Language Learning Policies in the United States Jacque Bott Van Houten

1. Intergovernmental Policy ForumStrasbourg, 6-8 2007The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and the development of language policies: challenges and responsibilities Language Learning Policies in the United States Jacque Bott Van Houten National Council of State Supervisors for Languages

2. U.S. National Education Policies NCSSFL • No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 • Accountability--adequate yearly progress Local flexibility in spending and testing • Priority areas of Reading, Math, English • Focus on : STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Early Childhood Education, High School Redesign

3. The Role of World Languages in U.S. Policy NCSSFL • NCLB core subjects also include: Science, Foreign Languages, Arts, History Geography, Civics/Government • NCLB new requirements for teacher qualifications • National Security Language Initiative • Expand critical language mastery • Increase numbers of advanced speakers • Increase number of teachers & resources • New Interest in International Education

4. State and Local Language Policies NCSSFL • 16 states require 2 years or more language study for graduation or college admission • Most states and/or school districts have: • Foreign Language Frameworks based on national standards • Benchmarks for achievement • Most school districts have foreign language curricula • Federal grant funding sets priorities

5. Support for Language Learning NCSSFL • U.S. Department of Education, Office of English Language Acquisition • National Council of State Supervisors for Languages • National Association of District Supervisors for Foreign Languages • 15 National Language Resource Centers • American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages • National Network for Early Language Learning • Joint National Committee on Languages • Modern Language Association

6. National Tools for Teaching and Learning NCSSFL • Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century • ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines • ACTFL Performance Guidelines for K-12 • Assessment tools, such as the Oral Proficiency Interviews

7. Why CEFRL Appeals to Americans NCSSFL • Makes language learning transparent • Motivates and empowers the learner • Promotes reflective learning • Provides a new way of looking at culture • Recognizes and values heritage languages • Records individual progress • Facilitates articulation among language programs • Provides a common criteria/scale • Promotes language learning as a life-long endeavor

8. American Interest in CEFRL NCSSFL • Cornell University German Studies Dept. • University of Dayton research • Brigham Young University, use of ELP/CEFR • Virginia Commonwealth University • Kennesaw University (GA) • Others (Missouri State U., University of Kentucky, Murray State Univ., etc.

9. American Interest in the ELP - LinguaFolio NCSSFL • 2003 Goethe-Institut sponsored seminar for NCSSFL members in Düsseldorf • 2004 Kentucky Meeting • LinguaFolio versions in Kentucky, Nebraska, Virginia, Indiana,Virginia • NCSSFL LinguaFolio Year of Language Project • 5-state pilot, NE research • Concordia Language Village • STARTALK

10. Why the interest? • Shared communicative focus • Parallels to our ACTFL scales • Supports U.S. trends and research • Addresses the individual learner

11. Challenges in the U.S. NCSSFL • Question of ELP/LF validation • Alignment of ACTFL scales with Global Scale www.ncssfl.org