Guide to Conducting a Language Immersion/Homestay Program.

This handbook, designed to assist foreign language teachers in planning and executing a language immersion/homestay program for their students, is based on a successful program in Switzerland undertaken by Northport (New York) High School French teachers in 1980. The material is presented in three parts: (1) preparation of the exchange, including an outline of the objectives, the background on the experience, assessing student and parent interest, establishing criteria for forming a student group, getting administrative approval, publicizing the exchange within the community, fund raising, arranging for the trip, matching students with their host families in Switzerland, and the orientation program; (2) an account of the two weeks in Switzerland, which covers the logistics of the students' itinerary and activities, budget, liaison with host families, ongoing evaluation, and group lessons and meetings; and (3) follow-up activities, such as the post-trip evaluation, publicity and preparations for the reverse portion of the exchange. Samples of the documents used for communication with all parties involved are appended. (AMH)