An Update on the Status of Foreign Language Education In the United States

This study investigated foreign language (FL) teachers’ experiences of the virtual classroom during COVID-19 lockdown. The sample consisted of 405 FL teachers who participated in the survey which aimed to measure FL teachers’ perceptions of TPACK, virtual classroom activities, online self-efficacy, student engagement and encountered obstacles. The findings indicate that teachers working in remote areas practice fewer virtual classroom activities and thus perceive low student online engagement. The article discusses the differences between FL teachers regarding the FL they teach, i.e., differences in student online engagement exist between the FL taught, and differences in virtual classroom activities depend on the FL taught. In addition, school stage predicts FL teachers’ online self-efficacy and the relationship between teachers’ perceptions of TPACK and school size exists.

This article is about language development of a foreign language (FL) teacher and is centred around the concept of teacher professional competence. Although the definition seems clear and indisputable, no publication has been traced that would clarify what a FL teacher language competence is. It immediately leads to diverse and sometimes contradictory views of content and language skills a FL teacher is supposed to demonstrate. I use this fact as a starting point and make an attempt to provide my view of a FL teacher language competence and essential elements that comprise it. My contention is that besides ‘general language’ and language awareness, a FL teacher should demonstrate skills in classroom and out-of-classroom communication. I support my view by coming out with a tentative and, at the moment, rather schematic description of FL teacher language competence. I consider this as the first step toward the definition of language teacher language competence to be followed by substantial empirical research which, hopefully, will contribute to a valid and more detailed description of the concept in question.

In the past decades, neoliberalism has permeated (foreign) language education, as has been discussed by critical research in the fields of: curriculum theory, applied linguistics, discourse analysis, language policy, language assessment, to name a few. Despite the fact that research on foreign language education and neoliberalism is certainly growing, less attention has been paid to actual “ways out” or alternatives to neoliberal foreign language education. This introductory paper delineates the domain and scope of the present Special Issue entitled “Alternatives to Neoliberal Foreign Language Education.” The paper critically discusses three discourses/processes that are key to understanding the effects of neoliberalism in language education worldwide: language as skill, standardization and profit, and devaluing education. Then, it moves to briefly introduce each of the four remaining papers, which critically discuss alternatives to neoliberal foreign language education in different countries. The full issue hopes to contribute to critical research in the field of foreign language education and neoliberalism but, more importantly, to the search for feasible alternatives that help us move from negative critique of the current situation of foreign language education to actual praxis with a view to transforming it.

In the last decade renewed interest has been focused on modern foreign language programs in American schools.' Statistics show a phenomenal growth in the teaching of foreign languages at the elementary level. In 1952 only eighty-nine communities had some foreign language teaching in the public elementary schools as compared with 2,443 in 1959-1960.2 Texas has strong ties with the Spanishspeaking world, both culturally and geographically. In many areas of the state large segments of the population are Spanish-speaking. Breunig's survey in 19591960 showed that Spanish is the only language taught to any appreciable extent in the public elementary schools of Texas.: Yet this same survey lists Spanish programs in only 136 schools, kindergarten through grade six.4 In view of the continuing emphasis being placed on the teaching of foreign languages at the elementary level, there seems to be a need for reevaluation of the foreign language programs in Texas elementary schools. The purpose of this study was to determine the status of the teaching of modern foreign languages in selected public elementary schools of Texas during the school year, 1962-1963. The sampling consisted of the 282 public school systems whose high school or high schools are members of the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. It was on the assumption that the systems accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools represent quality of program at all levels, that these systems were chosen to comprise the sampling of this study. Post cards with attached reply cards were sent to the superintendents of these systems to determine if a modern foreign language is taught in their elementary and secondary schools. A return of 254, or 90.1 per cent, was received. Questionnaires were sent to the sixtythree systems which reported FLES programs. The questionnaire was composed of thirty-two closed-end and three open-end items and dealt with the following topics: (1) the scope of the FLES program; (2) the qualifications of persons presenting instruction; (3) methods, techniques, aids, testing procedures, and special features of the program; and (4) evaluation of the program by the reporter. Useable replies were received from fifty-four, or 85.7 per cent, of the systems. The data were analyzed primarily according to the total number of responses. Where size of school system was found to be a significant factor, the data were cate-

This article identifies a range of topical issues related to the certification of teachers. Firstly, a brief review of experience of teacher certification abroad has been made, and general trends in the certification procedure in different countries, including the Russian Federation have been identified. Secondly, the directions of professional activity are indicated, which, in our opinion, are subject to certification of foreign language (FL) teachers; the basic principles of certification are described. Thirdly, the results of a large-scale survey of teachers of the Republic of Bashkortostan are presented, which made it possible to reveal their readiness to undergo the certification procedure. The purpose of this study is to describe the range of problems associated with the certification of teacher professional competence. One of the main tasks we see is the definition of groups of competencies that should be assessed as part of the certification of FL teachers, as well as levels of knowledge of these competencies within each group. An equally important task is to identify the attitude of FL teachers to the possibility of certifying their activities. In the methodological literature there are several options for professiograms of a FL teacher. A professiogram (job analysis) is a description of psychological norms and requirements for the activities and personality of a specialist, one of the components of a specialist model along with professional requirements and qualification profile (Markova, 1996). The professiogram reflects the invariant, idealized parameters of the personality and professional activity of the teacher.

