Foreign Languages in Elementary and Secondary Schools: Results of a National Survey

Rhodes, Nancy C.; Oxford, Rebecca L.

doi:10.1111/j.1944-9720.1988.tb01059.x

Cited by 26 publications

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“…More than three‐quarters of elementary schools with language programs reported having an established foreign language curriculum or set of guidelines, a gradual increase over the past two decades (64% in 1987, 70% in 1997, and 78% in 2008). At the secondary level, the percentage of schools with an established curriculum held steady at about 85% (Rhodes & Branaman, 1999; Rhodes & Oxford, 1988).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In 2008, the Center for Applied Linguistics surveyed more than 5,000 public and private schools to gather data for both national and regional profiles of foreign language instruction. Moreover, by comparison with the results of two previous surveys (Rhodes & Branaman, 1999; Rhodes & Oxford, 1988), the current researchers were also able to identify patterns and shifts over time in amount of language instruction; languages and program types offered; foreign language curricula and instruction; teacher certification, professional development, and recent effects of language teacher shortages; and the effects of education reform (national language standards and NCLB legislation) on foreign language programs. In this article, we describe the survey methodology, present and discuss some of the key survey results, and make recommendations for future action 2…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

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Foreign Language Instruction in U.S. Schools: Results of a National Survey of Elementary and Secondary Schools

Pufahl

Rhodes

2011

Foreign Language Annals

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125

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How well are our schools preparing students to become global citizens who can communicate in languages other than English? To answer this question, we surveyed a nationally representative sample of more than 5,000 U.S. public and private elementary and secondary schools. Results identify current patterns and shifts over time in five key areas of K–12 foreign language education: amount of language instruction; languages and program types offered; curriculum and instruction; teacher certification, professional development, and teacher shortages; and the effects of education reform. Results reveal that despite some positive developments, overall foreign language instruction has decreased over the past decade and the achievement gap has widened. The article concludes with recommendations on how to progress toward achieving foreign language proficiency for all students.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Foreign Language Instruction in U.S. Schools: Results of a National Survey of Elementary and Secondary Schools

Pufahl

Rhodes

2011

Foreign Language Annals

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125

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“…Overall, survey items were worded similarly to those of two previous surveys to allow for comparison (Rhodes & Branaman, 1999;Rhodes & Oxford, 1988). Both print and online versions of the questionnaires were developed.…”

Section: Appendix Appendix A: Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

An Overview of Spanish Teaching

Rhodes¹,

Pufahl²

2014

IO/OR

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The role of Spanish in U.S. Schools is undisputed. However the numbers of programs, as well as the opportunities for students to reach high levels of proficiency in Spanish or other languages, are inadequate.Key words: Spanish Language, Foreign Languages, Teaching, School, Survey I. BackgroundThe position of the Spanish language in the world today remains strong. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language around the world, after Chinese (Lewis, Simons & Fennig, 2013 the most common language, spoken by approximately 38 million people (United States Census Bureau, 2012). Not surprisingly, Spanish is also the foreign/world language most often taught in public and private schools in the U.S. Although the selection of languages to be taught in schools sometimes appears to be politically motivated -schools change the languages they offer according to major world events and sociopolitical contexts -Spanish has been the most widely offered foreign/second language in U.S. schools, kindergarten through twelfth grade, for many decades (Draper, 1991). By the 1970s, it became the most frequently studied foreign/second language in U.S. colleges and universities, when Spanish overtook French (Modern Language Association, 2013).The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of Spanish teaching in elementary and secondary schools in the United States, showing trends in languages taught across three time points -1987, 1997, and 2008 -and providing comparisons with other languages. The information is based on the most recent data collected for a national survey of foreign language teaching in elementary and secondary schools conducted every decade by the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) (Rhodes & Pufahl, 2010). The report includes an overview of the survey methodology and details on the teaching of all languages in schools; how Spanish teaching compares with other languages over time; types of language classes at elementary and secondary school levels; details of a standardized Spanish curriculum and assessment program -the Spanish Advanced Placement (AP) program; and Spanish classes offered outside of regular school programs, including heritage/community language programs and private language school programs. The conclusion offers recommendations to invigorate language teaching in the U.S., with Spanish leading the way as the most commonly taught language. Similarly, foreign language instruction decreased in middle schools, from more than 70% of all middle schools in 1987 and 1997, to fewer than 60% in 2008. At the high school level, however, foreign language instruction remained steady with more than 90% of all high schools offering foreign languages at each time point. Whether schools offered foreign languages varied according to their location, size, the socioeconomic status (SES) of the students, and the geographic region.Overall, urban and suburban schools, larger middle and high schools, and elementary and middle schools with a higher SES were more likely to offer foreign (Table 1).In ...

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“…Consistent with the national profile of elementary school programs reported by the Center for Applied Linguistics (Rhodes and Oxford, 1987), the language of choice of the majority of school districts nationwide isSpanish. In Arizona, 90 percent of the schools polled cited Spanish as the target language of instruction.…”

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confidence: 61%

Arizona's Elementary Foreign Language Mandate, Phase I: Now That We Have It, What Shall We Do?*

Vigil

1993

Foreign Language Annals

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This article describes the Elementary Foreign Language Task Force's efforts once the Arizona State Board of Education passed a mandate requiring that all elementary schools teach a foreign language. The Task Force identified the essential components of an effective program: 1) coordination; 2) commitment; 3) integration of foreign language with other subjects; 4) goals; 5) staffing; 6) materials; 7) instructional principles; 8) examples of delivery systems; 9) articulation; 10) grades involved; 11) languages to be taught; 12) funding and legislation; 13) evaluation plan; 14) methods of implementation. The Arizona Task Force reviewed several existing programs with national prominence. These preliminary review effortsle d to a proposed model in which Arizona's school districts were to decide the target language of instruction once they identified curricular and personnel resources. In response, Northern Arizona University launched a strong teacher‐training effort during the summer of 1992. As a result, many of Arizona's children currently benefit from foreign language instruction.

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Foreign Languages in Elementary and Secondary Schools: Results of a National Survey

Cited by 26 publications

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Foreign Language Instruction in U.S. Schools: Results of a National Survey of Elementary and Secondary Schools

Foreign Language Instruction in U.S. Schools: Results of a National Survey of Elementary and Secondary Schools

An Overview of Spanish Teaching

Arizona's Elementary Foreign Language Mandate, Phase I: Now That We Have It, What Shall We Do?*

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