Despite the fact that so few FLES programs are in existence, colleges should offer a FLES methods course. When there was a demand for FLES, we were unprepared to fill many positions with qualified teachers, and the results did not further the cause of FLES. A first-hand experience in FLES can benefit any foreign language teacher. Many foreign language teachers know very little about FLES or the special satisfaction of teaching it. A necessary component of a FLES methods course is teaching experience with young children. Through this contact, foreign language teachers encounter typical favorable and unfavorable situations with administrators and classroom teachers. The methods course should provide techniques, materials, and assistance with ongoing problems. Readings, discussions, demonstrations, resource people, and films should also be included. From this exposure, secondary school foreign language teachers become enthusiastic about the merits of FLES and tend to focus more on arousing interest, being more creative, and introducing new techniques into their regular classes. They also come to understand FLES and are willing to support it rather than compete with it. A backlog of teachers trained in FLES can then be available for use in bilingual, ESL, and future FLES programs.

Quality Foreign Language Instruction in the Elementary Schools.

FLES Methods Courses Now?… Yes, More Than Ever!

Curriculum improvement is always an educational goal, and deep waters are being stirred regarding the establishment of longitudinal foreign language study. It is a small world, but the general populace does not deeply seem to care when it comes to learning new languages. Jet setters and politicians stream around the world constantly and none raises an interested eyebrow unless the plane crashes or there is hope of peace. Americans obviously are interested in what touches the pocketbook, and the efforts of educators to inculcate in-

FLES: To Be or Not To Be.

Kenneth Koch in Wishes , Lies , And Dreams1 has ably demonstrated that most teachers are probably far more prosy creatures than the children whom they teach. He enjoyed the easy talk and rich imaginations that children possess. Although his book is subtitled "Teaching Children to write Poetry," he recognized that "teaching is not the right word" to describe his work with children. He "permitted" them to discover what they already have by supplying them with "poetry ideas" that were "immediately interesting" and "easy to understand:" wishes, lies, dreams, noises, comparisons, metaphors, personification, I used to /but now, and several others. His "poetry ideas" in themselves are hardly new, but Koch's serious pleasure in the responses of children and his playfulness with language are a stimulating change from the ordinary day-to-day classroom atmosphere. It is easy to understand why the children in P. S. 61 love him. His language consciousness must endear him to children who enjoy language play. His delight in helping children to discover meaning in accidental slips with words nicely illustrates his language sensibility. His readiness to take dictation to draw on the

https://www.jstor.org/stable/info/41387247

Wishes, Lies and Dreams: Pedagogical Prescriptions.

/pdf/quality-foreign-language-instruction-in-the-elementary-5651fx5rv7.pdf

Quality Foreign Language Instruction in the Elementary Schools.

Citations

FLES Methods Courses Now?… Yes, More Than Ever!

FLES: To Be or Not To Be.

Wishes, Lies and Dreams: Pedagogical Prescriptions.

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