Creating a Culture for the Preparation of an ACTFL/NCATE Program Review

Abstract

This article examines what one university has done to prepare for its program review for recognition by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), a Specialized Professional Association (SPA) of NCATE. The history of the Standards movement within higher education is neither long nor exhaustive; however, with the publication of the ACTFL/NCATE Program Standards for the Preparation of Foreign Language Teachers (2002), universities must begin to focus efforts on the training of future K‐12 foreign language teachers. Six considerations are offered to foreign language and pedagogy faculty: (1) engaging all faculty in the program review process, (2) establishing a culture of oral proficiency, (3) educating faculty on standards, (4) revising curricula, (5) preparing the seven assessments required by ACTFL/NCATE, and (6) making use of technology for data collection.