Proficiency and Languages for Specific Purposes in the K–12 Classroom

Response 1 to "Language Proficiency: Envisioning the Win in the High School Spanish Classroom"

Indeed, our students must graduate better prepared for the realities of the twenty-first-century workplace and our global society. Whether based in the United States or abroad, language and culture skills are crucial for individuals to navigate an increasingly interconnected world. In addition to the language-learning benefits of enriching the intellectual and personal components of student lives, it is paramount to emphasize real-world application of language use in everyday situations and across diverse workplace contexts. How do we collectively reach this goal as language educators?

While keeping in mind the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) frameworks and language acquisition principles, we need to introduce and model new ways of engaging our students within the classroom and beyond, showing them the relevance of language use in a myriad of personal and professional circumstances.

We must supplement curriculum with relevant, authentic resources and engage students in project-based learning. Technology is a user-friendly, interactive tool that we can use to synchronously or asynchronously collaborate on projects with classrooms anywhere in the world in the target language and culture (Redden 2014). Bringing in speakers from diverse fields, virtually or in person, who can share how they use language and cultural competence will help students reflect on future career possibilities. Interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly with individuals from career academies who regularly connect with outside professionals, also has the potential to mutually benefit all.

Whether organizing course activities with external organizations through service learning or encouraging students to get involved on their own, we should inform students of global opportunities such as participating in study abroad and volunteering with global organizations like Sister Cities, Rotary, Bi-National Chambers, and other global initiatives. Experiences like these make clear to students the relevance of language and culture in the real world.

There is a long history of the Languages for Specific Purposes (LSP) approach at the post-secondary level (Lafford 2012: 3), which focuses on meeting the specific language needs with students' future goals. LSP at the K–12 level has been gaining ground, and there are now models to reference and integrate into schools as entire courses or through select lessons. Sample courses include Spanish for Healthcare, Spanish for Leadership, Spanish for the Workplace and the Community, and World Language and Business Leadership (Risner and Egúsquiza 2016: 26; Risner, Swarr, Bleess, and Graham 2017).

This process of integrating LSP concepts in mainstream courses may seem daunting and does require educators to collaborate with those in fields different from their own. However, just as we ask our students to take risks in learning, we, as educators, must be open to new challenges. Similar to scaffolding to guide students, support must be in place to guide the shift in world language educator mindset and practices. Support should be provided through renewed and relevant professional development at multiple levels—from schools to districts to professional associations. Some examples would be interactive events with dialogue resulting in action to improve teaching and learning, exposing educators to non-academic contexts through industry site visits, and demonstrating the use of technology to bring the world to the classroom through telecollaboration. These kinds of activities would model effective practices in the classroom, empowering educators to implement them. Through professional learning networks, we must also find effective methods for sharing and disseminating innovative materials that are meeting the demands of the future by collaborating and maximizing time and resources.

I invite teachers and administrators to accept this challenge as leaders in the advancement of the field of world language education to prepare our students for twenty-first-century realities. How will you become an agent of change by taking risks and innovating in your classroom; at your institution; or as a member of state, regional, and national professional associations?