How to shine a spotlight in your foreign language program

How to shine a spotlight in your foreign language program: Think Pair Share What is this About?

Number 1 Why All Kids Need To Learn Other Languages Doesn’t everyone else speak English!!

Why all kids need to learn languages “ Our successful participation in the global economy requires competency not just in math, science, and literacy, but also proficiency in foreign languages and intercultural competency in order to communicate across borders with potential friends and form partnerships. ” Committee for Economic Development

Doesn ’ t everyone else speak English? Only 9% of American adults say they are fluent in at least one other language. Compared to 50% of Europeans who say they are fluent in at least one other language than their mother tongues. The old joke is??????

Doesn ’ t everyone else speak English? The old joke : Someone who speaks three languages is trilingual. Someone who speaks two languages is bilingual. Someone who speaks only one language is American.

Doesn ’ t everyone else speak English? The average number of languages spoken by American business executives is 1.5, compared with an average of 3.9 languages spoken by business executives in the Netherlands. Only about 25% of Americans have passports.

Doesn’t everyone else speak English? The world is very diverse: “If we could shrink the Earth’s population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look like this:

Just how diverse? There would be - 57 Asians - 21 Europeans - 14 North and South Americans - 8 Africans - 70 would be non-white, 30 white would be non-Christian, 30 Christian

Number 2 Live in a Flat World: Groups: Give a quick definition

Flat World “The day has long past when a citizen could afford to be uninformed about the rest of the world and American’s place in that world. CED therefore believe it is critical to ensure that all students become globally competent citizens who will lead our country in the twenty-first century.” Council for Economic Development

Flat World Students need to not only compete with but collaborate with people from around our world - our global community. Students need to be inter-culturally competent

Number 3 Start language learning early: Why????

Start language learning early Begin to learn early in grade school. Longer study = more proficiency. At middle or high school, students can continue learning the same language or change to another of interest. Learning a language builds language learning abilities and makes it easier to learn additional languages!

Start language learning early Elementary programs are key to developing students ’ second language acquisition ability; to fostering positive, receptive attitudes about language and culture. “ Without long-sequences (5-6 years) of language study, success on AP exams in world languages remain possible for only an elite, select group of our student population. ” -The College Board, 2005 White Paper

Number 4 We are helping everyone: Language impacts academic achievement

Elementary students studying languages outperformed those who did not study languages: Outperformed on language arts and math tests, regardless of race, gender, or academic level Lower socioeconomic students performed just as well Outperformed non-language students on every subtest of state assessment Languages impact academic achievement

oTake as much language as possible in high school. Selective colleges recommend 3- 4 of world language study. Talk to HS counselors about how to fit four years of language into the HS schedule. Students who studied another language for four years in high school perform better on on college placement tests and can earn college credits.

Number 5 To have a spotlight we need to grow and have support Any Ideas:

Where ’ s the growth? In the number of languages taught in our schools In the number of years that students study a language In the grade levels in which students can study languages

Where ’ s the growth? Students from different schools, studying different languages. Need adults speaking about different benefits of language learning.” These included cognitive and academic benefits as well as career options in the global economy and in the government and military.

Number 6 To have a spotlight we need good programs all year long

Trivia and facts in the daily announcements Posters on countries, people and flags around the school Pot luck lunch for staff, students or both in a nightly event with food, dance, speakers, … Work with other teachers to have students learn and discuss about different Latino cultures 1 st Program Fabulous Hispanic Heritage

for-Sister-City-Programs.pdf The program runs all year Incorporate the entire community: e-pals, yearbook exchange, a day in the life( photos), cultural box, country collage, travel brochure, newsletter, … Sister Schools program, contact Sister Cities International: nd Program Sister School

content/uploads/2015/03/Sister-Schools- Project-Ideas-Packet.pdf 2 nd Program Sister School

Collect gifts to supplies to a country Holiday is the giving season Ask STUDENTS to find some organizations that need help: creates “ buy in from other kids.” For example: In Laurel High School we gave toys to an orphanage in El Salvador: toys were flown free 3 rd Program Holiday Supply/Gift Drive

NFLW will be celebrated March 7 – 13, 2016 Decorate the school lobby with artifacts, materials and language signs that represent the ethnic backgrounds of all school/community members. Inform families and community members that you are interested in hearing about their experiences abroad. 4 th Program: Foreign Language Week

Organize an international banquet. Have students and parents volunteer to make dishes that are representative of their background and culture. Local businesses may also be willing to donate food. Hire an international music or dance group to perform an assembly for the entire school. 4 th Program: Foreign Language Week

Divide by weeks one week for each section of the world( Europe, Asia, Africa, and America) Have students from each part of the world create the week Students will come up with ideas 5t th Program: International Month

Help the health committee Work with the green club WJKHU 6 th Int Walk to School Month October:

Have a connection with a university foreign language club Take to the Kennedy Center Hispanic Congress Your ideas to share 7 th Create Field Trips:

Students experience culture Practice language EF is the most well known company 7g4 8 th Have an yearly trip abroad:

9 th and 10th Program: Let’s share

Conclusion: TO SHARE Benefits of Being Proficient in More Than One Language (From the Center for Applied Linguistics)Center for Applied Linguistics) Learning a second language Has a positive effect on intellectual growth. Enriches and enhances a child's mental development. Leaves students with more flexibility in thinking, greater sensitivity to language, and a better ear for listening. Improves a child's understanding of his or her native language.

Gives a child the ability to communicate with people he or she would otherwise not have had the chance to know. Opens the door to other cultures and helps the child understand and appreciate people from other countries. Gives the child a head start in language requirements for college. Increases job opportunities in many careers in which knowing another language is a real asset.