View Content #26096

By Julie Sykes, CASLS Director

I sat in a room full of parents at an immersion school, half dominant speakers of one language and half dominant speakers of another. Each was simultaneously expressing a great desire for help with their children’s homework in a language they didn’t understand.  As outsiders, we immediately recognized the value of them partnering with one another, yet also knew at that moment, it that wasn’t a reality. We began to ponder why, and realized that for the majority, language was still being viewed as an instrumental “thing” to be learned, a system to be memorized, not a living, breathing combination of sounds, words, and meanings that could be created together.

This is not a critique of this group of parents or the school. It is not their burden to bear, but rather an instance which reflects many prevalent examples of the instrumental perception of language which frame the learning process. Language learning is often categorized as a process by which you memorize words and grammatical structures. Take, for example, the popularity of the language learning app, DuoLingo or the ever-present set of verb paradigms and complex grammatical explanations which, even in the era of proficiency instruction, are often privileged in curriculum development. When framed as the magic bullet, we miss a big part of what language is – the speakers and communities in which is it used.

All that being said, words and structures are both critical and needed to communicate appropriately. So, where does that leave us?  It leaves us with an opportunity to extend our students’ experiences, and in many ways, situate language as a living breathing entity within the communities where it is used. The release of the new NCSSFL-ACTFL Interculturality statements catalyze a national moment in this direction and offer a jumping off point for continued exploration.  This month in InterCom, we explore ways we can do this as part of everyday classroom practice, while also building the skills learners need to do it on their own.  We look forward to exploring these ideas with you throughout the month!