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An attempt to test students objectively in a five-part, French, speaking proficiency test is described and discussed. Concrete nouns, abstract words, pronunciation, syntax, and fluency are tested with a combination of tape and picture stimuli. Reliability, validity, and practical questions are raised; and previous aural-oral testing procedures are reviewed. (AF)

Fourteen research proposals related to the psychology of second-language learning are described in this report. Each project description includes: (1) background and objectives, (2) procedure, (3) duration, (4) personnel recommendations, and (5) budget estimates. Discussion questions center on the areas of language teaching materials, student learning factors, and problems of teaching and learning in the classroom. A list of conference participants, agenda, discussion, summaries, recommendations, and concluding remarks are furnished. (RL)

Positive values inherent in well-planned tests used in language programs are discussed in this article. The author argues that the problems of dropout rate, underachievement, discipline, and negative student attitudes can be alleviated through testing programs which include: (1) an aptitude test for selecting and sectioning students and for guidance of those with foreign language learning problems; (2) brief but frequent quizzes for learning purposes; (3) short progress tests for learning and motivation; (4) periodic review tests for motivation as well as grading; (5) reliable mid-term and final examinations strictly for grading; (6) an oral examination before a committee once or twice every academic year; and (7) a standardized proficiency test every second or third year for control of the program and for placement. Discussion of progress tests, test validity, item analysis, articulation, placement, and aptitude tests focuses on the need to develop complete and sound testing programs. (Author/RL)

TEACHER, STUDENT, AND CURRICULUM ARE ALL SUBJECT TO EXAMINATION IN THIS REPORT TO DETERMINE EACH ONE'S ROLE IN CREATING THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE UNDERACHIEVER, DEFINED AS A STUDENT WHOSE LANGUAGE GRADES DIFFER MARKEDLY FROM HIS OVERALL GRADE-POINT AVERAGE. THE IDEAL SETTING FOR THE INVESTIGATION WAS KING CITY, PSEUDONYM FOR THE ACTUAL CITY, WHERE SUBJECTS FOR EACH EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM WERE SELECTED FROM 12 SCHOOLS, 7 JUNIOR HIGH AND 5 HIGH, CONTAINING TWO-THIRDS OF THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSES IN KING CITY. THE STUDENT'S VIEWPOINT, OFTEN OVERLOOKED, IS OFFERED IN CHAPTER TWO WITH THE FREQUENTLY STATED PROBLEMS OF ADAPTING TO TEACHER DIFFERENCES FROM YEAR TO YEAR, ADJUSTING TO THE GRADING POLICY OF EACH TEACHER, AND WANTING THE MOTIVATION THAT CAN BE DERIVED FROM THE PLEASURE OF SPEAKING THE TARGET LANGUAGE. MOTIVATION, AUDITORY ABILITY, PERSONALITY, AND OTHER INDIVIDUAL ATTITUDES ARE DISCUSSED IN CHAPTER THREE AS FURTHER FACTORS RESULTING IN UNDERACHIEVEMENT. THE CONCLUDING CHAPTER IDENTIFIES STUDENT AUDITORY ABILITY (BEING EAR-MINDED AS OPPOSED TO EYE-MINDED) AND PROGRAM ARTICULATION AS TWO PRINCIPAL CAUSES OF UNDERACHIEVEMENT. SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE FOR DEVELOPING TECHNIQUES SUITABLE FOR STUDENTS OF VARIOUS LEVELS OF ABILITY, INCLUDING THOSE OF LOW AUDITORY ABILITY. APPENDIXES INCLUDE VARIOUS TESTS ON APTITUDE, MOTIVATION, ATTITUDE, AND PERSONALITY, TABLES OF DATA BASED ON THESE TESTS, AND CLINICAL INTERVIEWS. (SS)

