Language as Liberation

L. J. Randolph Jr. As I write my first president's message, I have a sense of optimism when I reflect on the history of our profession and imagine future possibilities. Yes, it is true that there is much to be discouraged about. Flagship public institutions are setting alarming precedents by drastically reducing, and even eliminating, programs that focus on languages and linguistics. In addition, we are in the middle of a very public and polarizing humanitarian crisis in Israel and Palestine. In fact, all over the world, in our local and global communities, there are people experiencing and pushing back against oppression. To say the least, these are trying times for language educators. It is important that we recognize and wrestle with these societal realities as we think about our individual teaching contexts. Language learning does not exist in an apolitical vacuum that shields it from the sociopolitical and sociohistorical realities that we otherwise experience outside of the classroom. The teaching and learning of languages—and indeed education in general—are and always have been connected to broader political and social movements. Language is inextricably linked to the identities of cultures and communities as well as all expressions of those identities. As a profession, we have embraced this ideology by highlighting Communities and Cultures as key components of our national standards for the teaching and learning of languages. The work of justice movements over the past several years (e.g., Black Lives Matter, Stop Asian Hate, and Trans Rights Are Human Rights) has reminded us of the erasure, discrimination, marginalization, and violence that many racialized and minoritized communities continue to experience. Along with these challenges came opportunities for action and change. In many ways, our profession answered the call and turned a more critical eye to the ways that we traditionally have conceptualized such constructs as Communities and Cultures. We have realized that superficial, surface-level explorations of themes of culture and diversity are inadequate at best and harmful at worst. This has led to the adoption and integration of more progressive frameworks centered on such concepts as social justice, antiracism, and anticolonialism. Indeed, this commitment is reflected in many of the articles that are included as part of this issue of the Foreign Language Annals (e.g., Daniel's “The Presence and Absence of Race in World Language Education Literature” and Goodspeed et al.'s “Postsecondary French, German, and Spanish Teachers' Conceptualizations of Social Justice: A Case Study”). The classroom, with all its limitations, remains a location of possibility. In that field of possibility we have the opportunity to labor for freedom, to demand of ourselves and our comrades, an openness of mind and heart that allows us to face reality even as we collectively imagine ways to move beyond boundaries, to transgress. This is education as the practice of freedom. (p. 207) I echo Hooks's sentiments, and I imagine the language classroom specifically as an ideal context to explore “possibility” and to engage with “the practice of freedom.” With this in mind, I have adopted “Language as Liberation” as the theme of my presidency. Freire (1970/2000) described liberation as “a praxis: the action and reflection of men and women upon their world to transform it” (p. 79). Liberationist pedagogy challenges us to consistently explore how educators, students, and communities can transform themselves and the world. In spring 2024, I look forward to visiting each of the regional conferences and further unpacking this theme in my session “Abolitionist and Liberationist Language Pedagogies,” during which we will boldly imagine schools as places where all students, including those who have been historically (and presently) marginalized, can experience linguistic empowerment, liberation, and joy as integral components of their education. Themes of liberation are connected to our students' individual experiences in the classroom as well as broader social movements. A focus on language as liberation empowers us to consider the role of language in worldwide liberation movements such as ones I highlighted above. This theme also allows us to emphasize connections with other disciplines and communities in our schools and on our campuses that are working toward liberation and other shared goals (the “Connections” component of the World-Readiness Standards). It is important for students to focus on the above themes even if they do not go on to develop functional proficiency in the language of study. Becoming proficient or fluent in a language takes years of dedicated study and often extensive immersion in that language community. While we certainly want that for all of our students, we must also accept the reality that most will not go on to develop that level of fluency. And even if a language learner does become fluent or proficient in the language, this in and of itself is not a guarantee that the student truly has had a liberating and transformative language learning experience. Rosa reminds us that “there have always been awful multilingual people” and encourages us to consider “multilingualism in service of what? [...] multilingualism connected to what broader set of political struggles?” when we reflect on the value of language learning (Conlon Perugini & Rosa, 2020). So, then what is the purpose (or better yet, the possibility) of a language education? What about the overwhelming number of students who take just a handful of language courses but never develop fluency? What is it that we hope that they gain? Are they destined to become one of the strangers we meet who, upon learning that we are language educators, tell us, “I took several classes of [insert any language], and I can't say a single thing?” (I know every language educator has a story like that.) How can we ensure that language learning is a transformative and liberating experience for all learners, in all levels and in all contexts? It begins by recognizing that language learning is an integral part of the human experience and should be included and encouraged at every level of schooling. Denying or limiting any individual access to a quality language learning experience should never be an option. With that in mind, I look forward to working with our leadership, members, and stakeholders to advocate for the implementation and growth of language programs while also working with institutions to explore creative ways to confront the real and concerning challenges that they face. In closing, I continue to be inspired by colleagues who have creatively and intentionally used the language classroom as a space for empathy, justice, transformation, and liberation. I look forward to our collective work in 2024 as we work to engage liberationist pedagogies not only in our teaching but in all elements of ACTFL's strategic plan, including diversity, equity, and inclusion; professional development; teacher recruitment and retention; research; and advocacy and outreach. Together, we will embrace and champion language education as a liberating experience that enables us to transform ourselves and the world

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• Engaging in transnational ways of teaching and building a community of practice

  Open Access•Jungmin Kwon•Foreign Language Annals•2025

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