THE COMPLETE CURRICULUM Ensuring a Place for the Arts and ...

Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America’s SchoolsTHE COMPLETECURRICULUMEnsuring a Place for the Arts and ForeignLanguages in America’s SchoolsOctober 2003The Report of the NASBE Study Groupon the Lost Curriculum1

NASBETHE COMPLETE CURRICULUMThe NASBE Study Group on the Lost CurriculumMembersJames C. Dawson, New York, ChairLinnea Barney, UtahRaymond “Buzz” Bartlett, AssociateMember, MarylandDorie Combs, KentuckyLisa Cox, VermontKathleen Dietz, New JerseyEthel Hall, AlabamaKeith Johnson, LouisianaKarabelle Pizzigati, MarylandGully Stanford, Associate Member,ColoradoJennifer Stewart, OhioKathleen Straus, MichiganEx Officio MembersChristine Brown, Director of ForeignLanguages, Glastonbury PublicSchools and Past-President, AmericanCouncil on the Teaching of ForeignLanguagesRichard Deasy, Director, Arts EducationPartnershipDoug Herbert, Director of ArtsLearning, National Endowment forthe ArtsJanis Jensen, World Languages Coordinator,New Jersey Department ofEducation and President, NationalCouncil of State Supervisors ofForeign LanguagesStudy Group StaffLori Meyer, authorMarsha McMullinAllison PruittCarla ClaycombPresenters to the Study GroupChristine Brown, Director of ForeignLanguages, Glastonbury PublicSchools and Past-President, AmericanCouncil on the Teaching of ForeignLanguagesMary Cary, Assistant Superintendent,Division for Leadership Development,Maryland State Department ofEducationRichard Deasy, Director, Arts EducationPartnershipJ. David Edwards, Executive Director,Joint National Committee forLanguages & National Council forLanguages and International StudiesDoug Herbert, Director of ArtsLearning, National Endowment forthe ArtsCatherine Hodges, Executive Director,Alliance for Language LearningJanis Jensen, World Languages Coordinator,New Jersey Department ofEducation and President, NationalCouncil of State Supervisors ofForeign LanguagesMyriam Met, Deputy Director,National Foreign Language Center atthe University of MarylandNina Ozlu, Vice President, Public andPrivate Sector Affairs, Americans forthe ArtsMichael Petrilli, Associate DeputyUndersecretary, Office of Innovationand Improvement, U. S. Departmentof EducationMichael Poliakoff, Director, Division ofEducation Programs, NationalEndowment for the HumanitiesBecky Richey, Educational ProgramSpecialist, Office of English LanguageAcquisition, U.S. Department ofEducationCyndy Ryan, Director, ProfessionalDevelopment and DiscretionaryGrants, Office of English LanguageAcquisition, U.S. Department ofEducationSharon Shaffer, Executive Director,Smithsonian Early EnrichmentCenterMary Ann Stankiewicz, AssociateProfessor, Penn State University andPresident, National Art EducationAssociationNASBE gratefullyacknowledges theNational Endowmentfor the Arts and theGeraldine R. DodgeFoundation for theirsupport of the StudyGroup meetings.© Copyright 2003National Association ofState Boards of EducationAll rights reservedISBN 1-58434-056-8Additional copies of thisreport are available for$14.00 each + 10% forshipping and handling($4.50 minimum) fromthe National Associationof State Boards of Educationat 277 South WashingtonStreet, Suite 100,Alexandria, Virginia22314; (800) 220-5183.2

Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America’s SchoolsTable of Contents1 Introduction and Summary Recommendations:The Importance of the Arts and Foreign Languages . . . . . 42 The Benefits of the Arts and Foreign Languagesin the Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 The Narrowing of the Curriculum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 How Instruction in the Arts and Foreign LanguagesFits into a Standards-Based System:Recommendations for Policymakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Appendix A. Organizational Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Appendix B. Annotated Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .303

NASBETHE COMPLETE CURRICULUMChapter 1Introduction and SummaryRecommendations:The Importance of the Arts andForeign LanguagesState policymakers have investedunprecedented resources in recentyears developing standards andaccountability systems to improveteaching and learning, and policymakersand practitioners alike are hopefulthat the impact of standards-basedreform will improve student achievementnationwide. But, with moststates emphasizing accountability inonly a few academic subjects, many areconcerned that teachers, schools, anddistricts are emphasizing those fewsubjects at the expense of otherimportant components of a comprehensiveeducation, such as the arts andforeign languages.The passage of the No ChildLeft Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) hasfurther raised concerns about thenarrowing of the curriculum. WhileNo Child Left Behind includes boththe arts and foreign languages as partof a core curriculum, many fear thatthere is an unintended consequence:that states will focus their attention—and resources—on complying withthe law’s primary emphasis onreading, math, and science, to thedetriment of other curricular areas. Aseducators and policymakers focus onleaving no child behind, many arewondering whether our nation’sschools may inadvertently leave halfof the child’s education behind.Overwhelmingly, parents and thepublic at large support a comprehensiveeducation: one that includeshistory, civics, geography, foreignlanguages, and the arts, in addition toother core subjects such as English,mathematics, and science. 1 Whetherthe label is a well-rounded education,a liberal arts education, or a comprehensiveeducation, the goal is thesame: to prepare students for theworking world, for their roles andresponsibilities as citizens in ademocracy, and to prepare them forlife in an increasingly interdependentand culturally diverse world.In 2003, the board of directorsfor the National Association of StateBoards of Education charged theStudy Group on the Lost Curriculumwith examining the currentstatus of curriculum in our nation’sschools, particularly as regards thearts and foreign languages. After ayear of intense study, the groupdrew several important conclusionsabout the status of these subjects, aswell as some key recommendationsfor state policymakers.First, the Study Group concludedthat there is a substantialbody of research that highlights thebenefits of including the arts andforeign languages in the curriculum.For example, one study of third-,fourth-, and fifth-grade students inLouisiana found that those whoreceived daily instruction in a foreignlanguage outperformed those whodid not on the Louisiana Basic SkillsTest, regardless of race, gender, oracademic level. Similar studies havefound that actively engaging in thearts increases academic achievement,as well.4

Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America’s SchoolsSecond, while the Study Groupon the Lost Curriculum found that thearts and foreign languages are notnecessarily “lost,” these subject areashave often been marginalized, and areincreasingly at risk of being lost aspart of the core curriculum. Forexample, while virtually every state hasadopted standards in the arts, only afew have incorporated the subject intotheir state accountability systems.Similarly, nearly all states requireschools to offer coursework inlanguages, however, that hasnot translated into instructionaltime that is equal tothat of other subjects, such asmathematics or English.Perhaps most alarming arecurrent education reforms,which have inadvertentlyplaced the arts and foreignlanguages at risk as policymakersand administrators,as they comply with newfederal requirements,choose to narrow thecurriculum in order to reach higherstudent achievement results in a fewsubjects.To address these two keyconclusions, the Study Group on theLost Curriculum formulated tenrecommendations for state policymakersto ensure that the arts andforeign languages are not lost, andmore importantly to position both asintegral parts of the core curriculum.1. Adopt high-quality licensurerequirements for staff in the arts andforeign languages that are alignedwith student standards in thesesubject areas. This is a critical juncturebecause of the requirements NCLBhas placed on states to ensure a highlyqualified teacher in every classroom.How states will alter licensure requirementsfor arts and foreign languageteachers remains unclear. What is clearis that NCLB provides state policymakerswith an opportunity to setrequirements for teachers of the artsand foreign languages that will ensurehigh-quality instruction.2. Ensure adequate time for highqualityprofessional development forstaff in the arts and foreign languages.State education officialsshould help to establish relationships“Children learn better with arts as partof the curriculum. They learn all theirsubjects better. They’re more engaged.Teacher attendance goes up. The childis happier; the teacher is happier.”Jane Alexander, former chair,National Endowment for the Arts 2between local school districts anduniversities in order to provide artsand language teachers with anadequate system for professionaldevelopment. Education leadersshould develop strong policies toensure teachers receive high-qualityprofessional development.3. Ensure adequate staff expertise atthe state education agency to work inthe areas of the arts and foreignlanguages. It is important to designatestaff to focus solely in each ofthese areas to provide assistance,implement policy, and to ensurecompliance.4. Incorporate both the arts andforeign languages into core graduationrequirements, while simultaneouslyincreasing the number ofcredits required for graduation.State policymakers should incorporateboth the arts and foreignlanguages into core graduationrequirements, while simultaneouslyincreasing the number of creditsrequired for graduation. This willallow students some leeway indeciding which courses to take, whileproviding seniors an importantopportunity to experience the artsand foreign languages during what hasbecome “down time” for studentsnearing graduation.5. Encourage highereducation institutionsto increase standardsfor admission andinclude arts andforeign languagecourses when calculatinghigh school gradepoint averages. WhileK-12 policymakers maynot have authority to setcollege admissionsrequirements, they can develop apolicy that requires the inclusion ofarts and foreign language course infiguring high school grade pointaverages.6. Incorporate arts and foreignlanguage learning in the early yearsinto standards, curriculum frameworks,and course requirements. Also,encourage local school districts toincorporate the arts and foreignlanguages into instruction in the earlyyears, whenever possible. Earlychildhood education is just beginningto earn the recognition it deserves as acritical key to student achievement inlater years. Recently, federal, state, andlocal policy and practice has begun torecognize the benefits of earlyintervention, instead of waiting tointervene after a child has fallen5

NASBETHE COMPLETE CURRICULUMbehind. As with reading, the morelearning that occurs in the preschooland early elementary grades in the artsand foreign languages, the less likelyour nation’s children are to be “leftbehind” and the less likely we are toleave half the child’s education behind.7. Advocate continued developmentof curriculum materials for the artsand foreign languages from thetextbook publishing industry.Currently, there is no K-12 textbookseries and few curricular programs forcontinuous K-12 language study inthe United States. Programs are leftto piece together their own materials,which is costly and inefficient. Artseducation fares no better. While thereis a wealth of material availablethrough community and philanthropicorganizations and the Internet, it maynot always be an organized curricularprogram that is grade-level appropriateor aligned with state standards.State education officials shouldadvocate continued development ofcurriculum materials from thetextbook publishing industry, with afocus on textbooks and instructionalresources for students in kindergartenthrough grade 12.8. Incorporate all core subjectareas, including the arts and foreignlanguages, into the improvementstrategies promoted by the NoChild Left Behind Act. The NoChild Left Behind Act gave apowerful boost to the arts andforeign languages by including themas core academic subjects—suchrecognition had not been made inpast authorizations of the Elementaryand Secondary Education Act.Thus, NCLB empowers states andschools to focus on a well-rounded,comprehensive education, which inturn allows states to reevaluate theirpolicy frameworks—includingaccountability structures—for allcore subject areas.9. Urge the National AssessmentGoverning Board to increase thefrequency in the administration ofNAEP assessments for both the artsand foreign languages. Both the artsand foreign languages have NAEPassessments (foreign language is inthe pilot stage). Contrasting thefrequency with which NAEP isassessed in mathematics, comparedwith the arts, for example, has sent aless than encouraging signal to thestates about the importance of thearts as a core subject. It also reducesthe potential that states will benefitfrom the release of test items, resultsof validity and reliability field tests ofassessment exercises, and other waysin which the federal-state relationshipworks for math, reading, writing, andscience in large-scale assessment.10. Urge Congress and legislatures tomake a greater commitment to thearts and foreign languages. At thefederal level, the National Endowmentfor the Arts (NEA) and theNational Endowment for theHumanities (NEH) are two federalagencies that target study in theseareas. Congress created both in 1965as independent agencies of the federalgovernment. Funding for the eachagency hovers around $125 million. Instark contrast, the funding level forthe National Science Foundation(NSF) hovers around $5 billion—with around $1 billion going towardK-16. Additional funding should bemade available to states, universities,and local school districts to helpdevelop programs surrounding thearts and foreign languages, as well ashigh-quality assessment systems.6

Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America’s SchoolsChapter 2The Benefits of the Arts andForeign Languages in theClassroomThere is a preponderance ofevidence that arts and foreignlanguage education matters. Studentswho study and participate in the artsdo substantially better than thosewho do not on almost every academicmeasure. And for their part, foreignlanguage educators point out thatdecades of research on the benefits ofsecond language learning gives animpressive rationale for foreignlanguage instruction in terms ofcognitive benefits and increasedacademic achievement.However, those who justify thestudy of the arts and foreign languagessolely because of their impacton student performance in othersubjects may be neglecting animportant point: that these two vitalfields of study teach things no othersubject can; they tap into deeplycultural and expressive aspects ofpeoples’ lives that are at the center ofwhat it means to be human. Studiespoint to the value of arts education asit relates to students’ personaldevelopment—to understanding andcontributing to the world aroundthem. Similarly, research has foundthat studying a second language alsohelps in the development of positiveattitudes toward cultural diversity.The ArtsIn 1999 a compilation of researchstudies on the arts was released inChampions of Change: The Impact ofthe Arts on Learning. 3 Researchers notonly found a positive impact on studentachievement, but also that “learning inand through the arts can help ‘level theplaying field’ for disadvantagedstudents.” Other findings revealed,among other things, that:• Students who actively engage inlearning in the arts outperformthose who do not (termed “artspoorstudents”) on almost everymeasure. In addition, theresearchers found that sustainedlearning in music and theaterwere highly correlated withhigher reading and mathematicsachievement.• One study of high-povertyschools in Chicago that wereparticipating in the Chicago ArtsPartnerships in Education(CAPE) curriculum programfound that when compared tonon-participating, high-povertyschools, the CAPE schools weremaking much bigger gains inclosing the achievement gapbetween high- and low-incomestudents.• Another study of after-schoolprograms compared at-riskstudents who were participatingin one of three programs: sports/academic, community involvement,or the arts. While studentsengaged in all three programsshowed signs of academicimprovement, as well as personalgrowth, the researchers foundthat the youth involved with thearts programs outpaced those7

NASBETHE COMPLETE CURRICULUMinvolved with either sports/academic or community involvementprograms.In addition to the individualfindings of each of the studies,researchers concluded, learning in andthrough the arts reaches students whoare at-risk of dropping out altogether,helping to keep them in school.Studies have also confirmed “newbrain research [that] shows not onlythat music is fun, but also that itimproves our brain development andeven enhances skills in other subjectssuch as reading and math … Musicenhances creativity and promotessocial development, personalityadjustment, and self-worth.” 4Foreign LanguagesSimilar benefits accrue to thenation and to individual students whenforeign languages are a part of thecurriculum. The advantages of theability to use more than one languageare many. At a minimum, as humanbeings, we all need to communicate,and learning another language opens astudent to communication andinteraction with a vastly greater numberof people. Languages also provideinsight into different cultures andexperiences. Foreign language educationtoday does not focus just on rulesof grammar and vocabulary, butembraces culture, history, and experienceswithin the larger humanitiescontext. With today’s ever-increasingdiversity—in the classroom, workplace,and community—it is crucial thatnative-English-speaking students have agreater understanding of the culturalbackground of their fellow classmates;and perhaps more important, to learnrespect for diverse cultures. Theexperience of developing insight intothe language and culture of othersprovides an opportunity for students toreflect on their own language andculture, thus strengthening theirunderstanding of their native languageand how the cultural perspectives inthis country are similar and differentfrom those they are learning about.Finally, one of the larger evaluationsof arts programming in recentyears focused on a 5-year program,Transforming Education through theArts Challenge (TETAC), whichbegan in 1996. 5 The $15 millionprogram was implemented in 35demographically diverse schoolsacross the country, and was designedto encourage a comprehensiveapproach to arts education. Beyondteaching students to create art,TETAC helped the school communitydevelop an understanding of therole of the arts as it relates to historyand culture. The program alsointegrated arts instruction into othersubjects. Results of the evaluationrevealed that those schools that fullyimplemented the program saw animprovement in school culture due toincreased collaboration amongteachers, most prominently thatteachers incorporated more criticalthinkingskills into their instructionalpractices. (See box on page 12 forresults from an evaluation of NorthCarolina’s A+ program.)A poster from the Joint National Committee on Languagesemphasizes the importance of foreign language training inworld affairs.8

Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America’s SchoolsThere are more concrete benefitsas well:• Some studies suggest thatstudents who begin the study of asecond language early in theirelementary school years attainhigher achievement levels inEnglish language arts. 6• One study of third-, fourth-, andfifth-grade students in Louisianafound that those who receiveddaily instruction in a foreignlanguage outperformed thosewho did not on the LouisianaBasic Skills Test, regardless ofrace, gender, or academic level.These findings were corroboratedthrough another study ofelementary students wherestudents who studied a foreignlanguage scored higher onstandardized measures of readingand mathematics, even forstudents from high-povertybackgrounds. 7• Findings from other researchsuggest that second languagestudy develops the skills andhabits essential to the learningprocess, creative inquiry, andcritical thinking. 8• Studying a second language alsoenhances problem-solving skillsand general cognitive development.9In the increasingly interconnectedworld economy, the ultimateadvantage to knowing anotherlanguage may be that it provides acompetitive edge. Indeed, a recentsurvey found that 85 percent of thepublic felt that the ability to speakanother language was very or somewhatimportant to competing successfullyin a global economy. 10 Americanstoday encounter and do business withmillions of people who speak languagesother than English—and those sameAmericans are increasingly becomingaware of the importance of communicatingin other languages besidesEnglish. Second language learningprovides a competitive edge for allstudents regardless of their chosencareer path, and addresses a shortageof workers in virtually every field thatuses languages to communicatesuccessfully.There are broader national goalsat stake as well, especially the growingneed for multilingual individuals toaddress the increased threat ofterrorism. At a time when knowledgeof languages and cultures is vital tonational security and foreign affairs,the U.S. Departments of State andDefense have both reported ashortage of candidates with foreignlanguage skills. In a post-September11 article, The New York Timesreported roughly half of the StateDepartment’s diplomatic postingswere filled with people who did nothave the necessary language skills. 11Learning a second language not onlyincreases an individual’s ability toadapt to different environments andmodes of acting and thinking, but itprovides insights into America’svalues and an appreciation of nationalresponsibilities in the world community—anecessity for matters offoreign affairs. 12Given the evidence of thebenefits of both the arts and foreignlanguage, it is perhaps surprising thatthey tend to receive short shrift incomparison with other core subjectareas. Momentum has been buildingin recent years for greater inclusionof the arts and foreign languages inthe classroom for students in allgrades, of all socioeconomic backgrounds,and of all learning abilities.However, budget shortfalls nationwideare causing policymakers andeducators to make tough decisionsabout what is in and what is outwhen it comes to curriculum.Unfortunately, the trend appears toindicate that the arts and foreignlanguages are perhaps at greater riskthan ever of being pushed to the sideas priorities are set.9

NASBETHE COMPLETE CURRICULUMChapter 3The Narrowing of theCurriculumThis chapter examines the state ofarts and foreign language education inthe country today. While the actualpicture of the study of arts and foreignlanguages is mixed, the Study Group isconcerned that the trend is movingtoward a more narrowed curriculum—one that does not include an adequateamount of instruction in the arts andforeign languages as a part of the corecurriculum.The good news is that thenumber of credits earned by highschool students in the arts and foreignlanguages has been rising for 20 years.However, there is bad news in severalareas. First, there is a problem withequity. Students who attend wealthy,high-performing schools often havemany more opportunities to study thearts and foreign languages than studentsat low-performing schools or schoolsthat serve low-income students.Second, there is a large gap inpolicies surrounding the arts andforeign languages. While most stateshave standards in these subjects forwhat students should know and beable to do, the arts and foreignlanguages are generally absent frompolicies that hold districts and schoolsaccountable for student learning. Inresponse, when educators andadministrators allocate resources,schedule classes, and implementprograms, the arts and foreignlanguages are often given short shrift.The State of the ArtsArts education has receivedincreased attention in recent years,due in large part to promotionalefforts in the national arena, as well asrecent research citing increasedacademic, personal and social successas a result of engaging in the arts.This renewed emphasis on artseducation came after a period ofneglect during the 1980s and early1990s when the arts were oftenslighted as school budgets grew tightand as educational priorities shifted tothe basic subjects, such as reading,mathematics, and science. The trendcame to a head in 1989; the NationalEducation Goals were crafted at thehistoric summit in Charlottesville—with no mention of the arts.However, work had alreadybegun to reverse this trend. In 1988,the National Endowment for the Artspublished Toward Civilization, whichargued that the state of arts educationin American schools was in distressand offered recommendations forimprovement. This was followed by awave of artistic activism and researchstudies into the benefits of artseducation. In 1991, the NationalAssessment Governing Boardapproved the inclusion of the arts inthe 1997 National Assessment ofEducational Progress (NAEP). Threeyears later in 1994, Congress passedand President Clinton signed theGoals 2000 Act, which added the artsto the National Education Goals, andthe National Arts Education Standardswere released. During this time,a series of federal initiatives werelaunched to create sample assessmentframeworks, encourage arts education10

Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America’s Schoolsresearch, and convene nationalmeetings to promote arts education.As detailed in Chapter 2, the resultsof these research studies confirmedthe advantages of student participationin arts education.Results from a 1999-2000 FastResponse Survey System (FRSS) onthe status of arts education found thatmusic and visual arts instruction wereavailable in nearly all of the publicelementary schools across thecountry. 13 In high schools, roughlythe same percent of schools offeredmusic and visual arts (90 and 93percent, respectively). However, onlyone-fifth of elementary schools and 14percent of secondary schools offereddance. Drama was available for 20percent of elementary school studentsand just under half of high schoolstudents. It should also be noted thatwhile art and music were available inthe majority of schools, the number ofschools that offered them with fulltimespecialists was markedly lower.The FRSS study also found thatschools offering courses in the artsdid not vary greatly when takinginto account race or income.However, a gap did exist whenexamining issues such as dedicatedspace for arts instruction, as well ascurriculum resources in elementarysettings. For secondary schools,those with lower concentrations ofminority or high-poverty studentswere also more likely to receiveoutside funding and to employ agreater number of specialists, thuscreating more opportunities for artsactivities.The development of a national testfor arts education was anotherimportant step for the field. In 1997,the National Assessment of EducationalProgress (NAEP) arts assessmentwas administered to 6,500 eighthgradestudents nationwide who hadreceived any arts instruction duringtheir school careers (a process whichrevealed, among other things, thatonly half of eighth grade studentsacross the country had received anyarts instruction). The NAEP testmeasured students’ knowledge andskills in music, theatre, and visual arts—an important breakthrough in thedevelopment of assessments across artforms. The results further highlightedanother alarming trend of themarginalization of the arts in thecurriculum.The framework for the assessmentemphasized creating andperforming works of art, and studyingand analyzing existing works. Tocapture these elements, the artsassessment focused on exercises thattested authentic tasks, such as singingor dancing, and constructed-responseand multiple-choice questions, whichgauged the students’ abilities toevaluate works of art in written form.The results varied by discipline,but tended to be higher when gauginga student’s ability to evaluate a pieceof art versus creating or performing.14 For example, for visual arts 55percent of students could identifywhich of four works were contemporaryWestern art, while virtually allstudents found creating threedimensionaltasks challenging.Using the NAEP assessment as aspringboard, a handful of states havealso worked to develop assessmentsin the arts. One state, Missouri, fieldtesteda fine arts assessment in 2000for students in grade 5. The stateestablished five achievement levels,Budget Cutters Target the Arts—andCommunities RespondIn Scotts Valley, California, budget woes spurred parents to launch afund-raising campaign after the superintendent announced a $300,000shortfall in the district’s $16 million budget. Following closely on theheels of the superintendent’s announcement, Governor Gray Davisproposed to cut the state’s education budget to the tune of more than $5billion. Fearing among other things that positions would be cut andprograms like art and music would be eliminated, the communityformed a foundation called the 4 Schools Fund. The foundation targeted7,000 community members, raising $30,000 of their $1 million goal. The$1 million will allow them to set up an endowment, the interest fromwhich would help sustain the district in the future. 16A similar threat in Holliston, Massachusetts resulted in anothercampaign by parents on a much smaller scale. Shrinking state aid,coupled with a decrease in student enrollment forced the local schooldistrict to announce the elimination of the district’s fourth- and fifthgrademusic program. The Music Parents Association quickly movedinto action, raising more than $30,000 to save the program and theteacher who runs it—at least for the coming school year. 1711

NASBETHE COMPLETE CURRICULUMand based the assessment questionson the state’s standards and curriculumframeworks. Unfortunately, dueto budget constraints, the test is not apart of the statewide accountabilitysystem, leaving local districts toshoulder the cost if they choose tooffer the assessment.The state of policy for artseducation is also mixed. Currently, allbut one state has standards in place forwhat students should be able to learnand know in the arts. More than half ofthe states require arts education inorder to graduate, while three-quartersmandate some form of arts educationin the schools. However, theserequirements fall far below those ofother core subjects. In many states,only 1/2 credit may be required ofstudents in order to graduate fromhigh school, and in some cases relatedcoursework (such as industrial arts)may be substituted. Moving frompolicy to practice, many in the artseducation field note the limitedamount of instructional time that isdevoted to the arts in comparison withother parts of the curriculum—despitewhat appears, at face value to be a fairlystrong policy framework.Furthering the marginalization,the federal testing requirementsunder NCLB have focused state andlocal policymakers on improvingstudent achievement results inreading and math, and in doing somaking decisions that increaseinstructional time for these specificsubject areas at the expense of others.In New York City, for example, theNew York Times reported administratorsare scrambling to comply withthe new standardized curriculumrequired by the state educationagency, which requires more than halfof the instructional periods to bededicated to reading and math. 15 Theunintended consequence of the policyhas been a reduction in arts educationthroughout many schools in the city.It is not just educators but thepublic as well that is concerned aboutthis trend. The 35th Annual Phi DeltaKappa/Gallup Poll of the Public’sAttitudes toward the Public Schools,released in September 2003, found that80 percent of Americans have a greatdeal or a fair amount of concern thatNorth Carolina’s A+ ProgramThe A+ Program is a comprehensive school reform model in NorthCarolina. The program views the arts as fundamental to how teachers teachand how students learn in all subjects. A+ was implemented in 25 schoolsacross the state beginning in 1995. By 2001, 35 schools were participatingin the pilot. The program is based on both curriculum and instructionalstrategies, as well as organizational strategies that focus on: increasing artsinstruction; fostering two-way arts integration; tapping multiple intelligences;emphasizing hands-on learning; taking an integrated, thematicapproach to the curriculum; increasing professional collaboration; andstrengthening schools’ partnerships.Researchers evaluated the program from 1995 until 1999, focusing onthe differences in A+ schools, when compared with schools that had notparticipated in the program, after four years of implementation. Keyfindings are:• For schools as a whole, the program increased channels of communication,as well as organizational capacity.• A+ increased parent affiliation with the school, as well as awareness ofthe curriculum.• Teachers saw instructional change for enhanced learning opportunities,as well as opportunities for collaborative work and new leadershiproles.• For students, A+ enriched the academic environment, improvedattitudes, attendance, and behavior, and garnered assessment results.Initially funded on a year-to-year basis, in 1999 the North Carolinalegislature made the A+ Program a line item in the budget. In addition,the program was approved as an acceptable model under the ComprehensiveSchool Reform Act, which provided funding for four schools toimplement the program in 1999. 18“relying on testing for English andmath only to judge a school’s performancewill mean less emphasis on art,music, history, and other subjects.”In addition, many districts facingrevenue shortfalls are reducing fundingfor the arts or completely eliminatingarts programs in order to meet tightbudgets, sometimes forcing advocatesto mount extraordinary fundraisingcrusades in order to save programs orpositions (see boxes on pages 11 and12

Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America’s Schools24). Yet such resources are notavailable in all communities.Despite the struggle for a placeat the table with the other coresubject areas, there are many local—and even some state—initiatives thatare true exemplars of the bestthat arts education can offer,such as in North Carolina,Mississippi, and California(see box on page 12). Yet theoverall place of the arts withinthe curriculum remainsuncertain in many places.Some still question whetherthe arts can truly be captured instandards, or whether studentperformance can be accuratelyassessed in the arts according to suchstandards. Perhaps most troubling,however, are the budget constraintsface by nearly every state in thecountry. For these reasons, states arenot demanding the assessments—and therefore are often not providingthe resources—which would put thearts on equal footing with othersubjects.Foreign LanguagesForeign language education hasfollowed a path similar to artseducation, first having no mentionwhen the National Education Goalswere crafted in 1989, and later beingincluded in the Goals 2000 Act. At firstglance, it also appears that languagestudies have a firm place in publicschool classrooms.The good news is that enrollmentfigures indicate an upward trend overtime in the number of studentsstudying a second language. TheNational Center for EducationStatistics (NCES) estimates that thepercentage of students takinglanguage courses in grades 9-12 nearlydoubled during a 50-year periodbeginning in 1948—from 21 percentto 41 percent. While languageinstruction has traditionally takenplace at the secondary level, in the lastdecade or so there has also been an“...a recent public opinion pollreported that 77 percent ofrespondents felt thata foreign language shouldbe a required subject inhigh school.”increase in instruction for bothelementary and middle schoolstudents. In the late 1990’s, theCenter for Applied Linguistics (CAL)reported an increase of 10 percentover a ten-year period in languageinstruction at the elementary level.However, most foreign languageprograms still introduce languagestudy to students in high school—generally, the ninth grade. Unfortunately,most of these students receiveinstruction for only a two-yearsequence—a problem, given themany years that it takes to master alanguage.The most popular languagecourses by far are Spanish andFrench, usually followed by Germanand Latin. There is a stark contrastbetween the languages that are taughtand those languages most widelyspoken around the world. In a reportreleased by the National Commissionon Asia in the Schools, it was noted,“language instruction did not reflecttoday’s realities.” 19 While only 80million people speak French worldwide,more than a million students inthe United States studied thelanguage. Yet, fewer than 40,000studied Chinese, a language spokenby almost 1.3 billion people. Further,the amount of time spent on secondlanguage study in the United Statesdoes not come close to that of othercountries. For example, manystudents in other parts of theworld are required to take atleast four years of English,while also taking electives in athird language.Most states’ policiesaddress foreign languageinstruction; however, thedegree varies in comparisonwith other content areas.States generally require schools tomerely offer course work tostudents who wish to learn a secondlanguage, usually at the secondarylevel (even though a recent publicopinion poll reported that 77percent of respondents felt that aforeign language should be arequired subject in high school 21 ).A majority of states have alsodeveloped content standards forlanguage study. However, only ahandful have attempted to developstatewide assessments—mostlyadministered on a voluntary basis.Further, while some states havepolicies in place for foreign languageinstruction, reports indicate that inmany places the mandates are notenforced due to a lack of funding,leaving much of the decisionmakingregarding foreign languagestudy to local policymakers andadministrators. Whereas other coresubjects such as mathematics tendto have extensive state policiesfocusing on course requirements,curriculum frameworks, andassessments, in addition to contentfocusedlicensure standards, foreignlanguages have not received the13

NASBETHE COMPLETE CURRICULUMACTFL K-12 Performance GuidelinesAdvancedPre-AdvancedIntermediate NoviceAnticipated Performance Outcomes for Students inForeign Language Programs(Based on Years in Program Starting atVarious Grade Levels)K-4 K-8 K-12 5-8 5-12 7-12 9-10 9-12This chart shows the proficiency levels that can be expected from students who begin foreignlanguage study at various grade levels and continue for a certain number of years (e.g., begin inkindergarten and go through 4th grade, or begin in 9th grade and go through 12th. The performanceguidelines were based on information gathered from foreign language teachers and professionals.Source: ACTFL Performance Guidelines for K-12 Learners (1998). Reprinted with thepermission of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.same level of attention in the formulationof policy and funding levels.Despite little attention at thestate level, assessment of foreignlanguage skills has slowly evolvedover the last few decades, withdevelopments coming from a14combination of national standardsand assessment movements as wellas local initiatives. Nationally, effortshave focused on gauging theachievement level of students ingeneral, while many local initiativeshave focused on how to assesslearning in the classroom.At the federal level, a NAEP testfor foreign language is currentlyunder development. The newassessment, scheduled for administrationin the fall of 2004, will reporthow well students in grade 12 havelearned Spanish. The exam willevaluate students’ skills using tasks

Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America’s Schoolsthat focus on interpretive listeningand reading, interpersonal listeningand speaking, and presentationalwriting. Culture will be integrated intothese tasks. The cost of developingsuch a test at the state level would likelybe prohibitively high and achievingsufficient validity and reliability forhigh-stakes purposes would bedifficult. Both of these are factors inwhy large-scale statewide assessmentsfor foreign language are not asprevalent as with other core subjectssuch as reading and science. Overall,the development of the NAEP test forforeign language has made an importantcontribution to the field.Local efforts to develop languageassessments for various purposes arenumerous. The Center for AppliedLinguistics (CAL) highlights examplesof both local- and statedevelopedassessments. At the statelevel, CAL highlights the efforts ofConnecticut, which provides sampleassessment questions for grades K-4,5-8, and 9-12. The state provides anextensive online document thathighlights standards, assessments,learning activities, and samples ofstudent work.As with the arts, the overall place offoreign languages within the curriculumremains uncertain. With thecontinuing focus on standards in theother core academic subjects, some seethere is little room for second languagestudy. To address the marginalizationof the arts and foreign languages in thecurriculum, the Study Group on theLost Curriculum made ten recommendationsfor state policymakers,which follow in the next section.Language Programs for Young ChildrenThere are a number of types of foreign language programs that are used in elementary schools in the UnitedStates:• Foreign language in the elementary school (FLES). A second language is presented as a distinct subjectthat is generally taught three to five times per week, with classes lasting from 20 to 50 minutes. Most ofthese programs focus on teaching communication skills and culture, but an increasing number also have aprimary goal of reinforcing the concepts learned in the core curriculum, thus accomplishing two tasks atthe same time, language learning and content knowledge. These are often referred to as content-basedFLES programs.• Foreign language exploratory programs (FLEX). These programs introduce students to other culturesand to language as a general concept, typically in classes taught once or twice per week, with classes lastingfrom 20 to 30 minutes. Students learn about one or more languages, but the emphasis is not on attainingproficiency.• Immersion. These programs allow English-speaking children to spend part or all of the school daylearning a second language. In full immersion programs, students learn all of their subjects—math, socialstudies, and science—in the second language.• Two-way immersion. In these programs, native English speakers and native speakers of another language(usually Spanish) are enrolled in the same class, preferably in roughly equal numbers. Content instructionis provided in both languages, but only one language is used in the classroom at any given time. Typicalgoals for two-way programs include the development of high levels of proficiency in the students’ first andsecond languages, and performance at or above grade level in academic areas in both languages.• Partial-immersion programs teach content subjects in the target language for half the day and the remainingcontent areas in English the other half of the day. Many of these programs are also designated as twowayimmersion when native English speakers and native speakers of another language are enrolled in thesame class. 2015

NASBETHE COMPLETE CURRICULUMChapter 4How Instruction in the Arts andForeign Languages Fits into aStandards-Based System:Recommendations forPolicymakersAs this report has discussed,competition for a slot among thecore subjects is stiff in this era ofstandards-based reform. Class timeand funding are scarce resources, andboth policymakers and educators,driven by assessment and accountability,have made difficult choicesabout what to include in the curriculum.Many policymakers hold to thebelief that reading, writing, andmathematics are the keys to academicachievement and direct time andresources to these areas. Advocatesare concerned about the narrowingof the curriculum and point out theadvantages of both arts and foreignlanguage study. Following are tenrecommendations from the StudyGroup on the Lost Curriculum tohelp policymakers ensure that the artsand foreign languages are an integralpart of each state’s curriculum.16Standards for Studentsand StaffIn order to ensure a role for artsand foreign languages in a standardsbasedsystem equal to that of othercore subject areas, state policymakersmust ensure that there arehigh-quality standards for whatstudents should be able to learn andknow—in both the arts and foreignlanguages.At the national level, much workhas gone into developing studentstandards for foreign languagestudy. In 1999, a coalition of languageorganizations released a comprehensiveset of national standards forstudents in foreign languages. Thestandards were developed to reflectthe languages taught in the UnitedStates, and many go beyond the K-12grades to include post-secondaryeducation. This set of standards hasan expanded view of language learningthat provides for the teaching offoreign languages to all students. Thestandards are based on a set ofunderlying principles called the FiveC’s of Language Education: Communication;Cultures; Communities;Comparison; and Connection.Similarly, at the national level,student standards have been developedfor arts education. In 1992, theConsortium of National ArtsEducation Associations received agrant to begin looking into developingstandards for students. The result wasthe National Standards for ArtsEducation, which focused on the artsfor their intrinsic value in helpingyoung people make connectionsbetween concepts and across subjects.

Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America’s SchoolsNational Standards for Foreign Language and Arts EducationThe Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21 st Century provide an expanded view of language learningthat provides for the teaching of foreign languages to all students. The standards are based on a set of underlyingprinciples called the Five C’s of Language Education: Communication; Cultures; Communities; Comparison; andConnection. 22• Communication is seen as the “heart of second language study,” in both face-to-face and written form.• Students gain knowledge and understanding of different cultures through language study, to the degree thatcomplete proficiency cannot be reached until culture is fully understood.• Connections to other bodies of knowledge become available when a student learns a second language.• Comparisons allow a student to contrast languages, and to draw conclusions about the many different ways ofviewing the world.• Finally, language study allows a student to participate in communities, in a culturally appropriate manner.The National Standards for Arts Education, released in 1994, focus on arts being “taught for their intrinsic value...to help students make connections between concepts and across subjects.” 23 Developed by the Consortium of NationalArts Education Associations, the standards state that students:• Should be able to communicate at a basic level in the four arts disciplines—dance, music, theatre, and the visualarts;• Should be able to communicate proficiently in at least one art form;• Should be able to develop and present basic analyses of works of art;• Should have an informed acquaintance with exemplary works of art from a variety of cultures and historicalperiods; and• Should be able to relate various types of arts knowledge and skills within and across the arts disciplines.The standards also addressed culturaldiversity and technology. 24A majority of states have developedcontent standards for both thearts and foreign languages, thuscreating a solid foundation for learningin the arts and foreign languages.However there are still a few states thathave not developed such standards.Developing and adopting high-qualitystandards is critical for creating a solidfoundation for an education system. Inaddition, those states that have alreadyadopted standards should periodicallyreview and update state standards totake advantage of the wealth of informationincorporated into the nationalstandards for both the arts and foreignlanguages.Recommendation 1: Adopt highqualitylicensure requirements forstaff in the arts and foreign languagesthat are aligned with studentstandards in these subject areas.It is also important for states toadopt standards for teacher licensurefor the arts and foreign languages.With regard to developing andapproving standards for teachers thatare aligned with student standards,policy traditionally has not been asstrong—regardless of the subjectarea. This is a critical juncture,however, as the new requirementsthe No Child Left Behind Act haveplaced on states the responsibility toensure a highly qualified teacher inevery classroom. How states will alterlicensure requirements for arts andforeign language teachers remainsunclear. What is clear is that this is akey moment for both subjects, as17

NASBETHE COMPLETE CURRICULUMstate policymakers have an opportunityto set requirements for teachersof the arts and foreign languages thatwill ensure high-quality instruction.Several national organizations thatfocus on teacher licensing, such as theNational Board for ProfessionalTeaching Standards (NBPTS), theInterstate New Teacher Assessmentand Support Consortium (INTASC),and the National Council for Accreditationof Teacher Education(NCATE) have done a great deal ofwork in both the arts and foreignlanguages to develop standards forteachers that are aligned with nationalstandards for students. Theseorganizations have developedresources, with input from nationalassociations, that states can use ineither developing or reviewinglicensure requirements for the artsand foreign languages.States should establish separatelicensure areas for each of the K-12 artsdisciplines and for foreign languageinstructors. For example, few stateseven have basic licensing requirementsfor dance and theater. States shouldalso establish alternative routes forindividuals with language skills or forartists. Higher education institutionsshould be included in the review oflicensure requirements to ensureimplementation of the requirementsfor preparation and licensure. Inaddition, states should incorporate thearts and foreign languages intolicensure requirements for administrators.Many decisions about curriculumhappen at the local level, and havingleaders that understand the importanceof the arts and foreign languages is crucialto their survival in the curriculum.States should also examinerecruitment policies and practices forteachers. One state that has achievedsome success in adopting andimplementing a policy for foreignlanguage teachers is Louisiana.Bulletin 741 mandates foreignlanguage instruction for all academicallyable students in grades 4-8, withinstruction being optional for all otherstudents. The classes for grades 4-6must meet for a minimum of 30minutes daily for the entire schoolyear, and for grades 7-8 the requirementis150 minutes per week. Onestep the state has taken to ensure thatschools are able to comply with themandate is to focus on the supply ofqualified teachers—often a challengeregardless of the content area. Toaddress the issue, the state hasnegotiated agreements with foreigngovernments for teacher exchanges tohelp schools sustain the program.States can also encourage studyabroadprograms for teachers.Recommendation 2: Ensureadequate time for high-qualityprofessional development for staffin the arts and foreign languages.State education officials shouldalso help to establish relationshipsbetween local school districts anduniversities in order to provide artsand language teachers with anadequate system for professionaldevelopment. For the arts, manypeople within artistic communitiesacross the nation aid teachers andconsider their professional developmenta top priority; however, there isstill much that state policymakers cando. Data show that hardly any statesrequire professional developmentthat specifically focuses on the arts orforeign languages. State policymakersmust ensure that adequate time,adequate funding, and adequateopportunities are available for highqualityprofessional development forarts and foreign language instructors.Recommendation 3: Ensureadequate staff expertise at the stateeducation agency to work in theareas of the arts and foreignlanguages.Another component of efforts toensure strong arts and languageprograms that easily falls to thewayside in times of fiscal belttighteningis the number of individualsin the state education agency whoMaryland’s Arts Education PolicyOne state that has successfully implemented arts education statewide isMaryland. In 1989, Maryland enacted a policy to require fine arts credit forgraduation. Over the next several years, constituency groups worked together tocreate a movement at the state level for arts education. In 1995, the MarylandState Board of Education adopted the Schools for Success Goal that by the year2000, 100 percent of Maryland’s students would be participating in fine artsprograms that would enable them to achieve state standards in the arts. Theboard requires “each school system to provide an instructional program in...finearts each year for all students in grades K-8.” In addition, several task forces onarts education were formed throughout the mid-1990s to develop content andachievement standards for students. The state is also working to develop optionsfor measuring student achievement in the arts.18

Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America’s Schoolsfocus on these content areas. It isimportant to designate staff to focussolely on both the arts and foreignlanguages in order to implementpolicy and ensure compliance. Havingadequate personnel at the state agencyalso ensures that local school districtshave a resource for keeping abreast ofnational, state, and other localdevelopments. At a minimum,creating these positions, orkeeping them funded if theyalready exist, ensures advocatesat the state level for instructionin each curricular area.Recommendation 4. Incorporateboth the arts andforeign languages into core graduationrequirements, while simultaneouslyincreasing the number ofcredits required for graduation.Another critical component to aneducation system for students isgrade-level expectations and graduationrequirements. For the arts,nearly three-quarters of the statesmandate some form of arts educationin public schools, while more thanhalf require arts education in order tograduate. However, the numbers aremisleading. For example, in manystates the Carnegie unit requirementsfor the arts are far below those ofother core subject areas, and in somecases “related” subjects such as homeeconomics can be substituted.Conversely, few states mandateinstruction in foreign languages, withmost opting instead to requireschools to offer instruction.Graduation requirements, as theyexist, allow many high school studentsacross the country to spend asignificant portion of their senior yearin study hall, thus wasting valuablelearning time. More attention hasrecently been given to this lack ofchallenging coursework for highschool seniors. State policymakersshould incorporate both the arts andforeign languages into core graduationrequirements, while simultaneouslyincreasing the number of creditsrequired for graduation. This allows a“More than 90 percent ofrespondents [to a recent poll]agreed that the arts are vital toproviding a well-roundededucation for our children.”student some leeway in decidingwhich courses to take, while providingan important opportunity to experiencethe arts and foreign languagesduring what has become “down time”for students nearing graduation.Recommendation 5. Encouragehigher education institutions toincrease standards for admissionand include arts and foreignlanguage courses when calculatinghigh school grade pointaverages.With enrollment in postsecondaryinstitutions increasing,admission requirements are alsoplaying a role in what students aretaking during their secondary years.Two important issues for considerationare whether the arts and foreignlanguages are required for universityadmission and whether the arts andforeign languages are included in astudent’s grade point averagecalculation (GPA) for universityadmission. Higher education has animportant role in this regard. TheStudy Group recommends thathigher education institutions increasestandards for admission by includingthe arts and foreign languages as partof the required coursework, andthese subjects should be used incalculating a student’s grade pointaverage. By increasing requirementsfor admission, K-12 policies wouldfollow suit, which would have apositive effect for all, includingthose who do not go on to afour-year institution.Only a few states havepolicies that requirecoursework in arts educationfor university admission. WhileK-12 policymakers may nothave authority to set collegeadmissions requirements, they candevelop a policy that requires theinclusion of arts and foreign languagecourses in calculating high schoolgrade point averages. Several associationshave examined the issue ofgrade point average calculation inrecent years and found a link betweenthe courses recommended byguidance counselors and whatstudents take. Establishing strongpolicy that includes the arts andforeign languages in the calculation ofgrade point averages can provide anincentive for students to take suchcourses, and properly recognizes thework of students whose interests andabilities may be in those subject areas.One state that has such a policy isFlorida, which now requires schoolsto include courses in the arts whencalculating a student’s grade pointaverage.Curriculum andInstructionThe act of developing statestandards has not necessarily translatedinto more or better classroominstruction for many students across19

NASBETHE COMPLETE CURRICULUMGlastonbury, Connecticut’sLanguage ProgramThe language program inGlastonbury Public Schools began in1957, and is one of the longest runningarticulated programs of any publicschool system in the country forstudents in grades 1-12. The schooldistrict, set in a middle-class suburb ofHartford, Connecticut, mandateslanguage study for all students ingrades 1-8. Spanish is taught to allstudents in grades 1-5. The firsttransition year, for students in grade 6,allows for a student to continue withSpanish or begin French. Seventh andeighth grade students have anotheroption—to begin the study of Russian.Finally, high school students have theoption of studying Spanish, French,Russian, Latin, or Japanese. In recentyears, Japanese has been offered tosome students in the elementarygrades. The instruction time rangesfrom 20 minutes twice a week forstudents in grade 1, to 45 minutes perday for students in grades 7-12.The program has four goals:• To teach students to communicatebeyond their native languagesin order to participateeffectively in the world;• To enable students to recognizewhat is common to all humanexperience and to accept thatwhich is different;• To enhance students’ ability toanalyze, compare and contrast,synthesize, improvise, andexamine cultures through alanguage and a perspective otherthan their language; and• To have students begin languagestudy as early as possible in aninterdisciplinary environment.More information can be foundonline www.foreignlanguage.org. 27the country. Thus it is important forstates to not only have in place a set ofcomprehensive standards forstudents and teachers, but to ensurethat those standards are beingimplemented in K-12 classrooms, aswell as teacher education programsthroughout the country.In a recent poll commissioned byAmericans for the Arts, more than 90percent of respondents agreed thatthe arts are vital to providing a wellroundededucation for our children.In order for teachers and administratorsto implement state standardsfor students at the classroom level, theStudy Group recommends severalstrategies that should be employed toensure success.Recommendation 6: Incorporatearts and foreign language learningin the early years into standards,curriculum frameworks, and courserequirements. Also, encourage localschool districts to incorporate thearts and foreign languages intoinstruction in the early years,whenever possible.Introducing both the arts andforeign languages to children at an earlyage is key to students’ success in thesesubjects. As studies have shown, theearlier instruction begins, the better.There are sound practical and pedagogicalreasons for beginning languagestudy in the early years. To build apopulation fluent in Chinese, Arabic,Pashtu, or other languages importantfor national security it is critical thatstudents begin some language studyearly and follow a well-articulatedlanguage program through highschool. This provides the necessaryfoundation to develop fluency in theless commonly taught languages.In a recent article on brainresearch, it was noted that “someabilities are acquired more easilyduring certain sensitive periods, or‘windows of opportunity’.… [A]nadult certainly can learn a secondlanguage and learn to speak it quitewell. However, it is much moredifficult to learn a foreign languageafter age 10 or so, and the languagewill probably be spoken with anaccent.” 25 Younger students learn asecond language by acquiringautomatic patterns and vocabulary,and they can more easily and naturallythink in the target language; olderstudents rely more on mentallytranslating from their native language,which slows down the processing ofthe target language.Still, one of the key attributes of asuccessful language program is that itsgraduates are able to use theirlanguage knowledge in later life.Research shows it is important tooffer foreign language instruction aspart of the academic curriculum in theearly grades, with continuationthrough middle and high school inorder to reach this goal.Research has also shown thebenefits of music for brain development.26 For example, brain scans revealthat almost all of the cerebral cortex isactive while a musician performs.Studies have also revealed the positiveimpact music has on improvingreading scores, as well as on subjectsthat require spatial-temporal reasoning,such as mathematics and science.Early childhood education is justbeginning to earn the recognition itdeserves as a critical key to studentachievement in later years. Recently,federal, state, and local policy andpractice has begun to recognize the20

Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America’s Schoolsbenefits of early intervention, insteadof waiting to intervene until after achild has fallen behind. As with reading,the more learning that occurs inpreschool and the early elementarygrades in the arts and foreign languages,the less likely our nation’schildren are to be “left behind” and theless likely we are to leave half thechild’s education behind.Use of TechnologyMaking use of technology has become an indispensable tool for teachersof both the arts and foreign languages, helping to bridge the opportunity gapfor students attending rural and high-poverty schools. For the arts, access tomajor museums across the country—and the world—is now commonplace.Students and teachers can now access even the Library of Congress, whichprovides a wealth of information for learning. Distance learning programshave also contributed to a new level of access to the arts and foreign languages,while many individual websites provide databases that allow teachersto search on lesson plans. For example, the Kennedy Center’s ARTSEDGEprogram helps educators “to teach in, through and about the arts.” Thewebsite includes links to standards-based resources for curricula, lessons andactivities, as well as offsite web resources. Online courses and assessments,interactive web-based programs, and virtual cultural experiences are settingthe stage for a world of possibilities for foreign language instruction, as well.Currently, there is no K-12textbook series and few curricularprograms for continuous K-12 foreignlanguage study in the United States.Programs are left to piece togethertheir own materials, which is costly andinefficient. Arts education fares nobetter. While there is a wealth ofmaterial available through communityand philanthropic organizations andthe Internet, it may not always be anorganized curricular program that isgrade-level appropriate. State educationagencies should make instructionalmaterials available for classroomteachers, whenever possible, includingtechnology resources. In addition,state education officials shouldadvocate continued development ofcurriculum materials from thetextbook publishing industry, with afocus on textbooks and instructionalresources for students in kindergartenthrough grade 12.An important caution, however, isthat educators need to ensure thatprograms and instructional materials,especially for foreign language study,are aligned to prevent overlap forstudents—referred to as articulation.In a 1997 study by the Center forApplied Linguistics, researchers foundthat secondary school students whostudied a foreign language in elementaryschool were placed in entry-levelclasses with students who had noprior exposure to the language in 26percent of school districts.Another critical component forcurriculum and instruction in foreignlanguages is the distinction betweenteaching for performance versusteaching for appreciation and understanding.Whether at the school,district, or state level, some foreignlanguage programs focus on oralproficiency, while others are basedmore on cultural understanding. Asstated earlier, attaining high levels ofproficiency in a second language takesmany years, and most students onlyRecommendation 7: Advocatecontinued development ofcurriculum materials for the artsand foreign languages from thetextbook publishing industry.ArticulationArticulation is the process of creating continuity between elementary,middle, and secondary programs of language instruction. Articulation canbe horizontal and vertical.Horizontal articulation focuses on aligning outcomes, teaching strategies,materials, and evaluation of a particular course level, across schools andlinking with other subject areas at the grade level, while vertical articulationfocuses on providing continuous progress in students’ learning rather thanstarting over again in later years. For example, those students who beganlanguage study in elementary school should not be placed with beginners in ahigh school course. Many secondary language programs are currentlydesigned as entry-level courses for students with no previous language study.Vertical articulation focuses on the need to develop program tracks toserve the needs of students who have begun language instruction at differentlevels. 2821

