Professionalizing Teachers of African Languages: Priorities for the Current Decade.

The promotion of foreign language instruction and learning has been the objective of three national legislative acts: National Defense Education Act, Foreign Language Assistance Act, and National Security Education Act. Following these enactments, the Department of Education and the Department of Defense have dispensed appropriations to meet the objectives of African language programs in curriculum development, teacher training, and instructional strategies. However, marginalization of language instruction exists within the academic community and as a result, not enough African language instructors participate in language professional activities. Beyond the restrictions in pedagogical research and curriculum materials faced by language instructors in general, teachers of African languages face additional limitations, lacking a framework for a national language policy, institutional financial support, and articulation. A reform initiative for African Studies Centers (ASCs) includes five components of change: a mission statement, a set of specific skills, program incentives, improved resources, and an action plan timeline to achieve a viable national African language policy. Suggestions for a national framework for language instruction, for obtaining institutional support, and for developing professionals associations are offered. Sixteen appendices address standards for a professional African language instructor; teacher certification in Arabic, Hausa, Swahili, and Yoruba; and a proposed timeline toward a national plan for African language instructors. (JP)