Linguablog

I just returned from the National Association of District Supervisors of Foreign Languages Conference and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages conference in San Antonio Texas. More than 6,000 language teachers and administrators from all grade levels (and from all over the country) were in attendance. There were over 500 sessions to choose from.

It's amazing how much one can learn in a relatively short time. One presenter might provide a new technique to increase interaction in your classes. Another might provide realistic and meaningful ways to incorporate technology in the language classroom. Still another provides actual lessons on a topic of interest to teachers of that language. In other sessions, participants learn how to save their programs through advocacy.

But there are unofficial growth moments as well. Connecting with old colleagues and meeting new ones provides numerous opportunities to share experiences, techniques, and ideas. Social opportunities arranged by exhibitors, professional organizations, consulates, and others provide additional moments of interaction that help us re-establish our links to our profession and pull us back into the "network" so that we don't feel so isolated in our subjects and our classrooms when we return.

It's hard not to come back inspired to do something after that level of interaction.

I, for one, am excited to try out some interesting pairing and group activities I learned about in multiple sessions and I am definitely planning to design opportunities for students to contribute to a wiki (a collaborative online space) on specific topics of interest to my classes. I want my students to communicate and I want them to feel like what they're doing is meaningful to them.

One theme I heard repeated in multiple meetings and presentations is that students today want to create their own content and they find school less applicable to "real life" when they have to "power down" to participate in education. Life at school, even with occasional access to computer labs or use of DVD and PowerPoint is still nothing like the level of interaction and creative license to which they are accustomed due to text messaging, podcasting, blogging, YouTube and other sharing sites, and similar technologies. This conference reminded me that with the right context and tools, it may become substantially easier to help students get excited about writing and speaking in the target language. Seeing a new way to hook students into learning always gets me excited too.

When's the next conference?

Posted by Lang-a-Blog at 08:42 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Teaching world languages has to be one of the most rewarding subjects a teacher can teach. I can't think of another subject in which accomplished teachers do all of these things in the course of their instruction:

• make numerous and frequent connections to the other subject areas;
• see (and hear) progress right away and throughout the course of study;
• provide students ongoing opportunities to include their personal lives and interests in their studies;
• prepare multiple student-centered activities that fill classrooms with student voices rather than teacher voices;
• take learning outside of the classroom in order to increase its authenticity; and
• open students' hearts and minds to other viewpoints and to  customs, art, media, literature, from around the world.

As language teachers, especially in less commonly taught languages for which there is only one teacher at each school, we also have the wonderful opportunity to get to know our students better than virtually any other adult on campus. Their personal lives fill their assignments. Their contributions in our classes each year provide us with insights that in turn allow us to prepare lessons that are truly targeted to their needs and interests. If we teach a traditional schedule (55-minute periods, five days a week) and especially if we also teach all levels of our language at our school, we conceivably see those students more than any other faculty member. As teachers of languages and cultures, this not only helps with lesson design (as mentioned above), but also helps us in our responsibility to develop students who will become productive, respectful, and thoughtful citizens and future leaders. As we get to know our students better, they get to know and trust us in turn. Consequently, our statements have the potential to more deeply and thoroughly touch our students' lives and influence their words and actions well beyond our room and our subject area. As language teachers, therefore, we have the opportunity to teach so much more than language; we can embed in our students the importance of not judging others for their differences but rather valuing the perspective that their insight, experiences, and cultural customs may provide

Posted by Lang-a-Blog at 14:46 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (6)

Speech delivered at the Plenary session of the California Language Teachers’ Association Conference. March 31, 2007

Nationwide and here in California, language teachers and administrators are involved in a decade-long campaign to bring world language education to the forefront of educational and policy discussions.  That campaign is called Discover Languages . . . Discover the World.

Teachers up and down the state are spearheading activities to draw attention to the successes of their language students and to celebrate the benefits of language study and multilingualism. From displaying student work in places usually reserved for art projects, to community outreach and performances, to political activism, teachers and students are making language programs more visible.

