World languages in the public schools: An examination of Massachusetts\u27 new World Languages curriculum at work

The 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act promotes the reorganization of curricula in several disciplines. This study examines World Languages curricula in selected Massachusetts school systems and ways in which schools are implementing change in that discipline. The research contributes to the literature available for educators and planners, informing them of the challenging and changing goals of state language curricula and of ways that educators in local communities are planning revisions. Data collection methods included surveys of World Languages program administrators and interviews of individuals who plan and operate the programs. Written surveys and individual interviews contribute to explanations of the fundamental organization of World Languages programs and the practices schools are using to reform them. Three communities in central Massachusetts with similar socio-economic status and demographic characteristics were the focus of the study. The participating communities have large percentages of Hispanic students, pupils who cannot perform ordinary classwork in English, and learners whose first language is not English. Results from the study show that the communities share similar problems in developing K–12 World Languages programs. Low funding, a need for technology, the shortage of qualified and certified instructors, insufficient training for practicing teachers, and inadequate program coordination and support were the primary deterrents to the expansion of programs. Despite the hindrances facing the school systems, educators have updated their curricula in several ways in order to prepare students for active involvement in their community. Teachers in the selected school districts realize the importance of helping students achieve a greater understanding of others and improve their second language proficiency to help them live and work with others in increasingly diverse communities. Schools need several more years to fulfill the goal of offering every student continuous K–12 second language study. Most schools in Massachusetts lack elementary World Languages programs, and despite the high numbers of native language speakers of the target languages taught in schools, not all systems fully view them as a resource. Most World Languages departments do not collaborate with Bilingual or English as a Second Language programs, offer courses designed for native speakers, or have procedures for properly placing these students in existing courses. The most effective strategies used by schools to improve programs are ones that encourage stronger community support and involvement and those that promote greater program organization