Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 December 2020
For the last ten years, the elementary courses (first two semesters) in foreign languages at the University of Texas have comprised five contact hours per week. They carry four semester hours credit in accordance with the well-known formula, 1 hour/week: 1 semester hour credit; 2 laboratory hours/week: 1 semester hour credit. Coincidentally, beginning in 1946, drill sessions were provided, in French and Spanish, for oral-aural practice outside of class. The oral-aural emphasis became then the established procedure. When, in 1952, the three departments of foreign languages (Germanic, Romance, Slavic) moved into their new building, Batts Hall, the new facilities made possible further development.
This is the fifth in a series of articles written at the invitation of the Editor of PMLA in connection with the Association's FL Program. Previous articles have discussed the language program at Cornell (Oct. 1952), Georgetown (Apr. 1953), Princeton (Apr. 1955), and Purdue (Sept. Suppl. 1955). In presenting these articles for the information of members and of other readers of PMLA, the Editor does not necessarily endorse the views expressed therein.
1 D. Lee Hamilton and Ernest F. Haden, “Three Years of Experimentation at the University of Texas,” MLJ, xxxix, ii (1950).
2 From Patricia O'Connor and Ernest F. Haden, Oral Drill in Spanish, Univ. Cooperative Soc. (Austin, Tex., 1953).
3 Cf. E. F. Haden, “Listening Booth or Drill Room?” Language Learning, v, i–ii (1953–54), 40–42.