Contemporary Sino-American Language Policies In Education And Their Reciprocity With Globalization

The relation between language and international cooperation is a relatively newfield. Although speaking of “international” means speaking of different cultures, thechoice of the means through which communicate had never caught as much attentionas it has been doing over the past years. However, the connection between languagesand globalization is two-fold and somewhat contradictory: on the one hand, Englishfacilitates cross-boundary communication, allowing the transmission of information;on the other hand, nevertheless, cross-cultural differences still persist, which is whymultilingualism has come to occupy a central place in globalization as well. How didthis paradox occur? Is it linked to the phenomena that happen in the world, such asglobalization or the linguistic policies adopted by big actors like China or the UnitedStates? In other words, what is the relation between language-in-education policiesand globalization?Chapter1IntroductionChapter2Language and Globalization: Changing ViewsToday′s professionals must have a full command of English, and any “extralanguage” is an asset when it comes to adhere to the dynamics of globalization. Thisis precisely the domain of language-in-education policies. It would be absurd to denythe overwhelming presence and importance of the United States as a military andscientific power and, as a consequence, of English, especially since the end of WorldWar II. However, as contacts between states became multinational, communicationthrough many languages became a need as well. It is not wise, then, to turn a blindeye on different states which are growing in importance and are acquiring the tools to“export” knowledge as well. Under the present conditions, internationalorganizations’ discussions revolve around topics such as “knowledge societies” and“Education for All”. Education systems are the primary way to teach languages, andthe future of a knowledgeable nation will depend on the choice of the means throughwhich that education is transmitted. The policy-making process must be in accordancewith those global trends. Chapter3American Language Policies in EducationAs countries grow more important and create more links with the United States,there is no choice for Americans but to start adapting their language policies as well.In2007, the United States reestablished the goals of its foreign policy, focusing onstrengthening global ties, notably in the field of education. Nowadays, the USgovernment challenge concerning education and language lies mainly within thestandardization of subjects at different education levels, especially of English, for allits population. As education turns a global issue, the United States has been promotingforeign language learning for its citizens as well, especially concerning languages thatare critical to the nation′s interests. Programs promoting these goals include studyabroad exchanges, online software and courses, the revision and reform of thesyllabus from elementary school to higher education, and the access to English testsworldwide. Therefore, the American policy on languages is a mixture of the big focuson preparing nationals to become proficient in the nation′s critical languages and thehuge amount of grants that encourage the teaching and learning of English inside thecountry, with a combination of offices and language testing systems abroad thatguarantee the status of English as the lingua franca of the world.Chapter4Chinese Language PoliciesAs the best representative of growing powers, China is already a main player inglobalization, which means that it must adjust its language policies to its own internaldemands, but also to the external ones. Economic stability and knowledge acquisitiongo together, and the PRC is aware of it. The Chinese government has in mind that anymeasure for development is a challenge, but it is also an opportunity for market andsocial competition. It follows that China′s linguistic policies in education are orientedtowards two objectives: the teaching of Putonghua nationwide while preserving locallanguages, and the possibility to have access to foreign languages, mainly English, forall its population. Thus, foreign language policies in China, along with theimprovement of the Chinese education system, have allowed the country to integrateglobalization, to acquire knowledge, and to become more and more competent intraining language experts and language-proficient professionals, while at the sametime preserving local identities. Chapter5Sino-American Language Policies: National Concerns in BilateralCooperationGiven the circumstances, it is of big interest to analyze what the linguisticpolicies (always related to education) of the United States and the People′s Republicof China are, since the choice of lingua franca for trans-bordering communicationwill be greatly influenced by them, and vice versa. As explained before, as China hasgrown in economic power and has become more active in the international arena,Chinese has become a critical language for America. Likewise, the need to acquireknowledge, become competent and adjust to the pace of globalization has led China tospread the subject of English in the educational field. However, internal and externalchallenges for both countries remain to be overcome. Thus, language policies ineducation and globalization are reciprocal, but that this relation still stands as an issuethat deserves further discussion.