A NEED TO DETERMINE THE VALUE OF PRELIMINARY DISCRIMINATION TRAINING IN INCREASING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LANGUAGE LABORATORY PRACTICE ON THE PRONUNCIATION OF FRENCH SOUNDS HAS RESULTED IN THIS STUDY. DESCRIBED IN CHAPTER 2 ARE ELEVEN PILOT STUDIES, INVOLVING MORE THAN 1,000 STUDENTS, THAT PERMITTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF MATERIALS, TRAINING PROCEDURES, AND METHODS OF EVALUATION NEEDED FOR THE MAJOR EXPERIMENTATION. FOLLOWING A DISCUSSION OF THE PROBLEMS OF DEFINING AND TESTING DISCRIMINATION, TRAINING DISCRIMINATION, EVOKING STUDENT ORAL RESPONSES, AND JUDGING PRONUNCIATION, THE REPORT EXPLAINS THE THREE CONTROLLED MAJOR EXPERIMENTS CARRIED OUT TO TEST THE MAJOR HYPOTHESIS OF THE PROJECT. FOR EACH, THERE IS A CLARIFICATION OF THE EXPERIMENT'S HYPOTHESIS, SUBJECTS, DESIGN, LANGUAGE LABORATORY FACILITIES, PROCEDURES AND MATERIALS, SCORING, DISCRIMINATION TEST, AND RESULTS. CITED IN THE ANALYSIS OF THE EXPERIMENTAL FINDINGS ARE THE CONCLUSIONS THAT DISCRIMINATION TRAINING DID RENDER MEASURABLY MORE EFFECTIVE SUBSEQUENT LANGUAGE LABORATORY PRACTICE IN THE CASE OF THE PHONEMIC PROBLEM OF DISTINGUISHING AMONG THE FRENCH SOUNDS "EN" . . . "ON" . . . "AIM," BUT NO SUCH MARKED IMPROVEMENT WAS NOTED IN THE CASE OF THE PHONETIC PROBLEM PRESENT IN THE FRENCH "CHAUD" VERSUS THE AMERICAN "SHOW." LISTED AMONG THE CONCLUDING REMARKS ARE A NUMBER OF IMPLICATIONS SUGGESTED BY THE EXPERIMENTATION AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF REFERENCES. THREE APPENDIXES INCLUDE MATERIALS USED IN THE THREE EXPERIMENTS AND AN ARTICLE BY PIMSLEUR ON PROGRAMING ACOUSTIC DISCRIMINATORY SKILLS. (AB)

A POSSIBLE SOLUTION FOR PROBLEMS OF MEMORY IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING IS THE "GRADUATED INTERVAL RECALL," A PROCEDURE FOR AIDING STUDENTS TO REMEMBER THE VOCABULARY AND STRUCTURES THEY HAVE LEARNED. WHEN A NEW WORD IS LEARNED, THE PROCESS OF FORGETTING BEGINS AT ONCE AND PROCEEDS VERY RAPIDLY. IF THE STUDENT IS REMINDED OF THE WORD BEFORE HE HAS COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN IT, HIS CHANCES OF REMEMBERING WILL INCREASE. AFTER EACH SUCH RECALL, IT WILL TAKE HIM LONGER AND LONGER TO FORGET THE WORD AGAIN. THUS, A SMALL NUMBER OF RECALLS, IF PROPERLY SPACED, CAN BRING ABOUT RETENTION OVER A LONG PERIOD. THOUGH THE SAME SCHEDULE OF RECALL CANNOT BE USED FOR ALL STRUCTURES AND WORDS, IT IS POSSIBLE TO APPLY THE FINDINGS OF EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY IN FORMULATING A BASIC SCHEDULE WHICH CAN THEN BE ADAPTED TO EACH CIRCUMSTANCE. THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN "MODERN LANGUAGE JOURNAL," VOLUME 51, NUMBER 2, FEBRUARY 1967. (AUTHOR)

The speech rate of French and American radio broadcasters is compared in order to provide language teachers with an optimum speed. (AM)

The 19 papers in this collection cover diversified topics in the general area of psychology and second language learning. No single method of language teaching emerges, but the complexity of second language behavior and the importance of psychology in the field are underlined. Several trends seem to be most prevalent. There is a new focus on the individual learner as the central element in the complex process of second language acquisition. There is a growing awareness that the receptive skills of listening and reading are vastly complex. Listening behavior and comprehension processes must be more extensively investigated. The student needs closer contact with "real" language as it is used in the real world by people successfully communicating with each other. (Author/VM)

COLLABORATION OF THE MODERN LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION (MLA) AND THE EDUCATIONAL TESTING SERVICE PRODUCED STANDARDIZED TESTS FOR LANGUAGE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN THE FIVE MOST COMMONLY TAUGHT LANGUAGES--FRENCH, RUSSIAN, ITALIAN, GERMAN, AND SPANISH. STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN THE LISTENING, SPEAKING, READING, AND WRITING SKILLS IS MEASURED BY THE MLA COOPERATIVE FOREIGN LANGUAGE TESTS. IN ADDITION TO TESTING THESE SKILLS, THE MLA FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY TESTS FOR TEACHERS AND ADVANCED STUDENTS ALSO MEASURE PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION, CIVILIZATION AND CULTURE, AND APPLIED LINGUISTICS. SAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR BOTH TESTS ARE SUPPLIED. THIS ARTICLE APPEARS IN "AUDIOVISUAL INSTRUCTION," VOLUME 7, NUMBER 9, NOVEMBER 1962, PAGES 634-636. (AF)