Language Advocacy – From the Mindset to the Skills Set
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1512.01Keywords:
language advocacy, language learning, language use, language deficitAbstract
Language skills and cultural knowledge are essential in the globalized world, and more than half of Americans surveyed indicated that they regretted not having done more language study while in school, yet not every US student has the opportunity to learn an additional language. Languages face serious challenges in the US. Relatively few US students learn an additional language, and many students do not have the opportunity to learn a world or heritage language, despite the current and growing importance of language skills in the workplace and the job market, However, rather than dwelling on the challenges – serious though they may be – it is important to focus on how we can address these challenges, and even turn them into opportunities for educators, learners, and language stakeholders, supporters, and enthusiasts.
References
Agile Business Consortium. (2024). The Nine Principles of Agile Leadership. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.agilebusiness.org/resource/the-nine-principles-of-agile-leadership.html
American Academy of Arts & Sciences. (AMACAD). (2017). America’s Languages: Investing in Language Education for the 21st Century. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.amacad.org/publication/americas-languages.
American Academy of Arts & Sciences. (AMACAD). (n.d.). The Humanities in American Life: Insights for Languages other than English. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.amacad.org/humanities-indicators/humanities-american-life-survey/humanities-american-life-insights-languages.
American Academy of Arts & Sciences. (AMACAD). (2020). Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.amacad.org/news/global-languages-importance.
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. (ACTFL). (2019). Making Languages Our Business: Addressing Language Demand among US Employers. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.actfl.org/advocacy-and-public-education/making-languages-our-business.
American Psychological Association. (APA). (2025). Resilience: Resources from the APA. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience.
Bateman, T. S. (2022). Agency is the Highest Level of Personal Competence. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/getting-proactive/202203/agency-is-the-highest-level-personal-competence.
Briceno, E. (2023). The Performance Paradox: Turning the Power of Mindset into Action. NY: Ballantine.
Christensen Institute. (2025). Disruptive Innovation Theory. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.christenseninstitute.org/theory/disruptive-innovation/.
Chu, W., Yan, Y., Wang, H., & Honggang, L. (2024). Visiting the Studies of Resilience in Language Learning: From Concepts to Themes. Acta Psychologica v. 244. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691824000854.
Cialdini, R. (2021). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, New and Expanded. NY: Harper Business.
Covey, S. R. (2020). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (25th Anniversary ed.). NY: Simon & Schuster.
Daly, J. A. (2011). Advocacy: Championing Ideas and Influencing Others. New Haven: Yale.
De Montlaur, B. (2019). Do you speak my language? You should. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/26/opinion/learn-foreign-language.html
Duhigg, C. (2012, 2023). The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. NY: Random House.
Fisher. R., Ury, W. L., & Patton, B. (2011). Getting to yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In (3rd ed. rev). NY: Penguin.
Fogg, B. J. (2020). Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything. NY: Harvest/William Morrow.
France-Amerique. (2019). Franco-Responsibility: Louisiana Rises to the Challenge. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://france-amerique.com/franco-responsibility-louisiana-rises-to-the-challenge/.
Gilbertson, T. (2014). Constructive Wallowing: How to Beat Bad Feelings by Letting Yourself Have Them. Berkeley, CA: Viva.
Goldenberg, C. & Wagner, K. (2015). Bilingual Education: Reviving an American Tradition. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/ae_fall2015goldenberg_wagner.pdf.
Grant, A. (2023). Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things. NY: Penguin Random House.
Grenny, J., Patterson, K., Maxfield, D., McMillan, R. & Switzer, A. (2013). Influencer: The New Science of Leading Change (2nd ed.). NY: McGraw Hill.
Harvard Law School. Program on Negotiation. (2025). What is a Win-Win Negotation? Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/win-win-daily/what-is-a-win-win-negotiation/
Hiver, P., & Sanchez Solarte, A. C. (2021). Resilience. In Gregersen, T. & Mercer, S. (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of the Psychology of Teaching and Learning. NY: Routledge.
