Foreign Language Week: A Successful Public Relations Model.

A detailed description is presented of a foreign language (FL) week project that was organized and executed by the Houston Area Teachers of Foreign Languages (HATFL) during the 1979-80 academic year. The document describes the preparation activities of the organizing committee, the pre-foreign language week advertising campaigns, the design of promotional activities during the week itself, and results and recommendations. The advance planning, organization, and timing are discussed in the section on preparation activities. The publicity prior to the week is described. It covered widespread advertising on billboards and buses, as well as television and radio promotions. All organizational aspects of this part of the project are outlined. The FL week activities, which took place in shopping centers, schools, and on television and radio are described with attention to content, source of materials, response of the public, and student participation. The principal result mentioned was involvement and interest of FL students and increased awareness of the advantages and need of FL study on the part of non-FL students and the general public. Based on the success of this project, a similar well-organized project using this model is recommended in any urban area. (AMH)