The Quality of Language Learning Opportunities

The notion of quality in language education, as in other areas of human activity, is increasingly common yet is elusive in its practical meaning. The international trend has been to focus on quality by specifying clear outcome standards that describe the performance expected of learners at particular levels. Far less attention has been paid to systematically managing the quality of the learning opportunities that learners need to exploit in order to achieve the desired outcomes. One can assume that an understanding of the quality of learning opportunity is central to the process of learning. The challenge for teaching institutions is to develop a frame of action through which current understanding of L2 learning and teaching can be applied and developed. This article proposes a learning opportunity framework on which to base a dialogue about the opportunities that are needed and available in any one context. It proposes three domains of enquiry: theoretical, cultural, and management, and puts forward arguments in favour of learning opportunity standards as the basis for institutional dialogue about quality in language education.