We want everyone to discover the richness of language and of the various cultures embodied in the world's languages.

We want everyone to discover the world of opportunities that are available to those who speak languages other than English.

We want everyone to know that languages make a difference.

In fact, I’m preaching to the choir. Each of us in this room knows a lot about the benefits of language education and multilingualism:

• the cognitive benefits
• the academic benefits
• the social benefits
• the mental health benefits
• the economic benefits and job prospects
• the national security benefits

We know about the need for quality language programs so all students can enjoy those benefits. Quality programs that are defined by three criteria:

1. long sequences of language study beginning in elementary school
2. taught by qualified teachers who are proficient in language, culture and teaching methologies
3. that engage students with meaningful, rich and authentic content, as outlined in our state's K-12 Foreign Language Framework

Our role in the Discover Languages campaign is to get excited about those benefits. Our role is to be passionate in our conversations with others . . . conversations in which we elaborate on the many, many ways that languages make a difference. Our role is to invite others to join the choir.

Let us take some time now to consider how languages make a difference, beginning with job prospects.

Do our counselors know that according to statistics released in 2004, 1 out of every 6 jobs created in the world is an international job?

Do they know that in 2004, Rick Rice, the director of workforce development at California's Employment Development Department stated that "being bilingual is a sought-after skill," and that, when it comes to looking for jobs, those with bilingual skills are already ahead?

Do our administrators know that in 1996, the American Association of School Administrators identified knowledge of foreign languages as one of the most important skills that students will need to develop in order to prosper in this century?

This week, I went job searching. I wanted to get an idea of just how many jobs are available for those who speak languages other than English. I do this fairly regularly, so I wasn't surprised at what I found, but you might be.

I went to monster.com and searched for jobs in the country that required French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Ukrainian, Thai, Tagalog or Russian skills.

Are you ready for what I found?  More importantly, are our students, parents, counselors and administrators ready for what I found?

More than 1000 employers nationwide are looking for French speakers RIGHT NOW. Almost 200 of those jobs are here in California.

There are more than 550 new jobs available right now for German speakers. Seventy of those are in California.

If you speak Chinese, there are more than 800 current job openings in the country, of which 330 are in California.

If you speak Japanese, there are more than 1400 job openings in the country. In California, there are 400 employers right now looking for Japanese speakers.

Spanish, of course, tops the list, with more than 8,300 jobs nationwide and almost 3000 jobs in California.

Currently, there are hundreds of jobs nationwide for speakers of other languages as well.

What kinds of jobs?  Regardless of specific language needed, the jobs I find on monster.com span all fields: medical, legal, computer technology, science and research, engineering, fashion and interior design, graphics, editorial, administrative assistants, accountants, and many others.

To put all of this in perspective, look at all of these Jelly Bellies. How many Jelly Bellies do you think are in here? I won’t tell you the answer just yet, but I can tell you that every Jelly Belly represents a job that is available in the United States RIGHT NOW for those who are proficient in English and at least one other world language. Every Jelly Belly. One more job for employees with language skills. 

So how many are there? More than 12,700 Jelly Bellies. That’s almost 13,000 jobs for speakers of other languages. 13,000 opportunities for our students. 13,000 examples of how languages make a difference.

Nearly 4000 of those jobs are in California. That's a lot of organizations, industries, and companies that need employees with language skills. In fact, do our students know that four out of five new jobs in the United States are created as a result of foreign trade? Unfortunately, some of those jobs will go unfilled. Each year, 200,000 Americans lose out on jobs with business because they don't know another language. No one told them that languages make a difference.

So we have established that language proficiency will help in the future when our students go to look for a job, but what about right now?

Do our parents know that children who have studied languages tend to demonstrate greater cognitive development, creativity, and divergent thinking than monolingual children?

Do our administrators know that several studies show that people who are competent in more than one language outscore those who are speakers of only one language on tests of verbal and nonverbal intelligence? Other studies suggest that students who are learning another language show greater creativity at solving complex problems than their monolingual peers.

