LET’S TAKE A JOURNEY BACK IN TIME TO SEE WHERE WE HAVE BEEN IN OUR PROFESSION.

THERE HAVE BEEN MANY STOPS ALONG THE ROAD TO OUR CURRENT THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE TEAHCING AND LEARNING. LET’S LOOK AT SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT HAVE PRECEDED US IN OUR JOURNEY.

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WHERE HAVE WE BEEN?WHERE HAVE WE BEEN?

WHERE ARE WE GOING?WHERE ARE WE GOING?

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MCTLC QUIZ

Do You Remember?

On a Personal Note

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TAKE A LOOK BACK and Forward IN YOUR LIFE AS A WORLD LANGUAGE EDUCATOR

How old were you when the MCTLC was formed in 1962?

When did you become a member of MCTLC?

Where did you begin teaching languages?

What textbook(s) were popular at the time?

What was the dominant movement in FL education at the time?

Were you one of its advocates?

Do you still use any of the materials or methods from that period of time?

How much have things changed in our profession since you became involved in it?

Where are we going with technology?

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Who were some key people in the founding of the MCTLC?

TAKE A STROLL BACK IN TIME TO SEE WHAT YOUR

KNOW ABOUT YOUR MCTFL !

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Why did they create MCTLC?

What are some of the major accomplishments of MCTLC?

Their advice for the people of MCTLC

What can be done in the future to help MCTLC?

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DECADE BY DECADE

1962 - 2000

HERE IS A BRIEF LOOK BACK AT THE MCTLC AND OUR PROFESSION

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1960’S

1970’S

1980’S

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1980’s: MCTLC is a FORCE in the State

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Early in the decade the focus was a carry over from the past ten years. How to increase enrollments and the role of the organization in the profession. Bilingualism and its attendant issues began to appear in the MLR, as did concern for the inclusion of culture in the study of languages.

Another major concern was the examination of ways to extend the viability/applicability/relevancy of the study of other languages to real life needs: business, politics, other careers. All these efforts seemed to reflect the persistent threat of the loss of students beyond the second year of high school study.

During the first half of the decade, the Proficiency mantra gained in volume and interest among educators around the nation. Our group did not sit on the side lines. Led by the efforts and interest of Dale Lange and others, this movement garnered strength and direction. Along with it dove tailed issues of expectations of performance and how to ensure that students were actually performing at the expected level. The concept of articulation was fledging itself in our field and gained deserved respect.

Technology also lifted its head above the desk top and crawled into prominence as an element to be reckoned with. Interest in it has persisted and appears to be a permanent feature of our current vocabulary and daily life as educators.

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MCTFL

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FUTURE

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CURRENT ISSUES

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MCTFL

PROFESSION

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THE PROFESSION IN THE 1980’S

The Natural Approach and Proficiency were the dominant themes in the profession. Technology was gaining status and new materials for the electronic age were being introduced at a fast pace. No one was sure what to make of the new media, so many just ignored it. Others jumped on the wagon and became pioneers in the development of computer-mediated materials.

Issues began to arise surrounding technology and its role in language teaching and learning. Access, effectiveness, costs, who should be doing the development.; all these issues and more were debated and still command attention in the profession.

By far, Proficiency and the idea of relevant social contexts for learning came to the fore. Discussions became heated over definitions of proficiency and the best ways to teach and to test for proficiency. The 1980’s set the stage for more debate about Proficiency as well as for the role of media in our profession.

As can be expected, issues of retention and the relevance of language learning persisted into and throughout the decade. Also gaining importance were issues of standards of performance on a national level along with state mandated learning goals and outcomes. Return to

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1990 - 2001 HERE WE ARE!!

NOW WHAT DO WE DO WITH A WHOLE NEW MILLENIUM TO FILL?

After a couple of name changes, we are the MCTLC. Proficiency is alive and influencing our teaching. We are besieged with state Graduation Standards, National Standards, and changes to the licensing new language educators must endure to join our noble profession. Movements slowed and others refined themselves with the help of sane minds and experience. People became selective in their use of movements and were not as quick to climb aboard the bandwagon.

Technology has helped us and we have become more aware of what it can and might not be able to do for our students and for us. It remains to be seen how we decide to take advantage of it or if we let it dominate us. It’s our choice.

What do you see in the future of our profession? Will proficiency still guide us? Will Service-Learning become a reality in more levels of language learning? Will technology become a staple in the diet of language learning? What would hinder it, assuming a more productive and central role in our classrooms? What will you be doing to enhance your effectiveness as a teacher? How would your relationship with NMCTLC to develop in the comming years?

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MCTLC

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Profession

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The Profession in the 1970’s

Several theories of language learning and acquisition buzzed around our profession. To mention a few: the Silent Way, TPR, Community Language Learning, The Natural Approach, and Suggestopedia.

What did they have in common? Good question. Mainly, they shifted the focus of language instruction from the teacher to the student in various ways. The students’ became more participatory in these new learning partnerships in which comprehension preceded output, the whole person became involved in the learning process, and a new distinction between acquisition and learning became apparent to most practitioners.

