Secondary school French immersion programs in Manitoba and Saskatchewan are outlined, and some causes of student attrition are discussed. Institutional, societal, and individual variables are related to the situation; suggestions on provisions for immersion students' special French language needs on the postsecondary level are offered. (AMH)

Outlines ways for postsecondary institutions to adapt entry requirements and develop new courses to meet the needs of two target groups with different language learning needs: functionally bilingual secondary immersion graduates and graduates of secondary foreign language programs who show interest in increasing proficiency in French. (MSE)

A rationale is presented for describing the communicative competence of language students in terms of proficiency guidelines. Techniques are discussed for helping students develop communicative proficiency in the four skill areas (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and for evaluating students' proficiency levels in relation to…

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages' Provisional Proficiency Guidelines are criticized for their narrow view of language use and the inadequacy of their construct of "proficiency." The appropriateness of the guidelines as a basis for developing a syllabus or designing a curriculum is questioned. (MSE)

Ten "do's" and eight "don'ts" for beginning teachers to use to enhance the classroom atmosphere and forge a bond of confidence between teacher and student are outlined. The suggestions, based on experience, are designed to help the teacher avoid pitfalls and use positive strategies from the first day of class. (MSE)

Kinesics, a form of nonverbal communication, is defined and described; the manner in which visual signals are expressed verbally in contemporary Spanish literature is characterized and exemplified; similarities and differences in exemplary gestures are examined across cultures; and the pedagogical implications are discussed. (MSE)

Four vocabulary instruction problems are addressed on practical and theoretical levels: how to select vocabulary, organize it effectively, convey the meaning of words, and improve retention of new words through meaningful practice. Suggestions are given for using creative activities that are both educationally and linguistically sound. (MSE)

Outlines a variety of suggestions for classroom activities for second language instruction and immersion. Most activities focus on the use of illustrations or illustrated materials. The descriptions of the activities are in French. (MSE)

The dislocation of sentence elements in spoken French is seen as allowing the speaker to free himself from certain constraints imposed on word order, position of accents, and grammar. Dislocation is described, its various functions are enumerated, and implications for second language instruction are outlined. (MSE)

Integration of extracurricular activities into the second language curriculum is supported in the context of culturally oriented communicative second language teaching. After methodological approaches in the literature are analyzed, various extracurricular program provided at the University of Toronto are described. (MSE)

The amount of instructional time lost to transitional activities by student teachers, and techniques to minimize this time loss, are discussed. Time lost is estimated to average 9 percent, varying with the individual teacher. Suggestions are given for teacher supervisors to help student teachers optimize their class time. (MSE)

A plea is made for interprovincial cooperation in renewing the French core curriculum by widening its scope so that it becomes a viable alternative to the popular immersion programs. A multidimensional language curriculum consisting of four syllabi (language, culture, communicative activities, and general language education) is outlined.…

The proverbial language of Spanish provides a resource for teaching and testing various aspects of phonetics, syntax, vocabulary, and cultural features of the language. Incorporation of these features into the Spanish curriculum can enrich the classroom experience. Specific suggestions for their use are provided. (Author/MSE)

Three approaches to language curriculum design are outlined: structural, functional, and experiential. A three-level model is proposed for a second language curriculum that integrates the three approaches and their goals into an adaptable curriculum meeting varied needs with consistent methodology and theory. Both linear and cyclical applications…

It is suggested that native speakers understand that narrative in literature is a form of transcript of full discourse, and students of English can learn the same clues of transaction and interaction in texts through exercises in plot analysis, plot mutation, and scenario derivation. (MSE)