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African Americans in World Language Study: The Forged Path and Future Directions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 June 2020

Uju Anya
Uju Anya*
Affiliation:
The Pennsylvania State University
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: oca2@psu.edu
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Abstract

This article examines the history of African Americans in the academic study of world languages and presents an overview of inquiry on the topic. The paper focuses on the impact of race in second language acquisition (SLA) as exemplified through the experience of black students in language education and study abroad. It discusses objectives, policies, instructional priorities and strategies, conditions, and materials related to how black students have in the past, are currently, or should be engaged in language learning. The article examines the path forged by African Americans in world language study, signals gaps in the present body of knowledge, and suggests future directions for investigations into this important topic in the field of applied linguistics and SLA for ARAL's 40th anniversary.

Type
Research Article
Information
Annual Review of Applied Linguistics , Volume 40 , March 2020 , pp. 97 - 112
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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