Date of Award:

5-2012

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

School of Teacher Education and Leadership

Department name when degree awarded

Education

Committee Chair(s)

James J. Barta

Committee

James J. Barta

Committee

Steven P. Camicia

Committee

J. Nicholls Eastmond

Committee

Steve O. Laing

Committee

V. Philip Rasmussen

Abstract

Given the increased emphasis on language acquisition in public education, and in university, government, and military settings there will be an increased focus on the
language classroom. My goal in this study was to investigate how five foreign language instructors in the Salt Lake metropolitan area perceived and implemented the national standards disseminated by the American Council for the Teachers of Foreign Language (ACTFL) known as the five Cs. These standards have also been adopted by the Utah State Office of Education (USOE). A broadened understanding was achieved through analysis of structured interviews, direct observation of foreign language instructors, evaluation of classroom materials and disclosures, and interpreting differences between instructors’ perceived adherence and observed adherence to the standards.

The purpose of my analysis was to describe the degree of integration that the national standards attained in the thinking (perceptions) and teaching (practices) of
these Spanish instructors. The design for this study emanated from extensive in-class observations. The need for research grew out of discussions with district-level administrators about the problem of implementing state and national standards with high school language instructors. I selected a case study approach and cross-case analysis because it was most appropriate for this question, and because I wanted to describe the specifics of how high school Spanish language teachers perceive the five Cs, and the degree to which they integrate them into their disclosure statements, classroom practices, and teaching materials.

Cross-case analysis data included comparison of language instructors’ responses to a perception questionnaire and interviews compared to observations; disclosures compared to observations; and finally disclosures compared to classroom materials. I noted that teachers are not using a variety of teaching methods. The grammar translation method was the mainstay method used. My research also revealed that ACTFL has not endorsed specific teaching methods to be used with the five Cs.

In conclusion, I discovered a lack of congruency/consistency in what teachers perceive they are doing and what they are actually doing in the classroom. There are actions that can be taken at the school level, the district level, the state level, and at the university credential program level to deal with the pervasive problems uncovered in this study of implementation of state standards in secondary foreign language classrooms. It is apparent that my research confirms what a national survey of teachers found, that there is both a lack of knowledge and an unwillingness at multiple levels to implement the mandated ACTFL five Cs.

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This work made publicly available electronically on May 11, 2012.

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