Action research (AR) as a research method has been recommended in the process of educating foreign language (FL) teachers as well as developing their teaching skills for decades. Many teacher education experts, including Elliott (1991) are of the opinion that the method contributes to teachers’ professional develpoment as they can extend their theoretical knowledge of the processes of learning and teaching through gaining the practical knowledge. Moreover, action research evokes the need for reflection upon one’s teaching activities. One may wonder whether FL teacher-practitoners apply AR in their teaching and how, if at all, it influences their classroom teaching. In order to learn about it, the author of the article conducted a questionnaire which provides interesting information about FL teachers’ attitude towards AR. The article aims at promoting AR as well as encouraging FL teachers and teacher-trainees to use the method in their work.

The purpose of this article is to present an invariant of the basic model of the emotionally-valuable component (EVC) of the content of school foreign language (FL) education for its second stage (forms 5-7). Methods of theoretical analysis (systemic-structural, organizational, functional, comparative, typological) as well as designing and modelling were used. The basic model of the EVC of the content of school FL education is presented. Then it is adapted to the conditions of teaching FL at the middle stage of a comprehensive school. It allows to implement the EVC of the content of FL education at this stage and make another step in a pupil’s formation as a multicultural linguistic personality.

In AI in Foreign Language Learning and Teaching: Theory and Practice, Marcel Danesi underscores the ramifications of Artificial Intelligence (AI), including the use of tools like ChatGPT, on Foreign Language Teaching (FLT) and its critical components: language acquisition and teaching. Danesi covers several aspects of FLT to speak, write and assess, voicing their greatest concerns on the impact of AI. Danesi provides a balanced view, considering both the advantages and challenges of dependence on AI in language education. He articulates important ethical arguments on the impact of AI in education, particularly its failure to address students’ emotional and contextual concerns, while highlighting the gap human instructors fill. In addition, the book provides synthesis of the frameworks on the use AI technologies and pedagogical tools to improve FLT while maintaining the human dimension of teaching.

This is a collection of essays dealing with ESL/EFL/FL teacher education by experienced ESL/EFL/FL teacher educators and student teachers of different cultural backgrounds, and from different countries. The essays cover topics that focus both on the teacher as learner and the learner as teacher. This book recognizes that the language classroom has a particular culture of its own while being part of a broader school culture. As a result, the multi-foci nature of the chapters serve to present the varied and diverse language education needs, programs, and approaches. Contents: The National Foreign Languages: Can we Get from Here to There?, Sophie Jeffries; FLES Teacher Preparation: Competencies, Content and Complexities, Gladys C. Lipton; Journaling: A Path to Reflective Teacher Development, Aleiline J. Moeller; Alternative Assessment in Foreign Second Language: What do we in Foreign Language Know?, Charles R. Hancock; Where are the African American Foreign Language Teachers?, Mark English; Foreign Language Teacher Education in a Professional Development School, Alan Garfinkel and Carol Sosa; Portfolio Design and the Decision Making Process and in Teacher Education, JoAnn Hammadou; Peer Evaluation in In-Service Teacher Education, Jeannette Morris; Professional Development for Japanese Teachers, Yoshiko Saito; Successful Listening Comprehension Strategies: Implications for Foreign Language Teaching and Teacher Training, Rhonda Chipman-Johnson; Emergent L2 Writing in the French Immersion Classroom: Implications for Teacher Education of Where are the Holes in Whole Language?, Stephen Carey and Rishma Dunlop; Multimedia and Foreign Language Teacher: A Humananistic Perspective, Josef Hellebrandt; Culture: How do Teachers Teach it?, Zena Moore.

Due to its continuous advancement, web conferencing technology is increasingly being integrated into foreign language education; thus, teachers are able to carve out a niche by providing learners with an opportunity to learn a foreign language at a distance without time and space constraints. However, little is known about the relationship between foreign language teachers’ use of web conferencing technology and their technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). This study therefore aims to assist Mandarin as a foreign language (MFL) teachers to develop their TPACK of web conferencing teaching, and a teacher support group is used to facilitate the TPACK development of four MFL teachers. The data related to assessing their TPACK development are derived from an online meeting, reflective reports, and individual interviews. The results indicate that the teachers’ TPACK grew due to increased awareness of the affordances and constraints of web conferencing technology in an MFL teaching environment. They understood how to enhance learners’ input, expand their interaction, and facilitate their production via the use of Internet resources such as multimedia and web-based applications. The teachers also acknowledged that the teacher support group had played an instrumental role in developing their TPACK of teaching MFL via web conferencing technology. The implications and limitations of the study are also presented.