Creative thinking . . . problem solving . . . these are skills that will be highly sought after in the work place tomorrow and these are skills that can help students be more successful in all of their academic pursuits today. These are skills that show that languages make a difference.

And we know this. But are we excited about the benefits of language study yet? Are we singing? Is the choir getting bigger?

Are we sharing all of the data we have regarding the academic benefits of language study?

Do our administrators and colleagues know that learning another language enhances the academic skills of students by increasing their abilities in reading, writing . . .  and mathematics?

Do they know that students who have the opportunity to study languages in elementary school are surpassing the national averages in reading, writing and mathematics regardless of race, regardless of gender, regardless of race, or socio-economic status?

And do they know that the longer they study language, the higher their standardized test scores?

Many high school students you know either took or will take the SAT or ACT tests. Here, too, studies have repeatedly shown a positive correlation between language study and high test scores. In fact, the College Board identified world language study as having the single greatest impact in raising test scores in math and language arts--even more than taking additional English and math classes alone! Here too, the results cross ethnic, gender and poverty lines. Languages make a difference for ALL students.

Do our students know that people who communicate in at least two languages are an asset to the communities in which they live and work? Our society needs people who are capable of interacting with others who speak languages other than English and can adapt to a wide range of cultural backgrounds.

Do our colleagues know that the ability to converse with one another in the other's language enables us to communicate across cultures in our neighborhoods as well as across the world, thus being better global citizens at home and abroad?

Do they know that language helps us to understand the perspectives and mind sets of others and as such to develop greater understanding and appreciation of diverse thoughts and behaviors?

Do our counselors know that the ability to speak and understand another language allows for a greater sense of respect for others who are different from ourselves and affirms the dignity of individuals from different cultures?

Do our students know that language proficiency does even more than open to us a world of media, literature and travel? That it facilitates understanding of how interdependent we are on each other and how our most pressing issues--such as the environment, human rights, and social justice--have no borders.

Do they know that languages make a difference?

OK. So here's a quiz. Are you ready? Just call out your answer.

• Does language study enhance academic succes? YES!
• Does language study improve standardized language arts test scores? YES!
• For ALL students, regardless of race, gender or socio-economic status? YES!
• Does language study improve achievement in mathematics? YES!
• Does being multilingual improve job prospects? YES!
• Does multilingualism facilitate cross-cultural understanding? YES!
• Does the ability to speak and understand other languages improve our ability to serve, work with, help and value our neighbors? YES!
• So . . . last question . . . do languages make a difference? YES!

And therefore, so do you. Every day. Thank you.

Posted by Lang-a-Blog at 19:06 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (5)

February was Discover Languages month and from school-based activities, to outreach on the city streets, to political activism, thousands of people around California have begun hearing about Discover Languages . . . Discover the World!

Many teachers organized special events tied to the Discover Languages theme for Foreign Language Week (Feb. 19-23). Araceli Espinoza, Spanish teacher at Foshay High School in Los Angeles, helped students plan and implement several activities throughout the week to make language education and culture visible to all students at her school. It all began with a mask-making session and contest sponsored by the French students for Mardi Gras. Then the Spanish Club and French Club each sponsored a movie viewing in the auditorium after school, and the students wrapped up the week with a tamale fest. In addition, the students created all of their own advertising for the week's events and there was also a Discover Languages poster contest. 

In San Francisco, teachers and students conducted the largest Language Ambush yet on Feb. 19. Ambushers asked passers-by "What time is it?" in eight different languages and noted whether they received no response, a correct response in English, or a correct response in the target language. Almost 1,500 attempts were made; out of those, 77 answered in English and 83 answered in the target language. The remaining 1,333 either did not attempt to answer at all or indicated that they could not understand the question.

Language ambushes have been conducted all over the country since November 2004 when the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages kicked off the Year of Languages with a language ambush in Chicago. Although the ambush is not a scientific poll, the results have been remarkably similar all over the country--between 5% and 6% of individuals asked are able to respond in the target language.

