The first part of this paper examines foreign language enrollment statistics from 1960 to 2002 in United States institutions of higher education. Spanish has been the most widely taught language for more than 35 years, and it counts for more than half (54.3%) of all enrollments in 2002. The second part of this paper reviews United States language policy history and its main debate focusing on two different policies: Bilingual Education and English Only Movement, and it reviews also their different points of view about the national identity of U.S.A. and their perspectives on foreign languages. The last part of this paper recommends that foreign languages be considered as precious resources for Korean future, not only several but more various foreign languages be taught in Korean middle and high schools, and bilingual education system or immersion program be introduced and implemented in special purpose institutions at least from middle school level.

Seven foreign languages can be offered in the middle schools since 2001, based on the 7th National Curriculum of Korea. However, in reality, only five languages have been taken as elective subjects in these institutions. The purpose of this study is to present some basic directions for choosing elective subjects and its implication, by using statistic analysis about different motives in choosing Spanish. The first chapter begins mentioning some evaluations about Korean foreign language education policy on choosing foreign languages in the middle schools, the previous studies, and the purpose of this study. In the second chapter, statistic research method and data collection information are presented. In the third chapter, statistically meaningful results are described with SPSS cross tab tables. As a conclusion, the fourth chapter summarizes this study and recommends that elective courses should be chosen by students themselves, neither by school nor by others.

Spanish has been introduced and taught in Korean middle schools since 2001, based on the 7th National Curriculum, The purpose of this study is to present some basic directions of teaching Spanish culture in Korean middle schools by using statistic analysis about students’ perception on Spanish culture. The first chapter describes the current trends of teaching culture in the foreign language classroom, the previous studies on Spanish culture, and purpose of this study. Statistic research method and data collection information are mentioned in the second chapter. In the third chapter, statistically meaningful results are described with SPSS cross tab tables, focusing on school, grade and gender. As a conclusion, the fourth chapter summarizes this study and shows that Korean middle school students’ perception on the importance of Spanish culture and Spanish culture teaching is positively related to Spanish learning interest and elective courses should be chosen by students, not by schools.