bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theory and Practice in Culture Teaching on the Second‐Year Level in French and Spanish
Authors: Lewald H. Ernest
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The constant and new demands on the modern language teacher have brought about support from within the profession for combining language teaching with a systematic presentation of salient aspects of values, beliefs, behavior, and artistic or intellectual expressions of the target culture. Under the assumption that culture presentations and discussions can lead to motivating students to become interested in the target language, pilot classes in French and Spanish on the second‐year level were conducted over two consecutive years. One of three class hours was dedicated to culture presentations, ranging from discussing The Silent Language to the use of audio‐visual material, such as records, slides concentrating on social situations, and art lectures. Selected poems, short stories, and essays dealing with collective traits or the national psyche were read in the target language and discussed in class. Evaluations conducted at the end of the year showed a marked preference for the culture‐oriented course over the traditional sequence.
A Multi‐Channel Approach to Language Teaching
Authors: Huberman Gisela , Medish Vadim
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The most important aspect of multi‐channel instruction is the fact that it telescopes two years of college language–elementary and intermediate levels—into one year without increasing the number of contact hours. Knowing that he can do it twice as fast, the student is more willing to learn a second language. This approach to language teaching makes the learning process an exciting, intellectually challenging, and gratifying experience, thus eliminating another psychological obstacle to language learning—boredom. For its effectiveness, instruction depends on the latest findings of psycholinguistics and on systematic use of television. Television is used in each lesson to add a visual dimension to audiolingual methodology, to simulate the cultural environment, and to provide a powerful motivation reinforcement. As a result, the usual gap between active and passive language skills is overcome and the learning process is expedited.
Exploring the Role of the United States Hispano in the Dissemination of Anglicisms in Spanish*
Authors: Teschner Richard Vincent
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The phenomenon of English influence on Spanish is discussed from a socio‐linguistic standpoint, and the author attempts to determine whether immigration data and census figures can tell us anything about the propagation of that influence. By interpreting statistics from the 1970 Annual Report of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the author demonstrates that the native Spanish‐speaker in the United States (citizen, resident, or temporary visitor) may well be one of the chief factors in the increasingly widespread dissemination of Anglicisms in Spanish. Hispanos (especially Mexicans) form the largest single block of U.S. immigrants in recent years (33.56 percent for 1961–70); there is ample evidence that they retain their ancestral language longer than other groups have done and that Hispanos return to their countries of origin at a high rate, whether to visit there briefly or to reside permanently. As a consequence, the author concludes that these ‘returning’ Hispanos are at least as responsible for the diffusion of the Spanish Anglicism as are the traditional founts of contamination, e.g., newsservices and printed media, cinematography, U.S. industry and commerce, etc.
The Dawn of Language*
Authors: Brooks Nelson
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Current studies in anthropology, archeology, prehistory, and biology point to the conclusion that man, language, and culture all began at the same time, some two million years ago, in southeast Africa. The dawn of language for the race is recapitulated for the individual as each child, in the first two years of life, seizes upon ihe knack of putting sounds together in a systematic way that permits him to symbolize, in communicable form, the segments of reality around and within him. The universal occurence of this remarkable phenomenon strongly suggests that only a genetic factor can account for the cradle learning of spoken speech. But the dawn of language as the all‐embracing prerequisite of man's status as man has not yet come to the academic world. And it will not come until language is established as a discipline in its own right, a discipline called, quite simply, ‘Language,’ that will support, envigorate, and enlighten all areas of study having to do with the intellect of man.
Aptitude, Attitude, and Sensitivity
Authors: Hubbard Louise J.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Success or failure in foreign language study is often attributed to the learner's aptitude for foreign language learning. As generally defined and measured, however, aptitude is not a valid predictor of achievement. Motivation, which influences aptitude, has also been examined. Factors affecting motivation include the learner's attitude toward the language to be learned and the people who speak it. Responsibility for achievement, or the lack of it, in second language learning has been placed on the learner. This one‐sided approach is, however, being corrected, as recent studies report the influence of teacher attitude on pupil achievement. How the teacher and learner perceive and react to each other must be recognized as a major determinant for successful second language study. In the classrooms of our pluralistic society, cultural differences may be as varied as those being presented with the foreign language. Preparation of future language teachers should include a program which will sensitize them to teacher‐learner human relations.
