[lg policy] edweek blog: Foreign Language Policies Around the World

[Harold Schiffman]

Foreign Language Policies Around the World
By Anthony Jackson on March 2, 2013 6:28 AM

On the occasion of International Mother Language Day, we have been
looking at the importance of languages in schools. Today, Heather
Singmaster, senior program associate, Asia Society, looks at how other
countries are examining their language policies as part of workforce
development strategies.

By Heather Singmaster

It is no secret that Americans lag behind in learning foreign
languages despite urgent calls from the business and national security
sectors. Yet it is barely a part of our policy discussion here—much to
our detriment. In other countries, this conversation is not only
happening, it is a prominent part of the national discourse. Why? They
see foreign language as key to economic development, even if their
first language is English. They don't feel they can rely on their
native tongue alone—nor should we.

A Continuing Discourse

Australia has had an ongoing conversation about the need for students
to study Asian languages. The latest development happened last
November, when Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard released the
Asian Century white paper, listing key goals to allow the country to
take advantage of nearby Asian markets. The paper calls for students
to be given the opportunity to study one of four languages throughout
their entire school career: Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Indonesian, and
Japanese.

A flurry of articles met this call, with most experts agreeing with
the reasoning, but citing huge obstacles, including the US$1billion
price tag for implementing such a requirement for just half of
Australia. Adelaide University Asian studies expert Kent Anderson says
this would be a tall order, but a crucial one: ''what is really
important about learning a language is learning empathy for someone
else, and learning empathy for another culture. You are able to
understand, which will make you a better business person and makes it
easier to have longer-term relationships.''

Meanwhile, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called on
businesses to set quotas on the number of employees they hire who can
speak an Asian language, reasoning that this would encourage students
to learn them. (Incidentally, he announced this idea in a speech in
China, delivered in fluent Mandarin.)

In Scotland, a recent study by the British Council showed a decline in
foreign language study as well as a tendency of Scottish companies to
only export to English speaking countries. Not wanting to miss out on
economic opportunities, the Scottish government is responding with an
examination of their foreign language requirements. Currently study of
a second language is required beginning in grade six, but a new
proposal would change this to grade one—allowing students to start a
third language in grade five.

When examining the change to the policy, two issues are being
considered: capacity of the curriculum and the role of languages in
supporting the economy. Minister for Learning Alasdair Allan said:
"This government has set an ambitious target to increase the value of
our international exports by 50% by 2017, and ensuring our workforce
has the right skills to compete internationally will play an important
role in achieving this." He continues, "This is why we are committed
to reinvigorating language learning and helping more Scottish pupils
learn a second language such as French, German, Spanish or Chinese in
primary school."

Language Required
Neighboring England, in response to a study showing their students are
less likely to study a second language to a decent level compared to
their European peers, will require all English primary students to
learn a second language starting in 2014. Schools have the choice of
offering one of seven languages: French, German, Spanish, Italian,
Mandarin, Latin, and ancient Greek. Elizabeth Truss, the Education
Minister, said: "We must give young people the opportunities they need
to compete in a global jobs market—fluency in a foreign language will
now be another asset our school leavers and graduates will be able to
boast."

Similarly, in Czechoslovakia, students are currently required to take
a second language beginning in third grade (most take English). A
third language used to be optional, however the government announced
in January that it is now mandatory, beginning in eighth grade or
earlier.

Expanding the Conversation
In most Asian countries, children begin learning a second language,
usually English, in the primary grades. That doesn't necessarily mean
that parents are satisfied. In Japan, a recent study showed that 90%
of parents just aren't happy with their children's English language
classes. Parents feel their children aren't gaining enough practical
language knowledge and they lack the opportunity to actually speak in
class. The study showed that parents are highly supportive of learning
a second language and producing globally competent students: "93.6 of
parents want their children to have a global viewpoint and 83.3% want
their children to be globally competitive."

Similarly in China, students may be learning English in school
starting in grade three, but many parents feel this isn't enough.
Students are sent to expensive centers for learning English after
school and increasingly, students in middle and high school are being
sent to the United States to study. According to China Daily, 65
middle school aged children studied in the U.S. in 2005, that number
increased to 6,725 in 2010. Parents feel their students will need to
be able to compete internationally when they grow up and therefore
need a global outlook.

With all of these conversations happening around the world, can
Americans afford to continue to turn a deaf ear?

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/global_learning/2013/03/foreign_language_policies_around_the_world.html

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