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Introduction: A sketch of the framework
The shape of the RLLF was dictated both by principles and practical
concerns. These are discussed at length in this chapter, but an overview might
be helpful. The practical concerns seemed best addressed by a system that
defined stages in language learning careers . In order to be useful, these
stages--units of measure--need to correspond to year-long increments of
study. In strong college programs, a stage can be completed in one year. Our
conversations with high school teachers suggest that the first stage might
require three years in a typical program, two or four in more unusual settings.
The two most pressing practical needs that the framework seeks to
address concern articulation across programs and management of learning.
The articulation problem has to do with the need for students to be able to move
efficiently from high school to college. The learning management problem
requires that learners be prepared to manage their own learning effectively in
in-country programs. In the case of Russian, semester-long in-country study is
usually encouraged after completing three years of college Russian, hence
three stages. Learners who begin their study of Russian in high school should
expect to move into first or second year Russian in college, hence the need to
design the first two stages to facilitate that transition.
The set of principles on which the RLLF is based have to do with the
nature of the optimal language learning program: it is a life-long process that is
learner centered, learning sensitive, and goal driven. Furthermore, the RLLF is
oriented toward communication, meaning that it views language use as
performance within a particular cultural setting. In order to meet these goals,
the framework must be: 1) sufficiently uniform to allow for easy learner mobility
among programs, but 2) flexible enough to allow for extremely varied local
conditions facing high school and college programs.
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