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Describes an German in the elementary school program in Somerville, Massachusetts that is an example of university-school cooperation. (Author/VWL)

Discusses institutional constraints in the foreign language and intercultural learning process within the framework of an online collaboration project between a German and a U.S. university. Shows the benefits and constraints of such a collaboration and provides suggestions for the improvement of similar international computer-supported learning environments. (AS)

Discusses perspectives on the teaching of German grammar, with insight from the Genfer-DiGS research project. (Author/VWL)

Presents an instructional model, using Kleist's story "Das Erdbeben in Chili" and Christa Wolf's novel Kei Ort. Nirgends" as a basis. The model clearly distinguishes itself from quantitative models and mediates solid literary knowledge through an inductive approach. Learning takes place in a multidimensional space that makes possible multiple connections between the pieces of the content to be learned.(DK)

Describes how German proverbs and idioms can be purposefully and efficiently incorporated into the German foreign-language classroom. Presents a holistic model with exercises on lexical approximations, semantic understanding, and pragmatic usage. Eighteen "vehicles" (chain reactions, association games) are introduced. (Author/VWL)

This article describes the German word game, Lex-Olympics, which provides students with an entertaining way to learn German vocabulary and grammar. Questions are presented in multiple choice format, and twenty different topics are available for three different levels of difficulty (beginning, intermediate, advanced). (AP)

Current methodologies of foreign language instruction have, for different reasons, proven to be lacking. This article makes a plea for computer-supported instruction that can efficiently take over purely cognitive and mechanical tasks (pronunciation and listening comprehension exercises, grammar and reading lessons). Difficulties that hinder computer-supported instruction are discussed. (AP)

For teachers of German as a foreign language it's especially important to provide a new point of access to one's own world through the "view from the outside" and simultaneously to understand the foreign (learner) culture. Analysis of different life paths of Paul Zech (1881-1946) in Argentina and Henry Kreisel (1922-1991) in Canada makes this possible and should lead to a new pedagogy of understanding. (AP)

Argues for the commencement of foreign-language instruction at the elementary school level or even at the kindergarten level. However, such instruction must consider the developmental stages of children of this age. Implications for early foreign language instruction are drawn from the similarities and differences between first- and second-language acquisition, as well as from developmental psychological insights. (AP)

Discusses word-formation in today's German and demonstrates through the use of several examples (e.g., ad hoc composites such as "re-unification," and "blue-helmet deployment") how words can be objects of linguistic analyses and carriers of cultural information. (AP)

Describes the new direction in Canadian continuing education for German teachers. Autonomous learning and collegial collaboration at the regional level are at the center of this re-orientation. At the national level, networking among regionally-active teacher groups that will lead to a new organizational structure and to new forms of cooperation is encouraged. (AP)

Reviews the status of the German-as-a-foreign-language classroom and teacher education at the university level in Mexico, describing the teacher education course in the language center at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Also discusses distance learning in the area of German teacher training, which creates educational opportunities for current and future German teachers. (AP)

The authority of the monolingual native speaker, unchallenged until now, has been questioned recently because of postmodern and postcolonialist trends. It is now valid to view learners of German as border-crossers between cultures, as bilingual/bicultural individuals. Ownership of the German language is neither a birthright nor an acquired right, but is rather the "right" to awareness of cultural borders. (AP)

We humans do have a gift for bringing friendliness to this world, and this ability directly challenges the lines that Brecht wrote in which "the friendliness in this world" amounts to little more than "two handfuls of earth." With examples and thoughts from linguistics, cultural anthropology, and literature, readers are invited to reflect on how people can do good with words. (AP)

School foreign language texts should use dialogs oriented to likely actual needs of the learners. Learning goals in schools, unlike those of language courses for adults, should include social competence and personality building. The following are discussed: course content, methodology, and the use of media for developing speaking and receptive competence. (WGA)

The "natural" acquisition of a second language is compared to learning from instruction, including aspects of learning such as sequence of items learned (e.g., syntactic) for both children and adults. It is concluded that suggestions offered hitherto for applying findings from research in natural acquisition to the field of foreign language teaching are not applicable. (JB)

Comments on the increasing variation in grading practice in English courses in grades 11-13. Discusses the judgment categories of content and expressive ability, as well as formal correctness and the definition of the error quotient. Two thirteenth-grade student papers are corrected and graded. (IFS/WGA)

Discusses the linguistic and social significance of titles and forms of address. Mentions the frequently occurring variants in American usage and laments the neglect of the topic in textbooks. (IFS/WGA)

Since the new form of the People's University Certificate English 1 does not include dictation, course directors and specialists in foreign language teaching query whether dictation still has a place in teaching English as a foreign language, and what its pedagogical function might be. (IFS/WGA)

