The state of language education in Australia has long been described as paradoxical. Oscillating between periods of increased attention and seeming invisibility, over the last thirty years, the language learning sector has been punctuated by a succession of aspirational declarations and funding injections with little long-term impact on its…

A research report from the University of Cambridge and RAND Europe shows that investing in languages education in the UK could return more than the investment cost. Researchers explored a gap in the evidence relating to the economic benefits of extending languages education and found that an increase in secondary-school pupils learning one of four…

The teaching of Chinese in Australian primary and secondary schools has a history of more than 40 years, but it has only been in the past two decades that it has become widespread. Nonetheless, until the last year, of the six most taught languages in schools, Chinese has had by far the smallest number of students. Several factors contribute to…

In this paper, we draw on the current literature to argue that access to world language study for students from minoritized groups, students from under-resourced schools, and students with disabilities is a significant social justice issue. This inequitable access is exacerbated by three key issues: the devaluation of students' languages and…

Small undergraduate German programs can take various forms but can generally be classified as new and emerging or older and well-established programs. In today's academic climate it is necessary that instructors in both types work to enhance their curriculum and extra-curricular offerings as well as strive to prevent burnout and the over…

The current interest in learning Chinese has been fueled by the growing strength of the Chinese economy and the need for Americans who are able to communicate at an advanced level in fields of business, science, and government. The present study reports the results of a survey of secondary school students enrolled in Chinese language classes with…

Higher education plays a fundamental role in the construction of a European citizenship that demands the development of plurilingual competences. Although the Bologna Process highlights that development (relating it to mobility, employability and lifelong learning), language education does not seem to be a priority in the agenda of higher…

Portal: Your Door to World Languages and Cultures was a series of public cultural events, in a variety of formats, created through a new partnership between the credit and continuing education (noncredit) foreign language programs at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC). Portal was designed to cultivate interest in foreign languages…

The example of Lyons Township High School in Illinois is used to illustrate possibilities for increasing enrollments in high school foreign language departments. At a time of declining overall enrollment, the foreign language enrollment at Lyons increased from 33% to 55% of the student population. The first step in the process was image building,…

This paper highlights the problem of falling recruitment to foreign language (FL) degrees in higher education (HE), outlining some of the recent changes in secondary FL education which have contributed in part to this situation. It draws attention to the lack of research into the impact that the fall in numbers of students taking a foreign…

Presents a model for studying the process by which students decide to continue with, or to terminate, their second language studies. Previous research in the area is discussed. (MSE)

Views the American experience of assimilation and acculturation as a unique achievement, but also as the basis for ethnocentric attitudes no longer compatible with current American involvement in world economics and politics. With this premise, assesses the decline of foreign language instruction in the U.S. and its prospects for recovery. (MES)

Study explored the motivations for students' choice of foreign languages. As long as foreign language study is elective in high schools, and as long as a variety of languages are offered, students' motivation will remain important for foreign language educators, especially in schools where various language programs compete with one another for…

The report presents an analysis of the foreign language preparation of first-time undergraduate students at the University of Maryland College Park (UMCP). Basic areas of interest addressed included: the percentage of first-time students with either at least 2 or at least 3 years of preparation in a single foreign language in high school; how the…