The Changing Role of Languages in Higher Education in the US

1. The Changing Role of Languages in Higher Education in the US And How That Role Might Expand H Stephen Straight Thematic Network Project in the Area of Languages TNP3 Conference on “Multilingualism in the knowledge-based society” Copenhagen, 2005-10-01

2. TNP3, 2005-10-01 2 H Stephen Straight: Biodata Professor of Anthropology and of Linguistics Vice Provost for UG Ed & International Affairs BA in English Language & Literature, U Michigan; MA & PhD in Linguistics, U Chicago Mayanist, developmental psycholinguist, language program innovator, international educator NDEA Fellow/NSF Grantee, research in Yucatán Fulbright Senior Lecturer, U of Bucharest, Romania Founding Dir, Lgs Across the Curriculum, Bing U Mellon Fellow, National Foreign Language Center Senior Associate, American Council on Education

3. TNP3, 2005-10-01 3 Topics Covered In This Talk Review of the status of languages other than English (LOTEs) in US institutions of higher education (IHEs) Pre-9/11 upturn in college study of LOTEs Post-9/11 urgent calls for learning LOTEs Prospects for two-way Lg X + English bilingual education in selected language/discipline pairs at US IHEs in partnership with non-US IHEs

4. TNP3, 2005-10-01 4 Report from the Association of Departments of Foreign Languages Foreign Language Enrollments in United States Institutions of Higher Education, Fall 2002 Elizabeth B. Welles ADFL Bulletin, Vol. 35, Nos. 2–3, Winter-Spring 2004 http://www.adfl.org/resources/enrollments.pdf

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11. TNP3, 2005-10-01 11 Secondary School Enrollments, Fall 2000: A Similar Pattern

12. TNP3, 2005-10-01 12 Report from the Modern Language Association Successful College and University Foreign Language Programs,1995–99, Part 1 David Goldberg and Elizabeth B. Welles Profession 2001, pp. 171-210 http://www.mla.org/pdf/succollege_p1.pdf

13. TNP3, 2005-10-01 13 Ratio of Introductory Enrollments to Majors, By Institutional Type

14. TNP3, 2005-10-01 14 Ratio of Advanced Enrollments to Majors, By Institutional Type

15. TNP3, 2005-10-01 15 Double Majors & Minors, 1995-1999 Most departments (60.3 percent) reported a gain in the number of double majors, 35.3 percent reported a stable number, and 4.5 percent a decline. For minors, 69.2 percent reported an increase, 25.9 percent stability, and 4.9 percent a loss. In other words, the majority of departments offering these options reported that the options are increasingly utilized by students.

16. TNP3, 2005-10-01 16 Graduate Enrollments, Fall 2003: Bad News for Languages

17. TNP3, 2005-10-01 17 Languages in US IHEs: Recapitulation Decline of “The Big Two” (French and German) Hegemony of “The Big One” (Spanish) Despite anti-Spanish “English-Only” politics in US Rise of “LCTLs”, esp. heritage languages Continuing shortfalls in LOTES with respect to: enrollments, especially in LOTS; levels of study, both undergrad & grad; variety of specialized disciplinary expertise

18. TNP3, 2005-10-01 18 Pre-9/11 Upturn in LOTEs General Education: Globalization & globalism, diversity & internationalism

19. TNP3, 2005-10-01 19 Missouri Southern University’s Global Learning Outcomes Understanding of how cultures and societies around the world are formed, sustained, and evolve. Empathy for values and perspectives of cultures other than their own, and awareness of international & multicultural influences in their own lives. Ability to identify and discuss international issues and cultures other than their own. Communicative competence in a second or third language. Experience, or desire to experience, a culture other than their own.

