This study examines the generalizability of VanPatten and Cadierno (1993b) by investigating the relative effect of two types of explicit grammar instruction on learners' ability to interpret and produce sentences containing the French causative. Nine classes of 179 fourth-semester French students were assigned to three groups: (a) processing instruction, (b) traditional instruction, and (c) no instruction. The results indicate that processing instruction is as effective as traditional instruction in enabling learners to interpret the French causative and that traditional instruction is more effective in enabling learners to produce the French causative.

This article illustrates a step‐by‐step hypothesis refinement activity that is consistent with constructivist pedagogies and the perception of culture learning as a process of discovery. Postsecondary students identified stereotypes about the cultures of French‐speaking countries, conducted open‐ended investigations, and accepted or rejected the validity of the stereotypes based on supporting and contradictory evidence. They compiled the information they gathered during their explorations, along with rationales explaining their thinking processes, in a portfolio. As a result of completing the project, students not only gained insight on a specific aspect of their own and francophone cultures but also recognized the impact their own perspectives have on understanding another culture. They became aware of their own process of learning, engaged in critical thinking, and familiarized themselves with resources for future cultural explorations. The activity may be implemented in upper‐level high school classes as well as university classes and is appropriate for the study of any target culture.

The study investigated the effect of emblematic gestures on the development and access of mental representations of French expressions. The major hypothesis of the study was that learning emblematic gestures with simultaneously presented French expressions would cause an increased depth of processing as measured by greater retention. The second hypothesis was that recall would persist over time. A pretest posttest repeated measures design was used. Three groups consisting of 112 first-semester university French students participated in the study. The experimental group learned the gestures and used them to recall the expressions in the posttest. The no-treatment group did not see the gestures at any time. The comparison group did not learn the gestures, but did see them in the posttest. Results of analysis of variance (ANOVA) performed on the posttest scores revealed that learning emblematic gestures simultaneously with French expressions does lead to greater recall. Secondly, although all groups experienced a decay in recall, the groups that saw the emblematic gestures forgot significantly fewer sentences than the group that did not see the gestures.

The study investigated the effect of emblematic gestures on the development and access of mental representations of French expressions. The major hypothesis of the study was that learning emblematic gestures with simultaneously presented French expressions would cause an increased depth of processing as measured by greater retention. The second hypothesis was that recall would persist over time. A pretest posttest repeated measures design was used. Three groups consisting of 112 first‐semester university French students participated in the study. The experimental group learned the gestures and used them to recall the expressions in the posttest. The no‐treatment group did not see the gestures at any time. The comparison group did not learn the gestures, but did see them in the posttest. Results of analysis of variance (ANOVA) performed on the posttest scores revealed that learning emblematic gestures simultaneously with French expressions does lead to greater recall. Secondly, although all groups experienced a decay in recall, the groups that saw the emblematic gestures forgot significantly fewer sentences than the group that did not see the gestures.

In keeping with the theme of this special issue, “Looking back, Moving forward,” the present article describes how Iowa is moving forward with its Teacher Leadership and Compensation (TLC) System. First implemented in school districts in the 2014–2015 year, the TLC System is designed to attract and support new teachers; make available meaningful teacher leadership roles, for which teachers receive supplemental salary; and provide high‐quality professional development. Today, every school district in the state of Iowa has a teacher leadership program in place with one of every four Iowa teachers holding a well‐defined, compensated leadership role. In order to participate fully in the new school culture created by the TLC System, it is imperative that teachers have agency, the ability and initiative to direct their own professional growth, and the opportunity to contribute to the growth of colleagues. Teacher education programs can advance preservice teacher agency by cultivating a growth mindset, implementing a dialogic pedagogy, and devoting attention to the construction of teacher identity.