One might ask why we do ambushes if they aren't scientific. The simple reason is that every ambush that has been conducted draws attention about language education and the need for a multilingual citizenry. That attention comes in two forms--from the passers-by themselves who inquire about the purpose of our survey and from the media who come to cover the event. In the case of the San Francisco ambush, both KGO radio (an affiliate of ABC) and KTVU Channel 2 (a FOX televsion station) came to cover the event.

To wrap up the activities for Discover Languages Month, teachers, students, business owners, and elected officials came together at a rally at the state capitol to highlight the benefits of language study and multilingualism and to call for standards for world language programs.

Christine Lanphere, the 2007 National Language Teacher of the Year, received a resolution in her honor from Assemblyman Roger Niello and then spoke to the crowd, delivering a powerful statement on the need for quality language programs beginning in elementary school.

Other speakers included a local business owner, a college professor, a clinical social worker, and CLTA's Executive Director Lorraine D'Ambruoso,  all of whom gave examples of how multilingualism and multiculturalism are essential to society and to their personal and professional endeavors. In addtion, several students spoke at the rally, providing their perspective on how language education has benefited them personally and their views on the importance of being bilingual. 

Between speakers, I delivered numerous research-based statements regarding the multiple benefits of language study and multilingualism, including the academic and cognitive benefits, societal benefits, and personal and social benefits. In particular, I emphasized the research indicating that students show better all-around academic achievement when language study is part of the curriculum and I highlighted the many job opportunities that are available to those who are bilingual.

Attendees were visibly impressed by what they were hearing, and Christine reports that her students in attendance were talking about the benefits of language study in school the next day. While the crowd was intimate--about 30 people--it is important to note that this was a first for California's language teachers. Never have we attempted to be so visible or to draw so much attention to our programs. Each person in attendance left with a greater understanding of the benefits and importance of language study--an understanding that will impact their future decisions and that may have a ripple effect on those around them.

Posted by Lang-a-Blog at 12:17 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (11)

The Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (AKA: NCLB)

As a member of the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development, I often receive updates on educational issues. One recent update included an invitation to discuss what needs to change in NCLB. Below is my entry on the ASCD web site (http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2007/01/ascd_poll_chang.html#comment-27320494) --be patient, the discussion of the importance of language education is in there, but I am verbose (as anyone who knows me can tell you).

What [I think] needs to change in NCLB

One of the first things that needs to change is the name by which this law is bantered about in public: No Child Left Behind is a slogan that was cleverly used to refer to the actual legislation. Anyone who says that they disagree with NCLB is easily labeled as someone who doesn't want to be held accountable and doesn't care about children. Although Congress authorized the use of NCLB as a title for this legislation, I would encourage everyone to call the law by its real name: The Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Calling the law by its true name helps politicians, community members, parents, and educational leaders focus on the major issues that effect the education and achievement of our youth without the potential stigma of being labeled an enemy of quality education.

In addition, I would encourage everyone to attempt to read the legislation. There are aspects of the law that render it impossible for any school to ever be "successful".  One glaring example is the premise that "all" students will be proficient (as defined by each state) in reading and math by 2014, yet the law also states that any tests written to measure proficiency MUST be written such that 20% of students fail. If by some miracle any district or school achieved 100% success on any test by 2014 (assuming it was an approved assessment), it would still be labeled as failing because 20% didn't fail the test. There are numerous additional examples, some of which are cited in other blog entries on the ASCD page, that discuss the same issue--by the time all of the subgroup data is disaggragated and the attendance data is figured in, it is virtually impossible to "achieve" according to the legislation.

The measures of accountability for student achievement are too narrow, solely relying on standardized tests, even though educational research continually points out the importance of multiple and varied assessments. I actually want accountability, but I believe that the results of this law's attempts at accountability do not in fact reflect student achievement. In fact, as cited elsewhere on this page, the measures included in the law tend to hinder achievement by limiting student access to a rich curriculum.