Moi Tarzan, Vous Jane? A Study of Communicative Competence
Authors: Powell Patricia B.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Two hundred twenty‐three secondary students who were near the end of a second‐year course in French conducted interviews with the researcher, who posed as a French girl who neither spoke nor understood English, and attempted to obtain fourteen bits of information from her. The transcribed interviews were the basis of an analysis of the structures used and the kinds of errors made. Many of the errors appeared to be due to interference, both from English and from French. A few, such as the confusion between definite and indefinite articles, were traced of pedagogical strategies. However, there were large groups of errors which seemed to be the result of reduction processes. The fact that is ductions seemed to be influenced by the need to communicate suggests that correcting student errors in terms of their comprehensibility to native speaker might result in a more advances grammar. At any rate, few students seem to be successful in mastering the syllabus of a two‐year French course for active use.
The Grade Contract Revisited
Authors: Bornscheuer Joan H.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This article describes further adaptations of and variations on the grade contract system as applied to upper‐division language classes. The goals of individualized instruction, fair evaluation, and emphasis on a learner‐oriented rather than a grade‐oriented class were stressed. The ‘modus operandi’ used is described, and the results are assessed.
Cassettes, Films, and the Partner System: Adding a New Dimension to the Conversation Class
Authors: Irving John S.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  A one‐unit conversational module of an elementary German class was used as a pilot for an innovative method which sought to increase the student's fluency and interest by deemphasizing the role of the teacher as drill‐master and stressing student communication on a one‐to‐one basis. The class was divided into pairs of students who worked together as partners throughout the semester. Each set of partners received an audio cassette containing ‘personalized’ dialogues which focused on each partner's life and interests. The dialogues were learned at home and practiced in class. The roles of the partners in the dialogues were played by native speakers. Each cassette also contained a set of humorous variation drills based on the dialogues. For variety, there was visual reinforcement in the form of super‐8 films, which depicted the situations recorded on cassette.
Review Article Sexism in Foreign Language Textbooks
Authors: Stern Rhoda H.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The content and photographs of twenty‐five foreign language textbooks published after 1970 are examined for their sexist stereotypes and omissions. The texts, all but one published in America, are used by students enrolled in elementary and intermediate foreign language courses from elementary school through college. Under examination, each is found to perpetuate the sex role stereotyping prevalent in American and foreign cultures. Whether by a female or male author, revised or a first edition, or considered non‐sexist by the publisher, these texts, especially the college ones, overwhelmingly omit women or place them in mundane and eccentric roles. Pressure must be exerted so that textbooks more accurately reflect the position of women in all societies.
Reading in a Foreign Language: A Many Splendored Thing
Authors: Bornscheuer Joan H.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Reading literary texts for comprehension in a foreign language is a problem facing many teachers. This article deals with an experimental approach to reading in which the assigned text was supplemented by tapes and mimeographed sheets to provide a multi‐skill format. In a classroom situation, it was found that the experiment helped students to comprehend better and appreciate the story, while at the same time enriching their vocabulary and improving their listening comprehension.
The Role of Repetition Through Successive Approximations in the Acquisition of the Basic Skills*
Authors: Littell Katherine M.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Repetition has been used as a language teaching device since antiquity and is the basis of the modern audiolingual drill sequence. Recent research indicates that many of the uses of repetition prescribed by the audiolingual method, such as the use of tapes in the language laboratory and in classroom drills, have not resulted in the student progress anticipated. An explanation for this phenomenon may be that the speed of phonic presentation on the tapes is too fast for the students' rate of listening comprehension, making it impossible for sounds and words to be identified in meaningful sequences. If the speed of presentation is reduced to a level at which the student fully comprehends all material on the tape, it seems reasonable to infer that the rate of listening comprehension will be increased substantially in terms of short‐ and long‐term mastery. The purpose of the present research was to examine language acquisition within the four skill areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, as it is affected by both non‐distorted retardation and repetition of speech. The subjects were divided into three groups: Group I heard taped materials which were reduced in speed to a point where comprehension was assured: Group II heard three repetitions, proceeding in three equal increments from base‐level comprehension to normal speed; Group III experienced the taped material at normal speed. All modifications in speed were effected by the speech compressor and were undistorted. During this experiment, the subjects' performance was differentially affected as a function of sex, language ability, and treatment, indicating a need for greater differentiation of teaching strategies within generally defined methodologies.