The present study discusses the concepts of education and training, while also highlighting the paradigm wars of the positivistic and naturalistic views, beginning with the age of ancient philosophies and continuing to the latest era of postmodernism. Additionally, language education is examined considering the linguistic and educational fundamentals which all need to be based on and combined by a philosophy. The research in foreign language (FL) education is evaluated from both the teaching and learning perspectives in order to reach conclusions concerning the current situation and the requisites of futuristic and innovative FL education. What is my educational philosophy? is proposed as a key question that not only FL teachers but also all educators should ask themselves; a question that will guide teachers throughout their entire lives and illuminate their minds throughout their teaching practice. Teacher and learner roles are discussed in order to determine whether teachers or learners should come first in the process of education. It is emphasised that the philosophical perspectives of education urgently need to be built into the minds of educators prior to asking them to convey knowledge of any kind or to apply the materials of a specific teaching method. The study concludes with the observation that there exists a serious discrepancy between the needs, preferences and interests of the learners and the views held by educational decision makers, who seem to fail to catch up with the trends in technology and globalisation.

thinking in the field of elementary education. There seems to be no doubt that school systems in the United States are moving toward the inclusion of instruction in foreign languages in the areas of learning of the elementary school. Educators everywhere are expressing opinions that world civilization can only be saved by this one means, understandings among peoples. Such understandings can only come about by contact with languages, the modes of expression and thought of the peoples of the world. Because an understanding of the cultures of the western hemisphere is of praca e program. It is his responsib lity to i t his scho l public with trends in the i g of modern language, to secure comi interest and sup ort for a curricular e, and to plan the new educational i g in the light of his own local situation, ical self-interest to the United States, because the economic well-being of the United States is bound up with the economic well-being of the South American republics, because the United States will need the help of Latin American countries in the struggle for survival in an atomic world, because ever-increasi g numbers of Spanish-speaking peoples are settling all over the United States whose language and customs must be understood by North Americans if these people are to become worthy citizens of the United States, the foreign language which should be given top priority by American school systems is Spanish. The development of an effective program in the teaching of Spanish in the elementary schools seems to me a logical duty of the school principal who has complete responsibility for the effectiveness of the educational program within the school and for its continuous improvement.

This chapter addresses how critical reflexivity and the pedagogical practices of foreign language (FL) teachers work simultaneously to construct and reflect their language teacher identity in online classrooms. It also discusses how Korean as a foreign language (KFL) teachers utilized their sub-identities to overcome challenges that online language teachers face in their classes.

Language learners’ achievement relies to a great extent on what goes on inside the classroom. The teacher personality types (PTs) and their classroom management orientations (CMOs) play a critical role. The present study intended to explore Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ major PTs and CMOs. Sixty EFL teachers were chosen through the convenience sampling method from foreign language institutes in Isfahan, Iran. They were asked to complete two questionnaires including the Myers–Briggs type indicator and the Behaviour and Instructional Management Scale. Descriptive analysis and Fisher’s exact test were conducted to answer the research questions. The results showed that the extroverted–sensing–thinking–judging (ESTJ) type was the most frequent PT and the interactionalist approach was the major CMO among Iranian EFL teachers teaching at language institutes. The results enhance the understanding of EFL teachers and directors of language institutes on the PT as one crucial factor related to EFL teachers’ behaviour management approaches.
 
 Keywords: Classroom orientations, EFL, Iranian teachers, personality types, management orientations.

ern Language Journal conducts an annual survey of doctoral degrees (DA, DML, EdD, PhD) granted in foreign languages, literatures, cultures, and linguistics, and foreign language education. The editor contacts by mail the chairperson of each doctoral degree granting department in the United States and requests that individual to identify in writing the author, title, and director of each dissertation completed during the specified calendar year. In addition, the chairperson is asked to specify the type of doctoral degree granted. Because the current compilation represents a transition to listings by calendaryear from the former MLJ method of listing degrees by academic year, dissertations completed during the autumn of 1979 are included with those finished during 1980. The order of entries is as follows: 1) major field or area of specialization (not department name) -Asian Languages & Literature, Classics, Comparative Literature, English as a Foreign Language, Foreign Language Education, French Language & Literature, Germanic Languages & Literature, Italian Language & Literature, Linguistics (Theoretical & Applied), Near & Middle Eastern Languages & Literature, Portuguese Language & Literature, Slavic Languages & Literature, and Spanish Language & Literature; 2) institution granting the doctorate (bold face italics); 3) author of dissertation; 4) director/supervisor of dissertation (in parentheses). In all instances the ordering principle is alphabetical, but entries appear in the style of notes. Unless otherwise indicated, doctoral degrees are assumed to be the PhD; the year of completion is 1980. Where the name of the dissertation director is not listed,