Chapter 2: “I took it in high school, but didn’t learn anything”: The Failure of World Language Education in the United States

This chapter explores the current status of world language education in the United States, including a discussion of which languages are most commonly offered as subjects in US schools, as well as which languages are not typically offered, and the reasons for these differences. It analyzes the extent to which world language programs in the United States can be considered successful or unsuccessful, and offers reasons for this. It then examines the goals and objectives of world language education in the United States, and critically considers both the “traditional” arguments that have been used to support world language education along with possible alternative rationales for such study. It also considers the difference between studying a world language and learning a world language. Next, it discusses ways in which the study of world languages in the US context can be made more effective. The chapter closes by exploring ways in which US students might be encouraged to study world languages, as well as discussing the role of critical pedagogy in world language education.