Author: MATSOL

Include bilingual instruction for all students in ESEA reauthorization

MATSOL Language Education Policy, National News , ,

A commentary in Education Week supporting expanded bilingual education in ESEA reauthorization:

While employers are clamoring for bilingual or even multilingual employees for an increasingly globalized economy, U.S. schools turn out relatively few students who are even somewhat competent in a second language. Hard figures are unavailable, but we know that only 5 percent of the 4.2 million Advanced Placement exams given in 2014 were in a foreign language, and only slightly more than half these students scored a 4 or a 5. That’s about 100,000 students—about six-tenths of 1 percent of the country’s nearly 16 million high school students. Most egregiously, instead of maintaining and building on the home-language abilities of 11 million students in our public schools, we actually attempt to quash them, if only by neglect.

Education Week: Congress: Bilingualism Is Not a Handicap

Boston Globe editorial urges bilingual education for Boston schools

MATSOL Community News, Language Education Policy , ,

A Boston Globe editorial on July 13, 2015 urges superintendent Chang to increase bilingual and dual language education in Boston Public Schools:

When it comes to educating the surging immigrant population in Boston, many in educational and political circles ignore the evidence of failure all around them. The achievement gap for so-called English-language learners — students enrolled in school but without English proficiency — promises to haunt Boston for a generation unless the ineffective and highly unsuccessful English immersion mandate is reversed. The Boston Public Schools continue to watch these students fall through the cracks. Their dropout rates are consistently higher, and they have among the lowest MCAS scores in the city. Saving more of these students from a life without meaningful educational achievement stands as one of the signal challenges for new superintendent Tommy Chang. Read more…

The Boston Globe: Bring back bilingual education for Boston schools

Framingham parents request dual language program

MATSOL Community News, Parent Involvement

Parents in Framingham, Massachusetts, have submitted a petition to the superintendent requesting that the district establish a dual language program.

Happy Graduation!

MATSOL Language Education Policy, National News

Congratulations to the students around the country who graduated from high school with a Seal of Biliteracy — Let’s make this possible for Massachusetts students as well!

  • Illinois: Nearly 800 Illinois students in Class of 2015 graduate with the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy
  • New Jersey: Washington Township High School was one of 12 school districts in New Jersey that participated in a pilot program that recognizes students for biliteracy — an honor that is aimed at giving students a competitive edge upon high school graduation.
  • California: The Napa Valley Unified School District recognized 137 high school graduates who attained a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in one or more languages in addition to English with a Seal of Biliteracy.

See more at SealofBiliteracy.org.

Pseudo-Science in Language Teaching

MATSOL Coalition News

In his talk A Guide to Pseudo-Science in English Language Teaching at the 2014 IATEFL conference, Russell Mayne debunks the “scientific” claims that support using practices based on learning styles, multiple intelligences, and Neuro-Linguisic Programming in language teaching. [Video]

Also see Russell Mayne’s blog Evidence Based ELT.

 

Infographic: A world of languages

MATSOL International News ,

There are at least 7,102 known languages alive in the world today. Twenty-three of these languages are a mother tongue for more than 50 million people. The 23 languages make up the native tongue of 4.1 billion people. We represent each language within black borders and then provide the numbers of native speakers (in millions) by country. The colour of these countries shows how languages have taken root in many different regions. Infographic from the South China Morning Post.

Bilingual by 2026

MATSOL National News

A report on Dual Language programs in a Seattle school district.

“This is Lucas,” says a first-grader, introducing his friend. “A long time ago in kindergarten, he used to not know Spanish.” “Yeah, I learned a lot more,” Lucas says. Another student agrees that Lucas has improved: “Yeah, he’s saying a lot of words and compound words in Spanish.”

KUOW.org: Bilingual by 2026: Highline Schools Aim For Dual-Language Graduates

Seal of Biliteracy

MATSOL Language Education Policy, National News, Seal of Biliteracy Pilot Project , ,

Support the Seal of Biliteracy in Massachusetts! Support An Act to Establish a State Seal of Biliteracy H.422/S.336 and An Act relative to Language Opportunity for Our Kids (LOOK) H.498/S.262.

“A lot of businesses want to know, ‘Do you know Chinese? And how do I know you know?’ And you can have your certificate as verification.”

NPR: On The High School Diploma: A ‘Bilingual’ Stamp Of Approval?

Shortage of Dual Language Teachers

MATSOL Language Education Policy, National News ,

The Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) has cited finding highly qualified teachers as the greatest challenge in implementing an immersion program. Aside from needing to be fluent in the target language, teachers also need to be competent in language learning strategies and the relevant pedagogical skills.

The LOOK Bill will create a certification for Dual Language educators in Massachusetts.

Education Week: Shortage of Dual-Language Teachers: Filling the Gap