Kathleen Stein-Smith Bücher

Das Buch thematisiert das alarmierende Fremdsprachendefizit in den USA, das durch die COVID-Pandemie verstärkt wurde. Trotz der Mehrsprachigkeit in einer globalisierten Welt lernen viele Amerikaner nur Englisch, was negative Auswirkungen auf die nationale und wirtschaftliche Sicherheit hat. Der Rückgang des Fremdsprachenunterrichts an Schulen wird kritisch betrachtet. Um dem entgegenzuwirken, wird eine Zusammenarbeit von Pädagogen, Unternehmen, der Regierung und der Gemeinschaft gefordert, um das Erlernen und die Nutzung von Fremdsprachen zu fördern und so die gesellschaftliche Teilhabe zu stärken.

The book explores the significant foreign language deficit in the United States, highlighting its impact on global citizenship and national security, particularly exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. It discusses the historical presence of multiple languages in the US and the decline of foreign language education in schools. Emphasizing the need for advocacy, it calls for collaboration among educators, businesses, and government to promote language learning and usage in various facets of society, ensuring that all individuals have opportunities to become multilingual.

This volume explores why Americans are among the least likely in the world to speak another language and how this U. S. foreign language deficit negatively impacts national and economic security, business and career prospects. Stein-Smith exposes how individuals are disadvantaged through their inability to effectively navigate the global workplace and multicultural communities, how their career options are limited by the foreign language deficit, and even how their ability to enjoy travel abroad and cultural pursuits is diminished. Through exploring the impact of the U. S. foreign language deficit, the author speaks to the stakeholders and partners in the campaign for foreign languages, offering guidance on what can and should be done to address it. She examines the next steps needed to develop specific career pathways that will meet the current and future needs of government, business, and industry, and empower foreign language learners through curriculum and career preparation.