The world language teacher shortage: Taking a new direction

Since the end of World War II, international leaders have made calls addressing the world language teacher shortage. For almost 70 years, such rhetoric has been advanced, yet world language teacher shortages remain in many countries such as Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In this article, the authors discuss the past and current state of affairs of the shortage before advancing ideas for language teacher recruitment and retention to which a variety of stakeholders (e.g., parents, administrators, language teacher associations) can contribute immediately in order to address the world language teacher shortage in earnest. Challenges Since the end of World War II, international leaders have called attention to the world language teacher shortage, yet the shortage exists more than 70 years later. What immediate, active steps and initiatives can be taken to remedy this situation? Video & Discussion