Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Defining the Constructs and Researching Learner Outcomes

Abstract

In an effort to articulate an agenda for learner outcomes research linked to the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century, this review examines the profession's current conceptualization of the National Standards in research on learner outcomes across various levels of instruction. The research literature reviewed reveals that, to date, empirical studies of learner outcomes have been conducted only on the Communication goal of the National Standards. Consequently, in the majority of the studies reviewed in the other goal areas have not conceptualized learner outcomes from a National Standards perspective, nor have they defined outcomes in the ways they are presented in the National Standards. Recommendations for future research are provided, which include the creation of design‐based research communities and partnerships in K–16 foreign language education. A primary goal for this research agenda is to expand the scope of the current research by (1) exploring the National Standards that have yet to be investigated in the research, (2) designing and investigating innovations related to those National Standards, and ultimately (3) deepening the understanding of learner processes, development, and outcomes related to the National Standards.

A Discourse‐Based Approach to CALL Training and Professional Development

“…Using a classification scheme such as Herring's () helps teachers take into account both the technological and social facets of CMD and directs the teacher's focus toward meaningful communication. Furthermore, it allows flexibility for lesson planning and supports the teacher's continued growth as new technologies emerge by providing both prospective and experienced teachers with a tool to examine CMD when designing technology‐mediated tasks, as suggested by Arnold () and Troyan ().…”

Preparing Teachers for Plurilingualism through Language Awareness

“…Given the needs of standards-based instruction (Troyan, 2012), CBI , immersion education and CLIL (e.g., Gort, 2006Gort, , 2012Gort & Pontier, 2012), which has investigated the code switching that occurs in bilingual classrooms, for guidance in responding to this question. Certainly, a growing number of researchers in foreign language education have underscored that an awareness of the functions of language among language teachers is critical in enabling what Cammarata and Tedick (2012) refer to as a linguistic «awakening» (p. 260-261) as they become more aware of the demands of balancing content and language.…”

“…The genre theory informed by systemic functional linguistics (SFL, Halliday & Matthiessen, 2004 guided the development of the instructional intervention that the teacher implemented. This genre theory and SFL have been cited as a means for developing essential language awareness among language teachers (e.g., Gebhard, 2010;Troyan, 2012). The present study is part of a larger study of the design and implementation of a genre-based model of instruction, which has been described elsewhere (Troyan, 2014).…”

Grand challenges and great potential in foreign language teaching and learning

“…For example, Rifkin () concluded that “two decades of guideline‐influenced instruction have failed to have an impact on student learning” (p. 582). For this reason, we require more work investigating the validity of these tools, following the lead of Dandonoli (), Norris and Pfeiffer (), Troyan (, ), and Tigchelaar, Bowles, Winke, and Gass (). If we are using those tools as indicators and starting points for goal‐setting, then we must validate them and identify their limitations in order to more effectively guide student language development.…”