Teaching Foreign Languages‐Why? A New Look at an Old Question
Authors: Alatis James E.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Beginning with a rapid review of selected classics on the value of foreign language study, the article goes on to suggest new emphases from three points of view: that of foreign language teachers from abroad, that of English as a second language and bilingual education, and that of anthropological linguistics. For the individual, language learning may be a source of peak experiences; for mankind, a contribution toward international understanding. Bilingual education is seen as a means of enrichment for all. A plea is made for a new concept of a unified professional entity in the language profession, especially for improved communication with the public.
Combining Structure Drills and Reading Comprehension Exercises to Teach Literature
Authors: Smith Alfred N.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  In the intermediate college course or the advanced high school class, language and literature instruction can be combined to further the students' competence in language skills (speaking in particular) as well as to provide more accurate comprehension of literature. This article illustrates many exercises based on Le Petit Prince which serve to review grammar, stimulate oral participation, and verify students' comprehension of the text. The unique feature of these exercises is that they are not only structure drills for grammar practice, but also reading comprehension exercises. This combination gives substance and meaning to the oral manipulation of structure and provides form and direction to the task of checking reading comprehension.
Adapting Reading Materials for Individualized Instruction
Authors: Henning William A.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The makeshift adaptation of materials for individualized instruction to which teachers are often forced is unsatisfactory in intermediate‐level reading. Students reading on their own often have problems because they do not know which aspects they should apply of what they already know. In the classroom, the teacher can ask guiding questions; reading material for individualized use needs to be adapted to provide the student with a similar set of guiding questions. These questions must be directed at grammatical difficulties and not simply at vocabulary. To achieve the goal of having the student read without assistance, there must be a process of gradually withdrawing assistance as he progresses. Specific types of questions and possible formats are presented. These suggestions, applied to a workbook accompanying a short novel, were shown in a comparative study to be more effective in increasing reading skills than the reading of the novel without such aid.
An Individualized Approach to a Literary Text
Authors: Klein David J.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Few articles have been written applying current methodologies and innovative techniques to teaching literature to the advanced student. This article presents a successful method for individualizing the study of a literary text. It emphasizes the need to continue to improve upon and develop the four skills, while deemphasizing the traditional role of literary texts as a vehicle for acquiring critical literary skills. Students progress into more advanced stages of language learning while being exposed to literature–an important cultural heritage of the target language which must not be neglected.
Miscue Analysis: A New Tool for Diagnosing Oral Reading Proficiency in Foreign Languages
Authors: Allen Edward D.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  A miscue analysis is accomplished by studying the strategies that students employ as they read aloud from an unfamiliar text. Whenever a student's rendition of a word or phrase does not match the expected response, it is called a miscue rather than an error, since the responses are, in reality, not errors, but deviations from the graphic symbols on the printed page. Thus, a miscue can be a substituted word, a mispronunciation, a correction, an additional thought, a repeti tion, etc. The writer examined the miscues of thirty randomly chosen third‐year French students in four high schools. Their miscues revealed the strategies they used. Some students operated at the phonics level, attempting to ‘sound out’ the symbols without attaching any meaning to thern; others, more efficient readers, went beyond the graphics and predicted meanings as they saw the syntactic and semantic relationships in their reading.
Measuring and Evaluating Progress in Reading
Authors: Wipf Joseph A.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Careful evaluation of student progress and teaching effectiveness is one of the most formidable tasks facing the foreign language teacher. Though some instructional materials provide evaluation instruments, many teachers prefer to construct their own quizzes and examinations tailored to their specific needs. Thus, following a discussion of significant test concepts, the writer conveys guidelines for planning and constructing test items, provides numerous examples for evaluating reading comprehension in both formal and informal settings, and makes suggestions for pre‐ and post‐test activities.
A Computer‐Assisted‐Instruction Course in Vocabulary Building Through Latin and Greek Roots
Authors: Scanlan Richard T.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The national decline in the Scholastic Aptitude Test scores in verbal ability over the past several years has indicated a need for remedial work with vocabulary development. A course in the enlargement of students' English vocabulary through the study of Latin and Greek roots and their derivatives has been developed by the Department of the Classics at the University of Illinois. A unique component of the class is that it makes use of computer‐assisted instruction as available on the PLATO IV system. Enrollment in less than a year has increased from thirty‐five to over 400, and some students have improved as much as forty percentile ranks in their verbal aptitude as measured on standardized tests.
