This article examines the process by which college‐level foreign language programs evaluate and select instructional materials for beginning level courses. A review of the relevant literature reveals an ambivalent relationship with textbooks, often the default curriculum for language courses. Despite textbooks' apparent key role in language programs, there is a surprising lack of cohesive recommendations from the field on evaluating and selecting textbooks. Results of an informal survey illustrate how the textbook selection process, individuals involved, and individuals' satisfaction with the selection process varied across programs. Respondents with established selection processes involving more stakeholders tended to be more content with process and selection. The authors conclude that there is a need for greater transparency and a broader professional discussion of this critical matter in language learning and teaching.

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An effective way to teach about sustainability and environmentally conscious practices in German language, literature, and culture programs is within the context of a business German course. In this article we first situate educational sustainability in the US, leading into an examination of why the context of German business can be particularly productive for teaching sustainability along with aspects of recent and current German history and culture. We then present a unit focused on "green" business, starting with a general introduction to the topic and migrating into the specific area of Öko-Mode: organic, fair-trade clothing. The "green business unit" described here culminates in a business case as classroom task, featuring a small German eco-fashion company called LaissezFair. The unit further engages students through the use of a variety of media for comprehension and introspection and critical reflection of their behavior as environmentally conscious consumers in our globalized society.

During the past few years, teachers and researchers have given notable attention to two pivotal forces in language learning and teaching: the Internet and the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning. Yet research explicitly connecting the Internet with the Standards is surprisingly sparse, and no systematic explication of the ways Internet tools can help L2 learners achieve each Standard exists. This paper fills that gap in the literature by providing a thorough examination of the five Standards categories (Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities) in light of the specific Internet resources that can help to advance language learners' attainment of the Standards.