Foreign language education policy on the horizon

Abstract

Language policy has developed into a major area of research that continues to expand and develop. This article examines potential directions for cross‐pollination between the fields of language policy and foreign language education. First, publication trends are examined. Database searches were conducted for the journals Foreign Language Annals, Modern Language Journal, Current Issues in Language Planning, Language Policy, and Language Problems and Language Planning. It is found that there is a dearth of studies on language policy in the foreign language–oriented journals and on foreign languages in language policy–oriented journals. Next, with these findings as a springboard, Spolsky's three‐component model of language policy—practices, beliefs, and management—is used to guide discussion about future research directions at the confluence of language policy and foreign language education. Finally, implications for political engagement with language education issues are raised, and it is suggested that professional associations might learn from the strategies of successful political action groups.