Founded in 1967 as a small offshoot of the Modern Language Association (MLA), ACTFL 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 ACTFL Annual Convention.
Throughout its history, ACTFL has benefited from the outstanding and unselfish leadership of the top professionals in language education.
Why ACTFL? What's in a name....
In 2020, ACTFL 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 ACTFL brand is strong, respected, and admired. So we decided to keep the acronym, ACTFL, 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.
