Recruitment and Retention of World Language Teacher Education Majors: Perspectives of Teacher Candidates and Alumni to Remedy a Global Shortage

UNESCO and the Education Policy Center at American Institutes for Research have reported massive teacher shortages to exist around the globe. In the United States, an estimated 44 states and Washington, D.C. have experienced shortages of qualified world language (WL) teachers for decades. Limited research has addressed the reasons for this shortage and ways to remedy it. Out of concern about reduced enrollments specifically for WL teacher preparation programs, this study investigated recruitment and retention strategies used at two US Midwestern universities. Analysis of questionnaire data from preservice teachers and alumni revealed reasons why candidates chose WL education and persisted in the program. To improve the US WL teacher shortage, WL teachers, teacher educators, preservice teachers, and local, state, and national organizations must understand that they need to develop a symbiotic mutualistic relationship and collaborate more strategically to preserve, promote, and perpetuate WL education for global citizenship.