The U.S. Foreign Language Deficit

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

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2. The Extent and Impact of the U.S. Foreign Language Deficit

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

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   2. The Current Status of Languages in the United States

      • Kathleen Stein-Smith

      Pages 3-11

   3. The Extent and Impact of the U.S. Foreign Language Deficit

      • Kathleen Stein-Smith

      Pages 13-22

   4. The Career Connection—Foreign Languages as a Career Asset: The Importance of Foreign Language Knowledge and Intercultural Competence

      • Kathleen Stein-Smith

      Pages 23-32

3. Foreign Language Learning

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 33-35

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   2. The Importance of Foreign Language Skills in International Education and Education for Global Citizenship

      • Kathleen Stein-Smith

      Pages 37-47

   3. A Brief History of Foreign Language Learning in the United States

      • Kathleen Stein-Smith

      Pages 49-57

   4. Developing Foreign Language Capacity in the U.S.—Heritage Language and Immersion Programs

      • Kathleen Stein-Smith

      Pages 59-63

4. The Campaign for Foreign Languages

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 65-67

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   2. Addressing the U.S. Foreign Language Deficit—The Campaign for Foreign Languages

      • Kathleen Stein-Smith

      Pages 69-76

   3. Current Trends—Multilingualism as a Global Trend

      • Kathleen Stein-Smith

      Pages 77-84

   4. Challenges—Getting Students Interested in Foreign Languages and Keeping them Interested

      • Kathleen Stein-Smith

      Pages 85-87

   5. Encouraging Signs—Advocacy, Biliteracy, and Creativity

      • Kathleen Stein-Smith

      Pages 89-94

   6. The Resurgence of Foreign Languages in the U.S.

      • Kathleen Stein-Smith

      Pages 95-98

   7. Conclusions and Future Directions—From the Foreign Language Deficit to Foreign Languages 2.0

      • Kathleen Stein-Smith

      Pages 99-105

5. Back Matter

   Pages 107-123

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This volume explores why Americans are among the least likely in the world to speak another language and how this U.S. foreign language deficit negatively impacts national and economic security, business and career prospects. Stein-Smith exposes how individuals are disadvantaged through their inability to effectively navigate the global workplace and multicultural communities, how their career options are limited by the foreign language deficit, and even how their ability to enjoy travel abroad and cultural pursuits is diminished. Through exploring the impact of the U.S. foreign language deficit, the author speaks to the stakeholders and partners in the campaign for foreign languages, offering guidance on what can and should be done to address it. She examines the next steps needed to develop specific career pathways that will meet the current and future needs of government, business, and industry, and empower foreign language learners through curriculum and career preparation.

• national security
• economic security
• global workplace
• global economy
• english as a lingua franca
• language immersion

• Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, USA

  Kathleen Stein-Smith

Kathleen Stein-Smith is Associate University Librarian at Fairleigh Dickinson University — Metropolitan Campus, USA, and Chair of AATF Commission on Advocacy and member of ATA Education & Pedagogy Committee. She has taught foreign languages at high school and college level, taught adult learners, delivered TEDx talk on the U.S. foreign language deficit, and is author of 2 books and several articles.

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