Wang Language Learning at the Elementary Level

Exploring World Language Models at the Elementary School Level

Putting the World Into World-Class EducationJuly 11, 2008

Shuhan Wang, Ph.D.Asia Society

Nancy RhodesCenter for Applied Linguistics

Photo: Center for Democratic Studies, University of Haifa, Israel

How Important Is It for All Children In the U.S to Learn a Second Language?

http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/k_v89/k0709pol.htm

In Your Opinion, Should Instruction in a Second Language, Begin In Elementary School, Middle School, or in High School?

http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/k_v89/k0709pol.htm

National K-12 Foreign Language Survey

National survey sample 2007-08: elementary and secondary schools, public and private

Goal: collect comprehensive data on FL instruction; replicate 1987 and 1997 surveys

More than 5,000 schools sampled; >60% response rate obtained

Data currently being compiled; results available at ACTFL Conference 08

National K-12 Foreign Language Survey

Preliminary observations (from “eye-balling” the data; not yet based on final results)

Number of elementary schools offering FL does not appear to have increased in the last decade

Of those elem. schools not offering FL, few are interested in offering FL in the next two years (while ten years ago, more than half of schools not teaching FL were interested in offering it)

Many schools comment that NCLB has had a major (negative) effect on their language programs

Pockets of innovation around the country

Elementary Schools Teaching Foreign Languages (1987, 1997, and 2008?)

22% 31% ?0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Per

cent

age

of E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

ls

offe

ring

Fore

ign

Lang

uage

Year

1987 1997 2008

US Students Need to Develop Global Competence

Disposition

Experiences Perspectives

Skills

Knowledge

Student

Wang,2008, work in Progress

What Does it Take to Develop Speakers at

High Proficiency Levels?

High Proficiency Levels

Time matters: for a native English speaker to reach native-like proficiency level: --Commonly Taught Languages: 720 hours--Less Commonly Taught Languages: 1320 hours

(Omaggio-Hadley, 2001)

(Malone, M. E.; Rifkin, B., Christian, D. & Johnson, D. E., 2005. Attaining High Levels of Proficiency: Challenges for Foreign Language Education in the United States. http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/attain.htm.

Recommended Pathways to Proficiency

Build on the language background of heritage language speakers

Start language learning early to build a strong base for second, third, and fourth language learning

Provide intensive immersion experiences for students at the postsecondary level, including overseas study in a target-language culture

(Malone, et al., 2005, p. 2, 10/26/05)

Why Is Early Language Learning Desirable? Children learn through PLAY

P: Peer socialization L: Learning by concrete examples A: Activity-based inquiry Y: Yeast for future development as a total person

Advantages:− Phonological window open− Parameters for language learning expanded− Content learning reinforced− Cognitive skills activated and strengthened − Natural imitators and risk takers− Enjoy show and tell and the fun to communicate for

meaning− Time to go thorough articulated sequential learning

Three Differences in Program Models

1. The amount of time spent per day in the study of foreign language

2. The language used by the teacher in class

3. The subject matter of the class

Program Models

Model % of time in FL Goals

Immersion 50 - 100% (focus is on learning subject matter in FL)

Become functionally proficient in L2 Master subject content Acquire cultural understanding

FLES 5 - 30% (focus is on learning language and sometimes subject matter)

Become proficient in listening, speaking; some focus on reading, writing Acquire cultural understanding

Language Experience

1 – 5% Develop interest in languages; learn basic words; develop cultural awareness

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Elementary Schools with Foreign Language Programs that Offer Various Program Types (1987 and 1997)

FLES (B)45%

Intensive FLES (C) 12%

FLEX (A)41%

Immersion (D)2%

FLES (B)34%

Intensive FLES (C) 13%

FLEX (A)45%

1987 1997

Immersion (D)8%

Note: Some schools have more than one program type.

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Spanish FLES Student Language Sample

Spanish Immersion Language Sample

What resources are available?

Funding Foreign Language Assistance Program (FLAP)

www.grants.ed.gov

Critical Language Flagship Programs http://www.thelanguageflagship.org/funding_institutions.html

STARTALK Critical Language Summer Programs for Teachers and Students http://www.startalk@umd.edu email: Startalk@umd.edu

Curricular Resources

New Jersey www.state.nj.us/education/aps/cccs/wl/frameworks/wlo/.

Ohiohttp://ims.ode.state.oh.us/Grade 12, “Human Needs Know No Boundaries”

National Council of State Supervisors for Languageshttp://www.ncssfl.org

Chinese Curricula Available for Sharing Chicago Public Schools

K-3 Curriculum: Center for Applied Linguistics and National Foreign Language Resource Center (Iowa State University): http://nflrc.iastate.edu/

PreK-AP Curriculum: Chicago Public Schools, http://www.confuciusinstitute.chicago

Minnesota Department of Education: Chinese Language Programs Curriculum Development Project, Feb. 2007 http://education.state.mn.us

Ohio K-4 Curriculum (FLAP) http://ims.ode.state.oh.us/

Oregon/Portland K-16: http://casls.uoregon.edu

Asia Society

Chinese Language Initiativeshttp://askasia.org/Chinese

http://internationaled.orghttp://AskAsia.org/Chinese

Websites

Center for Applied Linguistics www.cal.org

CARLA Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition www.carla.umn.edu

NNELL www.nnell.org

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Contact Information

Shuhan C. Wang, Ph.D. Asia SocietyTel: 212-327-9301email: shuhanw@asiasoc.orgWeb site: http://Askasia.org/Chinese

Nancy RhodesCenter for Applied LinguisticsTel: 202-362-0700email: nrhodes@cal.orgWeb site: www.cal.org

Thank you!谢谢