Bob Saad For School Board - Foreign Language Choice vs Mandate

Foreign Language Choice vs Mandate

At present, elementary school students from grades 2-5 in Birmingham Public Schools are required to receive some level of Spanish foreign language studies within the normal school week. At the upper elementary and middle school levels, students may receive an average of 90 classroom minutes per week of instruction.

For reasons that will be cited below, it is requested that the Board of Education set policy that removes mandatory foreign language studies from curricula at the elementary and middle school levels, but retains foreign language as an elective at the high school level, in the Birmingham Public Schools.

Before listing the reasons for this request, I think it is necessary to make clear that this request is made by someone with a very high regard for language arts, foreign language studies, and with considerable multi-national training and business experience. By choice, I have been formally trained in three languages other than English (4 years of Spanish, 2 years of Greek, 1 year of Hebrew). Additionally, I was a Grammar and Syntax teacher at the middle and high school levels and a Hermeneutics instructor at the collegiate level. I also taught at a school where Latin was required for all students. As well, I presently work as a Liaison for a multi-national Brazilian company who’s Directors primarily speak Portuguese and whose business services are provided in 36 languages across 5 continents. My immediate supervisors speak Belgian, German, French, Spanish, and Portuguese, and my immediate reports speak Tagalog. Moreover, I am part of a weekly congregation whose members are fluent in 27 different languages, and I am a founding member of the Birmingham Community Partnership for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Again, I have a very high regard for the role and benefits of foreign language studies in our communities and within the Birmingham Public Schools in particular.

That said, with this request, I am positively stating that:

Foreign language studies are an integral part of a modern, public education and should be viewed as a beneficial foundation for future student success.
Foreign language studies must be based on student choice, not mandate, out of respect for the multi-cultural society in which we live and so as not to impose cultural preference on our students.
Foreign language studies are best provided at the BPS high school level, where best practices for foreign language pedagogy are fully implementable, and because various District resource constraints inhibit best practice implementation at the elementary and middle school level on other than an elective basis.

Reasons to eliminate mandatory foreign language studies at the elementary and middle school levels, but retain choice-based foreign language studies at the high school level:

The methods of foreign language study that are utilized by BPS for the elementary and middle school grades do not represent best practices. In fact, our current foreign language teaching methods at the elementary and middle school levels are inefficient in their use of valuable class time, are not in keeping with the high pedagogical standards of the rest of the BPS curricula, do not produce acceptable results, and are not respectful of the value of properly taught foreign language studies. By the very nature of the current model at the elementary and middle school levels, there is very little continuity of material from year-to-year, especially since there are no perquisites (i.e. building on previous information) from year-to-year—which is a best practice requirement for foreign language study. Immersion programs and elective programs that require pre-requisites from course-to-course (e.g. term-to-term or year-to-year) are far more effective in mastery of content and provide a more efficient and respectful utilization of staff and time resources. Unfortunately, neither immersion nor elective programs are suitable for the elementary and middle school environments in BPS at present due to resource constraints.
Implicit Racism
- At present, foreign language studies are a mandate, not a choice, for elementary and many middle school students in BPS. These curricula represent a non-core requirement and are based solely on a preferred ethnicity—in this case Spanish.
- The Spanish foreign language mandate constitutes an arbitrary ethnic preference for Spanish over all other viable world languages (such as German, French, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Russian, Portuguese, Hindi, Urdu, etc.), which are representative of many current BPS student families.
- By mandating Spanish (or any other foreign language), the District implicitly marginalizes all other feasible foreign languages.
- There are no extenuating circumstances that would merit the District elevating non-core curricula to a mandated status, when doing so constitutes ethnic preference.
- This practice does not effectively, nor favorably, address issues of equity, inclusion, diversity, or graduate marketability, but rather exacerbates them.
If being bi-lingual is the primary goal of foreign language studies in BPS, for students whose families already speak a language other than English in the home, learning a third language would seem unnecessary and even burdensome.
From a marketability perspective, although some professional research suggests that knowledge and fluency in Spanish can have a positive impact on future earning power for graduates, there is no research to support the supremacy of Spanish for wage enhancement over all other major languages outside of English. In fact, most statistics indicate that knowledge and fluency in German is by far more impactful to Americans for wage enhancement than Spanish, with French in a close second place. Also, for those with Middle Eastern or Asian international aspirations, Arabic and any of a variety of Asian languages respectively would be far more suitable for upward mobility.
Pragmatically, all foreign language content that is learned within the 7 or 8 years of elementary and middle school foreign language studies can be acquired within one semester of high school elective studies. Hence, there is no danger of students being deprived of the benefits of foreign language studies by removing the burden of mandatory foreign language studies from the elementary and middle school years. Those benefits are conveyed in the high school years much more efficiently and effectively with regard to time, staff, and other resources, as well as within a curricular structure that is more respectfully with regard to cultural appropriateness and best practices.
It may be feasible for the District to require perhaps 2 years of foreign language studies at the high school level, especially for certain college-bound tracts, as well as for those students whose career or personal aspirations would benefit from acquiring skills in a foreign language. The high school environment is fully equipped to offer several viable foreign language options—as opposed to mandating just one foreign language—thereby introducing appropriate choice and removing implicit racism. As such, this alternative would seem more culturally competent in its intent, practices, and results.
The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) reports that less than 20% of all K-12 students in the United States study foreign languages. Moreover, the Modern Language Association (MLA), reports that less than 10% of college and university students enroll in non-English language courses (down from 16% in the 1960s). Yet, the United States is by far the most prosperous country in the world. Although multi-lingual students might find more employment opportunities in many circumstances, the data still confirm that US students are not in any imminent economic, safety, societal, or educational peril due to marginal enrollment in foreign language studies nationally. Moreover, there are no compelling cases that would merit mandatory foreign language studies at the elementary and middle school levels for BPS. Rather, providing, choice-based, elective foreign language studies at the BPS high school level seems appropriate and more than sufficient.
What might replace mandatory foreign language studies within the school week at the elementary and middle school levels?

