1967• ACTFL founded, spun off from the

Foreign Language Program of the Modern Language Association (MLA).

1970• C. Edward Scebold becomes

ACTFL Executive Director. He was the organization’s longest serving official in this capacity, serving until his death in 2001.

1971• First meeting of representatives of ACTFL affiliate organizations held. These included

the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF), the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG), the American Association of Teachers of Italian (AATI), the American Association of Teachers of Slavic and East European Languages (AATSEEL), and the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP).

• Official ACTFL Constitution adopted by membership.• Membership continues to increase through a drive begun by ACTFL President

Leo Benardo (1969), reaching 9,306 in early 1971.

1991• First use of ACTFL OPI

for commercial testing.

1978• Commission on Foreign Language and

International Studies set up by President Jimmy Carter. ACTFL assumed an active role in the discussions and planning of this effort.

2016• ACTFL celebrates its 50th

anniversary with the largest gathering of attendees at an Annual Convention in its history.

• ACTFL creates Center for Research, Assessment and Development.

1982• Publication of

the Provisional Oral Proficiency Guidelines

1992• Language Testing International

(LTI) created as exclusive licensee of ACTFL proficiency tests.

1999• Revision of the ACTFL Proficiency

Guidelines—Speaking and new OPI Tester Training materials.

1989• ACTFL Oral Proficiency

Interview (OPI) Tester Certification made available and the Oral Proficiency Interview Tester Training Manual published.

2005• The Year of Languages, a successful public

awareness campaign spearheaded by ACTFL, draws attention to the importance of language education in the United States, with many high-profile activities—such as ACTFL President Audrey Heining-Boynton and Executive Director Bret Lovejoy opening the NASDAQ stock exchange and conducting a language “pop quiz” in Times Square.

• Ken Stewart is named the first ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year for 2006, representing the language education profession nationally. This program has now highlighted 12 teachers of excellence, chosen from regional finalists each November at the ACTFL Annual Convention.

2003• ACTFL moves closer to the nation’s capital, setting up

a new Headquarters in Alexandria, VA, while retaining a Professional Programs office in Yonkers, NY.

• Foreign Language Annals publishes special issue (Winter, 2003) focusing on Oral Proficiency Testing, with ACTFL Past President Ray Clifford as guest editor.

1995• First ACTFL

website created.

1968• ACTFL moves to its first

Headquarters in New York City.

2006• The Language Educator magazine is launched

in January 2006. It will publish 62 issues (as of Jan/Feb 2017), earning both praise from ACTFL members and awards in the publishing field.

• ACTFL Career Center is created to provide support for educators seeking to enhance their careers and employers wishing to connect with the best in the profession.

• ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview by computer (OPIc) launched.

1974• ACTFL officially separates

from MLA and is incorporated as an independent organization.

inc.

It’s the Golden Anniversary of the founding of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)—and it’s time to celebrate!

To help recognize the past half-century of ACTFL’s history, we present this timeline highlighting events and accomplishments that have helped to shape our organization. While there are many other important moments that could not be included here, we hope you enjoy this look back—at the same time we collectively look forward to the next 50 years of working together on behalf of language education.

2008• The new official ACTFL Headquarters is dedicated

in Alexandria, VA. The event is attended by 17 of the organization’s past presidents, 10 ACTFL charter members, and more than 120 visiting dignitaries.

• The Professional Programs office moves to White Plains, NY.

2007• ACTFL President Rita Oleksak

testifies on Capitol Hill before a Senate Subcommittee on how American national security and economic vitality are tied to foreign language capability.

2014• The National Standards are “refreshed” and published by

the Standards Collaborative Board as The World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages.

• American Academy of Arts & Sciences (AAAS) is approached by a bipartisan group of policymakers to conduct a study on “how language learning influences economic growth, cultural diplomacy, the productivity of future generations, and fulfillment of all Americans.” [Final report published in 2017.]

FOURTH EDITION

World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages

2013• NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do

Statements published, connecting NCSSFL’s Linguafolio with ACTFL’s Proficiency Guidelines.

• Launch of ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL).

NCSSFL-ACTFL

Can-Do StatementsProgress Indicators for Language Learners

1996 • Standards for Foreign Language Learning:

Preparing for the 21st Century—“the 5 Cs”—published by the National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project.

1986• Original publication of the

ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.• ACTFL Mission Statement

approved.