20. TNP3, 2005-10-01 20 California State U-Stanislaus’s Global Learning Outcomes Multiple Perspectives Recognize that people in different cultures have profoundly different perceptions of the world. Interdependence Understand how the world’s systems are interdependent and how local economic and social patterns have global impact. Equity/Living Responsibly Understand how the behavior of individuals, groups, nations affects others, in terms of human rights and economic well being, both within and beyond the U.S. Sustainability Understand the cost of individual and national actions to the physical and social environment both within and beyond the U.S. (e.g. population growth, resource use, health issues). Intercultural Communication Including required language study – appeared in original, later dropped

21. TNP3, 2005-10-01 21 Language Requirements, 1995-1999 (Goldberg & Welles) Of the responding institutions, 23.7 percent had an entrance requirement and 60.1 percent had a graduation requirement in 1999. In comparison with the percentages reported in the MLA’s 1995 survey (Brod & Huber), entrance requirements rose from 21 percent in 1995 to 31 percent in 1999, and graduation requirements from 68 percent to 75.4 percent. In two-year colleges entrance requirements rose from 3 percent to 8.4 percent and from 23 percent to 30.9 percent for graduation.

22. TNP3, 2005-10-01 22 Language Requirements, By Institution Type, in 1999

23. TNP3, 2005-10-01 23 One “Language Requirement” Harvard College’s “Foreign Cultures” requirement can be met in any one of the following three ways, only the second of which actually requires use or study of a foreign language: A one-term course listed under Foreign Cultures devoted to a culture or cultures distinct from that of the United States and [other] anglophone cultures … . This course may be taught in English or in the language of that particular culture, …. Courses on French, German, and Spanish cultures are usually taught in the language of the culture. A two-term foreign language course listed under Foreign Cultures, in which the substance of the course, in addition to language study, meets the specifications of the Foreign Cultures guidelines. Students choosing this option must complete both semesters to meet the requirement. A pre-approved summer program of study abroad. Consult the Core Office for details regarding this option.

24. TNP3, 2005-10-01 24 A “Graduation Requirement” Foreign Language skills are ensured by requiring that students pass either a 3rd-semester college-level course in one foreign language or a second-semester course in two foreign languages, or satisfactorily complete some other significant activity that requires second-semester foreign language proficiency as a prerequisite, such as study abroad in a non-English environment or an internship serving people who can communicate only in a language other than English. Students may fulfill the foreign language requirement prior to enrolling in college either by completing four or more units of one high school foreign language with a course grade in the fourth year of 85 or better, or three units each of two high school languages with course grades in each third unit of 85 or better, by passing the Advance Placement examination (or its equivalent) with a score of 3 or better, or by demonstrating equivalent proficiency in some other fashion. Binghamton University, State University of New York

25. TNP3, 2005-10-01 25 Pre-9/11 Upturn in LOTEs General Education: Globalization & globalism, diversity & internationalism Language Specialist: Proficiency-oriented & content-based pedagogy

26. TNP3, 2005-10-01 26 National Standards for Foreign Language Learning Communication Cultures Connections Comparisons Communities National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project (1996) a collaborative project of ACTFL, AATF, AATG, AATI, AATSP, ACL/APA, ACTR, CLASS/CLTA, & NCSTJ/ATJ

27. TNP3, 2005-10-01 27 Communicate in Languages Other Than English. Standard 1.1: Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions. Standard 1.2: Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics. Standard 1.3: Students present info., concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.

28. TNP3, 2005-10-01 28 Standards for Foreign Language Learning Communication Cultures

29. TNP3, 2005-10-01 29 Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures. Standard 2.1: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the cultures studied. Standard 2.2: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the cultures studied.

30. TNP3, 2005-10-01 30 Standards for Foreign Language Learning Communication Cultures Connections

31. TNP3, 2005-10-01 31 Connect with Other Disciplines and Acquire Information. Standard 3.1: Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language. Standard 3.2: Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures.

32. TNP3, 2005-10-01 32 Standards for Foreign Language Learning Communication Cultures Connections Comparisons

33. TNP3, 2005-10-01 33 Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture. Standard 4.1: Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own. Standard 4.2: Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.

34. TNP3, 2005-10-01 34 Standards for Foreign Language Learning Communication Cultures Connections Comparisons Communities

35. TNP3, 2005-10-01 35 Participate in Multilingual Communities at Home & Around the World. Standard 5.1: Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting. Standard 5.2: Students show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.

