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Language Magazine | Improving Literacy & Communication - Education & Personal Development
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Portuguese Celebrates Digitization of “Most-Spoken Language in Southern Hemisphere” - Language Magazine
The theme for this year’s celebration of World Portuguese Language Day was “the promotion and dissemination of the Portuguese language and cultural diversity of CPLP (Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries) member states: from traditional experiences to digital platforms,” to reflect the growing relevance of Portuguese in the digital age. Highlighted was the need to leverage technological tools, including artificial intelligence and digital media, to preserve, teach, and promote the Portuguese language across generations and borders. The Language Day also celebrated the diverse and rich cultures of the nine countries that form the CPLP, including, in Africa, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau, Cape
Québec’s Bill 96 Comes into Force - Language Magazine
Despite requests from business groups to extend the compliance deadline, new rules take effect in Québec this month requiring French to be the dominant language on store signs and imposing stricter guidelines for product packaging. The changes are part of Québec’s 2022 overhaul of its French-language law, known as Bill 96, which the government said was essential to protect French in the province. Québec already requires businesses with 50 or more employees to ensure French is the dominant language in the workplace, but now that requirement is being extended to companies with 25 to 49 employees. Businesses in violation of
Time Capsule Celebrating Linguistic Diversity to Land on Moon - Language Magazine
UNESCO has partnered with an American innovation platform Barrelhand to raise awareness of the importance of preserving linguistic diversity, by sending a coin-sized nickel disk to the moon. The tiny disc is engraved with the UNESCO Constitution's preamble 'since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men and women that the defenses of peace must be constructed', translated into 286 languages. Utilizing nanofiche technology, the disc has been engineered to withstand extreme conditions for millions of years. This symbolic gesture underscores the importance of preserving linguistic diversity. 2025 is the third year of the
Participate in Global Survey on Indigenous Languages - Language Magazine
Policymakers, members of Indigenous communities, and members of civil society are invited to take part in the Global Survey on Indigenous Languages, designed by the ad hoc working groups of the Global Task Force for the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. The United Nations General Assembly (Resolution A/RES/74/135) proclaimed the period between 2022 and 2032 the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (IDIL 2022–32), to draw global attention to the critical situation of many Indigenous languages and to mobilize stakeholders and resources for their preservation, revitalization, and promotion. For the organization of the International Decade, UNESCO established a Global Task Force
Structured Literacy Boosts Academic Progress - Language Magazine
Structured literacy is a research-based approach to reading instruction that’s rooted in the science of reading. It emphasizes direct, explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension—essential components for reading success. Research supports the effectiveness of structured literacy, particularly for students with dyslexia, who make up as much as 20% of the student population.1 This approach not only benefits students with learning differences, but it also supports students at every level in developing strong reading skills. Studies show that 95% of studentscan learn to read when taught this way.2 In short, structured literacy solves key challenges educators face,
Learn Faster by Slowing Down - Language Magazine
Elite athletes like Simone Biles didn’t reach the Olympics overnight—it took years of disciplined training and incremental skill development, with every new gymnastic skill she practiced building on a previously mastered foundation. This progression highlights the significance of early scaffolding, where small, structured learning experiences accumulate into a broad mastery of complex skills. Without early-stage scaffolding, learners often struggle to develop the necessary foundation for long-term success. Learning tactile skills, for example a musical instrument like the cello or violin, takes time to progress through the stages from beginner to proficiency. When learning a new tactile skill, like chess or
Tibet: A Land of Many Languages - Language Magazine
Three days after he was released from prison in December, a Tibetan village leader named Gonpo Namgyal died. As his body was being prepared for traditional Tibetan funeral rites, marks were found indicating he had been brutally tortured in jail. His crime? Gonpo Namgyal had been part of a campaign to protect the Tibetan language in China.Gonpo Namgyal is the victim of a slow-moving conflict that has dragged on for nearly 75 years, since China invaded Tibet in the mid-20th century. Language has been central to that conflict.Tibetans have worked to protect the Tibetan language and resisted efforts to enforce
$600,000 Grant Honors the Linguistic Tapestry of Oaxacan Immigrants - Language Magazine
For more than 300 years, the Monterey Bay area has served as a cultural and linguistic crossroads where diverse communities have met, mingled, and exchanged ideas.One of the lesser-known but deeply significant elements of this multicultural landscape is the Indigenous languages spoken by immigrants from Oaxaca, Mexico. The Humanities Institute (THI) at UC Santa Cruz has been developing a community-engaged research project to create an exhibition delving into the role those languages play in sustaining Oaxacan immigrant culture on California’s Central Coast.This work builds from Nido de Lenguas, a longstanding research, education, and advocacy collaboration between linguists at UC Santa
The Best of Both Worlds - Language Magazine
