Informal language planning for elementary school language development

Abstract

Language planning is an activity that takes place in formal/national situations, but it also occurs in a variety of unintended ways and on smaller scales (e.g. Russo and Baldauf 1986). This paper documents the informal language planning which has occurred as part of the process of developing and implementing Arizona’s Elementary Foreign Language Mandate. It is a case study which demonstrates the problems and effects of informal language planning in public education systems such as Arizona’s. The study focuses on the initial specifications of the mandate and the efforts of individual school districts to comply in a timely manner. The difficulties encountered by one school district as it considers ways to implement the mandate are examined in detail. The data for this study was gathered from official documents, personal interviews, videotapes, newspaper articles, public meetings and independent research related to language policy in the state of Arizona. The study suggests that a greater awareness of language planning skills at this level could lead to the development of more effective language programs.