Individualizing French Through the Credit/No Credit, Open‐Ended Approach
Authors: Kline Michael B.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT An individualized approach to language teaching may be used not only to motivate students through self‐pacing; more importantly, individualization should be used to impose a high level of mastery and avoid grade bargaining. The key is to vary the time needed by students to achieve mastery, rather than to fix the performance time to a variable level of mastery. Language teachers may use the structure of an individualized course rather than personal pressure and influence to stim late students. The same course structure be of service in training language majors teaching assistants and in reducing the section cost of instruction. Thus individualization may become a multi‐purpose technique, (service to the language teacher in a time) shrinking enrollments and increased demand for performance on the part of the profession.
Using Language to Learn Language
Authors: Steiner Peter
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT Students can discover the rules of German grammar (or any grammar) by asking the right questions about a text. They can write grammars and compile vocabulary lists which will probably be better suited to their needs than a book they might buy. Such a project engages their interest; they learn something about analytical thinking as well as the structure of language. This article describes classes that taught in this way, the advantages gained, and some of the problems encountered. It is also a polemic for the upgrading of language teaching so that learning a language becomes an intelltual discipline worthy of inclusion in the college curriculum.
The Intensive Language Course Toward a Successful Approach
Authors: Jr John J. Deveny , Bookout Jonathan C.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT The intensive language course, when carefully planned and well executed, will be a gratifying professional experience. This particular Spanish course met daily for eight weeks from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Classroom instruction, native speaker groups, and the language laboratory shared the daily contact hours. In addition to the basic textbook materials, the professors in charge prepared supplemental material to enrich the course. The philosophical approach to the course was that of laying a firm grammatical foundation in Spanish during the hours of formal instruction and developing oral‐aural skills in the native speaker groups. The essential methodology involved presenting amounts of related material at one time, constantly reinforcing this material through the course. In addition to weekly examina and a final examination at the end of each week session (each session corresponding five credit‐hour course), other methods of uation were native speaker ratings, pop and daily evaluation of class recitations. type of course has practical advantages for department, including good publicity, low per credit hour, and the fact that these awaken student interest and help maintain rollment in advanced courses.
Blending Career Education Concepts with the Foreign Language Curriculum: Responding to the Challenge
Authors: Beusch Ann A. , DeLorenzo William E.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Although many foreign language teachers traditionally have been interested in the aesthetic value and vocational opportunities offered by engaging in the study of their subject matter, relatively few have emphasized the avocational value of language study. The current emphasis on career education in the curriculum has prompted many subject areas to investigate the relationship between career education concepts and their subject matter content. The area of foreign language instruction appears to have taken a lead in developing a rationale, curriculum guides, and resource material in order to facilitate the blending of career education concepts and foreign languages. The major focus of this endeavor is on foreign languages as an ancillary skill. The authors of this article believe that any attempts to blend career education concepts and foreign languages are best facilitated through the coordinated efforts of diverse individuals and agencies, i.e., state departments of education, institutions of higher learning, local school systems, etc. The charge to such a task force should not only be to develop the conceptual framework for the curricular change but also to initiate positive action toward implementing that change.
Comics in the Foreign Language Classroom: Pedagogical Perspectives
Authors: Brown James W.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Popular comics have generally been relegated to the status of ‘diversionary’ activities in the foreign language classroom, a medium which teachers have turned to only in an effort to rekindle waning enthusiasm in their students. Recently, however, scholars in France have been devoting considerable time to develop innovative uses of comics in the foreign language classroom. Most of the methodologies so far devised center on pedagogical applications of comics to the teaching of language, culture, and literature. In an effort to encourage North American scholars and teachers to exploit the pedagogical potentials of comics, this essay has three aims: (1) to propose a theoretical framework in which comics may be studied in the foreign language classroom; (2) to review the major areas in which scholars in France have formulated a pedagogy of comics; and (3) to provide a short bibliography of the most recent studies on the subject.
Second Language Study and Intellectual Development*
Authors: Hancock Charles R.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  An investigation of selected research projects which focus on intellectual development is presented. That treatment begins with a description of psychologically‐oriented studies and illustrates the many ways in which studying a second language in school settings contributes to the cognitive development of the learner. The primary goal of the article is to describe completed research studies with a view toward synthesizing various authors' views. Foreign language educators might find the information useful as they establish various rationales for foreign language study in their particular situations.