36. TNP3, 2005-10-01 36 Standards for Foreign Language Learning Communication Cultures Connections Comparisons Communities National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project (1996) Executive Summary available in PDF format at: http://www.actfl.org/

37. TNP3, 2005-10-01 37 Literary Emphasis Persists in HE

38. TNP3, 2005-10-01 38 Bad News: Standards May Hurt Postsecondary Language Study “The long-term result of ignoring [the] Standards [, as most postsecondary faculty are doing,] will be a serious diminishment of student numbers in higher education foreign language courses. That diminishment will come because the content and instruction of such courses will be directly antithetical to students’ preparation, knowledge, experience, and capabilities as developed through [K-12 adherence to the] Standards.” Dale Lange, ACTFL Newsletter, Vol. XI, No. 1, Summer 1999

39. TNP3, 2005-10-01 39 Pre-9/11 Upturn in LOTEs General Education: Globalization & globalism, diversity & internationalism Language Specialist: Proficiency-oriented & content-based pedagogy Heritage Learner: Language as civil right rather than as civic problem 32 million people in the US live in bilingual households – but most heritage learners lack even high school level literacy

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42. TNP3, 2005-10-01 42 Pre-9/11 Upturn in LOTEs General Education: Globalization & globalism, diversity & internationalism Language Specialist: Proficiency-oriented & content-based pedagogy Heritage Learner: Language as civil right rather than as civic problem Applied Language: Language as a valued social resource

43. TNP3, 2005-10-01 43 Multilingualism Increasing Worldwide Despite the spread of English, the world is effectively becoming more rather than less multilingual. The number of speakers of the top 100 languages is increasing at a rate much faster than that of the world population in general (e.g. Bengali, Indonesian/Malay). The spread of first languages other than English (LOTEs) exceeds that of English.

44. TNP3, 2005-10-01 44 English Declining As 1st Language Despite the accelerating growth of English as the world’s favorite second language, – there are more speakers of English in India than in Australia, Britain, Canada, and the U.S. put together – many languages will probably surpass English in number of first-language speakers in the near future. Mandarin will stay at number one, while Spanish, Hindi/Urdu, and Arabic will overtake English by 2050. And other languages (e.g. Bengali, Tamil, and Malay) are growing even faster than these! Meanwhile the vast majority of the world’s 6,000 languages are dying at a rate of one per week.

45. TNP3, 2005-10-01 45 Language Skills More Valuable Than Ever, and Employers Know There are more people to talk to, and more varied tasks to be performed. Purposes of use extend well beyond communication with cultured élites and other purposes demanding high-level skill. Widespread knowledge of English makes it easier to get help when you need it. Even low-level skill can be very helpful.

46. TNP3, 2005-10-01 46 Language “Sells” If you want to buy something, any language will do, but if you want to sell something – be it a consumer product or a political precept – you must learn the language of your customer.

47. TNP3, 2005-10-01 47 Languages on the Internet The growth of LOTEs on the Internet provides access to current, authentic language resources. A little more than one third of the world’s current Internet users use English. Another third use other European languages. Almost a third use Asian languages. Growth in use implies a reversal of the above ranking in the next decade. Source: www.glreach.com/globstats

48. TNP3, 2005-10-01 48 Pre-9/11 Upturn in LOTEs: Recapitulation General Education: Globalization & globalism, diversity & internationalism Language Specialist: Proficiency-oriented & content-based pedagogy Heritage Learner: Language as civil right rather than as civic problem Applied Language: Language as a valued social resource

49. TNP3, 2005-10-01 49 Despite the Upturn, … Thirty percent of high school students study a language other than English. Eight percent of college students do so. One quarter of these (two percent) study a language for more than two years. Except for language programs per se, universities do not offer courses of study employing some other language than English as the language of instruction. In fact, they don’t offer many opportunities for meaningful use of students’ existing languages.

50. TNP3, 2005-10-01 50 Richard Lambert, 1991: "We expend almost all of our national resources for foreign language learning on first-time, low level language learning among high school and college students, then watch those minimal skills decay and disappear through lack of use or reinforcement...We need a set of institutions that will reinforce and build upon past language learning." From A National Plan for a Use-Oriented Foreign Language System Lambert founded the National Foreign Language Center in 1986, “to improve the capacity of the US to communicate in languages other than English.”

