TITLE VI 50 TH ANNIVERSARY NATIONAL CONFERENCE MARCH 19-21, 2009 WASHINGTON, D.C. Meeting the Need for Critical Language Teachers Johanna Watzinger-Tharp, University of Utah

Presentation Overview  The National Context  The Local Context: Utah Language Policies  The World Languages MA Program at the University of Utah: Conceptualization and Rationale  Challenges and Future Goals

Critical-Need Language Study & Teacher Education NSLI Goals  Increase the number of U.S. residents studying critical-need languages and starting them at an earlier age;  Increase the number of advanced-level speakers of foreign languages, with an emphasis on mastery of critical-need languages;  Increase the number of teachers of critical-need languages and providing resources for them. STARTALK Goals  To stimulate significant increases in the number of students enrolled in the study of critical languages;  To increase the quality and supply of teachers of critical languages throughout the nation;  To improve the quality and effectiveness of critical language curriculum.

NSLI Teacher Education Programs*  Teacher-to-Teacher Program: 3 states  Teachers of Critical Languages Program: 11 states  Intensive Summer Language Institutes: 5 states  STARTALK (high school students and teachers): 22 states  Language Teacher Corps (2009)  E-Learning Language Clearinghouse (2009) *U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, Enhancing Foreign Language Proficiency in the United States: Preliminary Results of the National Security Language Initiative, Washington, D.C., 2008.

The Context: Utah Language Policies  Legislative Funding for “Critical Language Program”  On-going for six years ( )  $260,000 pilot program (2007)  Incentives for schools and students  Programs in the Public Schools  Arabic: 8 (2008/2009)  Chinese: 74 (2008/2009); 8 new dual immersion (2009/2010)  Russian: 3 (2008/2009)  Farsi, Hindi, Korean (approved)

Rationale of the World Language MA (WLMA) Program  The Need for Teachers  Growth of critical-need language programs in the public schools  Shortage of certified teachers  Distance education (enhanced)  WLMA program rationale  Capitalizing on existing teacher education programs  Institutional and community support  Utah language capacity  Graduate degree + secondary certification  Integrated cross-disciplinary curriculum

Rationale (continued)  Students with a foreign language B.A. or M.A.,  Intermediate language proficiency in at least one critical language  Versatility and Marketability with Dual Certification  Two world languages, e.g. Chinese & ESL; Arabic & Spanish  World language + other subject, e.g. Chinese & Music; Japanese & Math

The WLMA Curriculum  Language proficiency and content  Language and culture coursework  Study abroad  Proficiency-based language assessment  Foreign language methodology  Applied linguistics  Standards-oriented instruction (ACTFL National Standards for K-12 Foreign Language Learning)  Secondary teacher education  Licensure coursework  Practicum and student teaching

Challenges  Recruiting candidates during B.A. study  Completion of prerequisites  Dual language capacity  Funding students  Securing supervising teachers  Adapting existing language, literature and culture courses to K-12 standards

Future Steps  Sustaining foreign language breadth in the public schools  Promoting all critical-need languages  Supporting the shift from distance to classroom- based instruction  Enhancing teacher supervision  Expanding WLMA to elementary level (dual immersion)

Thank you! Requests for Power Point