However, I have other concerns as well. One writer on the ASCD blog on this topic mentioned that the arts are a core subject under the legislation. Did you know that world languages are also a core subject according to this law? Probably not. Like the arts, world language education is easily dropped from the curriculum and would hardly be considered to have the funding and resources allocated to the other "core" subjects. Interestingly, while the legislation touts "research-based" methodologies, it blatantly ignores research that has repeatedly shown that visual and performing arts, physical education and world language education provide significant cognitive and academic benefits to all students, including raising test scores. In fact, the College Board has found that world language study does more to increase standardized test scores in English/Language Arts and MATH (yes, math) than the study of any other subject (including additional English and math classes)! However, none of this research is written about in educational or consumer journals--it's a little secret. On the other hand, research has not shown that double sections of math and reading intervention courses and the elimination of "electives" (most of which are "core subjects" in the law) for our lowest-performing students yields the results one sees when students receive a well-rounded, enriching, and academically rigorous education.

Finally, the law is misguided. It assumes that teachers and administrators are solely responsible for student achievement. What about the students? Don't they have any role to play in their own achievement? What about their parents? When the students don't score well on the latest standardized assessment, does anyone go to the students and ask to see the homework they have been doing in that subject? Do they ask the students about their study habits outside of school hours? Do they ask the parents if they provide time and space for the students to do homework in? Do they ask the parents whether or not they even talk to their child about how things are going at school and what the students are doing and learning? Apparently the writers (and enforcers) of this legislation believe that neither students nor parents have any influence on student achievement. As both a student and parent, that assumption infuriates me! When all of the research confirms that involving all stakeholders in education improves the outcome (and any list of stakeholders would include the students and parents), why is it that the success or failure of a school is laid solely on the shoulders of the staff and administration? 

I have taught French for nine years and spent the last three years as a full-time mentor to beginning teachers in all subject areas. In the fall, my term as a mentor will end and I am eager to return to the classroom to implement everything I have learned in my most recent assignment. I love education and I am passionate about quality education for all students. I will continue plan lessons that are rigorous, engaging and that involve students in meaningful, authentic tasks in and out of the classroom because that is what's right for students. I will continue to fight for well-rounded education that provides our gifted, "average," and struggling students with numerous course offerings because I know they will actually experience greater success. Eventually, the Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act will be "reauthorized" again--hopefully more thoughtfully and with a focus on what's right for students, not on a slogan that just sounds right to politicians!

FYI: You can view summaries of numerous studies on the benefits of language education by pasting the following URL into your browser: http://www.flagsteacher.com/Compelling%20Foreign%20Language%20Research.pdf.

Nicole Naditz, NBCT (World Languages Other than English)

Posted by Lang-a-Blog at 23:13 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (7)

So the Year of Languages (2005) has come to an end. What have we accomplished? Actually, we accomplished quite a bit: media coverage all over the country on the benefit of language study, including radio, TV and newspaper coverage in Sacramento; community events like Read Around the World, Cultural Mosaics/Linguistic Landscapes, public awareness events at shopping malls, and the Career Expo that exposed culture and language to the public; school based events that advocated language study to the entire student population of numerous sites; and ultimately, momentum that will carry us into our next campaign.

Discover Languages, Discover the World is the follow-up to the Year of Languages. DLDW is a 10-year public outreach and education effort that aims to stimulate interest in and support of language studies in order to enhance cultural understanding, economic prosperity, national security, and student achievement.

You've heard this before. Maybe you've even read it on one of my earlier blogs, but I'm going to say it again: research has long shown that language study has numerous benefits in each of these areas. A new study was just released in Great Britain that also showed that students who study a second language earn higher standardized test scores than monolingual students. That study replicates a multitude of other studies conducted over the past 20 years that find increased academic achievement, cognitive flexibility, self-image and job opportunities as a result of language study.

Our government wants research-based education, so why aren't these studies, this research, being noticed? Why haven't we discovered the value of languages? Why are we still fighting to even keep the existing language classes open, let alone open new sections or enhance language offerings?  What will it take so that the public recognizes the value of language study and acts upon that value the way we now see numerous patrons of the arts?