Dialogue Learning and Oral Fluency in Lower‐Level Spanish Classes
Authors: Feeny Thomas P.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  When not made burdensome through rote memorization, dialogue learning proves an effective tool in teaching conversational skills to lower‐level language students. Using an outline of the day's dialogue can assist the student to ‘learn’ the material without complete memorization. This outline method serves to foster semi‐spontaneous participation, as the instructor encourages the student to improvise on the outline whenever possible by drawing upon all his language knowledge; in the process, the student necessarily reviews and reinforces vocabulary and grammar. The article also describes a number of practical and effective variations of the outline method. The goal is to provide the beginning student with conversational skills and the motivation to continue language study.
Learning to See in the Foreign Language Class
Authors: Loew Helene Z.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  A major purpose of education is to develop thinking, sensitive students. In language programs an additional priority is to develop cross‐cultural understanding. Learning is derived through various sources, not only the written word. This article discusses the inquiry teaching or discovery approach to learning. An object lesson is outlined using a cultural artifact as the subject of analysis; questions the students might ask about the object are included.
The Point System: An Approach to Individualization in Advanced Language Courses
Authors: Boring Phyllis Z.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  There is a valid need for individualized instruction in advanced language classes where students represent a wide range of ability levels. To meet this need a point system was introduced in two advanced courses in Spanish: Conversation and Composition, and Advanced Grammar and Stylistics. While quizzes, exams, and class participation were graded traditionally, written and oral asssignments were judged on their potential maximum point value. Students who were weak in written or spoken Spanish at the beginning of the semester could compensate by doing extra work, thus gaining additional points. Students who could handle simple assignments with ease could contract to do more sophisticated projects–poems, short stories, skits, dialogues, etc.—with a proportionately greater point value. Student evaluations completed at mid‐semester and the end of the semester revealed enthusiasm for the approach and a general feeling that all students had been given an opportunity to improve their language skills.
Early Emphasis on Speaking: An Associative Approach to Foreign Language Learning
Authors: Sell Rainer
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Associative speaking is an attempt at making oral communication the central activity in foreign language classes as early as the second semester. Comparable to the stream‐of‐consciousness technique in literature, associative speaking allows the student free choice of syntactical expression (word, phrase, or complete sentence) and a much greater selection of lexical options than traditional conversation. Students can sustain communication, contribute more frequently, and develop communicative skills earlier than in four‐skill language classes. Strong motivational forces such as imagination, humor, and wit, usually stifled by the demands of grammar and a limited rational context, become operative within the framework of limited linguistic expression determined entirely by the student. By playfully exploring the combinative potential of language, he is encouraged to express such personal emotions as joy, anger, etc., which increases the probability of language retention. Grammar practice is given a preparatory function as part of substantial homework assignments.
Long‐Range Goals and Language Use: Results of a Student Survey
Authors: O'Connor Patricia
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  In a survey conducted at t h e University of Texas at Austin, more than 2,000 lower‐division students of Spanish and Portuguese (97.2 percent of them non‐language majors) were asked to describe their long‐range professional goals, and to speculate how, if at all, the ability to understand, speak, read, or write Spanish or Portuguese could be an asset in obtaining these goals. While over 80 percent of the students surveyed indicated their belief that second language competence could be valuable in their future work, their statements also provide reassuring evidence of the degree to which the cultural and hunanistic goals of language study continue to b e valued by the current generation of undergraduates. This article includes a description of the survey and its results, as well as a discussion of some of its implications for the development of specialized, career‐oriented language courses and teaching materials.
The Student Project: A Technique That Works with Community College Students and Can Work with Others
Authors: Allen Louise H.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Methodology for community college classes in foreign languages presents some special problems. The heterogeneity of the student body, the limitations placed on students' study time by their outside commitments, and the personal pragmatism of many students call for considerable ingenuity on the part of instructors. The writer recommends the use of individual student projects as a technique for engaging and holding the interest of these students, for adding the human dimension to the classroom, and for fostering genuine communication among the students. The article describes the project technique as she has used it, provides concrete examples from one intermediate‐level class, and suggests the adaptability of the method to secondary school or university classes.