51. TNP3, 2005-10-01 51 A Possible New Approach? US colleges and universities, jointly with partner universities around the world, could offer two-way bilingual courses of study in many fields, employing English and a language other than English as the alternating languages of instruction.

52. TNP3, 2005-10-01 52 The Post-9/11 Imperative “Devout monolingualism” has left US vulnerable to attack from (and unable to deal effectively with) LOTE speakers. Department of Defense has joined the Departments of State and Education in support of new initiatives in LOTEs. Military, Congress, and populace in general (finally) see the need for multi-linguality in the 21st century.

53. TNP3, 2005-10-01 53 Devout US Monolingualism “I consider it the paramount duty of public schools … to form American citizens of [its pupils] … [by] obliterating … all [their] distinguishing foreign characteristics and traits … as obstructive, warring, and irritating elements.” Commissioner of the Common Schools of New York City, 1896 (quoted in Senator Paul Simon, The Tongue-Tied American: Confronting the Foreign Language Crisis, 1980, p. 11)

54. TNP3, 2005-10-01 54 One U.S. President’s View “We have room but for one language here, and that is the English language, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans and not as dwellers in a polyglot boarding house.” Theodore Roosevelt, 1919 (quoted in Senator Paul Simon, The Tongue-Tied American: Confronting the Foreign Language Crisis, 1980, p. 91)

55. TNP3, 2005-10-01 55 “The Foreign Language Problem” “The United States today carries new responsibilities in many quarters of the globe, and we are at a serious disadvantage because of the difficulty of finding persons who can deal with the foreign language problem.” Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, 1953 (Quoted by Rep. Rush Holt in his talk, “Is American Security Being Lost in Translation?”, at the first-ever National Language Conference, held on 22 June 2004)

56. TNP3, 2005-10-01 56 Another U.S. President’s View “The American people generally are deficient in foreign languages, particularly those of the emerging nations in Asia, Africa, and the Near East. It is important to our national security that such deficiencies be promptly overcome.” Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1958 (quoted in Senator Paul Simon, The Tongue-Tied American: Confronting the Foreign Language Crisis, 1980, p. 61)

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59. TNP3, 2005-10-01 59 Languages and US National Security in the Post-9/11 World “… unless we soon … establish … better communication with the countries whose names we not now even recognize, those … names will erupt in unhappy headlines … . The alternative to understanding and communicating … is not isolation. It is chaos.” Senator Paul Simon, The Tongue-Tied American: Confronting the Foreign Language Crisis, 1980, p. 9

60. TNP3, 2005-10-01 60 9/11: “A Sputnik Moment” In 1957 the Soviet Union jolted the US out of its smug superiority in science and engineering with the launch of Sputnik, the first outer-space vehicle. This led to the National Defense Education Act of 1958. Similarly, beginning with the Al Qaeda attacks on New York and Washington in 2001 and continuing with the US reactions in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2002 and 2003, the US has come to realize that its lack of cultural sensibilities and linguistic abilities has left it vulnerable to attack and unable to respond effectively.

61. TNP3, 2005-10-01 61 A New Day May Be Near “We need a national commitment to languages on a scale of the NDEA commitment to science, including improved curriculum, teaching technology and methods, teacher development, and a systemic cultural commitment.” Rush Holt, New Jersey member of the US House of Representatives, June 2004

62. TNP3, 2005-10-01 62 US Federal Support for Language Education 1958: National Defense Education Act identified “critical” languages for purposes of national defense 1988: Foreign Language Assistance Program (FLAP) to seed elementary and secondary language programs across the country as a response to the newly emerging needs of globalization 1991: National Security Education Program, charged with responding to the expanding federal needs for linguistically competent professionals brought about by the fall of the Soviet Union

63. TNP3, 2005-10-01 63 Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld “We simply must develop a greater capacity for languages that reflect the demands of this century. No technology delivers this capability; it is a truly human skill that our forces must have to win, and that we must have to keep the peace.”