Presents opinions of persons who took the examination on the oral portion of the revised People's University Certificate, English 1. Suggests changes, such as lengthening the time allowed for the examination and re-introducing reading passages and exercises suitable for students with less practice in communication. (IFS/WGA)

Discusses aspects of the revised People's University Certificate English 1, including: (1) function of catalogs in setting forth learning goals (topics, situations, intentions) for textbook writers and course directors; (2) advantages of authentic exercise texts; (3) weighting linguistic skills; (4) vocabulary work; and (5) developing grammatical awareness. Adds some hints on the use of media. (IFS/WGA)

Discusses favorably the proposal of R. Mepham (in this journal, 1978/4, p. 8) to create a new phonetic script for English, designed for German learners. Some of Mepham's arguments are criticized: simplification designed only for a limited group is questioned. (IFS/WGA)

Reports on a discussion between the editors of "Zielsprache Englisch" and three language teachers from a London language school, regarding games, role-playing, partner and group work, and the use of songs in teaching English. (IFS/WGA)

Discusses the problems of Japanese students learning to read German; their two years of German at the university are inadequate. A "profile" of minimum reading competence is presented, followed by suggestions for teaching, including vocabulary, sentence structure, and types of text exercises. (IFS/WGA)

Emphasizes that error analysis is not the analysis of the learner's competence. Laments the lack of texts which deal with frequently recurring types of errors, such as those discussed in this article, and which could help to forestall the production of these errors. (IFS/WGA)

Only regular word-building patterns are considered. Patterns are chosen for their communicative value, degree of difficulty, and applicability. Examples of word-building exercises are given, taken from actual texts. Work in word formation is recommended even for the beginners' level. (IFS/WGA)

Describes work at an American college with students who are receiving an introduction to colloquial German. Role-playing and picture stories prove useful in learning, in both productive and receptive aspects. Describing a picture on three levels--factual, psychological and contemplative--is shown to be very useful. (IFS/WGA)

Sees the problem of individualized teaching in the Hauptschule (a nine-year "terminal" school) as involving essentially methodology and the use of media. Discusses the "motivation complex", and derives criteria, from practical considerations, for the teaching of English in the Hauptschule. (IFS/WGA)

Speakers of languages having only one verb "to know" (e.g., Japanese) have difficulty with the two verbs "wissen" and "kennen". Tables are given showing sentence types and degrees of frequency. Various linguistic aspects are considered. Three dictionaries are cited and the inadequacy of their definitions are pointed out. (IFS/WGA)

Gives a series of quotations from various authors concerning speech-act theory. Stresses the importance of providing a glossary--hitherto lacking--of verbs which describe the speech act. (IFS/WGA)

Examines some findings from linguistically based text analyses for their possible utilization in teaching English in Grades 11-13 and in teaching literature. Notes some elements in text linguistics analogous to elements in present-day communication-oriented foreign language teaching, using James Joyce's short story "Eveline" for illustration. (IFS/WGA)

Analyzes the English teaching situation at the vocational school, as well as the target group that was interrogated. Describes the contents of the questionnaire and the results obtained. Attempts to draw conclusions. (IFS/WGA)

Recommends foreign-language camps as a remedy for lack of practice in speaking. Relates experiences with a two-day camp at a youth hostel in North Germany, for 25 to 30 students from a teachers' college. Advantages of such camps are described and details of the program are given. (IFS/WGA)

Surveys French teaching in commercial schools, discussing teaching goals and assumptions regarding the learners. In French teaching at the advanced level, particular importance is accorded to oral communication in the field of sales transactions. A teaching unit in this area is included. (IFS/WGA)

Discusses the controversy between the supporters of communicative competence and those of situational teaching. Considers the so-called "mechanical" colloquial speech, which is not adapted to situational teaching, and shows the latter can be brought into harmony with classroom reality. (IFS/WGA)

Criticizes the conference report on French teaching, suggesting extension of the conclusions reached, e. g. (1) increasing the amount of French teaching in the upper grades, (2) encouraging student exchange with France, and (3) increasing cooperation with French cultural institutions. Commends the authorities' interest in French teaching in Germany and in German teaching abroad. (IFS/WGA)

Argues for a concept of teacher training which would include language practice, linguistics, and social studies. The language practice should be tied to practical teacher training. (IFS/WGA)

Finds that foreign language teaching (except English) is endangered under the present revised curriculum of the university-preparatory upper grades. Laments the curricular separation of English teaching in grades 5-10 from grades 11-13. Augmented courses are not getting results. Teacher qualification is negatively affected. (IFS/WGA)

Draws upon recent publications dealing with brain function (particularly F. Vester, "Denken, Lernen, Vergessen", Munich, 1978) for ideas for foreign language teaching. These include constant use of the foreign language in the classroom, frequent repetition, and avoidance of false associations by explanation in the native language. (IFS/WGA)