the new direction of aiming at grammatical consciousness‐raising. One way to achieve this is to have learners discover grammar rules inductively, the teacher's job being to facilitate this grammar discovery process by providing appropriate techniques. Socratic questioning is an effective technique for facilitating the discovery process. This article discusses an approach that uses Socratic questioning to instill grammar awareness in advanced, academically bound SL learners.

The article begins with a short review of the recent controversy of natural vs. formal (conscious vs. unconscious) teaching/learning of language forms. The second part discusses the theoretical framework of the approach. The third part explains the pedagogical concepts on which the approach is based. The final part examines the approach in detail.

The approach will help learners look at the study of grammar as a means to receive and share information–the purpose of academic language learning. Language is presented holistically–as whole‐pieces–in the form of reading materials, not in isolated sentences. Paying selective attention to specific structural features in the reading material, students answer higher order, critical thinking (Socratic) questions, which help them discover relevant grammatical rules inductively. The outcome is grammar awareness, which will help learners extend their grammar learning beyond the classroom.
Combining Immersion Experiences and Pedagogy for Language Teachers: Lessons Learned and Changes Implemented
Authors: Tedicky Diane J. , Tischer Carolyn A.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This article describes and critiques an NEH‐funded summer graduate program at the University of Minnesota for preservice and insewice teachers of French, German, and Spanish. The program combines a language immersion experience in content‐based classes with a pedagogical component. Data in the form of extensive written evaluations by program participants and instructors were used to develop an analysis of the initial implementation of the program as well as to establish plans for improving it for future years. The content‐based immersion sessions offered three perspectives on a unifying theme, with each perspective shared by a separate instructor. Participants enjoyed the variety of perspectives and perceived an increase in language proficiency as a result of their involvement in the course. Areas needing improvement included the content and pedagogy of the morning sessions as well as coordination of efforts. The pedagogical component combined both large‐group sessions, which brought together participants from the three target language groups, and small‐group “workshop” sessions facilitated by mentor teachers. The purpose of this component was to encourage teachers to explore ways of incorporating the content they were learning in the immersion classes into their own classrooms and, at the same time, update their pedagogical skills. Participants reported being pleased with the content and pedagogy of these sessions and with the role of the mentor teachers. They suggested improvements with respect to the scope of the content and the technology portion. The analysis and critique of the first summer the program was offered as well as description of the changes that were implemented to improve the second summer may offer insights to others considering the development of similar programs.
Development and Implementation of Student Portfolios in Foreign Language Programs
Authors: Padilla Amado M. , Aninao Juan C. , Sung Hyekyung
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Issues related to portfolio development and use in assessing language learning in foreign language education are discussed. Among the issues are “audiences” and “purposes” of the portfolio. With teachers involved in an evaluation project of less commonly taught languages (Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Russian) representing different educational levels (elementary and secondary), we collaborated in the design and implementation of student portfolios to examine growth in foreign language proficiency. The contents of portfolios were analyzed to determine their usability as a means of assessing foreign language learning. Analysis of the portfolios showed that many factors should be considered by teachers in deciding on contents and objectives of the portfolio. We conclude with a series of recommendations for foreign language educators interested in using portfolios to document their students' language learning progress.
Using Ethnographic Techniques in Classroom Observation: A Study of Success in a Foreign Language Class1
Authors: Antón Marta M.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Research on classroom interaction within an ethnographic perspective views the classroom as a cultural setting with its own norms of behavior. Recent studies from this perspective have Focused on uncovering the (often‐unspoken) norms of behavior that need to be internalized in order to be a successful member of the classroom community. This article illustrates how to use ethnographic techniques to achieve a better understanding of classroom dynamics, which will be of value to teachers and supervisors in planning and evaluating their courses. Focusing on the characterization of “success” in an Italian class through the analysis of interaction patterns and purposes of the participants, the study reveals the need For a continuity of teacher and students' goals, methods, and Forms of evaluation.