The amount of instructional time--perhaps averaging 90 minutes per week--that is presently utilized by foreign language studies at the elementary and middle school levels could be utilized better for an enhanced nutritional education program, which would benefit by perhaps an additional 18 minutes per school day. Such a transfer of resources would not change the overall length of the school day, nor the length of the school year, and it would have a relatively neutral effect on the overall school budget. Moreover, if BPS were to adopt an intentionally more progressive and innovative approach to nutrition, there would be immediate positive effects on all students, especially those that are the most disadvantaged and that may be in the most need of nutritional coaching.
Cross-cultural studies, including cultural etiquette
World religion studies, as an overview survey course
An enhanced Engage program (similar to BCS)
An enhanced music program—which by the way might reasonably constitute the most globally recognized international language available.
An enhanced English Language Arts remediation program that ensures proficiency-level mastery, especially for students in the bottom quartile.

When, and why, did Birmingham Public Schools put mandatory Spanish foreign language studies into the elementary and middle school curricula?

As far as the 2018 BPS Administration and Board could determine, Spanish foreign language studies were placed into the elementary and middle school curricula approximately 20 years ago, in 1998 (give or take).

It is not absolutely certain as to why this curricular change occurred, but the following have been cited as likely reasons:

In 1998, it was suggested that within 20 years of that date, greater than 30% of the US population would be Spanish-speakers as their native tongue. Under that premise, it was inferred that Spanish would be the nation's de facto second language, and that BPS students would have an advantage among their peers if they were familiarized with Spanish language and culture. Hence, there was a proactive initiative to familiarize BPS elementary and middle school students, not simply with foreign language, but with Spanish foreign language and culture in particular. As far as we can infer, the initiative was not as much an effort to create general bilingualism, but rather a specific endeavor to create Spanish language and culture familiarity. Now, 20 years later (in 2018), we see that the anticipated growth of Spanish in the United States has plateaued at about 16%--half of what was anticipated--and the country's anticipated reliance on Spanish has not materialized. Rather, the US has become far more multi-ethnic than expected, with an ever-increasing presence of German, Arabic, and Asian language speakers, among others.
A significant body of research from the 1950s forward focused on various methods and effects of foreign language studies within several types of foreign language programs (FLES, exposure, immersion, double-immersion, etc.), with the overarching theory that increased foreign language interaction would benefit students at all age/educational levels in the general education environment. However, the vast body of evidence over the last 70 years of research, has not proven to be compelling in favor of that theory, especially regarding achievement for the bottom quartile. Rather, the data confirm that the benefits of foreign language studies are only statistically realized in very specific scenarios--none of which occur in the elementary and middle school grades in BPS. (See list of studies below.)

What does the research indicate regarding foreign language studies in the elementary grades, especially for assisting the bottom quartile in becoming proficient at English Language Arts?

Scenario: (This is what is actually going on today.)

Birmingham Public Schools (BPS) has a group of elementary students—estimated at more than 20% of our tested population--that does not score at least “proficient” in mastery of English Language Arts (a core subject), as identified by standardized test scores. If these students do not meet “proficiency” level by the end of 3^rd grade, there is a possibility that they may be held back from promotion to 4^th grade. This is a present problem that is poised to get worse, so it behooves us to ask the very specific question as to whether or not there is compelling evidence that retaining mandatory, non-core Spanish foreign language studies will boost English Language Arts proficiency for this specific student population in our non-immersion schools. It is suggested, for example, that the resources that are expended on mandatory foreign language studies for this population would be better utilized through a targeted English remediation program.

Hypothesis: (This is what we are trying to prove or refute.)

“Mandatory Spanish Foreign Language studies in the elementary and middle schedule helps students who are not proficient in English Language Arts to do better in English, as confirmed by standardized test scores.”

What does the historic research indicate?

Perhaps the most notable special interest group on this topic is the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL). If there is any compelling evidence to address the scenario posited above, surely this organization would publish it. Here is the ACTFL site that addresses these questions: https://www.actfl.org/advocacy/what-the-research-shows

1. The first thing to note is that although there are many studies cited in reference to this topic, there does not appear to be a single study on the ACTFL website that specifically addresses the scenario outlined above. This should be a “red flag” for the reader, since we are asking for specific data related to a very common scenario—perhaps the most common scenario—and the data are glaringly absent.