Achieving Language Competence with Affective Learning Activities
Authors: Christensen Clay Benjamin
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  In this article, a sequel to an earlier one on Affective Learning Activities (ALA), four premises are offered: (1) while the cognitive domain is essential to achieve learning, the affective domain is equally essential for the promotion of stimulating language practice; (2) imagination keeps people from boredom; (3) creativity or inventiveness enriches peoples' lives; and (f) affective themes (e. g., values, personal opinions and experiences, interests, imaginings and fantasies) categorize potentially rich content for stimulating language practice. A brief overview of the connection between imagination and the images stored in the learner's memory bank points out the classroom utility of affective themes. A rationale for tapping the students' creative abilities is given to clarify why ALA may be profitably used in the foreign language classroom. In addition, the article attempts to survey some of the affective themes that may be incorporated into classroom teaching materials. While this article suggests that several strategy models exist to facilitate the release of the learners' affective domain, one specific model, the Open‐Ended Sentence is described in detail. It is designed to elicit responses that will be charged with the learners' personal opinions, values, humor, and feelings. The ideal learning atmosphere the approach promotes ties into a recent concept described as the ‘flow factor.’
Experiencing French Louisiana
Authors: Kirby Judy Kates
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  In order to study indigenous French culture and history in America, a group of high school students of French undertook a trip to Louisiana. To raise the necessary money, they staged an “evening of French entertainment” to which they invited their parents and friends. In preparation for the trip, the students read history books and novels pertaining to the French in Louisiana and shared their knowledge with each other by making oral reports. During the trip itself, the students were introduced to people, food, and points of interest which represent the French heritage in the United States. The students were also afforded a respite from learning in the classroom, an opportunity to broaden their knowledge of this country, and a chance to test their ability to communicate with others.
Students Work with MONIQUE and Learn French
Authors: Terry Robert M.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  In order to provide students with supplementary drills, basically in French grammar, a simple but highly versatile program of computer‐assisted drills called MONIQUE was designed for student use. Written in 2000F Time‐Shared Basic, MONIQUE affords the students a wide variety of optional, conveniently accessible drills on various grammatical and cultural topics. MONIQUE is a relatively inexpensive program to store and is very economical from the point of view of teacher‐use time at the console. The program is personalized for each student and, by virtue of its versatility, can be written in a foreign language or in English, with much variety in the format of the opening dialogue and reward/reprimand rejoinders. These computer‐assisted drills are highly motivational and offer students ungraded minitests. Student response to MONIQUE has been favorable and enthusiastic.
Language Study: An Explicitly Humanistic Approach
Authors: Swartz Mary Ann
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The new language program at Loyola University of Chicago is designed to make explicit the place of language study in the liberal arts curriculum. The approach is interdisciplinary, with a trained linguist giving lectures which relate the study of a specific language to the study of the phenomenon of language itself. Since the program is to be completed in two semesters instead of the traditional four, goals have been redefined to emphasize reading as a key to culture and a springboard for discussions of the extended concept of language. The revision of the concept of usable skills allows students to choose among several different options if they wish to continue language study. They may enroll in linguistics courses, literature courses, or courses which improve skills in oral and written expression.
An Alternative to Structurally Oriented Textbooks*
Authors: Harlow Linda L.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Although most of today's foreign language textbooks and syllabuses are organized around structural form, a functional‐notional approach may be a viable alternative. This concept, originating with the Council of Europe's reorganization of its foreign language program, basically involves the organization of a textbook or syllabus according to the notions or functions that a learner hopes to be able to express. This article explores the various aspects of the concept, includes examples of how a functional‐notional unit of instruction might be organized, and points out the advantages of such an organization. The article suggests that the functional‐notional approach may be significant in fulfilling the needs of both foreign language students and teachers.
Communicative Use of Language and Syllabus Design*
Authors: Valdman Albert
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The ability of a learner to use the target language with relative fluency in simulated speech transactions is recognized as an important objective for today's American foreign language classroom. The adoption of that goal requires, in addition to modifications of classroom practices and the teaching environment, a thorough revision of present syllabus‐design practices. A teaching syllabus is defined as the selection and ordering of the subject matter to be taught. Current syllabuses are based on linguistic features that bear no direct relationship to either learner processes or units of which communicative transactions are composed. The optimal pedagogical syllabus should lead the learner to participate in the largest number of communicative transactions in the shortest period of time. In the absence of knowledge about psycholinguistic processes that guide foreign language learners and about the organization and structure of speech acts, it is difficult to abandon linguistic features in the design of syllabuses. Four new orientations may be followed that lead more directly to language use than do monolithic and paradigm‐oriented linguistic features: (1) frequency and utility indexes, (2) intralinguistic analysis, (3) language acquistion and processing universals, and (4) observation of second language learners. Syllabuses stressing the ability to use a language rather than knowledge of its structure should be guided also by the following principles: (1) drastic reduction of the number of features introduced, (2) the use of cyclical rather than linear ordering, (3) reduction of the complexity of the material presented (shorter utterances and use of analytical devices instead of inflectional material), (4) reduction of variants and alternants, and (5) tolerance of learner errors.
