Founded in 1967 as a small offshoot of the Modern Language Association (MLA), ACTFL quickly became both a resource and a haven for language educators. 从那时起, the organization has set industry standards, established proficiency guidelines, advocated for language education funding, and connected colleagues at the ACTFL Annual 公约.
纵观其历史, ACTFL has benefited from the outstanding and unselfish 领导 of the top professionals in language education.
为什么ACTFL? 名字有什么关系....
In 2020, ACTFL 领导 recognized that using the term “foreign” represents an obstacle to progress, sending a message that language learning should be viewed as “strange” or “unfamiliar.” It also brought up questions about how to reconcile Native American languages? 美国手语? These are certainly not “foreign.”
The ACTFL brand is strong, respected, and admired. So we decided to keep the acronym, ACTFL, and add a tagline that reflects our values and projects a sense of community among those with whom we work.
After much deliberation and reflection, we decided upon “Language Connects”—two words that demonstrate how language acts as a bridge to cultural competence, 职业准备, 和共鸣. It is a more accurate representation of how our organization has already evolved and represents our aspirations to be inclusive and inviting: a global leader in the profession.