Blurb:

This chapter provides answers to the question in the title of this chapter in the form of updated research, and major trends. The new trends include 1) creating opportunities for reaching parents and the public, 2) establishing curriculum proficiency/performance language activities that are content-based or content-related, 3) addressing the issue of teacher shortages at this level, 4) creating appropriate student and program assessments and 5) addressing the growth of dual language or bilingual education, all in the context of defining and exploring the goals of elementary school foreign language programs in today’s and tomorrow’s schools.