64. TNP3, 2005-10-01 64 Post-9/11 Moves By the US Department of Defense Increased Defense Language Institute’s budget by more than $50 million Raised the Language Proficiency bonus for soldiers from $300 to $1000 per month Established the National Flagship Language Initiative for advanced training in Arabic, Chinese, Korean, and Russian Sponsored a National Language Policy Conference (June 2004) to discuss the needs of government, industry, and academia, and develop a comprehensive strategy to meet them 2005-03-31: Defense Language Transformation Roadmap, establishing a Defense Language Office in the Pentagon and recommending new initiatives to increase language readiness

65. TNP3, 2005-10-01 65 http://sev.prnewswire.com/education/20050919/DCM00219092005-1.html http://sev.prnewswire.com/education/20050919/DCM00219092005-1.html

66. TNP3, 2005-10-01 66 Gail McGinn, DepUndSecDef “This is really more than just finding linguists and people with ability to speak languages. It’s a transformation in the way language is viewed in the Department of Defense – how it is valued, how it is developed, and how it is employed.” Integrating language and cultural expertise into the military mindset will have far-reaching implications, “affecting the way we conduct operations and the way we conduct ourselves in the world.”

67. TNP3, 2005-10-01 67 Recent Action by Congress 2005-02-17: American Competitiveness Through International Openness Now (ACTION) Act S.455, to increase the numbers of international students and scholars in U.S. universities 2005-03-08: Resolutions designating 2005 as the “Year of Foreign Language Study” S.Res.28; H.Res.122 concludes that “the study of languages contributes to the intellectual and social development of the student and the economy and security of the United States” 2005-03-16: Resolution calling for a new U.S. international education policy H.Con.Res.100, includes specific calls for expanding number of languages taught and study-abroad sites visited and beginning language study at an early age and continuing it through college

68. TNP3, 2005-10-01 68 http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/Index.cfm?pageid=3591 http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/Index.cfm?pageid=3591

69. TNP3, 2005-10-01 69 Bilingual University Education: A New Day Dawning? How about two-way bilingual (Language X + English) baccalaureate degrees? As follows: In selected language/discipline pairs Offered jointly to incoming freshmen by pairs of institutions of higher education one in the US and the other where Language X is the (or a) national or local language Provided that both languages are known at a college-ready level of proficiency by sufficient numbers of qualified applicants to each partner

70. TNP3, 2005-10-01 70 Bilingual, Jointly Delivered Degrees in Various Fields Enroll bilingual (X+Eng) students from 2-way K-12 immersion programs & at non-US IHEs Target disciplines with adequate stream of disciplinary resources in both languages (no English-dominant or X-specific fields allowed) With growing bodies of original scholarship in both Alternate years of study in US & abroad E.g. years 1&3 “at home”, years 2&4 “abroad” Design each degree jointly with faculty from both IHEs and award a diploma from each Support faculty exchange to ensure high-level bilingual/bicultural instruction at both sites

71. TNP3, 2005-10-01 71 Sources of Support for Joint Bilingual Dual-Diploma Degrees US and EU initiatives for language learning E.g. Nat Flagship Lg Init in US, TNP3 in Europe Heritage and national language communities Programs preserve LOTE while mastering English. Global internationalization of higher education Programs increase study abroad and international enrollment, internationalize curricula at both IHEs. English as a lingua academica to the world Potential partners exist in every corner of the globe. Global wish to curb hegemony of English Programs preserve and maintain traditions of scholarship in languages other than English.

72. TNP3, 2005-10-01 72 Topics Covered In This Talk Review of the status of languages other than English (LOTEs) in US institutions of higher education (IHEs) Pre-9/11 upturn in college study of LOTEs Post-9/11 urgent calls for learning LOTEs Prospects for two-way Lg X + English bilingual education in selected language/discipline pairs at US IHEs in partnership with non-US IHEs

73. The Changing Role of Languages in Higher Education in the US And How That Role Might Expand H Stephen Straight Thematic Network Project in the Area of Languages TNP3 Conference on “Multilingualism in the knowledge-based society” Copenhagen, 2005-10-01