NASBETHE COMPLETE CURRICULUMDifferent Ways of KnowingDifferent Ways of Knowing (DOK), developed by theGalef Institute, is a school-wide initiative that integratesresearch from a number of sources on how children learn best.There are 10 “Different Ways of Knowing.” Below aredescriptions, as given by the Institute:1. Intelligence as expertise rather than fixed aptitude.In many schools across the country, intelligence has remained anarrowly defined set of literacy and mathematical skills. In thepast several decades, psychologists have explored the conceptof intelligence as the development of expertise. Thus, effortand persistence become relevant if intelligence is no longerviewed as a fixed aptitude.2. The arts as intelligences. If intelligence is the developmentof expertise, then the development of artistic competenceand expertise become valued as intelligences. Pedagogicalstructure is based on the growing body of research in thedevelopment of intelligences, the importance of the arts tohuman development, and mental representations.3. Expanding the literacy spectrum. A literate adult ableto develop a full life in the twenty-first century needs to learnmore than functional reading, writing, and math skills.Further, if we value the arts as evidence of intelligence, thenstudents ought to have access to a robust curriculum in artsliteracy.4. Tapping prior knowledge. All learners approach novelsituations or new learning tasks with their rich knowledge base(intellectual, social, emotional, and practical knowledgedomains). Expert learners make connections to what theyalready know. When prior knowledge is tapped, the learner canbuild a meaningful and motivating bridge from the known tothe unknown. Learners thrive in a safe, supportive environmentthat begins and builds on their strengths.5. Practicing habits of mind. Learners are curious.Learners are persistent. Learners strive for accuracy. Learnersnever stop learning. One line of inquiry leads to another; this isone of the major underpinnings of the model. Learning eventsend not only with the question, “What did you learn?” but also“What will you learn next?”6. Project-based, real-life learning. Learners use theworld as their laboratory. Real life does not present itself inisolated disciplines. Rather, life provides us with curiousmoments, unusual opportunities, interesting projects, andtough problems to solve. Real life requires knowledge andskills in and across disciplines. In real life, we learn new skillsfrom experts and we seek out those who know what we wantto learn. School-based learning can reflect this world-aslaboratoryparadigm.7. Collaboration and the social nature of learning.Learners learn best in collaboration with others, when they arenot isolated, but are part of a community of learners thatinvites dialogue, exchange, and project negotiations.8. Standards-based planning, instruction and assessment.Planning matters. Educators benefit from planningroutines and protocols in which they learn to bundle standardsin and across disciplines, plan multiple forms of assessment, andthen link their learning goals to big ideas, essential questions,and engaging learning events.9. Shared leadership in multiple ways around meaningfulissues. The Different Ways of Knowing distinction ofleadership is the capacity to create a future that otherwise wouldnot exist and enrolling others in that future. Everyone has accessto this distinction of leadership, and schools create multipleleadership groups, including parents, students and teachers.10. Breakthroughs in adult attitudes and practices asnecessary for standards-based practices to close theachievement gap. Educators and families of high schoolstudents need learning experiences and “uncommon” experienceswith students to challenge their implicit and deeply heldbeliefs in the bell-shaped curve and help them to embrace thebelief that all students can learn at high levels and developexpertise in single subjects. We at the Galef Institute alsobelieve in the integration and application of Howard Gardner’stheory of multiple intelligences, which “unlock” and elevateadult expectations for students. The research on cognitivedevelopment representation supports the basic assumption ofthe standards movement: we should have high expectations forall students. However, as long as educators and families have anarrow view of what can and should take place in the highschool classroom and lack a vision—a mental picture—of whatstudents can accomplish, there will be a gap between the policyof standards and the practice of standards.More information about Different Ways of Knowing and theGalef Institute is available online at www.differentways.org.22

Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America’s Schoolsstudy a language for a two-yearsequence. In addition, many languagesrequire “layering” in order to achieveproficiency. For example, it is easierfor a person to learn Arabic ifproficiency has already been achievedin one or more other foreignlanguages. Thus, in recent years,much of the focus on programminghas changed to incorporate teachingfor appreciation and understanding—especially for student populations thatmight not reach proficiency—whilecontinuing to focus on proficiency.For arts education, a similar tacticinvolves integrating the arts into othercurricular areas, not only to enhancelearning in those other areas, but alsoto promote a greater appreciation andunderstanding of the arts.English Language LearnersThe National Center for Education Statistics estimates that there areover 3.8 million English language learners (ELL) in public schools,accounting for almost 8 percent of enrollment. In a 50-state surveyconducted in 2000-01, states reported more than 460 languages spoken bystudents with limited proficiency in English. 29 This number not onlycontinues to grow nationwide, but also in geographic areas that have nottraditionally dealt with an influx of immigrant populations. ELL studentsare already learning a second language—English—so it is important to takethis into consideration when formulating either a policy or program forforeign language study. The ultimate goal is for the student to becomeproficient in speaking English while maintaining and strengthening bothoral language skills and literacy skills in the native language, thus allpolicies and programs should align to make certain that goal is attainable.The good news is that once students are proficient in English, they arebilingual, with all the attendant advantages. These students are alsopotential contributors to the learning process in courses being offered intheir native language or in dual language immersion programs.Accountability andAssessmentAs standards-based reformefforts continue to sweep throughthe education system, proponents ofmany so-called “peripheral” subjects,such as the arts and foreign languages,have to fight for their placein the school day. Accountability hasbeen at the cornerstone of thesereforms over the past two decades,mostly in the form of standardizedassessments. Unfortunately,Congress’ decision in writing NCLBto focus on assessing only a few keysubject areas, coupled with reluctancefrom state legislatures to assessbeyond a few core areas, hascontributed to the marginalization ofthe arts and foreign languages in thecurriculum. Many in the educationfield are concerned that local schooldistricts are emphasizing those fewsubjects being tested at the expenseof other important components of acomprehensive education, such asthe arts and foreign languages. Whileit can certainly be argued thatassessment is only one componentof accountability, the unfortunatereality is that in many schools, whatis assessed is taught.In addition, while those in the artsand foreign language fields have beenlobbying for years for the developmentof high-quality assessmenttools, the complexity and expense oftesting in these fields has madelawmakers reluctant to think of themin terms of high-stakes accountability.Until policymakers and the public areno longer content with multiplechoiceassessments and test scores,and understand that such assessmentssimply cannot measure the full rangeof human intelligence, arts andforeign language education are at asevere disadvantage. However, theStudy Group developed the followingrecommendations that state policymakerscan use to ensure a strongerposition for the arts and foreignlanguages. The need for assessmentsin both areas is clear—without them,both subjects will continue to bemarginalized at the expense of thosecore areas that are tested. Butbeyond being included in theassessment system, it is crucial thatthe arts and foreign languagesbecome part of state accountabilitysystems, as well.Recommendation 8: Incorporateall core subject areas, includingthe arts and foreign languages,into the improvement strategiespromoted by the No Child LeftBehind Act.The No Child Left Behind Actgave a powerful recognition to thearts and foreign languages by includingthem as core academic subjects ina well-rounded, comprehensiveeducation—something that had notbeen done in past authorizations of23

NASBETHE COMPLETE CURRICULUMthe Elementary and SecondaryEducation Act. Thus, NCLBempowers states and schools tofocus on a well-rounded, comprehensiveeducation, which in turnallows states to reevaluate theirpolicy frameworks—includingaccountability structures—for allcore subject areas.Specific to assessment, policy canbe developed in a variety of ways tomeet the needs of an individual state.For example, states and local districtscould form regional coalitions tohelp alleviate the expense of testdevelopment. A policy could also beadopted that would allow localdistricts to use state-approvedassessments—regardless of whodeveloped them. Another optionwould be to allow for local schooldistricts or regional consortia todetermine the most effectivemethods for assessing students,whether it is performance tasks orportfolios. Regardless of the optionthat best suits a particular state’sneeds, the important factor is toalign any assessment measures withstate standards, curriculum frameworks,or other requirements.The grade levels of the assessmentsare also an important considerationfor policymakers. Oneoption for states to consider is todevelop and administer assessmentsat the 8th grade, as a way of maintainingand building K-8 programsfor all students. This would incorporatethe earlier discussions on theimportance of early learning in thearts and foreign languages. Statesthat already test students in theeighth grade in many curricular areasmay want to opt for another gradefor assessing students in the arts andforeign languages.Texas Musicians to the RescueIn Texas, music powerhouses have come together to address budgetcuts in the arts. The Texas Music Project, a nonprofit organization thathelps raise funds for school music programs across the state, recentlylaunched a public awareness campaign that includes the sale of a CDseries. The CD contains songs from big-name artists such as WillieNelson, Erykah Badu, and the Dixie Chicks, and all proceeds from thesale of the CD, called Don’t Mess With Texas Music, will be used tosupport music education programs throughout the state. The project isbeing supported by more than 30 music and arts organizations, as well asa host of musical artists. More information on the project can be foundonline at www.texasmusicproject.org.States should also consider otherpossible accountability measures asalternatives to assessment. Programmonitoring is one option, as isrequired reporting. States that movein this direction would need to havestrong policy in place in order tomonitor compliance.Recommendation 9: Urge theNational Assessment GoverningBoard to increase the frequencyin the administration of NAEPassessments for both the arts andforeign languages.Both the arts and foreignlanguages have NAEP assessments(foreign language is in the pilotstage). Contrasting the frequencywith which NAEP is assessed inmathematics, compared with the arts,for example, has sent a less thanencouraging signal to the states aboutthe importance of the arts as a coresubject. It also reduces the potentialthat states will benefit from therelease of test items, results ofvalidity and reliability field tests ofassessment exercises, and other waysin which the federal-state relationshipworks for math, reading, writing, andscience in large-scale assessment.FundingFunding is a cornerstone of everystate and local educational system, aswell as for every curricular area. Inthat regard, the arts and foreignlanguages are no different. However,competition with other core areas hasalso placed arts and foreign languageprograms low in the pecking orderfor funding.Recommendation 10: UrgeCongress and legislatures to makea greater commitment to the artsand foreign languages.At the federal level, the NationalEndowment for the Arts (NEA) andthe National Endowment for theHumanities (NEH) are two federalagencies that support these areas.Congress created both in 1965 asindependent agencies of the federalgovernment. Funding for the eachagency hovers around $125 million. Instark contrast, the funding level for theNational Science Foundation (NSF)hovers around $5 billion—with around$1 billion going toward K-16 activities.The Department of Educationalso provides minimal funding24

Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America’s Schoolsresources for each subject to statesand local school districts. One sourceavailable to states and districts forforeign languages is the federalgovernment’s Foreign LanguageAssistance Program (FLAP). It wasdesigned to support the establishment,improvement, or expansion ofinnovative foreign language programsfor both elementary and secondaryschools. The grants are awarded for aperiod of three years and theDepartment of Education offersapproximately $6 million in fundingbetween the FLAP program andanother similar program that targetselementary schools. As an example,Wyoming made use of FLAP funds tobegin four different models offoreign language education across thestate, which will be evaluated todetermine the outcomes andconsequences of each. Unfortunately,no funding existed for new FLAPgrants last year, and fewer than 90grants will be awarded this year.Similarly, the Department ofEducation currently allocates approximately$36 million for arts education.Further, spending figures on artseducation in general indicate thatwhile the majority of funds forsupplementary arts programs at theelementary level came from schooldistrict funds, ranging from 44percent to 65 percent, roughly 40percent of funding still came fromparents. This unfortunate practiceexacerbates the gap in arts opportunitiesbetween high- and low-incomestudents. 30The Study Group believes it iscritical that Congress and statelegislatures make a greater commitmentto the arts and humanities,including foreign languages. Givenworld events, the future success ofthe United States depends on it.Additional funding should be madeavailable to states, universities, andlocal school districts to help developprograms surrounding the arts andforeign languages, as well as highqualityassessment systems.Others in the public and privatesector have a role to play as well. Onlya small portion of the nearly $266billion that is spent on K-12 educationcomes from the federal government.There are many groups with a stake inarts education and foreign languageinstruction, such as representativesfrom higher education, business, stateart agencies, independent artsorganizations, and cultural institutions.By working together, thesegroups not only have the opportunityto enhance the arts and foreignlanguage education dialogue, but toincrease the pool of resources andsupporters of the efforts for acomprehensive education.After intense study and deliberation,these are the recommendationsthe Study Group on the LostCurriculum believes will movestate education systems to place thearts and foreign languages firmly inthe position of being true coresubjects. Adopting the policiessuggested by the Study Group willensure that the arts and foreignlanguages do not get “lost,” and thatthey become a firm part of theeducational foundation of everyAmerican student.25

