The Influence of the State Foreign Language Supervisor Upon Foreign Language Instruction in America

Abstract

IN THE long run the most important consequence of Title III [of the National Defense Education Act] may be not the acquisition of useful 'hardware,' but this leadership at the state level, and the new spirit of cooperation between colleges and public schools. These forces, eventually affecting teacher training, certification requirements, preparation of new teacher materials, and curriculum revision, may well do more to improve foreign language instruction than any number of language labs.' The increased leadership at the state level to which Dr. Parker refers is frequently traceable to the person who is variously referred to as state foreign language supervisor, coordinator, or specialist. By whatever name, the position was non-existent in most states before th Enactment of the National Defense Education Act (NDEA). The country's first state foreign language supervisor was William R. Price, Inspector of Foreign Languages, appointed in New York in 1911. In 1957 only New York and two other states were providing this service to the foreign language profession.2 The National Defense Education Act, which has profoundly affected almost every aspect of