A relatively new and underutilized pedagogical approach to language learning is CLIL, or content and language integrated learning. David Marsh is noted for coining the term in 1994. The fulcrum of CLIL lies on studying a subject (for example, science, history, or literature) and learning a language simultaneously and thereby amalgamating the two subjects. This definition is broad because this subject and language integration can occur in many different ways. In the context of the Indian English-medium education system, CLIL is a generic term referring to the teaching of a curricular subject through a second language. The basis of CLIL
Untangling Fact from Fiction in Trump’s Call to Defund English Learner Education - Language Magazine
On May 2, Russell T. Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), sent a letter to Senator Susan Collins, chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, outlining President Trump's recommended changes to discretionary spending for fiscal year (FY) 2026. One of the administration’s recommendations is to eliminate Title III funding—the only federal grant program specifically geared towards supporting English learners (ELs) and recent immigrant students. The following description was provided as justification for the recommended reduction: “To end overreach from Washington and restore the rightful role of State oversight in education, the Budget proposes to eliminate the
Integrating Social–Emotional Learning - Language Magazine
During the past decade and especially the last few years, social emotional learning’s (SEL’s) reach has expanded significantly. It is known that high-quality SEL instruction can support students’ general well-being and also lead to improved academic outcomes (Durlak et al., 2011; Zins and Elias, 2007). With multilingual learners comprising nearly 23% of the US student-age population (National Center on Education Statistics, 2022) and facing numerous challenges in receiving an equitable and excellent education (Staehr Fenner et al., 2024), we must question how inclusive SEL initiatives and programs are of multilingual learners. The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
Reprieve for Education Department - Language Magazine
A federal judge in Massachusetts has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the President’s executive order calling for Education Secretary Linda McMahon to close the U.S. Education Department. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun told the administration 'to restore the Department to the status quo' and reinstate the 1,300 departmental employees who were axed in March, beginning his ruling with an endorsement of the department, “The Department’s role in education across the nation cannot be understated: it administers the federal student loan portfolio, provides research and technological assistance to states and their educational institutions, disburses federal education funds, and monitors and
CA Set to Mandate Evidence-Based Reading Instruction | Language Magazine
A new California bill (AB 1454) will provide an estimated $250 million for professional development, credentialing, and instructional materials aligned to “evidence-based means of teaching foundational reading skills in print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, and fluency to all pupils, including tiered supports for pupils with reading difficulties, English learners, and pupils with exceptional needs.” The bill does not specifically mention the Science of Reading, like most recent state reading legislation, but it does incorporate its core elements, while recognizing that different groups of learners may benefit from emphases on different methodologies. After being amended to reflect an
ALAS to Offer Scholarship to Member Seeking Advanced Degree | Language Magazine
The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) will award a $10,000 scholarship to an aspiring superintendent to help them continue their advanced degree program. Applicants are selected based on need and on their personal statements about how an advanced degree will help them achieve their goals and further the goals of the ALAS mission and vision. They must also submit a resume and three letters of recommendation. Applicants can apply through June 15, 2025 at www.alasedu.org/alas-scholarship. Applicants must be ALAS members and enrolled in or accepted to an advanced degree program. To become an ALAS member visit www.alasedu.org/individual-membership-registration/. “ALAS
Modern Language Association Files Lawsuit over Dismantling of National Endowment for the Humanities | Language Magazine
Legal Pleadings Court Papers Law Complaint The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), the American Historical Association (AHA), and the Modern Language Association (MLA) filed a lawsuit in federal district court today, seeking to reverse the recent actions to devastate the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), including the elimination of grant programs, staff, and entire divisions and programs. In recent weeks, the NEH has eliminatedentire divisions, initiated the mass firing of 65 percent of its staff, and suspended entire grant programs. These moves threaten the future of American research into history, literature, languages, philosophy, politics, society, and culture. They
Wisconsin Awaits $50 Million for Reading | Language Magazine
Back in 2023, $50 million was allocated to fund mandated changes to how Wisconsin children learn to read, but the funds have never been released, thanks to legal arguments over the reading legislation./ The money has been tied up as the legislature awaits oral arguments and a decision by the state supreme court over whether the governor had the authority to strike funding for school boards and charter school compliance from the law. As that ruling won’t come by the end of the fiscal year, the funds will go back into the state’s massive surplus, State Representative Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon
Rooted in the Science of Reading | Language Magazine
