Based on the article, the main reasons for the decline in French enrollments seem to be 1) the greater perceived utility of Spanish for the job market given the proximity of Spanish-speaking countries and increasing influence of Hispanic culture in the United States and 2) the greater perceived ease of study associated with Spanish as compared with French, traditionally perceived as more difficult. Apparently, in order to attract students back to French, we need to make it appealing again. According to Siskin et al., the best way to do this is to appeal to age-old stereotypes that play into students’ romanticized perceptions of the French language and culture.
As I began to read the article, I was fascinated by the study that had been conducted and found the measures devised by the authors intriguing (37); however, as the results were offered, I became increasingly discouraged. While simultaneously promoting some kind of anti-elitist vision of French that will, presumably counteract the negative associations Americans students have with French as compared with the cultural funhouse that is, ostensibly, Spanish, the authors themselves perpetuate the very same elitist tropes. I’ll share two of my personal favorites: “[i]t is unclear … whether taco may be considered a fun or tasty food, or a les refined fast food,” and, more disturbing yet, “it is not certain whether students associate siesta with a healthy attitude toward life or with laziness” (on the same page no less!) (50). Talk about “nostalgic colonialism” (59)!
As the text progresses, this pattern continues; later we are told that we “should take care not to abandon our traditional clientele who is seeking an aesthetic or transformative experience” (56). So what we have to do as teachers of French is that simple? We just need to somehow sell students on the aesthetic and transformative superiority of French? Frankly, I find this strategy offensive.
I will be the first to admit that it was these very same stereotypes that first interested me in learning French; I, too, believed that studying French literature was some sort of higher calling. However, this is quite simply untrue. I could attain the same “aesthetic” enlightenment studying Spanish or Japanese, or German, or Italian, or Russian… If we really hope to combat the decline of French in our schools, we might begin by being honest with ourselves about French. Encouraging a student who expresses an interest in French art to study French is much different than encouraging one who expresses an interest in art generally to do the same because of the perception that French is an appropriate match for art studies. While I would never discourage a student from French because of its perceived lack of utility for the job market, I also would not employ the complementary strategy, that is to say using stereotypes to bolster enrollment. —EEE
At the risk of further offending you (ack!), I have to say that I don't think we need to sell students on the aesthetic and transformative *superiority* of French but rather on the equality of French as a tool through which they can access these experiences and viewpoints. They can certainly also access them through Spanish or Japanese or Swahili or Urdu if they wish, but since utility is emphasized for Spanish in the U.S. (to the detriment of its transformative/aesthetic functions unfortunately), we can choose to emphasize the complementary functions of French.
ReplyDeleteAs language instructors, I don't see it as unethical to draw students in by using the "age-old" stereotypes if necessary; studying French will allow the stereotypes to be reconsidered and hopefully amended, whereas for a student who does not study the language, the stereotype is likely all that she or he will ever have in regards to French language and cultures.
A cultural fun-house and nostalgic colonialism in one day? Where to go from here? I really agree that we should not pander to antiquated stereotypes in language, and I am surely against the sort of intentionally biased questions which you cite. A propos of the siesta questions, I must admit that a similiar discussion came up in my class and my students almost unanimously perceived the two-lunch and the 35 hours, traditionally associated albeit pejoratively with the French work ethic, as an example of French people's lack of commitment to an "honest day's work". This can all be discussed within the framework of the articles we read pertaining to culture, but I do appreciate the fact that we can use these negative stereotypes in showing that it is merely our perception that renders them such. In talking about cultural associations, we can use these binary concepts more readily than insisting on similarities between the two, in that the former permit us to establish both our own and a French cultural framework, whereas the latter is contingent upon the perpetuation of a uniquely American worldview. It is true that one can receive the same sort of aesthetic enlightenment through the study of any language and its culture, but the presence of the French stereotype in American film and literature gives us a bit of a foothold in showing students the ultimate benefits of learning French.
ReplyDeleteAlong the lines of what Erin mention about tacos, it seems that Siskin might be going a bit far in relating hispanic food to being "fun/appealing" (52). How can we say that wine, cheese and baguettes are more romantic than fun? Also, just because these foods are typically associated with France, we should not forget that they can also be found in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries. While gastronomic pleasures could influence the choice of language class, I am not sure that we can equate their "level of fun or appeal" to their language choice.
ReplyDeleteOh, my! I can certainly relate to your reaction, Erin; however, perhaps the authors were trying to assess the situation from a more pragmatic point of view. Our understanding of French stereotypes (and the general public’s perception of the French and their language) is informed by our extensive contact with the language, culture and people. We know them to be, for the most part, simply not true or at least a gross distortion of reality. To students fresh out of high school signing up for their first college classes, the world (and French) will look quite different, as you admit they did when you first began exploring the language.
ReplyDeleteThis is the demographic to which we must appeal and, to a certain degree, “advertise”. Stereotypes should by no means be exploited in an unseemly manner, but the best (and most appealing) of them may do us a great service in boosting enrollment numbers. And that is, after all, the goal.