Learning World Languages and Cultures in California: A Stimulus for Academic and Economic Success

California Language Teachers’ Association

California Foreign Language Project

World Language and Cultural Competencies (WLCC)

• Capitalizing on economic and social opportunities

• Promoting domestic security and international peace

• Acknowledging and responding to a multicultural citizenry

• Reaping academic benefits

Economy

• International Trade Opportunities• Exports • Foreign markets

• Importance of World Languages and Cultures

Figure 1: California's Top Export Markets, 2002 - 2006

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

EU Mexico Canada Japan China South Korea

Trading Partner

Exp

ort

s (

in U

S$ B

illion

s)

2002

2004

2006

Economic Benefits

Domestic Security

Arabic Japanese Serbian/Croatian

Mandarin Korean Spanish

French Kurmanji/Behdini Sorani

German Pashto Tagalog

Hebrew Persian Afghan Thai

Hindi Persian Farsi Turkish

Indonesian Portuguese Urudu

Italian Russian Uzbek

Languages Taught at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California

Domestic Security

United States

According to the Modern Language Association's Foreign Language Enrollment Survey, in 2006, the top three languages studied in the U.S.:– Spanish, French and German– 1.1 million American students

in higher education. Arabic, Armenian and Kurdish

combined was less than 25,000 – – 2% of the number studying

Spanish, French and German.

California

While more than 120,000 college students in California were studying Spanish, French and German in 2006, – only3,556 were studying

Arabic, with fewer than 1,000 studying Armenian, and none studying Kurdish.

California’s Multicultural Society

• Significant portion (31.3%)* of small business owners in California are non-English native speakers and provide the state with many jobs and revenue

• Need for multilingual and culturally sensitive professionals to better serve California’s diverse citizenry especially in fields such as:– Health care– Legal services– Government services

*2000 U.S. Census

Top Languages Spoken by Californians Over Age 5 in 2000 and 2005

California’s Multicultural Society

Academic Benefits of WLCC Study

• Greater cognitive skills

• Improved school performance in other subject areas

• Increased standardized tests scores

• Benefits are especially pronounced when children begin study early

World Language Education in CA

Enrollments Below National Averages

• 7th and 8th grades– National Average -

14.7%– California - 8.2%

• High School– National Average -

43.8%– California - 40.3%

Percentage of Students Enrolled in Foreign Languages in 7th-8th Grades and 9th-12th Grades, Selected States, 2004

Number of Classes Offered in California K-12 by Subject, 1997-1998 to 2007-2008 School Year

Average Class Size in California, by Subject, 2007-2008

Ratio of Introductory to Advanced Enrollments in 4-Year Institutions, for Top 12 Languages in California, 2006

Percentage Increase in Foreign Language Enrollments, 1997-2007

Proportion of Chinese and Korean Language Students to French, German and Japanese Language Students*

* Note: proportion reads horizontally to vertically, so Chinese-French entry indicates one Chinese language student for every nine French language students

Language (all levels) French German Japanese

Chinese 1 : 9 4 : 5 7 : 8

Korean 1 : 46 1 : 6 1 : 6

Lack of Effective Educational Policy

•Not included on the California Standards Tests•Not required for graduation from high school•Ineffective policies such as prop 227

Source: Californians Together and CABE. Press Release (2008).

Competing Priorities For every $100 spent by the

CA Department of Education, only 15 cents goes to foreign language education.

No categorical funding allocated to World Languages Education

$110 Million - Visual and Performing Arts and Music Block Grant

$57 Million - Professional Development for Mathematics and Reading

$0 - World Languages

Limited Time

Lack of Qualified Teachers

Improve Educational Policy and Accountability

• Utilize the content standards to develop a sequential curriculum for world language and cultural competencies (WLCC) education from kindergarten through secondary school

• Make world languages a state requirement for high school graduation separate from visual and performing arts

A Step in the Right Direction

On January 7, 2009 the State Board of Education Unanimously Adopted World Languages Content Standards for California Public School

A Result of CLTA’s Advocacy, Senator Betty Karnette’s Legislation (SB 5) and State Board Member, Yvonne Chan’s Extraordinary Leadership and Support.

Harness our Natural Resources

Source: Fry, R. & Gonzales, F. (2008). One and five and growing fast: A profile of Hispanic public school students. Washington D.C.: Pew Hispanic Center.

Projected Enrollment Growth for Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Students, from 2006-2050

Increase Teacher Recruitment/Preparation

Teacher Preparation for Foreign Language Candidates in California

Expand Quality Professional Development

Type of Support Foreign Language Teachers Reported Needing the Most: Survey Responses from the American Council on Teaching Foreign Languages, 2008

Embrace 21st Century Learning

• Provide technological tools and train world languages teachers to integrate them into their classrooms

• Implement distance learning programs in schools and districts that lack resources for comprehensive world languages programs

Conclusion

Thank You

• Full report available: www.stanford.edu/group/CFLP

• Co-author and Executive Director of CFLP, Duarte Silva:– dsilva@stanford.edu

• Tracy Steele– tmsteele@stanfordalumni.or

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