A Look Back: The U.S. foreign language problem, as covered in Kappan. (February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Preston, Teresa
• Is Part Of: Phi Delta Kappan. Volume 101:Number 5(2020)
• Page Start: 5
• Page End: 7
• Publication Date: 2020-02
• Subjects: Phi Delta Kappan -- education -- language -- foreign language -- French language -- Spanish language -- international -- language immersion; Education -- United States -- Periodicals; Greek letter societies -- Periodicals; Onderwijs; Éducation -- Périodiques; Associations désignées par des lettres grecques -- Périodiques; Éducation; Enseignement; Pédagogie; Politique éducative; Recherche en éducation; Réforme du système éducatif; Services aux élèves; Système éducatif; États-Unis; Étude comparée (Descripteur de forme); Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 371.0097305
• DOI: 10.1177/0031721720903820
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-7217

Abstract

In this monthly Kappan column, Teresa Preston shares a sampling of what past Kappan authors have written about foreign language instruction U.S. schools. Although it is not a topic that has appeared frequently in Kappan, concern about a lack of such instruction goes back at least as far as the 1930s. Although authors have generally agreed about the need for more foreign language study, disputes have emerged about which languages to study and what methods are most effective for teaching foreign languages. Authors have, however, agreed that language study should start earlier than it generally does .