Communication, Small Groups, and the Interview in the FL Classroom
Authors: Dvorak Paul F.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Individualizing instruction and developing communicative skills have been focal points foreign language teaching over the past few years. One area that needs closer attention is the relationship between communicative materials and small groups. An examination of existing communicative techniques and the size of the group in which they are employed reveals that few exercises involve the student efficiently and adequately in the questioning process itself. Thus, there has been a failure to provide what should be an important element in communicative exercises. A look at the interview technique in small groups shows how this shortcoming can be removed by emphasizing skill‐getting and skill‐using in a natural setting. To date, most discussions of the interview technique have concerned themselves only with affective goals, large groups, or outside‐of‐class activities. Active student participation in the questioning process with appropriate guidance by the teacher promotes a natural exchange of information and is easily adaptable to all levels of language classes.
Back to Basics in the Foreign Language Classroom?*
Authors: Schulz Renate A.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT The current cry of ‘back to basics’ can also be heard among foreign language educators. This article traces some of the causes for discontent, especially the lack of common goals in the profession, the proliferation of disconnected options, and the unrealistic expectations our instructional materials put on the learner. The author warns of interpreting ‘the basics’ too narrowly and maintains that foreign language study has a unique place and function in the general curriculum. She proposes reinstatement of a general language requirement, but only after we have re‐examined our discipline for the inherent knowledge and skills which will contribute to emphasizing fundamental humanistic goals for all learners. She calls for the development of an articulated curriculum from FLES through college, differentiating between general requirement courses and those intended for the specialist aiming toward mastery of the target language.
Assessing Individual Learning Styles: An Analysis of Five Instruments
Authors: Lepke Helen S.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT Individual learning styles, their complex mechanisms and their elusive physiognomies, have become the focus of increased experimentation in many subject matter areas. This article describes the salient features of five testing instruments which, though dissimilar in scope and emphases, illustrate the direction of recent trends. Included are Harry Reinert's ELSIE (Edmonds Learning Style Identification Exercise) with its major emphasis on the learner's preferred method of adopting and internalizing words; Joseph Hill's Cognitive Style Interest Inventory, a broad‐base instrument which examines the interacting influences of communicative symbols, sensory experiences, and programmatic cues; Anthony Papalia's Learning Modalities and Individual Differences Inventories, a comparative approach in which the student's self‐assessment of his cognitive preferences is juxtaposed with the teacher's observations; David E. Hunt's Paragraph Completion Method, which probes into the learner's conceptual maturity level; and the Dunn, Dunn, and Price Learning Style Inventory which is designed to analyze the influences of environmental, emotional, sociological, and physical stimuli in determining individual learning patterns.
Learning Centers: A Report of the 1977 N.E.H. Institute at Ohio State University
Authors: Allen Edward D.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT A promising solution to meeting the needs and interests of all students is the use of learning centers. A learning center is a corner or a table in the back of a classroom where a group of one to five students can work on a subject or topic that interests them. It always contains reading materials and often a cassette tape recorder and a slide or film projector. Students are given tasks to complete and can find answer keys in accompanying envelopes or packets. A group of twenty‐four French and twenty‐four Spanish teachers from Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan received a grant in the summer of 1977 to come to Ohio State University and develop learning centers for ‘small and large c’ culture. They created twenty learning centers or units on housing, shopping, cooking, transportation, sports, fiestas, literature, history, achitecture, painting, and music.
A Cultural Exchange Project for Foreign Language Classes
Authors: Stingley Lucille
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT Students of German at the University School of the University of Wyoming initiated an exchange project with German students of English in Lingen‐Ems, West Germany. The purpose of the exchange was to explore the similarity of interests of German and American teenagers. The classes exchanged items of interest to teenagers, including posters, movie and hobby magazines, local newspapers, etc. The article also notes various ways in which student motivation was increased as a result of this project.