Actually, it will take persistence, time, and perhaps money. Advertising in any way possible will help spread the word--parent newsletters, back-to-school night, editorials in community papers, and yes, additional public events that attract attention and disseminate the message.

A little celebrity sponsorship or high profile coverage in a nationally-circulated magazine wouldn't hurt either. I'm keeping my eye out for anyone with celebrity status who may be an advocate for language education. I'm submitting research to magazines in an effort to entice them to publish a story. I haven't yet been successful in my efforts, but the time spent strengthens my resolve. It's a 10-year campaign; I can wait for success. But I can't wait to try. If anyone is going to discover languages, then each of us must be persistent. Each of us must look for new opportunities to spread the message. Each of us must be prepared to find opportunities "out of the box." In fact, the opportunity may present itself in a bag. 

Recently, Duarte Silva, the Executive Director of the California Foreign Language Project, sent me a photo of his most recent flash of creative genious. For Halloween, he joined his neighbors in giving out treat bags. But his treat bags were special; in addition to candy, they contained Discover Languages merchandise and a brochure on the value of language study. That night, every child who came to his house discovered languages. When the children went home and families sifted through the goodies to weed out suspicious items and collect their "percentage of the profits," they, too came across Duarte's treat bags and discovered languages.

Next year, I'm betting more friends of language education will be handing out DLDW treat bags. With organization, such an event can have an impact far beyond the families receiving the treats. Imagine teachers all over the country transforming our Halloween tradition by including educational information and publicity items for DLDW along with candy in their treat bags. That could generate media interest, which would mean more publicity for our cause.

Hmmm...I think I see the seedlings of plan about to sprout. Stay tuned!

--Nicole

Posted by Lang-a-Blog at 19:06 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (15)

Actually, we had very few responses to the last survey, so it's impossible to say with any modicum of reliability what our last FLAGS survey said, but here's a summary anyway for our loyal readers.... All of the respondents had more than 10 years experience teaching world languages in their districts. Fifty percent of the respondents teach French and fifty percent teach Spanish. All of the respondents travel abroad with their students, and they also travel to the countries where their language is spoken at least every three to four years. When asked about the cultural celebrations and/or traditions the teachers investigate with their students, the following topics came up: Christmas (both Spanish and French teachers) Mexican Independence Day Day of the Dead Celebration for the Virgin of Guadalupe Posadas & pinatas weddings baptisms Quinceanos Cinco de mayo Holy Week Fiesta de San Fermin Carnaval/Mardi Gras Carnaval de Québec Finally, respondents were asked to comment on the methods or strategies they find the most effective when they (the teachers) study the language. Not surprisingly, responses included "anything communicative" and listening activities that are contextualized. Imagine that--those same strategies work for our students. Thank you to our members who completed the last survey. Click here to take the current FLAGS survey" --Nicole

Posted by Lang-a-Blog at 15:11 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (8586)

Sometimes I wonder what it will take to achieve our vision of languages for all. Numerous studies support this position and provide quantifiable data regarding the many benefits of language study, especially for children. Numerous elected officials (all the way up to our President) claim to want increased test scores, yet they all ignore the data showing that language education leads to those scores. Employers need employees proficient in a number of languages in order to facilitate their success in a global economy, and yet major corporations donate funds to support all fields of education except world language study. But all hope is not lost. There are people all over the country engaging in a sustained public relations campaign to get the word out. Language ambushes, career fairs, service learning programs, conferences and round table discussions, and many other events are taking place in cities across the country. In each case, more people are hearing the message--language learning benefits our society in numerous ways and we need languages for all. How can you help? Participate in FLAGS, CLTA and ACTFL Discover Languages events. Publicize the great accomplishments your students are making at your school. Host an event for students, colleagues and/or parents at your site. The possibilities are endless. Go to the Discover Languages web site for more information, or visit the FLAGS web site to see what you can do locally. --Nicole

Posted by Lang-a-Blog at 13:31 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)