Foreign Language Learning: Building On Progress

A multilingual society is crucial to the success of future generations of Americans. Kathleen Marcos reports on a growing interest in Foreign Language education.

Renewed interest in language learning over the last decade has led to real progress in identifying nation al language needs and responding with educational innovations and quality programs. There is now a growing appreciation of the role that multilingual individuals can play in an increasingly diverse society, and there is also a greater understanding of the academic and cognitive benefits that may accrue from learning other languages.

During the past five years in particular, researchers, policymakers, educators, emp-loyers, parents, and the media have reexamined the advantages of foreign language learning. Many states have initiated foreign language learning mandates. Long seq-uences of second language instruction, beginning in elementary school, are beginning to take hold. According to a recent national survey of foreign language instruction in the United States, the inclusion of foreign language instruction in the school curriculum has increased significantly in both private and public elementary schools over the past 10 years. Immersion programs that allow children to learn academic content in a foreign language (such as mathematics or social studies) are growing. National foreign language standards have been established and are now being implemented across the country. The first Foreign Language Nation-al Assessment of Educational Progress (FL NAEP) is under development and will be administered in 2003. The President has announced an expanded International Edu-cation Policy that includes improvements in foreign language learning. Those of us who work in the field of second language education are encouraged by the progress that has been made in the prioritization of foreign language learning.

At the same time, much work remains. Many students still do not have meaningful opportunities to learn a second language before high school. A serious shortage of qualified teachers, particularly those capable of teaching second languages to younger children, continues to bedevil even those states that have passed foreign language learning mandates. Critical government, business, and service jobs requiring foreign language expertise remain unfilled. In the federal government alone, over 70 federal agencies require personnel with language expertise. Many of those agencies report a lack of qualified applicants. Even those applicants who are at least minimally proficient often lack the cultural understanding necessary to perform their jobs well. An increasingly global economy, fueled by tremendous advances in information technology, will ensure that the need for language and cultural expertise will only grow.

We need to address this problem. Policymakers, educators, parents, community leaders, and researchers need to join together to encourage language learning early in schools. This collaboration will allow students to increase their potential to handle high-level communication tasks as working adults, including such essential functions as intelligence, military, and diplomatic work.

Americans who are fluent in more than one language offer many benefits to society. They enhance America's econonic competitiveness abroad, maintain its political and security interests, and work to promote an understanding of cultural diversity within the United States.

International trade specialists, overseas media correspondents, diplomats, airline employees, and national security personnel need to be familiar with other languages and cultures to do their jobs. Teachers, healthcare providers, customer service representatives, emergency service dispatchers, and law en-forcement personnel also serve their constituencies more effectively when they can
reach across languages and cultures.

Why Early Language Learning?
Young people who learn languages generally develop more native-like accents and begin from an early age to understand and relate to those from other backgrounds. When foreign language study is introduced in the elementary school, students regard it as a normal part of the school day, much as they view social studies or mathematics. On the other hand, when languages are not begun until high school or college, many students perceive them as unimportant, "extra" classes, and lack the motivation to take them seriously. Just as mathematics study begins when children first enter school, foreign language study should also be started early to allow enough time for positive attitudes—and real proficiency—to develop.

Another reason to begin language classes early is to preserve and improve the abilities that many young children bring to school with them. Children whose parents speak more than one language often begin school fully fluent in that language, be it Albanian, Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Spanish, or Swahili. The United States will greatly enhance its capacity to manage its needs for less commonly taught languages if we can find a way to encourage these children not to lose their home language. Language classes offered at the elementary level would help multilingual students retain their native language ability throughout their school years, and allow them to enter the workforce completely fluent in English and
another language.

Overall improvement in the quality of our workforce may also be expected as a result of expanded early language learning opportunities. There is solid research suggesting that students who receive second language instruction are more creative and better at solving complex problems than those who do not. Other studies suggest that persons with full proficiency in more than one language outperform monolingual persons on both verbal and nonverbal tests of intelligence and that children who study foreign languages achieve higher scores on standardized tests. Thus, language study confers additional benefits, over and above linguistic ones. Developing the language abilities of students now in school will improve the effectiveness of the workforce later.