1THE 1960s — The Problem and the Challenge

A Timeline of Key Events

2012• 21st Century Skills Map for World

Languages created with the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.

• Foreign Language Annals publishes special issue (Summer, 2012) focusing on the ACTFL Research Priorities Initiative, with Guest Editors Eileen W. Glisan and Richard Donato.

One Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20001 202-312-6429 www.P21.org Publication date: 03/11 3

CommunicationStudents as effective communicators use languages to engage in meaningful conversation, to understand and interpret spoken language and written text, and to present information, concepts, and ideas.

OUTCOME: Students in the novice range are able to comprehend and use short memorized phrases and sentences.

This proficiency level reflects the beginning stages of language learning which could be at the elementary, middle, or high school levels.

EXAMPLE: Students listen to authentic audio clips featuring native speakers describing an event, and can match the oral description to a picture, or put pictures in the order of the sequence of events as described. (Interpretive)

EXAMPLE: Students read several authentic menus and identify which would be appropriate for different people based on likes/dislikes and special dietary needs.

EXAMPLE: Students interview family members to find out the ingredients in their favorite recipes. They make a list of the ingredients and then compile a book of popular recipes in the target language.

EXAMPLE: Students browse the website of a current popular magazine in a target language country. They identify the emotions of the people in the photo based on their interpretation of visual and linguistic cues and then discuss their findings with their classmates.

OUTCOME: Students in the intermediate range are able to express their own thoughts, provide descriptions, and communicate about familiar topics using sentences and strings of sentences. They comprehend general concepts and messages about familiar and occasionally unfamiliar topics. They can ask questions on familiar topics.

Students reach this proficiency range generally after 4-5 years in a language program depending on its intensity.

EXAMPLE: Students prepare an electronic infobrief in the target language that provides information about daily life in the United States to prepare for a visit from an e-pal from the target language country.

EXAMPLE: Students work in groups to research local restaurants and produce restaurant reviews in the target language. They map the restaurants on internet maps and give directions to the restaurants in the language.

EXAMPLE: Students write a short email describing their school's technology, its use in class, and appropriate-use guidelines. They ask students of a teacher in a target language country to describe the same at their school, and then discuss the similarities and differences.

OUTCOME: Students in the advanced range are able to narrate and describe using connected sentences and paragraphs in at least three time frames when discussing topics of personal, school, and community interest and can comprehend main ideas and significant details regarding a variety of topics.

Students generally reach this proficiency range after participating in a well-articulated standards-based K-12 language program.

EXAMPLE: As part of a unit on community development, students communicate with a Peace Corps volunteer, community activist, or local leader who is fluent in the target language and has field work experience. Students exchange information as it relates to the work/projects being undertaken in that country or locally. Areas of focus may include: agriculture, business, education, health, and the environment.

EXAMPLE: In a simulated training exercise, students will role-play scenarios between airline passengers and flight attendants on a flight to a target language country. Possible scenarios include: passengers who (a) are concerned about missing their connecting flight (b) have food allergies or (c) are becoming ill.

• Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and nonverbal communication skills in a variety of forms and contexts.

• Use communication for a range of purposes (e.g. to inform, instruct, motivate, and persuade)

• Communicate effectively in diverse multi-lingual environments.

INFORMATION, MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY LITERACY

Novice Range Intermediate Range Advanced Range

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American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

1001 North Fairfax Street, Suite 200

Alexandria, VA 22314

(703) 894-2900

http://www.actfl.org

Foreign Language Annals

Volume 45 • No. S1 • Summer 2012

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

Guest Co-Editors:

Eileen W. Glisan Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Richard Donato University of Pittsburgh

Special Focus Issue Volu

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January 2006 • Volume 1, Issue 1

The

Language Educator

Published by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

http://www.actfl.org

ACTFL 2005: 39th Annual Meeting and Exposition in Baltimore

2005–2015—Realizing Our Vision of Languages for All

Internet Technology Gives Immediacy and Context to Foreign Language Learning —Maura Hallam Sweley

Beyond the Classroom: Preparing Students for a Global Workforce — Ellen B. Murray

Why Students Choose Language Study and Where It Can Take Them — Sandy Cutshall

The Language of Leadership — Susan Reese

2011• ACTFL Past President (2003)

Marty Abbott becomes ACTFL’s new Executive Director.

• Updated ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines published.

1998• ACTFL Performance Guidelines for K–12

Learners published to describe “how well” language learners were expected to do the “what” of the National Standards.