Eight hundred years of modern language learning and teaching in the German-speaking countries of central Europe: a social history.

The paper gives an overview of FLT in the German-speaking regions of Europe from medieval times to the present day, within a framework of language politics, communicative needs and educational ideologies. The languages addressed are French, Italian, Spanish, English, Russian and Turkish. Basic social and professional data of the various groups of teachers are provided. Formats of teaching discussed range from private tuition to state school curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]