How Do We Build on Our Progress?
We have made considerable progress, but cannot be complacent. Decision makers at all levels need to be convinced that creating more and earlier foreign language programs, improving teacher preparation for teachers at all levels, and developing ways to attract and retain qualified teachers are major priorities. These steps are needed to meet the serious shortage of trained, fluent foreign language speakers in our country. Scholarships to encourage students to become language teachers will help ease the teacher shortage we are experiencing. Investments made now will pay off as a new generation of language-proficient Ameri-cans enters the global workforce. Dismissing or ignoring our language shortfalls will have serious economic and political repercus-
sions.

Our nation- and our children coming of age in the 21st century - deserve no less.

Resources on Early Foreign Language Learning

Websites
Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL): www.cal.org
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL): www.actfl.org
ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics: www.cal.org/ericcll
Joint National Committee for Languages (JNCL) and National Council for Languages and International Studies (NCLIS): www.languagepolicy.org.
Nanduti, a Web-based resource from the Improving Foreign Language Instruction project of the Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory At Brown University (LAB): www.cal.org/earlylang
National Council of State Supervisors of Foreign Language (NCSSFL): www.ncssfl.org.
NCSSFL's Web site offers an exhaustive list of links to national associations of language teachers, such as the American Association of Teachers of Spanish, the Chinese Language Teachers Association, etc.
National Council of Organizations of Less Commonly Taught Languages (NCOLCTL): www.councilnet.org
National Foreign Language Center (NFLC): www.nflc.org
These and other Websites on foreign language learning are included in the Resource Guide Online from the ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics, Internet Resources for Foreign Language Teachers: www.cal.org/ericcll/faqs/rgos/flint.html
National Network for Early Language Learning: www.educ.iastate.edu/nnell
Publications
Bamford, K. W., and D. T. Mizokawa. (1991.) "Additive-Bilingual (Immersion) Education: Cognitive and Language Development."Language Learning 41 (3): 413-429.
Brecht, R., and Rivers, W. (2000.) Language and National Security in the 21st Century. Washington: National Foreign Language Center.
Bruck, M., Lambert, W.E., and Swain, M. (1975.) Bilingual Education Project: Evaluation of the 1974-75 French Immersion Program in Grades 2-4, Ottawa Board of Education and Carleton Board of Education. Toronto: Ontario Institute of Studies in Education. (ERIC Doc. Reproduction Service No. ED 121 056.)
Christian, D., Montone, C.L., Lindholm, K.J. and Carranza, I. (1997.) Profiles in Two-Way Immersion Education. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics and Delta Systems. (http://www.delta-systems.com)
Clinton, W.J. (April 19, 2000). Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies, Subject: International Education Policy. Released in Oklahoma City, OK: Office of the Press Secretary.
College Entrance Examination Board. (1992.) College-Bound Seniors. 1992 Profile of SAT and Achievement Test Takers. National Report. New York: Author. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 351 352.)
College Entrance Examination Board. (1982.) Profiles, College-Bound Seniors, 1981. NY: Author. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 223 708.)
Cooper, T. C. (1987.) "Foreign Language Study and SAT-Verbal Scores." Modern Language Journal 71 (4): 381-387.
Curtain, H., and C. A. Pesola. (1994.) Languages and Children: Making the Match. Second edition. White Plains, NY: Longman.
Eddy, P. A. (1981.) The Effect of Foreign Language Study in High School on Verbal Ability as Measured by the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Verbal Final Report. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 196 312.)
Genesee, F. 1978. "Is There an Optimal Age for Starting Second Language Instruction?" McGill Journal of Education 13 (2), 145-154.
Genesee, F. 1976. "Role of Intelligence in Second Lang-uage Learning." Language Learning 26 (2), 267-280.
Gilzow, D.F. and Branaman, L.E. (In press.) Lessons Learned: Model Early Foreign Language Programs. Washington, DC and McHenry, IL:
Hakuta, K. 1986. Cognitive Development of Bilingual Children. Los Angeles: University of California, Center for Language Education and Research. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 278 260.)
Harley, B. 1986. Age in Second Language Acquisition. San Diego, CA: College Hill Press.
Johnson, J. S., and E. L. Newport. 1989. "Critical Period Effects in Second Language Learning: The Influence of Maturational State on the Acquisition of English as a Second Language." Cognitive Psychology 21 (1), 60-99.
Kenyon, D.M., Farr, B., Mitchell, J., and Armengol, R. (2000.) Framework for the 2003 Foreign Language National Assessment of Educational Progress (Pre-Publication Edition.) Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages and the American Institutes for Research. (http://www.nagb.org)