Starting a Foreign Language Program
Kathleen M. Marcos

The first step in starting a foreign language program in a school is to form a steering committee consisting of parents and foreign language teachers, other classroom teachers, and school administrators--from both elementary and secondary schools. Business and community members may also be part of the steering committee.

The following action plan for the committee is based in part on an ERIC Digest titled "Guidelines for Starting an Elementary School Foreign Language Program" (Rosenbusch, 1995):

	Evaluate the school district's current foreign language program (if one exists) and work with existing curricula and teachers if possible.
	Develop a rationale for establishing the program.
	Inform teachers, school administrators, parents, and the community about the importance of learning second languages.
	Determine which language(s) to offer. Consider the following criteria: (1) Will the language help students communicate in the international marketplace? (2) Will the language further the national interest? (3) Will the language enable students to live in a multiethnic society? (4) Are appropriate instructional materials and qualified teachers available to teach the language? (Met, 1989).
	Read the professional literature, consult with language professionals, and visit existing programs in other schools to become familiar with various program models.
	Become familiar with current curricula and instructional strategies. (Languages are now taught in different ways than adults may remember from their own school days.)
	Define a logical sequence of study from elementary to high school so that students may continue to study the foreign language(s) without interruption. This articulation allows students to build on prior knowledge so they can attain optimal fluency (Met and Rhodes, 1990).
	Propose the most suitable program for the school or school district based on all the knowledge gathered.
	Identify qualified teachers and appropriate instructional materials. Select foreign language curricula and materials that include suggestions for continued learning and practice to encourage learners to maintain their skills beyond the classroom (Oxford, 1988).

The knowledge gained through exposure to a second language must be reinforced throughout the school years and beyond in order to be retained. Students who begin learning a second language in school at a young age and who have opportunities to continue learning and using it both in and out of school have a better chance of becoming proficient than those who study the language in school only sporadically.

References

Met, M. 1989. "Which Foreign Languages Should Students Learn?" Educational Leadership 47 (1): 54-58.

Met, M., and N. Rhodes. 1990. "Elementary School Foreign Language Instruction--Priorities for the 1990s." Foreign Language Annals 23 (5): 433-444.

Oxford, R. 1988. "Learning Strategies." In J. B. Gleason, ed., You Can Take It With You: Helping Students Maintain Foreign Language Skills Beyond the Classroom. Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics and the Center for Applied Linguistics. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 299 813.

Rosenbusch, M. H. 1995. "Guidelines for Starting an Elementary School Foreign Language Program." ERIC Digest. Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 383 227.

Kathleen M. Marcos is an information associate at the ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics at the Center for Applied Linguistics in Washington, D.C. She serves as both Acquisitions Coordinator and Information Technology Associate for the clearinghouse.

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