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SUMMARY:Call for Chapters-"Workforce Readiness and the Foreign Language Classroom: Preparing Students for a Changing Global Economy"
DESCRIPTION:Workforce Readiness and the Foreign Language Classroom: Preparing Students for a Changing Global Economy  \nEdited by Steven J. Sacco and Fabrice Jaumont  \nPublished by TBR Books / The Center for the Advancement of Languages\, Education\, and Communities (CALEC)  \nOverview  \nAs artificial intelligence reshapes translation\, interpretation\, and global communication\, foreign language educators face important questions about the purpose and future of their discipline. At the same time\, demographic and economic shifts are creating new corridors of opportunity—from the rapid growth of Francophone Africa to evolving demand for Mandarin in manufacturing and supply chains\, Spanish in healthcare and trade\, and other languages across increasingly interconnected industries.  \nIn this changing environment\, what does it mean to prepare students to use another language professionally? What forms of linguistic\, cultural\, and intercultural competence will employers value? And how can language programs respond to workforce needs without sacrificing the depth\, intellectual rigor\, cultural fluency\, and genuine communicative competence that make language learning valuable in the first place?  \nWorkforce Readiness and the Foreign Language Classroom: Preparing Students for a Changing Global Economy will bring together researchers\, K–12 and postsecondary educators\, curriculum designers\, administrators\, workforce-development specialists\, and industry partners to examine how language education can respond to a rapidly changing global economy.  \nThe volume seeks contributions that move beyond arguments about the value of language learning to explore how language programs can prepare students concretely for professional life. Contributions may be research-based\, practice-based\, or combine both approaches. We are particularly interested in chapters that offer frameworks\, models\, or strategies that can be adapted across institutions and geographic contexts. Well-documented case studies are welcome when they illuminate broader lessons and transferable practices.  \nIn keeping with CALEC’s mission\, chapters should be accessible and engaging for a broad audience of educators\, administrators\, policymakers\, employers\, researchers\, students\, and others interested in the relationship between language education and professional opportunity.  \nObjectives of the Volume  \nThe volume aims to:  \n\nExamine how economic\, technological\, and demographic change is affecting the professional value and use of language skills; \n\n\nIdentify ways for language programs to better understand regional\, national\, and international workforce needs; \n\n\nExplore models that connect language learning with professional disciplines\, industries\, and career pathways; \n\n\nConsider how artificial intelligence and machine translation are changing—not eliminating—the linguistic and intercultural skills needed in the workplace; \n\n\nHighlight effective partnerships between educational institutions\, employers\, professional organizations\, and communities; \n\n\nDevelop practical and transferable approaches for integrating workforce readiness into language curricula; \n\n\nStrengthen the case for sustained investment in language education within schools\, colleges\, and universities. \n\nTopics for Contribution  \nWe invite chapter proposals addressing topics including\, but not limited to:  \nLanguage Education and Labor-Market Needs  \nFrameworks for identifying regional\, national\, and sector-specific demand for language and intercultural skills; methods for incorporating labor-market information into program development; and approaches for anticipating emerging linguistic needs.  \nCurriculum Design for Professional Contexts  \nIntegrating professional registers\, sector-specific vocabulary\, workplace communication\, intercultural competence\, project-based learning\, simulations\, and other career-related experiences into language curricula.  \nArtificial Intelligence\, Translation\, and the Future of Language Skills  \nTeaching students to work effectively and critically with AI translation and language tools; identifying the skills that remain essential when automated translation is readily available; and examining how AI may redefine professional language competence.  \nAssessing Workplace-Relevant Proficiency  \nAssessment models that connect communicative proficiency with professional tasks\, intercultural competence\, specialized vocabulary\, collaboration\, presentation skills\, writing\, negotiation\, and other workplace needs.  \nEducation–Industry Partnerships  \nModels for partnerships between language departments and employers\, chambers of commerce\, professional associations\, economic-development organizations\, government agencies\, nonprofits\, and other community partners.  \nWork-Based and Experiential Learning  \nInternships\, externships\, apprenticeships\, service learning\, international experiences\, and other forms of work-based learning conducted wholly or partly in a second or additional language.  \nCredentials\, Certifications\, and Employer Expectations  \nLanguage credentials\, certificates\, microcredentials\, proficiency assessments\, and their alignment—or misalignment—with the skills employers actually seek.  \nLanguage Corridors and Emerging Economic Opportunities  \nStudies examining particular languages in relation to specific regions or economic sectors—for example\, French and Francophone Africa; Mandarin in manufacturing\, technology\, and logistics; Spanish in healthcare and trade; or other linguistic and economic corridors.  \nPreparing Language Educators for Workforce-Focused Teaching  \nProfessional development for K–12 and postsecondary language educators who may have limited direct experience in industry or professional environments.  \nInterdisciplinary and Professionally Oriented Language Programs  \nModels connecting language study with business\, healthcare\, engineering\, international relations\, technology\, hospitality\, law\, public service\, or other professional fields.  \nEquity and Access  \nEnsuring that workforce-readiness initiatives create professional opportunities for a broad range of learners rather than primarily benefiting students already positioned for international travel\, internships\, or global mobility.  \nMaking the Case for Language Education  \nThe economic and institutional case for foreign language programs in an era of budget pressures\, declining enrollments in some institutions\, and growing skepticism about the need to learn languages in the age of AI.  \nBeyond the Case Study  \nInstitutional case studies can provide valuable examples\, but contributors are encouraged to look beyond descriptions of individual programs. Authors should consider what others can learn from their experience:  \n\nWhat principles or practices are transferable? \n\n\nWhat conditions made the initiative successful—or prevented it from succeeding? \n\n\nHow might the model work in a different institution\, region\, language\, or educational setting? \n\n\nWhat can educators\, administrators\, or policymakers take away and apply elsewhere? \n\nThe goal is to build a volume that not only documents promising work but also provides readers with ideas\, frameworks\, and tools they can adapt to their own contexts.  \nWho May Contribute?  \nWe welcome proposals from:  \n\nK–12 foreign and world language educators; \n\n\nPostsecondary faculty and administrators; \n\n\nResearchers in language education\, second-language acquisition\, international education\, and workforce development; \n\n\nCurriculum and program designers; \n\n\nCareer and technical education specialists; \n\n\nEmployers and industry representatives; \n\n\nChambers of commerce and professional associations; \n\n\nGovernment and nonprofit leaders; \n\n\nProfessionals working at the intersection of language\, education\, and international business. \n\nCollaborative chapters bringing together different perspectives—for example\, a language educator and an employer\, a researcher and a practitioner\, or a secondary and postsecondary educator—are particularly welcome.  \nStyle and Audience  \nCALEC publications seek to bridge research and practice and to reach audiences beyond a single academic discipline. Authors should therefore write in a clear\, engaging\, and accessible style\, explaining specialized terminology when necessary and avoiding excessive academic jargon.  \nResearch and evidence are encouraged\, but contributors should focus on the implications of their work and what readers can learn from it. Chapters should make explicit connections between language education\, student opportunity\, and the changing professional world.  \nSubmission Guidelines  \nProspective contributors should submit:  \n\nChapter proposal/abstract: 300–500 words outlining the proposed chapter\, its central argument or objectives\, approach or methodology where applicable\, and relevance to the themes of the volume; \n\n\nProposed chapter title; \n\n\nAuthor biography: up to 150 words per author\, including current role and affiliation where applicable. \n\nSelected contributors will be invited to submit chapters of approximately 6\,000–8\,000 words\, including references.  \nLanguage: English \nStyle: Clear and accessible to both academic and professional audiences\nReferences: Concise footnotes where appropriate\, with a full APA-style reference list at the end\nPeer review: Chapters will undergo editorial and peer review prior to final acceptance.  \nTimeline  \n\n\n\nMilestone \nDate \n\n\nChapter proposals and author bios due \nFebruary 15\, 2027 \n\n\nNotification of acceptance \nMarch 15\, 2027 \n\n\nFull chapter manuscripts due \nAugust 31\, 2027 \n\n\nPeer review and editorial feedback \nSeptember–November 2027 \n\n\nFinal revised chapters due \nDecember 15\, 2027 \n\n\nAnticipated publication \nSpring 2028 
URL:https://nble.org/calendar/call-for-chapters-workforce-readiness-and-the-foreign-language-classroom-preparing-students-for-a-changing-global-economy/
LOCATION:Online
ORGANIZER;CN="CALEC":MAILTO:editors@calec.org
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