Jaumont, F. (2017). The Bilingual Revolution: The Future of Education Is in Two Languages. NY: TBR.
Kahnemen, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. NY: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.
Kim, W. C., & Mauborgne, R. (2015). Blue Ocean Strategy, Expanded Edition, How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant. Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.
Kotter, J. P. (2008). A Sense of Urgency. Boston: Harvard Business School.
Language Connects Foundation. (LCF). (2025). The Benefits of Learning Languages. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.languageconnectsfoundation.org/connect-with-language/the-benefits-of-learning-languages.
Leading Change: Kotter Methodology. (2025). https://www.kotterinc.com/methodology/
Modern Language Association. (MLA). (2023). Enrollments in Languages Other Than English in United States Institutions of Higher Education. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.mla.org/Resources/Guidelines-and-Data/Reports-and-Professional-Guidelines/Enrollments-in-Languages-Other-Than-English-in-United-States-Institutions-of-Higher-Education.
New American Economy. (NAE). (2017). Not Lost in Translation: The Growing Importance of Foreign Language Skills in the US Job Market. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.newamericaneconomy.org/research/not-lost-in-translation-the-growing-importance-of-foreign-language-skills-in-the-u-s-job-market/.
New Jersey Education Association. (NJEA). (2025). Advocacy Training. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.njea.org/advocacy-training/.
Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice (6th ed.). Los Angeles: SAGE.
Northrup, T. (2023). Four Ways to Adopt a Resilient Mindset in 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/03/14/four-ways-to-adopt-a-resilient-mindset-in-2023/.
Olivier, S., Holscher, F., & Williams, C. (2021). Agile Leadership for Turbulent Times: Integrating your Ego, Eco, and Intuitive Intelligence. NY: Routledge.
Orfali, P. (2014, 2023). Développer la franco-responsabilité. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.ledroit.com/2014/03/20/developper-la-franco-responsabilite-1623884390495c5121195a998c511021/.
Pandolpho, B., & Cubano, K. (2014). Leadership: Pivoting to Progress. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://languagemagazine.com/2024/11/11/leadership-pivoting-to-progress/.
Pariser, E. (2012). The Filter Bubble: How the New Personalized Web is Changing What We Read and the Way We Think. NY: Penguin.
Peckham, R. D., & Stein Smith, K. (2021). Strategic Advocacy for the French Language in the US. U.S. Marion, IL: American Association of Teachers of French.
Pettit, E. (2023). Scholars See Dangerous Precedent in West Virginia U.’s Plan to Cut Foreign Languages. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.chronicle.com/article/scholars-see-dangerous-precedent-in-west-virginia-u-s-plan-to-cut-foreign-languages.
Rai, M. (2020). The Values Compass: What 101 Countries Teach Us about Purpose, Life, and Leadership. NY: Simon & Schuster.
Scrum. (n.d.) What is Scrum? https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-scrum-module
Udemy. (2025). Planning for Advocacy. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.udemy.com/course/advocacy-level-1-fundamentals-of-advocacy/.
United Nations. (UN). (n.d.). The 17 Goals. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://sdgs.un.org/goals.
University of California. (2016). Smart Goals: A How-to Guide. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.ucop.edu/local-human-resources/_files/performance-appraisal/How+to+write+SMART+Goals+v2.pdf.
University of Colorado, Boulder. (n.d.). 8 Tips for Setting (and Achieving) Your Goals. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.colorado.edu/health/blog/goal-setting.
Villa Albertine. (n.d.). French For All: Supporting and Strengthening Access to French Language Education in the US. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://villa-albertine.org/frenchculture/news/french-for-all/.
What is blue ocean strategy. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/what-is-blue-ocean-strategy/.
Wiseman, L. (2021). Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact. NY: HarperCollins.
Wiseman, L. (2017). Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter (Rev and exp ed.). NY: HarperCollins.
Zhang, L. (2023). Reviewing the Effect of Teachers’ Resilience and Wellbeing in Their Foreign Language Teaching Enjoyment. Frontiers in Psychology, Vol 14. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1187468/full.
