Report from the MLA Ad Hoc Committee on Foreign Languages

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Report from the MLA Ad Hoc Committee on Foreign
Languages

• Scott McGinnis
• Defense Language Institute-Washington Office

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• Ad Hoc Committee on Foreign Languages

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The historical context

• European/English language focus of MLA
• Parallel organizational developments in the
  1960s-1980s (ACTFL, NFLC)
• Major MLA initiatives (including Language Map)

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The ad hoc committee -- charge

• In response to 9/11
• Focus on both MLA initiatives and
  inter-organizational ventures
• Advocacy of an agenda beyond national security

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The ad hoc committee -- members

• Michael Geisler, Middlebury College
• Claire Kramsch, University of California,
  Berkeley
• Scott McGinnis, Defense Language Institute,
  Washington Office
• Peter Patrikis, Consortium for Language Teaching
  and Learning
• Mary Louise Pratt, Chair, New York University
• Karin Ryding, Georgetown University
• Haun Saussy, Yale University

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The report-4 focus areas

• Transforming academic programs
• Research
• Networking coalition building
• Advocacy

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Transforming academic programs

• Reform of current status quo Higher level
  literature tenured faculty vs. lower level
  non-tenure track language instructors
• New goal of translingual/trans-cultural
  competence
• Content from the beginning and language to the
  end
• Extra-departmental partners
• Importance of language acquisition specialists IN
  language departments
• Strengthening demand for language competence
  within university curricula

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Phases within the report writing process (1)

• Initial focus on criticism of current USG events,
  policies, programs and legislation
• The National Language Conference (2004)
• National Security Intelligence Reform Act of 2004
  (created Office of the Director of National
  Intelligence)
• National Foreign Language Coordination Act of
  2005 (not passed)
• National Security Language Initiative (2006)

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Phases within the report writing process (2)

• Other organizational targets of criticism
• Center for Advanced Study of Language
• Joint National Committee for Languages/National
  Council for Languages and International Studies
  Languages in the National Interest (2005)

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Phases within the report writing process (3)

• Initial focus on a new version of an area
  studies paradigm
• Intensive research on existing language programs
  and institutes, and institutional language
  requirements, in the United States
• At some point early in 2006, focused shifted to
  actions to be taken both within and outside of
  the MLA
• At some point after final draft submitted,
  translingual/transcultural competence

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Recent MLA activity

• Grant from Teagle Foundation to rethink the
  relation of FL major to liberal education
• 2006 higher education enrollment survey,
  emphasizing the growth of LCTLs
• Expansion of Language Map in January 2008
• Extensive presentations by Ad Hoc Committee
  members at university conferences and
  professional organization meetings

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Questions?

• Rosemary G. Feal, Executive Director
• Modern Language Association
• rfeal_at_mla.org