Saying Our Final Goodbyes to the Grammatical Syllabus: A Curricular Imperative

Given that most American students learn foreign languages in schools, it is impossible to discuss the future of French in the United States without critically examining the effectiveness of K–12 curricula. I argue that we must distance ourselves from grammar-based syllabi, which reinforce a focus on language as object to be analyzed and have led to less-than-satisfying language learning outcomes. As an alternative, I recommend a content-and-language-integrated approach to teaching and learning French and offer strategies for its implementation.