The world is a heteroglossia. Centripetal and centrifugal forces swirl around us. We hope that politics won’t effect us directly, but there is always a press of forces trying to control what we say and think.
The Challenge of English First
Imagine, then, something that really could happen. A U.S. Senator William Bolivar Trask, upset that his son cannot complete his university degree because he has failed his required Advanced Spanish course, proposes the English for a Stronger America Act. This legislation would promote an English First agenda. Increased funding would be provided to English Departments and to pay for more English secondary teachers across the United States. All students would be required to pass a national standardized test covering writing, grammar, and usage. Universities would also be required to use a standardized entrance writing exam and exiting writing exam. Foreign language requirements at universities would be dropped. All foreign language study at universities and high schools would be made optional. Universities would be required to add a course on Writing for Business settings to promote increased economic opportunities for U.S. citizens. Increased funding for universities in the form of special educational grants is included in the proposed bill.
Taking a Stand
How should teachers respond to this proposed legislation? It means increased budgets for English departments across the land. At the Headquarters of the Modern Language Association (MLA), faculty in Foreign Language Departments across the country have made an appeal to MLA to take a stance against the proposed act.
As a group you have been charged to write the MLA Position Statement on Language Teaching for release to the media.