Reports on a content-based elementary Chinese as a foreign language program. Focuses on classroom language activities that are designed and implemented to serve the dual goals of language development and cultural learning. Investigated how classroom activities are organized to integrate culture/content and language learning for young beginners.…

Project addresses the challenge of providing Spanish instruction in small, rural, public, and private schools in Nebraska and Iowa. The project added Spanish to the curriculum by providing extensive support in technology hardware and software to non-Spanish-speaking classroom teachers who reinforce weekly Spanish classes taught by non-certified…

Presents an approach to articulating foreign languages in the elementary grades based on the content-enriched foreign language in the elementary school program model that links language, content, and culture through thematic units about francophone countries. Describes a curriculum design of a unit titled, "La Martinique" and illustrates…

A survey used to determine parents' attitudes toward implementing an elementary school foreign language (FLES) program in their children's school indicated support for a FLES program. Parents felt that foreign language study would have positive effects on their children's English language skills and increase their children's interest in continuing…

Discusses the various functions of grammar in second-language (SL) education, and examines the relationship between discourse and grammar in SL education. Two problems are then examined concerning the relationship between discourse and grammar within grammatical exercises, and with the help of concrete examples, suggestions are offered to better…

Outlines a four-step plan for maintaining discipline in the second language classroom that focuses on prevention, heading off problems, punishment, and crisis management. Maintains that effective teaching methods that hold student interest can often head off discipline problems. (four references) (MDM)

Elementary school second language instruction began in 1840 but has in general been restricted to a limited number of schools and programs. In 1969, Louisiana initiated an effort to become the country's center of French language study, bringing together resources from French-speaking nations and setting an example for other communities. (MSE)

Describes a lesson unit designed to encourage a global perspective among five to seven year olds in a beginning level Spanish class and discusses the implications of global education for foreign-language teacher preparation. (24 references) (Author/CB)

Discusses what are believed to be five areas of neglect in foreign language instruction in the elementary school. These include the following: time allocation, time on the task, teacher preparation, program expectations, and articulation. (GLR)

Provides a rationale for Foreign Language in the Elementary School (FLES) program evaluation, and discusses the development and use of the FLES Program Evaluation Inventory (FPEI). Questionnaires are provided for duplication, and step-by-step instructions are given for the administration, tabulation, and reporting of the five different forms.…

A brief overview of the importance of the use of appropriate methodologies for elementary school foreign language instruction precedes a description of several strategies involving total physical response, story telling, games and songs, props, small-group work, role-play, content-based instruction, cultural and global awareness, language…

A team of French language teachers across Canada developed prototype evaluation instruments congruent with recent curriculum changes for core French. A series of formative evaluation instruments for beginning level students was refined and field tested. Results of the test highlight a positive response to the experimental nature of the evaluation…

Bloom's taxonomy suggests that the learning process moves hierarchically, from simple to complex, in both the cognitive and affective domains. Spanish curriculum typically emphasizes the cognitive over the affective domain. However, the two domains appear to be interrelated. Spanish FLES programs could be enhanced by emphasizing the learning…

Teachers can encourage parental involvement and appreciation of studying Spanish through simple homework assignments. This article discusses how students and parents work together to discover the impact of the Spanish-speaking world on their surroundings. (Author)

Presents a personal reflection of the difficulties of being a non-English-speaking child in the United States. As a Spanish-language instructor, the author realizes the potential she has to influence her students, teaching not just about the language but also about the culture of Spanish-speaking people. (ER)