The affective domain gained importance as a major influence in learning. Perhaps the most significant “new” concept was that communication was the center, core, nucleus of the language learning experience. Nothing was to be done in the classroom or beyond unless it was meaningful for the learner. Meaning translated into comprehension which in turn translated into more use of the language with more precision and of course more interest by students. The Grammar Syllabus met its rightful demise, context became the venue, and production became the goal.

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1970’S NOW WE GET GOING!!

The MLR finally comes out and the organization is moving along. It has some issues to resolve. Membership expansion and retention along with the nature of language teaching occupy its time, among other issues. One of the most pressing issue to haunt the organization in the 1970’s seemed to be a resistance in the state to the need or foreign languages to be taught at any level.

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curriculum.

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MCTFL

PROFESSION

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WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH THE MCTFL IN THE 1960’S?

AS MIGHT BE EXPECTED, IN 1962, THE ORGANIZATION HAD JUST BEGUN. ITS MAIN FOCUS WAS TO ESTABLISH ITS IDENTIY AND TO GARNER A CRITICAL MASS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS WHO COULD BEGIN TO FORGE A PATH INTO THE FUTURE.

ITS FOUNDERS PROVIDED A LIST OF CHARGES WHICH THEY FELT THE ORGANIZATION SHOULD HAVE IN MIND AS IT EVOLVED INTO THE ENTITY THAT WAS TO REPRESENT THE PROFESSION FOR THE STATE.

BECAUSE THE MLR DID NOT BEGIN TO BE PUBLISHED UNTILTHE 1970’S, THERE ARE NO PRIMARY DOCUMENTS I CAN SHOW YOU FOR THE 1960’S.

HERE IS A LIST OF THE PEOPLE WHO SERVED AS PRESIDENT FROM 1962-1970.

JERMAINE ARENDT 1962-1966

ALLEN HIBBARD 1966-1968

WILLIAM KULAWSKE 1968-1970

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OUR PROFESSION IN THE 1960’S

SPUTNIK THREW A SCARE INTO THE NATION, AND FORCED US TO EXAMINE THE SHRINKING NATURE OF THE WORLD. LANGUAGE TEACHERS BEGAN TO LOOK FOR BETTER WAYS TO TEACH SO OUR NATION WOULD BE PREPARED TO MAINTAIN ITS STATURE AS A WORLD POWER.

EARLY IN THE DECADE, WE CAME ACROSS A NEW METHOD DUBBED ALM FOR SHORT. IT FOCUSSED ON THE IDEA OF COMPREHENSION FIRST IN THE NATURAL ORDER OF LANGUAGE LEARNING. LANGUAGE PRODUCTION WAITED UNTIL LEARNERS SHOWED AUTOMASTICITY WITH THE STURCTURE OF THE LANGUAGE SUPPOSEDLY GAINED THROUGH ENDLESS DRILL AND PRACTICE.

NEXT CAME TO FAME COGNITIVE CODE THAT STATED THAT KNOWLEDGE OF ONE’S MOTHER LANGUAGE SERVED AS THE BASE FOR LEARNING ANOTHER LANGUAGE, AND THAT THE RULE SYSTEM WAS PARAMOUNT IN LEARNING. IT ALSO STRESSED THE CONCEPT OF HOW STUDENTS LEARNED AND THAT LEARNING SHOULD HAVE A MEANING FOR THE STUDENTS AS OPPOSED TO THE ALM DRILL AND KILL CONCEPT.

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Their advice to the people of MCTLC?

�Be active

�Push to keep foreign language in the forefront

�Focus on elementary programs

�Stress and argue that 2 years is not enough

�Focus on non Western European languages and cultures

�Take advantage of intensive language opportunities of the summer

�Travel

�Get to know the Internet and USE IT

�Share ideas on the Internet

�Pay close attention to the new licensing rules

�Become involved ACTFL and /or Central States

�Educate parents and counselors about the importance of foreign language

�Watch the state department and let it know how it can strengthen your hand

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What can be done in the future to help MCTLC?

Invite college faculty from around the state and those form the U of M to

become active. Explore the resources available through CARLA at the U of

M. Invite your fellow teacher no matter where you work.

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What are some of the major accomplishments of the MCTLC?

• They kept a State Foreign Language Consultant

•They were able to maintain funding for foreign language programs

•They worked to establish licensure rules in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s

•They held Central States/MLTLC joint meetings

•Elementary school program guidelines were established

•They started the fall foreign language conference

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WHY DID THEY CREATE MCTLC?

They wanted to create a group of foreign language teachers that could help improve instruction. They also wanted to create a political arm that could help influence educational policy.

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WHO WERE SOME KEY PLAYERS IN THE FOUNDING OF MCTLC?

HEIDI OPLESH

DALE LANGE

JERRY ARENDT

ALAN HIBBERD

PERCY FEARING

ELOISE FICK

HELEN JORSTAD

LEE LUNDIN

CAROL ANN PESOLA

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