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Emily Minelli teaches French Ab Initio, SL, and HL in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme at Hillsboro High School in Nashville, Tennessee. She also teaches French I and 3 in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program. 

All too often, secondary world language teachers hear the following statement: “I studied French [Spanish, German, Italian…] in high school, but I don’t remember a word of it.” After a smile and a nod, I make an internal promise that my students will be different. But why, and more importantly how, are students required to study a world language and with what justification should we encourage them to continue into the upper levels?

One common reason that school counselors cite for students ending their language studies after completing the minimum state requirement is that students feel that it is too hard with little or no reward. In Tennessee, for example, a student is only required to take two years of world language acquisition courses in high school, which for many students means that they will study  Spanish or French I and II, despite the fact that many area schools offer language courses  through the 5^th year in both AP and IB. Currently in my fifth year at an International Baccalaureate World School in Nashville, TN, I have seen students give up on advanced language courses because (gasp!) the teachers speak the target language in those courses!

It is due largely in part of our status as an IB school that upper-level French (and to some extent, Spanish) continue to be offered.  Language acquisition courses are rarely considered to be part of the core subjects with the justification that students must be given the opportunity to focus on English, mathematics, and science.  The International Baccalaureate Organization, however, places great importance on language acquisition, and its study is required in all of the International Baccalaureate’s four K-12 programmes. That is with good reason, says the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language; while the belief that studying a second language takes away from time for what have long since been considered “important” courses, it has in reality been shown that students who participate in the study of a world language outperform on standardized exams and show advanced cognitive development from an early age (The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, 2007).

How, then, do we convince young students to study language and stick with it even after they have fulfilled their high school language requirements, particularly when the belief exists that the upper levels are too hard, are for native speakers, are for students who are naturally smart, or are for those who plan on studying language in college? We must convey the idea that rigor is in fact a positive aspect of study and that success in language courses is achievable. The International Baccalaureate Programme has found great success in this by encouraging the use of rubrics, authentic sources, and language acquisition, captivating student interest in a way that a text book cannot. Moreover, we must also take note of the International Baccalaureate’s differentiated approach to world language acquisition. Instead of offering one high-level course that is only suited to advanced secondary learners, the International Baccalaureate has developed challenging and relevant courses for high school students who are at novice, intermediate, and advanced levels of proficiency. This differentiated approach requires an incredible amount of work on the part of a teacher to teach up to three advanced language courses simultaneously, but it is worth it.  The benefits and growth for students are far-reaching within the courses themselves, and language learning options for juniors and seniors in high school are protected.

Reference

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. (2007). Cognitive Benefits of Learning Language. Retrieved September 9, 2015, from Duke Gifted Letter: Volume 8, Issue 1: http://www.actfl.org/advocacy/discover-languages/for-parents/cognitive