Founded in 1967 as a small offshoot of the Modern Language Association (MLA), ̽ quickly became both a resource and a haven for language educators. Since then, the organization has set industry standards, established proficiency guidelines, advocated for language education funding, and connected colleagues at the ̽ Annual Convention.
Throughout its history, ̽ has benefited from the outstanding and unselfish leadership of the top professionals in language education.
Why ̽? What's in a name....
In 2020, ̽ leadership 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? ASL? These are certainly not “foreign.”
The ̽ brand is strong, respected, and admired. So we decided to keep the acronym, ̽, 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, career readiness, and empathy. 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.
