The Language Connects Foundation aims to advance and deepen the breadth and scope of its parent organization ACTFL’s impactful work, as well as build out innovative new programming with a goal to help ensure a diverse, well-prepared, and highly skilled language educator workforce today and for generations to come.
Amplifying ACTFL’s Efforts
For more than 50 years, ACTFL has been a trusted voice and steadfast partner in the language education profession, touching all aspects of the language teaching and learning experience. As the largest individual membership organization serving the needs of language educators, it has made powerful strides in the improvement and expansion of the teaching and learning of all languages at all levels of instruction.
ACTFL’s member population represents more than 60 languages—from Afrikaans to Yoruba—spread across all 50 U.S. states and in more than 50 countries internationally. These educators and administrators comprise of individuals from the preK-20, government, industry, community, and non-profit sectors.
ACTFL's Impact
Mentor/Mentee educator pairs who have completed the ACTFL Mentoring Program in the past 10 years
Members who participate in one of 19 ACTFL Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
Approximate funding granted to Research Priority Grant recipients since the program’s inception in 2010
Future educators accepted into the Lead with Languages Teacher Scholarship Program since 2019
Individuals & programs recognized with ACTFL Professional Awards since 2013
Language educators who have completed an ACTFL workshop in the past 5 years
ACTFL members rely on cutting-edge resources and professional development opportunities to stay at the forefront of their field, providing their students with the very latest language learning techniques, tools, and technologies available. These materials are informed by research that ACTFL has developed or disseminated from partner organizations, ensuring that its members have the information they need to make decisions for themselves, their curricula, and their learners.
In celebrating achievement among language educators and supporters via an Annual Professional Awards program and—in collaboration with state and regional organizations—the National Language Teacher of the Year program, ACTFL provides inspiration and motivation to educators, as well as shares with the public at large innovation within the profession.
Outside of the ACTFL community, individuals, schools and districts, corporations, and the government rely on the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines and ACTFL assessments to identifying linguistic competencies and help learners advance both professionally and academically. ACTFL’s Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL), for example, is regularly used by schools in determining proficiency levels to award K-12 students with a Seal of Biliteracy—a credential which follows them from their high school diploma to future endeavors.
Tremendous work has been done to uplift the language teaching profession and champion language learning, but at this current crossroads—as more and more teachers, facing significant financial and systematic challenges, are feeling unsupported and, at times, isolated—we must do more to shine a light on their concerns and expand access to the professional development, recognition, research, and resources they need.
With increased funding sought through the Language Connects Foundation’s development efforts—and the invaluable support of foundations, corporations, and passionate individuals who understand the importance of language education—we will be able to amplify ACTFL’s already significant impact to an unprecedented scale, reaching more educators and learners than ever before.