Foreign Languages in Higher Education in the US -- Issues and Advocacy

Abstract

Foreign language learning has been disrupted by declining enrollments, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the benefits of languages are well known, few US students study another language. Beyond the decline in enrollment and lack of qualified language teachers, issues facing languages in US colleges and universities include the crisis in the humanities, the curriculum, and online learning. In a globalized world, the need for international education is evident. Advocacy is needed, including K-16 and interdisciplinary collaborations, to rebuild the number of foreign language learners so that there will be a sufficient number of students with the interests and skills to pursue pre-professional language studies at the postsecondary level. A national language policy would encourage language learning and reduce divisions within our increasingly multilingual society. The leadership role of faculty in making the case for languages, developing interdisciplinary and K-16 partnerships, supporting access to foreign language learning for all interested students from the earliest grade levels, and expanding the postsecondary foreign language curriculum to include multiple career pathways, is essential.