A Critical but Neglected Area: Foreign Language Teaching
We are extremely fortunate with our language. Going against all predictions, English has become the leading language of international discourse. That allows us to use English in almost any country where we travel.
Unfortunately, as often happens with too much of a good thing, it has allowed us to be less than diligent about mastering other languages. Nancy C. Rhodes and Ingrid Pufahl of the Center for Applied Linguistics recently conducted a survey entitled "Foreign Language Teaching in U.S. Schools." It has a clear message.
While Spanish language instruction is growing, all the other languages important to the future of the planet are either losing popularity in our schools, or making only tiny gains from very low levels. Mandarin Chinese, which is clearly of growing importance, is taught in only 3 percent of elementary schools and 4 percent of high schools with foreign language programs.
This is a vital area. Fortunately it is not a difficult one to deal with, either financially or administratively. What we need to the resolve to change the current state of affairs. Parents can do a lot by insisting that schools, from primary grades on, start teaching our children what they need to learn if they are to have the skills they need for work and life in the coming decades.
Comments
Actually, Spanish instruction is not growing. Fewer elementary and middle schools are offering foreign language instruction now than in 1997 (decrease from 31% to 25% of all elementary schools and from 75% to 58% of all middle schools.) Only 15% of public elementary schools are offering foreign languages.
Of the schools that DO TEACH FOREIGN LANGUAGES, the vast majority now offer Spanish. Ten years ago, there was a wider variety of languages offered.
See http://www.cal.org/projects/flsurvey.html for more data.
Posted by: Ingrid | January 7, 2010 09:39 PM