Crystal Ball Gazing

Let's take a peek into the crystal ball and make some predictions for language education as we stand on the brink of the new millennium. The future is bright... and it's bilingual. The whole world's going bonkers for languages, and Americans can't afford to be monolingual in the global village. Politicians across the nation are slowly waking up to this reality. Prediction: Look for increasing use of languages other than English in the nation's classrooms and voter rejection of English-only legislation.

Playing the percentage game. Immigration will swell ESL student numbers to bursting point (and you thought your class was full now...). 18 million immigrants are expected to settle in California alone in the next 20 years. Prediction: Don't bet on them and their kids not wanting to learn English as they pursue the American Dream. Funding of English language teaching programs will increase with better pay for teachers. English for my needs. English will remain the world's lingua franca. There'll be increasing demand for specialist courses, greater discernment in learners' requirements, and the bolstering of American English as the world's standard. Predictions: More students come to the U.S. to learn English as other destinations price themselves out of the market.

Yo quiero hablar espanol. The demand for Spanish as the world's second favorite second language will expand. Fueled by the growing power of Latinos in American society and the vibrant economies of South America, the future's so bright you'd better wear gafas. Prediction: Look for Spanish as a Second Language in schools from Seoul to Shanghai. Move over Mickey Mouse, make room for the Taco Bell Chihuahua. The only way is up. The Asian crisis has bottomed out. Some economies will recover faster than others will but all countries will be sending more students overseas to study second languages, especially English. Interest in learning Asian languages will grow. Prediction: More Mandarin and Cantonese as a second language learners. Greater interest in the less commonly taught Asian languages, especially Vietnamese. China becomes the leading destination for English language teachers Back to Africa: The Ebonics debate has spurred interest in African languages and their relationship to the African American linguistic heritage. Languages like Igbo now receive serious attention in American schools and colleges.

Prediction: English maintains its position as the post-colonial common language of sub-Saharan Africa as more Americans and Europeans study the continent's languages.

One more prediction: American Language Review will be reporting all of the important issues that matter to language teaching professionals. Watch this space.