Myriam Met of the National Foreign Language Center

Friday, December 7, 2001

Myriam Met of the National Foreign Language Center (NFLC) at the University of Maryland addressed media fellows on the subject of foreign language learning in American high schools at the 2001 Hechinger Education Seminars in Denver, November 30-December 2. The select group of education journalists represented publications ranging from the Los Angeles Times to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Dr. Met was one of 12 speakers invited to address this year's fellows.

Her presentation drew attention to low enrollments and limited opportunities for US students to study foreign language, particularly before high school. She pointed to the negative effect these limitations have on the national economy as well as national security. Looking to the events of September 11 as catalysts for change, she stressed the need for a flagship initiative, which would provide federal funding for K-12 and post secondary language learning.

Dr. Met linked language facility to early exposure, reminding her audience that few children begin study early enough to attain high levels of proficiency:

If children learn languages like Spanish or French in grade school, they'll be able to pick up languages like Farsi, Pashtu or Mandarin later on. Waiting until high school to begin study of a foreign language means that most American students lack sufficient time to develop communication skills to go beyond being polite tourists.

She went on to say that nothing has been done to remedy the situation since the 1993 World Trade Center bombings, when a shortage of translators kept the US from translating important documents related to that tragedy. "The US can spend money before or after another crisis, but what the public should know is that you can't produce fluent speakers of Arabic overnight regardless of how much money you pour into the situation after the fact," said Met.

Dr. Met advocates universal language opportunities starting in kindergarten, and continuing through college. In addition, she recommends federal funding for "flagship" language programs, designed as pipelines to train students in critical foreign languages beginning in elementary or middle school and continuing through graduate studies. Students with an unusual aptitude for language learning would be selected for training in critical languages of use to government and industry beginning in high school.

Myriam Met, Ed.D. is the Director of K-12 initiatives at the National Foreign Language Center. Prior to her involvement with the Center, she was the Coordinator of Foreign Languages for the Montgomery County Public Schools (MD) and supervisor of language programs for the Cincinnati Public Schools. In her career, she has provided services to more than 60 school districts, national and state departments of education, universities, professional associations and private agencies in 38 states, Europe, Asia, South America and Canada.

For more information about Dr. Met, or to arrange an interview, please contact Susan Weissman at 301 656-7408, or via e-mail at sbweissman@aol.com