ERIC Number: ED246646
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1984-Mar
Pages: 15
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Proficiency Teaching and the Teacher in the Field.
Gonzalez, Barbara
Results of a 1983 survey of Texas foreign language teachers reveal their views and concerns about a new state law requiring all prospective language teachers to pass an oral proficiency interview for certification beginning in 1986. Of the 142 respondents, most were Spanish teachers, high school teachers, and teachers with more than 10 years teaching experience but little or no foreign experience. It was found that most teachers knew of the proficiency testing requirement, but fewer knew of the oral interview tests, and a large majority wished extensive publicity about the implementation of testing. Specifically, teachers wanted a description of the tests and a list of the functions and notions covered. Teachers expected their teaching to be affected in a number of ways, including changing methods, curriculum, and materials; upgrading oral skills, offering more student opportunities for foreign experience; and requiring more support services. Teachers specified a few personal needs for: (1) more funds for foreign experience to develop skills; (2) new materials and individual inservice assistance with new methods; (3) communication about a broader range of topics and situations in the target language; and (4) smaller classes and updated aids. Desired services included information dissemination, language and methods training, travel programs, content courses, inservice, and curriculum development, with involvement of higher education in all these areas and state agency involvement in all but training professors and teachers. Teachers generally felt positively about the proficiency requirements. The 73-item questionnaire is included. (MSE)
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Speeches/Meeting Papers; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Texas
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A