Two Sides of the Communicative Coin: Honors and Nonhonors French and Spanish Classes in a Midwestern High School

This study compares the instructional practices in honors and nonhonors French and Spanish classes at a Midwestern high school, as well as factors influencing those practices. The researcher observed 54 class sessions and used questionnaires and interviews to obtain teachers' perspectives on instruction. Analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between type of class and type of activity, with honors classes having more communicative activities. Teachers attributed differences to student expectations for the two levels, students' level of motivation for language study, and their maturity level. Findings generally paralleled those of other studies that have examined ability tracking. The researcher proposes that foreign language educators must address the issue of reserving communicative teaching for elite students for the profession's future viability.