International Education and Foreign Languages Keys to Securing America's Future (2007) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction
1 Introduction
Pages 15-35
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The inability of intelligence officers, military personnel, disease specialists, law enforcement officers and other federal employees to Although there is debate in this country about the appropriate term for languages other than English, with some supporting use of "world languages," we have adopted the term "foreign languages" since it is used in the committee's charge.
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programs -- are designed to "strengthen the capability and performance of American education in foreign languages and in area and international studies" and "improve secondary and postsecondary teaching and research concerning other cultures and languages, training of specialists, and the American public's general understanding of the peoples of other countries" (see U.S. Department of Education International Education Programs Service Office of Postesecondary Education, 2007)
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Title VI Programs Programs under Title VI can be arranged in three broad categories, by general goal. The first group is aimed at increasing the level of expertise in foreign languages, area studies, and other international studies: 1.
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MEETING NATIONAL NEEDS In reviewing Title VI/FH and other federal programs that support language study, it is useful to think of how such programs meet national needs in two ways -- immediate and long term. Immediate national needs might be viewed as national security and the need to fill positions in the military, intelligence agencies, law enforcement, and the diplomatic corps with people who have language and area expertise, as discussed by the 9/11 Commission (National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, 2004)
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is transacted; provide instruction in critical foreign languages and international fields needed to provide an understanding of the cultures and customs of U.S. trading partners.
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Fulbright- To provide grants to support overseas Institutions of higher education, Hays Training projects in training, research, and nonprofit organizations, state Grants Group curriculum development in modern departments of education, Projects foreign languages and area studies by consortia of institutions, and Abroad (GPA) teachers, students, and faculty engaged other organizations and/or in a common endeavor.
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Language To improve the nation's capacity for Institutions of higher education Resource teaching and learning foreign languages or consortia of institutions of Centers (LRC) (particularly the less commonly taught higher education.
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In any case, the list of critical languages changes over time, so it is wise to maintain a pool of expertise in as many languages as possible. Supporters, including those in Title VI and other organizations active in foreign language and international education, contend that Title VI programs play a vital role in the teaching of less commonly taught languages.
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The National Academies was asked to review the effectiveness of ED's foreign language, area, and international studies programs -- the Title VI programs of the Higher Education Act and Section 102(b)
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4. Supporting research, education, and training in foreign languages and international studies, including opportunities for such research, education, and training overseas.
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A related criticism is that university-based language training is not sufficiently linked with the specific language needs of federal bureaucracies, such as the Departments of State and Defense and the intelligence agencies. As the report makes clear, the committee thinks that there is a productive division of labor between Title VI/FH programs, on one hand, and more targeted federal resources, such as the National Security Education Program, the Defense Language Institute, and the Foreign Service Institute, on the other, which are designated to address specific government personnel needs.
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Over the past 50 years the national security emphasis of the programs decreased, and new programs were added to address changing national priorities. The international education programs originally created under the National Defense Education Act were incorporated into the Higher Education Act, thus expanding the programs beyond the training of specialists and emphasizing the importance of international studies as a matter of general educational importance.
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Business and International Education Amendments Education broadens Title VI to provide support beyond specialist training and to include 1972 undergraduate programs. Language Higher Education Act Reauthorization Resource Title VI of NDEA and provisions of IEA become Title VI of HEA, emphasizing Centers greater focus on educational programs within higher education rather than 1980 solely to support U.S.
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national security needs" (U.S. Department of Education International Education Programs Service Office of Postsecondary Education, n.d.)
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Other federal resources, such as the Foreign Service Institute and the Defense Language Institute, seem to be more suited to meeting the immediate language needs of the federal government. Title VI/FH programs, by current law and by the way the programs are administered, are not ideally or specifically designed to meet the immediate language needs of the federal government.
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In addition to building foreign language expertise, Title VI/FH programs serve national security needs, in the long term, by developing and sustaining area and international knowledge. There is a need for area studies experts whose skills extend beyond language and who are familiar with
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Such citizens have an understanding of the complexities of global economics, politics, and foreign cultures, in order to be able to compete internationally, interact comfortably with people of other cultures, make informed judgments about international affairs, and supply the federal government with needed expertise. Ideally, the pool of globally competent citizens would serve in a variety of professions of importance to the international standing of the United States, such as diplomacy, law enforcement, the military, health care, business, academia, nongovernmental organizations, and all levels of the education system.
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. The remaining nine programs under Title VI are funded as the domestic component of ED's international education programs (FY 2006: $91.5 million)
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This gain was due in large part to significant funding increases in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, when both Title VI and Fulbright-Hays received significant funding increases. Both programs received increases (in absolute terms)
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At first glance, it appears that FY 2003 Title VI funding levels rival those of the programs' early days. However, it is important to keep in mind that the recent funding peaks were used to fund nine distinct programs with a broad national agenda, compared with the three programs funded in the FY 1967 heyday.
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Appendix D provides a brief history of foreign language assessment in the United States. Appendix E presents tabular information on federal programs designed to address international education and foreign language needs.
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