CURRENT FOREIGN-LANGUAGE PRACTICES IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS

This article reports the results of a survey conducted in 1992-93 of f oreign language programs and issues in middle schools. Members of prof essional associations representing state and local foreign language su pervisors were surveyed to as certain the nature and extent of explora tory and sequential course offerings in grades 6-8. The survey also el icited supervisors' views on major issues in foreign language educatio n in middle schools. The results reveal that the nationwide movement t o transform junior high schools into middle schools has had significan t implications for foreign language instruction. The results further s uggest a need for close collaboration between middle school decision-m akers and foreign language educators.