Een poging tot leergangontwikkeling 'Nederlands als vreemde taal voor buitenlandse tieners

In secondary schools in the industrial area in and around Rotterdam an experimental curriculum 'Dutch as a foreign language' for teen-agers is being developed in cooperation with teachers and linguists. The process started in 1975 with:1. A study of literature (concerning psychology in teaching foreign languages, curriculum development and applied linguistics).2. Analysis of existing methods 'Dutch as a foreign language'.3. Visits to secondary schools with so-called international prepa-ratory classes and interviews with the language teachers.The experimental material Starting points were:- the experiences of the teachers- four courses Dutch as a foreign language for adults- one Dutch course for French speaking Belgian teenagers.Each lesson of the experimental material consists of an A-, B- and C- part.The A- part introduces new words and structures, includes exercises and ends with a test.The B- part introduces more words, structures and exercises and also ends with a test.The C- part starts with a dialogue and repeats what is introduced in the A- and B- part in various contexts and in 4-phase drills on tape.The procedureAn experiment on a small scale '75-'76.It involved 3 schools, 3 language teachers and 75 students.Ten lessons were designed and then criticized by the teachers and two linguists, before being introduced in the classroom.After that the material was revised with the help of teachers and linguists.Now an experiment on a large scale is in progress. This involves 12 secondary schools, 22 teachers and 400 students of 20 different nationalities.The revised material is printed on loose leaves.- The instruction sheets for the teacher are in pink, explaining the aim of the lesson and giving a working method in three phases:1. Introduction - with emphasis on visual aspects,2. Demonstration - with emphasis on oral aspects,3. Repetition - oral and written assimilation.- The material for the students, on white sheets, has simple illustrations.- The tests are on yellow sheets.As yet little is known about the psychological and linguistic background of Dutch as a foreign language in an environment where Dutch is the only medium of instruction.The teachers and author of this experimental curriculum have not yet been able to find any support from scientific research in this field.