NASBETHE COMPLETE CURRICULUMEndnotes1Council for Basic Education, Liberal ArtsManifesto (Washington DC: CBE,2003).2The Merrow Report, online atwww.pbs.org/merrow/tv/sta/quotes.html.3Edward B. Fiske, Ed., Champions ofChange: The Impact of the Arts onLearning (Washington, DC: The ArtsEducation Partnership and ThePresident’s Committee on the Arts andthe Humanities, 1999).4Norman M. Weinberger, “The Music inOur Minds,” Educational Leadership,56, 3 (1998): 36-40.5The National Arts Education Consortium,Transforming EducationThrough the Arts Challenge: FinalProject Report (Columbus, OH: TheOhio State University, Department ofArt Education, 2002).6Kathleen M. Marcos, “Second LanguageLearning: Everyone Can Benefit,” K-12 Foreign Language Education, 6, 1,(1998): 2-5.7Myriam Met, ed. Critical Issues (WhitePlains, NY: Longman, 1998).8Helena Curtain and Carol Ann BjornstadPesola, Languages and Children:Making the Match: Foreign LanguageInstruction for an Early Start Grades K-8 (White Plains, NY: Longman, 1994).9Renate A. Schulz, “Foreign LanguageEducation in the United States:Trends and Challenges,” K-12 ForeignLanguage Education, 6, 1, (1998): 6-13.10Fred M. Hayward and Laura M. Siaya, AReport on Two National SurveysAbout International Education(Washington, DC: American Councilon Education, 2001).11Diana Jean Schemo, “Washington CitesShortages of Linguists for Key SecurityJobs,” The New York Times (April 16,2001).12Helena Curtain and Carol Ann BjornstadPesola, Languages and Children:Making the Match: Foreign LanguageInstruction for an Early Start Grades K-8 (White Plains, NY: Longman, 1994).13Nancy Carey et al., Arts Education inPublic Elementary and SecondarySchools: 1999-2000 (Washington, DC:U.S. Department of Education, Officeof Educational Research andImprovement, 2002).14Hillary R. Persky, Brent A. Sandene, andJanice M. Askew, The NAEP 1997Arts Report Card: Eighth-GradeFindings from the National Assessmentof Educational Progress(Washington DC: U.S. Department ofEducation, Office of EducationalResearch and Improvement, 1999).15David M. Herszenshorn, “Basic SkillsForcing Cuts in Art Classes,” TheNew York Times (July 23, 2003).16Michelle Galley, “Parents Buy In toPaying for the Basics,” EducationWeek (February 12, 2003).17Theresa Edo, “Parents Save MusicProgram, Teacher,” The MetrowestDaily News (July 1, 2003).18North Carolina A+ Schools and theThomas S. Kenan Institute for the Artsat the North Carolina School of theArts, North Carolina A+ SchoolsProgram: Schools That Work forEveryone Executive Summary(Winston-Salem, NC: North CarolinaA+ Schools Program, 2001).19National Commission on Asia and theSchools, Asia in the Schools:Preparing Young Americans forToday’s Interconnected World (NewYork, NY: The Asia Society, 2001).20Lucinda Branaman and Jeanne Rennie,“Many Ways to Learn: ElementarySchool Foreign Language ProgramModels,” K-12 Foreign LanguageEducation, 6, 1, (1998): 14-23.21Fred M. Hayward and Laura M. Siaya, AReport on Two National SurveysAbout International Education(Washington, DC: American Councilon Education, 2001).22National Standards in Foreign LanguageEducation Project, Standards forForeign Language Learning in the 21 stCentury, (Lawrence, KS: Allen Press,Inc., 1999).23Consortium of National Arts EducationAssociations, The National Standardsfor Arts Education, (Washington, DC:Consortium of National ArtsEducation Associations, 1994).24Ibid.25Pat Wolfe and Ron Brandt, “What DoWe Know from Brain Research,”Educational Leadership, 56, 3 (1998):8-13.26Norman M. Weinberger, “The Music inOur Minds,” Educational Leadership,56, 3 (1998): 36-40.27Douglas F. Gilzow and Lucinda E.Branaman, Lessons Learned: ModelEarly Foreign Language Programs(McHenry, IL: Center for AppliedLinguistics and Delta Systems Co.,Inc., 2000).28Jo Anne Wilson, Foreign LanguageProgram Articulation: Building Bridgesfrom Elementary to Secondary School(Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouseon Languages and Linguistics,1998).29Anneka L. Kindler, Survey of the States’Limited English Proficient Studentsand Available Educational Programsand Services: 2000-2001 SummaryReport. (Washington, DC: U.S.Department of Education, Office ofEnglish Language Acquisition, 2002).30Nancy Carey et al., Arts Education inPublic Elementary and SecondarySchools: 1999-2000 (Washington, DC:U.S. Department of Education, Officeof Educational Research andImprovement, 2002).26

Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America’s SchoolsAppendix A. Organizational ResourcesThe American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages(ACTFL) is a national organization dedicated to the improvementand expansion of the teaching and learning of alllanguages at all levels of instruction. ACTFL is an individualmembership organization of more than 7,000 foreign languageeducators and administrators from elementary through graduateeducation, as well as government and industry. The mission ofthe American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages isto promote and foster the study of languages and cultures as anintegral component of American education and society.American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages700 South Washington Street, Suite 210Alexandria, VA 22314Telephone: (703) 894-2900E-mail: headquarters@actfl.orgWeb: www.actfl.orgAmericans for the Arts is a non-profit organization focused onadvancing the arts in America. The organization is dedicated torepresenting and serving local communities and creatingopportunities for every American to participate in and appreciateall forms of the arts. With offices in Washington DC and NewYork, NY, and more than 5,000 organizational and individualmembers across the country, Americans for the Arts focuses onthree primary goals: increasing public and private sector supportfor the arts; ensuring that every American child has access to ahigh-quality arts education; and strengthening communitiesthrough the arts.Americans for the ArtsWashington Office1000 Vermont Ave. NW, 6 th FloorWashington, DC 20005Telephone: (202) 371-2830E-mail: webmaster@artsusa.orgWeb: www.artsusa.orgNew York OfficeOne East 53 rd StreetNew York, NY 10022Telephone: (212) 223-2787The Arts Education Partnership (AEP) is a national coalitionof arts, education, business, philanthropic, and governmentorganizations that demonstrates and promotes the essential roleof the arts in the learning and development of every child andin the improvement of America’s schools. Based at the Councilof Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), the Partnershipincludes over 140 organizations that are national in scope andimpact. It also includes state and local partnerships focused oninfluencing education policies and practices to promote qualityarts education. Partnership organizations affirm the central roleof imagination, creativity and the arts in culture and society;the power of the arts to enliven and transform education andschools; and collective action through partnerships as the meansto place the arts at the center of learning.Arts Education PartnershipOne Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 700Washington, DC 20001-1431Telephone: (202) 326-8693E-mail: aep@ccsso.orgWeb: aep-arts.org/The Council for Basic Education (CBE) is a national nonprofitorganization that advocates high academic standards forall students and exemplary teaching in every classroom in thenation’s public schools. Throughout its history, CBE hasdirected its programs and publications to strengthen teachingand learning of the liberal arts to prepare students for lifelonglearning and responsible citizenship. CBE advises states andlocal districts as they develop, review, revise, and implementacademic content and performance standards. The organizationalso helps build curriculum frameworks aligned to standards andprovides professional development for teachers and principals.The Council for Basic Education1319 F Street, NW Suite 900Washington, D.C. 20004-1152Telephone: (202) 347-4171E-mail: info@c-b-e.orgWeb: www.c-b-e.orgThe Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) is a private, nonprofitorganization made up of a group of scholars andeducators who use the findings of linguistics and relatedsciences in identifying and addressing language-relatedproblems. CAL carries out a wide range of activities includingresearch, teacher education, analysis and dissemination ofinformation, design and development of instructional materials,technical assistance, conference planning, program evaluation,and policy analysis.Center for Applied Linguistics4646 40th Street, NWWashington, DC 20016-1859Telephone: (202) 362-0700E-mail: info@cal.orgWeb: www.cal.org/27

Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America’s SchoolsThe National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is anindependent federal agency created in 1965. It is the largestfunder of humanities programs in the United States. The NEHpromotes excellence in the humanities and conveys the lessonsof history to all Americans. The humanities include, but are notlimited to, the study of: language, both modern and classical;linguistics; literature; history; jurisprudence; philosophy;archaeology; comparative religion; ethics; the history, criticismand theory of the arts; and those aspects of social sciences whichhave humanistic content and employ humanistic methods.Also, the NEH offers EDSitement (edsitement.neh.gov), whichprovides online lesson plans and activities related to thehumanities for children, developed in coordination with theCouncil of the Great City Schools and MCI WorldCom.National Endowment for the Humanities1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington DC 20506Telephone: 1-800-NEH-1121 or (202) 606-8400E-mail: info@neh.govWeb: www.neh.gov/index.htmlThe National Council of State Supervisors of ForeignLanguages (NCSSFL) is an organization of education agencypersonnel who have the responsibility of foreign languageeducation at the state level. The purpose of NCSSFL is toincrease the effectiveness of state education agency personnelinvolved in foreign language education by: acting as an informationservice for state programs, experimental studies, and latestdevelopments; cooperating with other organizations in theimprovement of instruction in foreign languages at all levels;promoting foreign language study; developing position papers onissues in foreign language education; and providing leadership forthe development and maintenance of foreign language educationthroughout the country.The National Council of State Supervisors of Foreign LanguagesWeb: www.ncssfl.org/The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanitieshelps to incorporate the arts and humanities into White Houseobjectives. The Committee bridges federal agencies and theprivate sector to recognize cultural excellence, access, andparticipation; engage in research and recognition programs thatunderscore the civic, social, educational, and historical value ofarts and humanities; initiate special projects that celebrate thespirit of our nation and its relationship to other nations; andstimulate private funding for these activities. Members of theCommittee are private citizens appointed by the President and theheads of federal agencies with cultural programs, including: theNational Endowment for the Arts; National Endowment for theHumanities; Institute of Museum and Library Services; Library ofCongress; Smithsonian Institution; John F. Kennedy Center forthe Performing Arts; and the National Gallery of Art.President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 526Washington, DC 20506Telephone: (202) 682-5409E-mail: pcah@pcah.govWeb: www.pcah.govThe U.S. Department of Education’s mission is to ensureequal access to education and to promote educational excellencethroughout the nation. The Department’s 4,800 employees and$54.4 billion budget are dedicated to: establishing policies onfederal financial aid for education, and distributing as well asmonitoring those funds; collecting data on America’s schoolsand disseminating that research; focusing national attention onthe educational issues it prioritizes; and prohibiting discriminationand ensuring equal access to education.U.S. Department of Education400 Maryland Avenue, SWWashington, DC 20202Telephone: 1-800-USA-LEARNTTY: 1-800-437-0833E-mail: customerservice@inet.ed.govWeb: www.ed.govWolf Trap Education Institute for Early Learning Throughthe Arts provides arts-in-education services for children ages 3-5 and their teachers and families through the disciplines ofdrama, music and movement. Regional programs of theInstitute are located throughout the country to help enrich andmotivate teachers’ professional development; engage youngchildren in active, creative learning experiences; energize effortsto bring parents and caregivers together into the classroom; andenliven the classroom environment.Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts1645 Trap RoadVienna, Virginia 22182Telephone: (703) 255-1933 or (800) 404-8461E-mail: education@wolftrap.orgWeb: www.Wolf-trap.org/institute29

