Running Head: Summary of Effectiveness of Foreign Language Requirement

Summary of Development and Assessment of the Effectiveness of an Undergraduate General

Education Foreign Language Requirement
Kelley E. Bratcher
University of Southern Mississippi

FL 664
Dr. Joanne Burnett
03/16/2015

Abstract

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This article focuses on the effectiveness of a foreign language requirement for all students
pursing a degree through the College of Arts and Sciences of a well-known university.
Researchers asked three main questions: 1) What were the levels and patterns of language
courses completed under the language requirements compared to those under the previous
curriculum? 2) To what extent was the oral proficiency learning objective being attained? 3)
How did oral proficiency vary by course level and the patterns of courses completed to satisfy
the language requirement? The new curriculum required students to satisfactorily complete one
upper-level course. Out of the 614 students assessed, results showed that 76% of students met
or exceeded the goal of reaching an intermediate-mid proficiency level.

Keywords: assessment, foreign language program evaluation, foreign language requirements,

postsecondary/higher education, proficiency

Summary of Development and Assessment of the Effectiveness of an Undergraduate General

Education Foreign Language Requirement

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The article Development and Assessment of the Effectiveness of an Undergraduate

General Education Foreign Language Requirement authored by Robert J. Thompson, Jr. et al.
focuses on the effectiveness of a foreign language requirement for all students pursing a degree
through the College of Arts and Sciences at a well-known research university (2014). After a
1997 accreditation process highlighted the fact that the curriculum did not sufficiently prepare
undergraduates for the demands of the 21st century workforce, faculty at the university took two
years to consider their goals and create a new curriculum. The dean of the Faculty of Arts and
Sciences tasked the faculty-research panel to, find a way in which to ensure that at the start of
the 21st century, all . . . students will be able to converse in and to understand a non-English
language (2014, p 654).
Faculty asked three main questions: 1) What were the levels and patterns of language
courses completed under the language requirements compared to those under the previous
curriculum? 2) To what extent was the oral proficiency learning objective being attained? 3)
How did oral proficiency vary by course level and the patterns of courses completed to satisfy
the language requirement? The pre-2000 curriculum emphasized student choice and therefore
19% of graduating seniors completely omitted the study of a foreign language. The post-2000
curriculum required students to satisfactorily complete at least one upper-level course. Out of
the 614 students assessed, results showed that 76% of students met or exceeded the goal of
reaching intermediate-mid level proficiency.
To research the effectiveness of the new curriculum a sampling approach was used. The
study is considered a case study, as methods used in a typical controlled, experimental studies

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were not used. Researchers employed the SOPI speaking proficiency test to sample speech of
students after completion of one upper-division course. Examinees speaking performance was
rated according to ACTFL guidelines.
Overall, 76% of those surveyed met or exceeded the minimum level of oral proficiency.
The university saw a dramatic increase in the amount of studying choosing to continue foreign
language studies after reaching the required Intermediate/5th semester mark from 34% under
the old curriculum to 55% under the new curriculum. Researchers also found that the new
foreign language requirement did not result in a statistically significant change in the
percentages of students who elected to major or minor in a foreign language. The study proved
that prior experience was a notable factor to higher than expected ACTFL ratings due to the fact
that out of the 66 students who reported having completed four or more years of prior
coursework in the target language, 36 (54%) received ACTFL ratings at the Advanced Low or
higher levels compared with only 30 (46%) who did not have four years of prior experience in
the TL.
The purpose of this research was to enhance foreign language education and assessment
through an analysis of university learning objectives and general education requirements. This
study is just one universitys approach to formulating a modern, globally-minded curriculum.
Although the study failed to provide data that could be used to identifying weaknesses and
making specific improvements at the individual course level, it did succeed in providing an
example of evaluation techniques of program effectiveness to improve student learning and
highlighting positive changes to foreign language requirement in the general education
curriculum.

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In my opinion this type of research offers an extremely valuable evaluation tool to
university foreign language instructors. L2 teachers should be cognizant of current curriculum
objectives and issues therein. This research enables teachers to set tangible goals for L2
students, assess curriculum deficiencies and/or strong points, and see an example of a effective
faculty-led investigation that yielded identifiable results.

References

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Thompson, R. J., Walther, I., Tufts, C., Lee, K. C., Paredes, L., Fellin, L., ... & Schlosberg, L.
(2014). Development and Assessment of the Effectiveness of an Undergraduate General
Education Foreign Language Requirement. Foreign Language Annals, 47(4), 653-668.