Student Goals, Expectations, and the Standards for Foreign Language Learning

Autor/inn/en	Magnan, Sally S.; Murphy, Dianna; Sahakyan, Narek; Kim, Suyeon
Titel	Student Goals, Expectations, and the Standards for Foreign Language Learning
Quelle	In: Foreign Language Annals, 45 (2012) 2, S.170-192 (23 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0015-718X
DOI	10.1111/j.1944-9720.2012.01192.x
Schlagwörter	Uncommonly Taught Languages; Second Languages; Second Language Learning; Academic Standards; Educational Objectives; Second Language Instruction; Cultural Awareness; Communicative Competence (Languages); National Standards; Language Usage; Expectation; College Students; Student Attitudes; Goal Orientation + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Minderheitensprache; Second language; Zweitsprache; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Educational objective; Bildungsziel; Erziehungsziel; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Cultural identity; Kulturelle Identität; Communicative competence; Languages; Kommunikative Kompetenz; Sprache; Sprachgebrauch; Expectancy; Erwartung; Collegestudent; Schülerverhalten; Zielorientierung; Zielvorstellung
Abstract	The "Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century" represent a major effort for setting goals for language instruction across the United States and across instructional levels. They provide descriptions of what "language students should know and be able to do" through 11 content standards in five goal areas, the five C's--Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities--which, as Byrnes (2008) pointed out, "pertain to diverse facets of language use." The framework of interrelated goals has helped states institute standards for learning, helped teachers set learning goals, and helped students achieve them. It has had a major impact on language teaching and student learning in the United States. This study investigates the alignment between student goals and expectations and the Standards. First, it investigates whether university students report having goals that align with the goals in the Standards, as well as whether students believe they will achieve these goals by the end of their formal university studies. Then, it explores differences in the goals and expectations of students of commonly taught languages (CTLs) and less commonly taught languages (LCTLs). This research shows that postsecondary students' perspectives of their own reported goals for language learning align well with the Standards. In that students' own views had not previously been measured directly, this finding is most welcome to a profession that is preparing curriculum toward the goals articulated through this framework. It is particularly compelling that postsecondary students share the goals of the Standards, which could help put to rest doubts that the Standards are applicable to that level of instruction. It is equally important that LCTL students share the goals of the Standards, in fact even more than CTL students, which should encourage continued development of standards specific to these groups. (Contains 4 figures, 1 table and 7 notes.) (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10