NASBETHE COMPLETE CURRICULUMAppendix B. Annotated BibliographyArts Education in Public Elementaryand Secondary Schools. Nancy Carey, BrianKleiner, Rebecca Porch, and Elizabeth Farris. Project Officer:Shelley Burns. U.S. Department of Education and theNational Center for Education Statistics, 2002.The authors compiled a national profile of the status ofarts education in the nation’s public elementary and secondaryschools based on surveys conducted by the National Center forEducation Statistics. This report outlines data on characteristicssuch as the availability of instruction in the arts, staffing,funding, supplemental programs, and administrative support ofarts education. The data were collected from elementary andsecondary school principals, elementary school specialists, andelementary classroom teachers. Champions of Change: The Impact ofthe Arts on Learning. Edward B. Fiske. ThePresident’s Committee on the Arts and the Arts EducationPartnership, 1999.This report describes the work of seven research teams thatexamined a broad spectrum of education programs using avariety of methods. The compilation of their work examineswhat the arts change about the learning experience along withwhy and how the arts impact the learning experience. Amongother conclusions, researchers found that learning about andthrough the arts can help ‘level the playing field’ for studentsfrom disadvantaged backgrounds and demonstrated that studentswith high levels of arts participation outperform “arts-poor”students. The authors conclude by discussing the relevance oftheir studies for policy and practice in the education system. Critical Issues in Early Second LanguageLearning: Building for OurChildren’s Future. Myriam Met. Addison-WesleyEducational Publishers Inc., 1998.This book was compiled in honor of the NationalNetwork for Early Language Learning’s tenth anniversary, andit focuses on issues that help determine successful programs ofinstruction in the foreign languages. Topics include: theadvantages and disadvantages to the current model programsfor teaching early foreign language education; when elementaryschool foreign language programs should begin; whichlanguages young students should learn; content-based languageinstruction; using technology to promote language learning;challenges to articulation; assessing foreign language abilities ofearly language learners; useful strategies for advocating theinitiation of programs; and considerations for implementing anelementary school language program. Critical Links: Learning in the Arts andStudent Academic and Social Development.Richard Deasy. The Arts Education Partnership, 2002.This compendium provides summaries of 62 studies thatrelate the academic and social effects of studies in dance, drama,music, visual arts, and multi-arts. Each art form is addressed inits own chapter, with commentary provided throughout and anessay at the end of each section to fully discuss ramifications ofthe studies. Essayists and commentators claim that the body ofinformation provided in this compendium supports the role ofarts learning in assisting with the development of criticalacademic skills. They also recommend ways to restructure thecurricula and instructional practices, based on the studies. Theessayists further argue that “learning in the arts – and itsrelationship to other learning – is complex and interactive,” andfor the “development and acceptance of forms of assessingteaching and learning that respect and reveal that complexity.” Envisioning Arts Assessment: A ProcessGuide for Assessing Arts Education inSchool Districts and States. Nancy Pistone. TheArts Education Partnership and the Council of Chief StateSchool Officers, 2002.This guide provides a step-by-step plan to help states andschool districts design and establish their own arts assessments.Part One of the report briefly addresses the history, theory, andvalues surrounding the assessment movement. The authorsstress that, particularly with the rise of the standards-basedmovement, establishing arts education assessments will help toincrease instruction time for the arts. Part Two outlines specificplans and action steps necessary for creating and implementingan assessment program. The authors break the process down30

Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America’s Schoolsinto three phases, including: Plan and Clarify, Develop andGenerate, and Implement and Model. Each phase concludeswith questions to ask and discuss, numerous specific activitieswith guides and examples, and models for writing letters toelected officials and other parties of interest. Finally, the guideincludes a complete assessment as an example. Foreign Language Teaching: What theUnited States Can Learn From OtherCountries. Ingrid Pufahl, Nancy C. Rhodes, and DonnaChristian. Center for Applied Linguistics, 2000.This report is based on a study of foreign languageprograms in 19 countries that was conducted by the Center forApplied Linguistics. It highlights eight characteristics that arecommonly found in successful foreign language programs invarious countries, including: an early start; a well-articulatedframework; rigorous teacher education; comprehensive use oftechnology; innovative methods; strong policy; role ofassessment; and maintenance of heritage, regional, andindigenous languages. The authors then use those characteristicsto develop suggestions for what the United States can learnfrom the study and from other countries. Frames of Mind: The Theory of MultipleIntelligences. Howard Gardner. Harper-Collins, 1983.Howard Gardner challenges the notion of intelligence as asingle property of the human mind, suggesting instead that awider range of competences should be considered when evaluatinghuman cognition. By Gardner’s definition, an intelligence isthe ability to solve problems, or to create products, that are valuedwithin one or more cultural settings. Gardner identifies sevenbasic intelligences, in the original text, adding an eighth at a laterdate: 1) Linguistic Intelligence, 2) Logical-MathematicalIntelligence, 3) Spatial Intelligence, 4) Bodily-KinestheticIntelligence, 5) Musical Intelligence, 6) Interpersonal Intelligence,7) Intrapersonal Intelligence, and 8) Naturalistic Intelligence. Theauthor also stresses four main points when discussing theintelligences, including that: each person possesses all eightintelligences to some degree; most people can develop eachintelligence to an adequate level of competency; intelligencesusually work together in complex ways; and there are many waysto be intelligent within each category. Gaining the Arts Advantage: Lessonsfrom School Districts that Value ArtsEducation. The President’s Committee on the Arts andthe Humanities and The Arts Education Partnership, 1999.Gaining the Arts Advantage: MoreLessons from School Districts thatValue Arts Education. The President’s Committeeon the Arts and the Humanities and The Arts EducationPartnership, 2000.In the original report, the authors detail a national study of91 school districts across the nation that had proven a commitmentto reaching students through the arts over a number ofyears. Each district was asked to describe strategies, strengths,and practices that they believed contributed to their ability toteach the arts. The authors conclude that the active involvementof influential segments of the community is the singlemost important factor to the success of arts programs. Otherfactors that are discussed include: school boards, superintendents,continuity, the district arts coordinator, principals,teachers, parent involvement, and planning.In More Lessons, the authors revisit these factors toconsider how success is sustained by school districts. They alsooutline a set of action points for schools hoping to build astrong arts program. Lessons Learned: Model Early ForeignLanguage Programs. Douglas F. Gilzow andLucinda E. Branaman. Center for Applied Linguistics and DeltaSystems Co., 2000.The authors offer a comprehensive analysis of sevenforeign language programs around the nation that wereidentified through a strenuous nomination and selectionprocess. The seven case studies include instruction programsin Spanish, French, Latin, Russian, and Japanese. Each of theseven model programs has a chapter of the book devoted toexamining its history, philosophy and goals, challenges, keysto success, and other important issues like assessment andfunding. The book’s conclusion addresses these topics in amore general manner, while also discussing national standards,professional development, and future considerations forforeign language programs. 31

NASBETHE COMPLETE CURRICULUMPerformance Guidelines for K-12 Learners.Project Director: Elvira Swender. American Council onthe Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), 2002.The guidelines outline how well students should beperforming certain tasks at specific levels of their development.The measurements include: how well students are understood;how well they understand; how accurate their language is; howextensive and applicable their vocabulary is; how they maintaincommunication; and how their cultural awareness is reflected intheir communication. These abilities are divided into threelevels, including Novice Learning Range, IntermediateLearning Range, and Pre-Advanced Learner Range; and theyare further divided into specific skill sets, including interpersonalskills, interpretive skills, and presentational skills. Each of thesubcategories relates how students should be using thelanguage, what they should understand, and how sophisticatedtheir skills should be. Reclaiming the Legacy: In Defense ofLiberal Education. Denis Doyle. CBE WebPublication and The Council for Basic Education, 2000.Doyle approaches liberal education from the businessperspective, reasoning that such education is the tool thatprepares people to think, reason, and criticize. He predicts thatthe 21 st century will be filled with change, and that only aliberal education can prepare tomorrow’s labor force for thatchange. Doyle argues that a liberal education should beginearly, in elementary and high schools where students developlifelong learning skills and habits. He also suggests that schoolsconduct an academic analysis to determine whether or not theyare meeting their academic goals, and outlines ways to useeducation data to conduct such an analysis. Standards for Foreign Language Learning.June K. Phillips and Christine Brown. NationalStandards in Foreign Language Education Project, 1999.The authors assert that as the United States continues todiversify, understanding of foreign languages grows inimportance. They emphasize five reasons why students shouldstudy foreign languages—the five C’s—which include:communication with others; understanding other cultures;establishing connections to additional bodies of knowledge;making comparisons and contrasts with other languages andcultures so they can better understand their own; and participatingin multilingual communities at home and around theworld. These reasons are rounded out in chapters dedicated totheir rationale. Finally, extensive standards for learning areaddressed for the following languages: Chinese, Classical,French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, andSpanish. Teaching Heritage Language Learners:Voices from the Classroom. John B. Webb andBarbara L. Miller. American Council on the Teaching ofForeign Languages: Foreign Language Education Series, 2000.This book is separated into three sections—Part Oneaddresses Heritage Language Learners, defining who they areand providing student profiles; Part Two goes inside theclassroom, relaying case studies and teacher stories; and PartThree approaches heritage language learning from the nationalperspective by analyzing the ACTFL-Hunter College FIPSEProject. The authors provide a strong framework for learningmore about heritage language students, offer instructional toolsfor teachers to use when teaching heritage language students,and analyze methods of assessment for monitoring the progressof heritage language students. What Teachers Need to Know AboutLanguage. Lily Wong Fillmore and Catherine E. Snow.Educational Resources Information Center Clearinghouse onLanguages and Linguistics, 2000.The authors explore the roles of teachers as communicators,educators, evaluators, educated human beings, and agentsof socialization to establish the many reasons why they shouldknow more about languages. The authors then offer suggestionsfor what kind of information teachers should know aboutlanguages—both oral and written. This section addresses suchtopics as how to judge the quality of writing and why sometypes of writing or speaking (i.e. expository or narrative) aremore difficult than other types. Finally, the authors recommendthe types of courses teachers need to take, encouragingthe study of language through both linguistics and culturaldiversity, and courses in second language learning and teaching.32