For decades the importance of second language learning has been a topic of research, especially the investigation of early language acquisition and its continuity. The significance of learning a second language proves to be fundamental for students' growth, particularly concerning globalization within a society that is becoming increasingly…

International comparative curriculum research is becoming more important in a globalised world. However, up-to-date comparative studies of international foreign language education policies are still rare. This study compares current modern foreign language curricula in England with that in the state of North-Rhine Westphalia in Germany at Key…

In the literature on intercultural competence, such competence, or set of competencies, is desirable precisely because a globalized world needs world citizens who are at home everywhere and can deal effectively with alterity -- presumably in order to be agents of positive change. To remain relevant, we as teachers in German Studies need…

One critical question for English language teachers is how their learners, especially in non-English-speaking developing countries, address global issues as they learn the foreign language. The question seems more viably answered following the United Nations' dissemination of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 to be achieved by 2030.…

The author starts the article by explaining what a "special" is in an educational setting and how language instruction has been regulated as one. She argues that the history of language instruction field as an uninspiring conjugation experience still exists, and there are still many in the field who are just learning to adjust antiquated…

Foreign language education primarily aims to cultivate learners' competence to communicate in an additional language. However, the meaning of communication competence is not entirely transparent, especially given the current neoliberal valorization of communication in the knowledge economy. The meaning of communication can be scrutinized in two…

This study explores how principals of dual language (DL) programs draw on two dominant societal discourses around language education--linguistic instrumentalism/neoliberalism and equity/social justice--to make sense of their programs. Through in-depth interviews with 19 principals of Spanish-English elementary school DL programs in Arizona and…

One major impact of globalisation on education is denoted by the growing trend to use English, the global language, as a medium of instruction (MOI) in emerging polities that are trying to enhance their English-speaking capacities. This article emphasises developing an understanding of MOI from a language policy and planning as well as an…

This article analyzes efforts at Emory University to understand international presences, focusing especially on Spanish-speaking communities and neighborhoods in Atlanta and Georgia, and to integrate these into the life of the university through engaged learning courses. Using a fresh look at the concepts of global citizenship and cosmopolitanism…

Learners' and teachers' evaluation of what constitutes useful, appropriate, and goal-relevant English may well shift in view of the globalization of English and its dominance in non-native contexts, business, and new media. Against this background, this study explores the extent to which a specific Business English university programme meets…

Beginning with the passage of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), language-based educational policy in the United States has shifted toward an emphasis on English language acquisition and away from an emphasis on native language assistance. The English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement Act clearly mandates English…

Past decades have seen a growing assumption worldwide that national governments should provide "English for Everyone" (EFE) as a core component of their school curricula. Personal and national benefits expected from such English provision are generally expressed in terms of developing learners' abilities to communicate in English. Despite enormous…

The challenge posed to foreign language (FL) education by globalization and by the multilingual multicultural speech communities it has spawned is showcased by the current crisis in the teaching of German at American colleges and universities. It is not clear why American learners of German should be learning German: for business purposes, for…

What is wrong in the American parochialism about foreign languages is the assumption that language acquisition is a cosmetic gain, without any immediate or forseeable practical use. Languages will only be learned effectively when Americans learn that they can be used in getting tasks accomplished. (MSE)

A globally responsive education is needed to prepare students to work and live in the 21st century. A combination of knowledge of languages, cultures, and business will enable individuals to successfully work with others and better understand and respect the diversity of world cultures. University education should provide a balance between the…