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The Soviet Union Launches Sputnik into Earth's Orbit
This Event alarms American officials. President Eisenhower throws NASA's rocket programs into full gear, but also launches educational initiatives in order to boost US's brain power against the USSR. -
In response to Sputnik, President Dwight D. Eisenhower initiated the National Defense Education Act
The Act's Main components are explained here. Title III of the NDE Act provided increased funding in public schools K-12 in "modern languages" such as Russian and German. While the Act mainly increased funding for education in the Sciences, Eisenhower saw the strategic necessity of the next generation's language skills. -
JFK's "Ich bin ein Berliner Speech
President Kennedy used a phrase in German diplomatically in a speech in Berlin to connect with his audience. "Ich bin en Berliner" Speach -
President Richard Nixon visits China
Nixon's visit was a step towards China's re-opening to the West after the communist takeover. The People's Republic of China is a major economic power today and many experts say Mandarin Chinese will be a lingua franca in the future. An explanation of the events significance -
9/11 Attacks Spark Increased Funding of Foreign Language Programs in US Intelligence Agencies
Following 9/11, the US intelligence community centralizes and reforms its foreign language task forces. Language such as Arabic, Urdu, Farsi, and Pashto become critical for national security. 2012 FBI testimony about importance of linguistics for national security -
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 signed by President George W. Bush
Where the funds went. The Act focuses on improving US student's K-12 English and Math skills. School systems reallocate funds to Math and English classes to meet this objective. The side effect being that freign language classes lose funding. -
Only 25% of Americans proficient in foreign language
Link to the Pew Research Article According to the Pew Research Center, only 25% of American were fluent in a foreign language. While the 18% were fluent in the mother tongue of their parents (mostly Spanish), only 7% had learned fluency in school. 1% retained a level of proficiency in a foreign language learned in high school. 56% of Europeans fluent in 2nd Language -
US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan says US students aren't learning the right language
According to Arne Duncan in 2010, 95% of students in the US are learning European languages which are less relevant today than in the Cold War Era. "(Language Learning) is this generations Sputnik," he said.
"Education and the Language Gap
