Second language competency

Sun Nov 14 03:02:33 UTC 2010

Dear colleagues:

Enclosed please find my most recent column published in The Chronicle of
Higher Education. I hope it deserves your interest.

You can take a look to the column at:

Deficiency in Foreign Language Competency: What is Wrong with the U.S.
Educational System?
<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/deficiency-in-foreign-language-compete
ncy-what-is-wrong-with-the-u-s-educational-system/27558> 

Probably many readers of The Chronicle of Higher Education watched recently
the unforgettable moment in which Luis Urzúa, the last of the trapped
Chilean miners, stepped out of the “Phoenix” capsule after 69 days of
anguish and hope, hugged his family members and then said to the Chilean
president in firm and clear Spanish: “Señor Presidente: Le entrego el turno”
(Mr. President: you are now on shift). They then had a very emotional
conversation in front of the TV cameras. A friend of mine who was among the
more than 1 billion viewers worldwide watching this special moment later
sent me an e-mail from the U.S. sharing her frustration with not being able
to understand what was said. “I was astounded that minute after precious
minute, CNN didn’t provide any translation of what was being said. The hosts
never even piped down long enough for us to be able to hear the emotion and
jubilation in people’s voices. 
  Finally after 10 minutes, a translator
could be heard at the top of the broadcast. 
  This was such a missed
opportunity,” my friend wrote.

Among those of us engaged in international education, it is considered a
basic premise that, in today’s knowledge-based global economy and society, a
full command of at least one second language is a core competency that
should become mandatory for all graduates of higher-education institutions.
It is also generally acknowledged that, higher-education institutions and
entire educational systems should dedicate more serious efforts to go beyond
mere lip-service to students by making sure that competency in a foreign
language is really acquired at a functional level.

It doesn’t take much to realize that the U.S. trails far behind other
countries on the second language issue. Moreover, we constantly receive
clear signals of the need to more seriously discuss the appropriateness and
feasibility of implementing a second-language education policy. At the same
time, we hear voices telling us that such an idea is just another
unnecessary notion. The rationale used by many who justify this widespread
second-language deficiency is that English is today’s lingua franca.

<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/deficiency-in-foreign-language-compete
ncy-what-is-wrong-with-the-u-s-educational-system/27558> Read More 

Previous articles

Internationalization of Higher Education: the Good, the Bad, and the
Unexpected
<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/internationalization-of-higher-educati
on-the-good-the-bad-and-the-unexpected/27512>  

Internacionalización de la educación superior: lo bueno, lo malo y lo
inesperado
<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/internationalizacion-de-la-educacion-s
uperior-lo-bueno-lo-malo-y-lo-inesperado/27553>  

The Madness of Rankings
<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/the-madness-of-rankings/27100> 

La fiebre de los rankings
<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/la-fiebre-de-los-rankings/27137> 

Is Brazil Prepared for Its New Role in the World?
<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/is-brazil-prepared-for-its-new-role-in
-the-world/26883> 

<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/est-brasil-preparado-para-su-nuevo-pap
el-en-el-mundo/26885> ¿Está Brasil preparado para su nuevo papel en el
mundo?

Challenges of Mexican Higher Education; Are There Implications for the
United States?
<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/challenges-of-mexican-higher-education
-are-there-implications-for-the-united-states/26808> 

<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/retos-de-la-educaci-n-en-la-educaci-n-
superior-mexicana-esto-tiene-implicaciones-para-los-estados-unidos/26810>
Retos de la educación en la educación superior mexicana: ¿esto tiene
implicaciones para los Estados Unidos?

2-Year Colleges: Second-Class Citizens in the World of Higher Education?
<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/2-year-colleges-second-class-citizens-
in-the-world-of-higher-education/26305> 

<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/instituciones-universitarias-de-dos-a-
os-ciudadanos-de-segunda-en-el-mundo-de-la-educaci-n-superior/26306>
Instituciones universitarias de dos años: ¿ciudadanos de segunda en el mundo
de la educación superior?

International Migration Outlook: Lessons and Experiences for International
Education
<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/international-migration-outlook-lesson
sexperiences-for-international-education/25633> 

<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/una-mirada-a-la-migraci-n-internaciona
l-lecciones-y-experiencias-para-la-educaci-n-internacional/25632> Una Mirada
a La Migración Internacional: Lecciones y Experiencias Para La Educación
Internacional

Access, Quality, and Internationalization in Brazilian Higher Education
<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/access-qualityinternationalization-in-
brazilian-higher-education/25410> 

<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/acceso-calidad-e-internacionalizaci-n-
de-la-educaci-n-superior-en-brasil-una-historia-familiar-2/25412> Acceso,
Calidad, e Internacionalización de La Educación Superior en Brasil: ¿Una
Historia Familiar?

>From a Global Village to a Local World
<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/from-a-global-village-to-a-local-world
/25151> 

<http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/transitando-desde-una-aldea-global-hac
ia-un-mundo-local/25173> Transitando Desde una Aldea Global Hacia un Mundo
Local

Regards,

Francisco

Francisco Marmolejo

Executive Director

Consortium for North American Higher Education Collaboration

CONAHEC - University of Arizona

PO Box 210300

220 W. Sixth Street

Tucson, AZ 85721-0300 USA

Tel. +1 (520) 621-9080 / 621-7761

Fax +1 (520) 626-2675

Email:  <mailto:fmarmole at email.arizona.edu> fmarmole at email.arizona.edu

 <http://conahec.org/> http://conahec.org

Description: cid:image001.jpg at 01C7AF30.82AF8360

Francisco Marmolejo

Assistant Vice President for Western Hemispheric Programs

University of Arizona

PO Box 210158

888 N. Euclid Ave. / University Services Bldg.

Tucson, AZ 85721 USA

Tel. +1 (520) 626-4258

Fax +1 (520) 621-6011

Email:  <mailto:fmarmole at email.arizona.edu> fmarmole at email.arizona.edu

http://www.whp.arizona.edu

Description: ua125-email   

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