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Language Bill in Congress

Promises Critical Funding

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(rouzes/istockphoto)

Promises Critical Funding
WASHINGTON, DC, August 1, 2010 — On the last day before summer recess, a bill sponsored by U.S. Congressional Representatives Rush Holt (D-NJ) and Paul Tonko (D-NY) was quietly introduced.


Although it lacked media fanfare at the time, its contents are headline-worthy.

The bill, H.R. 6036, or the Excellence and Innovation in Language Learning Act, cites a pervasive lack of foreign language capacity that threatens the security and economic well-being of the United States.

Holt and Tonko propose legislation that would allow every young American to become proficient in a second language—in addition to English—within a generation.

The plan is to start language instruction in early childhood and ensure that they are able to build capacity throughout their elementary and secondary education until they gain proficiency.

The legislation proposes the U.S. Departments of State, Defense, and Commerce pool what they know about language supply and demand, and to put together a synopsis of how to meet a variety of language-related needs.

These sectors of government also know something about effective language training: the Defense Department, for example, operates some of the nation’s best language training institutions, but only at the post-graduate level. If they can train an adult to be proficient in languages in two years’ time, think of the potential of a dozen years to train a younger mind—which numerous studies suggest is optimally primed for language acquisition.

The bill asks the practical question of how these sectors—plus the education system—can work together for optimal outcomes.

The bill also acknowledges that language proficiency is not entirely dependent on the number of years a learner studies a language, but is far more influenced by good program design.

It proposes that Congress shall challenge states to create informed plans and adopt best practices. It also requires them to establish pipelines wherein elementary language programs feed into middle schools and, over time, to high schools. Should the bill be enacted as law, states will have two years to develop a model, articulated program for all its students.

The bill requests $200 million worth of funding each year. To put things in perspective, the Council on Economic Development estimates that American businesses lose $2 billion each year due to lost opportunities as a direct result of lacking cross-cultural skills. The military costs in Afghanistan total $200 million each day. And $200 million is nothing compared to the loss of human life should there be a serious national security breach due to lack of language capacity.

Many organizations are already lauding this potential legislation as a wise investment. Among them are Asia Society Partnership for Global Learning, Joint National Committee on Languages, Committee for Economic Development, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, and National Education Association.

“I hope this bill will be considered as part of the reauthorization of ESEA,” said Tony Jackson, vice president at Asia Society.

The Elementary and Secondary School Act (ESEA) is a Congressional statute that provides federal funding for American elementary and secondary schools. Originally enacted in 1965, ESEA is reauthorized every five years. Congress is currently preparing the next reauthorization, expected in 2011.

President Barack Obama has stated that the latest reauthorization—in a move that sets it apart from the previous law, commonly known as No Child Left Behind—will focus on creating a “world-class education system.” That is, it will fund proven strategies that prepare Americans for a global, innovation-driven future.

“Essential in the formula for a world-class education is an urgent call for schools to produce students who know something about the world: its cultures, languages, and how its economic, environmental and social systems work,” said Vivien Stewart, senior advisor to Asia Society.

“Making sure our students have deep knowledge about other cultures, sophisticated communications skills—including proficiency in at least one language, in addition to English—must be part of meaningful education reform,” concluded Jackson.

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) offers tools and guidance on how to make your voice heard on this issue.

halim | 02:09:11 01:09pm
i believe that learning new languages adn becoming a polyglot is a great way for america to stay competitive and remain in world power. learning new languages and having an understanding can further american business and foreign relations. imagine the impact it would have if the united states president spoke a foreign language such as arabic. his world influence might be alot different with such a thing...if only if only
John Martin Moses | 01:16:11 08:44am
Ok! Ok! Let's stop pointing the finger and move ahead or China will have the upper hand. Bi-lingual would be great, tri-lingual would be even better. Forward, march! We can do it!!!!!!!!
ssd | 12:10:10 04:29pm
Wow...how'bout our schools concentrate on helping our students speak and write English at a proficient level upon HS graduation. I teach an an Associate Degree level ENG Composition course where just a handful have a decent grasp of the basic grammar and writing skills. In America, I believe learning how to read and write English well trumps our students learning a second language.
John | 10:28:10 05:44pm
This is true education "reform". Understanding and acknowledging the geopolitics of the world and that China will be a vital partner or NOT depending on our knowledge of their culture and language for at least the next few generations is crucial to our country's economic success. We should promote foreign languages and Mandarin in particular in our schools systematically if we want a valuable education for our children.
anonymous | 10:14:10 11:54am
Thanks for posting this. Regrettably, even if the lower level schools start teaching languages now, by the time they're older, colleges won't have any professors or programs for them. Colleges and universities (not to mention high schools) are systematically eliminating languages citing budget crises. Saving our nation's ability to interact and communicate globally (economically, politically, diplomaticly, etc.) must go through the college level or it's pointless to waste resources on minimal attempts to teach the young basic vocabulary.
anonymous | 10:12:10 03:56pm
I just think is a wonderful bill. However, if a foreign language is going to be taught at any level, it has to be designed so that communication is accomplished. Hence, many of the foreign language programs in the USA arenot designed well. Many teachers keep relying in grammar for communication instead of communication in the service of grammar. Therefore, supervision of foreign language program should be put in place. This way foreign language teachers can develop communicative activate that will promote L2 to negotiate for meaning. There is only one approach structure classes that are taken every day according to L2 level and comprehensible input. reply. Yes, the more comprehensible input a student receives the better he will become in the target langauge.
Maria osorio | 10:12:10 03:51pm
I just think is a wonderful bill. However, if a foreign language is going to be taught at any level, it has to be designed so that communication is accomplished. Hence, many of the foreign language programs in the USA are designed well. Many teachers keep relying in grammar for communication instead of communication in the service of grammar. Therefore, supervision of foreign language program should be put in place. This way foreign language teachers can develop communicative activate that will promote L2 to negotiate for meaning. There is only one approach structure classes that take every day according to level and comprehensible input.
Rebecca Withrow | 09:28:10 09:07pm
I am a Spanish teacher in North Carolina. I truely hope our political leaders go forward with this. I travel 21 miles between two schools (magnet) one middle and the other elementary. I don't think our leaders truely understand the importance of languages. This past year in my county several middle schools and elementary schools lost Spanish language positions. This is a travesty!
David Wagner | 09:12:10 03:50pm
I have taught Chinese at both the college and high school level and cannot underestimate what I see as its importance today. We cannot deal with the Chinese unless we have a better understanding of who they are, and this begins by knowing more about their language and culture. As a general rule, language learning should be started as early as posiible. The younger students are the quicker they learn and the better they retain and use a language. I start new classes by asking what is a person who speaks two languages. Bilingual, obviously. What do we call someone who speaks three? Trilingual. And what is someone who only speaks one? American! We are undoubtedly the poorest nation in terms of being able to speak foreign languages. Passage of this legislation is critical to our standing in the world. If anything it does not allocate enough to do the job adequately, but is a good start.
Ron B. | 08:31:10 05:08pm
I was impressed by the level of effort put in by my Chinese students when I was teaching in China. And the support of the parents. We really need to catch up. People here in the US still believe that Chinese is too difficult, but it's no more difficult than learning English is for Chinese students. It really takes a law like this to turn the situation around, I hope the support is there for it.

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