Teaching Poetry: The Neglected Muse
Authors: Perricone Catherine R.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT This article discusses techniques whereby the abstract nature of foreign language poetry may be communicated to students. Some procedures are: (1) an introduction to the literary genre of poetry; (2) understanding and appreciating poetry as a literary skill (including grammar and syntax); (3) the poet in his or her milieu; (4) reading the poem for expression and vocabulary; (5) determining the poem's place in a literary movement; and (6) analyzing the poem for theme, content, and structure. Stylistics are an integral part of the poetic form, and as such present students with an excellent medium for the study of language.
German via the Airweaves: A Goreign Language Experiment That Worked!
Authors: Richmond Edmun B. , Lally Dale V.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT Shortwave amateur radio contacts have provided an opportunity for the foreign language student to speak on a one‐to‐one, personalized level with other speakers of the target language, whether they be native speakers or other students. A recently designed course in conversational German via amateur radio contacts between students at Georgia Tech and the University of Louisville has been developed and implemented by the authors. This article describes the development of the course, its actual on‐the‐air material, the language development of the students enrolled in the course, and the critique of the course by the students. In addition, projected courses are described, with an invitation for other schools to participate.
Pictures and Second Language Comprehension: Do They Help?
Authors: Omaggio Alice C.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT This study investigated the effects of selected pictorial contexts on measures of reading comprehension in beginnning college French. A 6 × 3 factorial design was used to examine the effects of two independent variables. The pictorial context variable consisted of six levels: (1) no visual context; (2) a single‐object drawing; (3) prethematic context; (4) thematic context; (5) postthematic context; and (6) multiple context. The textual materials variable consisted of three levels: (1) no text; (2) a 650‐word text in French; and (3) the same text in English. 664 subjects at The Ohio State University participated in the 18 treatment conditions. Comprehension of the text was measured by (1) a résumé, to be written in English by the subject, measuring recall knowledge; and (2) a 20‐item test of recognition knowledge. Results support the research hypothesis that the advantages of having illustrations in the second Language accrued from the fact that the pictures served as advance organizers of a general nature, facilitating the hypothesis‐testing process.
A Confluent Approach to Curriculum Design
Authors: Galyean Beverly
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT Students in confluent language classes explore and discuss various aspects of themselves, as well as less personal information, in the target language. By focusing on naturally motivating ‘meaning nodes’ (needs, concerns, interests, personality traits, values, attitudes, behaviors, dreams, personal imagery, and plans for the future), students are able to learn about themselves while learning a new language. The target language serves as the vehicle for self‐awareness, self‐expression, and self‐affirmation. As personally meaningful information is shared with the others during conversation and structure practice, the subsequent milieu of warmth and openness enables students to relate closely to themselves and to their teacher.
The Associational Method in Language Learning
Authors: Schmelzer Henry
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT The mental processes of idea and word association are fundamental elements of the faculties of thought and memory. They are as basic to creative work as they are to our normal functioning on the everyday level of life. The Associational Method in Language Learning (AMLL) is a strategy aimed at mobilizing the associational abilities of the human mind in the service of language learning in general and second language learning in particular. Diverse language exercises are programmed to help the learner to develop his powers of association at different levels, in which he actively generates language from commonplace verbal patterns to imaginative and creative speech. The whole mind of the learner, on its cognitive as well as affective side, is thus engaged in the learning process.
Word Watching: Learning Vocabulary Becomes a Hobby
Authors: Kramsch Claire J.
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT In an effort to link the acquisition of the foreign language more closely to its natural and functional usage, a method was developed to make the learning of vocabulary a personal and creative challenge for the student at the intermediate and advanced levels of high school or college language classes. Closely monitored by the teacher, each student is responsible for doing his or her daily ‘word‐watching,’ and choosing the words he or she will learn, according to his or her needs. At the end of a four‐step learning process, vocabulary is used actively and serves as a measure of progress in communicative ability.
Using Community Resources in Teaching Spanish On the Border
Authors: Aguilar Ricardo D. , Aldana Adelfo
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT The article points toward utilization of community resources which are readily available along the southwest border regions. It proposes that Spanish programs at universities along the U.S. border with Mexico develop systems by which Mexican cities may be turned into living language labs for such American institutions. Several possibilities are mentioned for implementing these programs both for teaching Spanish as a foreign language and for teaching Spanish to native speakers.