2. Many of the reports that ACTFL cites to support similar hypotheses, show some potential hope for supporting the hypothesis above, but the vast majority of these reports also either refute our hypothesis or are not germane to the parameters of our targeted scenario (i.e. non-immersion, elementary foreign language studies for underperforming populations). See below for examples.

Armstrong (1997) “There was no significant difference in reading scores.”
Cade (1997). This study was done in an immersion school.
Carr (1994). Variables in this study were adjusted based on “academic aptitude and level of performance.”
Johnson (1963). “…the difference was not statistically significant”
Johnson (1961). “…scores were slightly lower than the control group in English punctuation, comprehension, and vocabulary.”
Lopato (1963). “…At one of the school sites, the experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group on the average arithmetic scores, but not on average reading, spelling, or language. At the other school site, students receiving foreign language instruction scored significantly higher on the average arithmetic and spelling sections, but not the average reading or language sections of the test. “
Thomas (1993). This study was done in an immersion environment.
Barik (1978). This study was done in a French immersion environment.
Genesee (1983). This study was done in a double-immersion program.
Turnbull (2003). This study was done in a French immersion environment.
D’Angiulli (2001). These students were bilingual from home.
Washington DC (1971). This study recorded the effects of Latin as a second language on student performance.
Diaz (1982). These students were bilingual from Puerto Rico.
Garfinkel (1991). This study indicated that only students of average intelligence showed any benefit.
Cunningham (2000). This study was done in an immersion environment.
Hoffenberg (1971). This study looked at the effect of Latin.
Masciantonia (1971). This study looked at the effect of Latin.
Holobow (1987). This study was done in an immersion environment.
Bialystok (1997). These students were bilingual from home.
Buriel (1998). These students were bilingual from home.
Cooper (1987). These statistics are for high school students, not lower elementary students.
Eddy (1981). These statistics are for high school students, not lower elementary students.
Olsen (1992). These statistics are for high school students, not lower elementary students.
Wiley (1985). These statistics are for high school students, not lower elementary students.
Wiggins, Meg; Parrao, Constanza Gonzalez; Austerberry, Helen; Ingold, Anne (2017). “Foreign Language Learning in Primary School: Evaluation Report and Executive Summary,” “Children in FLL classes made no additional progress in English language compared to children in other classes in the trial…Additionally, no effect was found for: boys, girls, children who had ever been eligible for FSM, children with English as their main language, or children with another language as their first language.
Justman, Joseph; Nass, Martin L. (1956). "The High School Achievement of Pupils Who Were and Were Not Introduced to a Foreign Language in Elementary School." "No apparent advantage, in terms of high school achievement, accrues to pupils who study French in elementary school. Pupils who study Spanish in the elementary school show somewhat better achievement [in high school Spanish], as measured by final marks in high school. This advantage, however, is transitory and does not persist beyond the first term of high school instruction in the language."

3. There are two widely referenced studies (Rafferty and Taylor-Ward) that support the notion that foreign language studies may help English Language Arts skills acquisition. However, neither study specifically addresses English Language Arts skills acquisition for the bottom quartile of achievers. Also, both studies reference the same Louisiana demographic, but from different decades. A third study (Lang), also coincidentally from Louisiana, found that initial gains were erased by subsequent deficiencies.

Rafferty (1986). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED283360.pdf “The results of the analysis suggest that foreign language study in the lower grades helps students acquire English language arts skills and, by extension, math skills. However, only 24% of the participants felt as though foreign language studies in the elementary years should be mandatory.
Taylor-Ward (2003). https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1323&context=gradschool_dissertations “The relationship between elementary school foreign language study in grades three through five and academic achievement on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) and the fourth-grade Louisiana Educational Assessment Program for the 21st Century (LEAP 21) Test”
Lang (1990). “Elementary Grade-Level Foreign Language Studies and Student Performance on Reading and Language Arts Tests: A Study of Relationship By the Bureau of Pupil Accountability for the Bureau of Academic Support.” Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana Department of Education. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1323&context=gradschool_dissertations “…the present research found that the initial advantage foreign language students demonstrated over non-language students on third-grade ITBS reading measures was not maintained in the fifth grade as evidenced by non-foreign language students’ higher scores on the fifth grade ITBS reading test.”

CONCLUSION

The vast majority of data simply do not support the hypothesis that mandatory foreign language studies at the lower grades helps in English Language Arts skills acquisition--and certainly not for the bottom quartile of achievers.
In fact, the overwhelming majority of studies that may be cited by proponents of mandatory, non-immersion foreign language in the lower grades seem to refute the hypothesis. Moreover, many of those studies are not even applicable because they do not align with our present scenario (e.g. general population, non-immersion students in the bottom quartile).
In short, there is no statistically compelling case for retaining mandatory foreign language studies for the lower BPS grades, especially as our community focuses more intently on the very real concerns of achievement gaps and meaningful solutions for eliminating them.

https://sites.google.com/view/bobsaadforschoolboard