'Statistics and their interpretation by experts show only the surface dimensionof the difficulties we face. Beneath them lies a tension between hope andfrustration that characterizes current attitudes about education at every level.' A Nation at Risk, 1983, p. 10 In today’s rapidly evolving digital and multicultural landscape, literacy education must broaden beyond traditional debates and embrace an all-encompassing dynamic framework we all can accept. Rather than viewing the science of reading and the holistic treatment of literacy as opposing forces, we must recognize their contributions to an integrated, broader, and more comprehensive vision of multiliteracies. This perspective acknowledges that literacy
The Legacy and Tensions of the Lau Decision - Language Magazine
Last year we celebrated the 50th anniversary of a milestone US Supreme Court ruling, Lau v. Nichols (1974), which set the groundwork for equitable learning opportunities for students designated at the time as limited English proficient (and who are now referred to as English learners (ELs) at the federal level). The Lau decision in tandem with the Equal Educational Opportunities Act, which was enacted by Congress later the same year, required that all public schools implement remedies to ensure students with “limited English proficiency” could participate meaningfully in their education. And yet, despite five decades of attempts to make classroom
Celebrate English & Spanish Language Days at the UN - Language Magazine
On April 23, the 'Spanish Language Day at the United Nations' is celebrated to raise awareness among the staff of the Organization, and the world at large, about the history, culture and use of Spanish as an official language. The election of the day attends to the anniversary of the death of the great genius of Spanish lyrics, Miguel de Cervantes. Incidentally, the date of his death coincides with that of the most prestigious English playwright, William Shakespeare. Hence both languages share the day. English Language Day at the United Nations is also celebrated on the 23rd of April —
Congolese Bishops Condemn Discrimination Against Swahili Speakers - Language Magazine
Rapidly advancing rebels in the mineral-rich eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are contributing to escalating violence and tensions across the country, including growing discrimination and division based on language differences. As conflict spreads, the country’s Catholic bishops have warned that linguistic divisions risk deepening social fractures at a time when national unity is crucial. “While our brothers and sisters living in the eastern part of our country, the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly those in the provinces of North and South Kivu, are stricken by the horrors of war, in recent days we have witnessed a
California Education Chief Challenges ICE in Schools, Promotes Dual Language Programs - Language Magazine
California state superintendent for education Tony Thurmond has presented a bill, Senate Bill 48 (Gonzalez), that will limit the presence of ICE agents on school campuses. Thurmond also hosted a webinar to promote the expansion of dual language immersion (DLI) programs across California, affirming the importance of preparing students to succeed, compete, and lead in a multilingual, global economy. SB 48, authored by Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez (D-33), is sponsored by Thurmond to address the safety concerns of immigrant families and to protect school funding that is projected to decline in some parts of the state as attendance is
Wisconsin Awaits $50 Million for Reading - Language Magazine
Back in 2023, $50 million was allocated to fund mandated changes to how Wisconsin children learn to read, but the funds have never been released, thanks to legal arguments over the reading legislation. The money has been tied up as the legislature awaits oral arguments and a decision by the state supreme court over whether the governor had the authority to strike funding for school boards and charter school compliance from the law. As that ruling won’t come by the end of the fiscal year, the funds will go back into the state’s massive surplus, State Representative Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon
Federal Funding Tied to DEI Suppression - Language Magazine
The Trump administration is requiring K–12 schools to certify that they are following federal civil rights laws and ending any discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, as a condition for receiving federal money. A notice sent by the Education Department gives states and schools ten days to sign and return the certification. It’s the latest escalation against DEI policies, apparently giving the Republican administration a new lever for terminating federal money. The US Department of Education sent letters to state commissioners overseeing K–12 state education agencies (SEAs) requiring them to certify their compliance with their anti-discrimination obligations in order to
House Bill Would Boost World Language Programs - Language Magazine
At the end of last month, Representatives Jen Kiggans (R-Virginia) and Jimmy Panetta (D-California) formally reintroduced the World Language Education Assistance Program (World LEAP) Act (HR 1572), which would establish a grant program through the Department of Education to create new and support current world language programs for local K–12 education for up to three years. “As someone who taught English in Japan after graduating college, I have a great appreciation for the critical role language education plays in the lives of countless Americans and our friends across the globe,” said Congresswoman Kiggans. “By giving K–12 schools the opportunity to improve and expand their world language programs, we
The Krashen-Ashtari Karass Hypothesis - Language Magazine
“We Bokononists believe that humanity is organized into teams, teams that do God’s Will without ever discovering what they are doing. Such a team is called akarassby Bokonon.”–Vonnegut, 1963, p. 1 The excerpt above is fromCat’s Cradle, a novel by Kurt Vonnegut in which he describes a fake religion, Bokononism, followed by the people of a small island in the Caribbean Sea, the Republic of San Lorenzo. According to the book, a karass is a group of people who are brought together at any point during their life to collaborate for the greater good—“if you find your life tangled up
BEST Act Promotes Bilingual Proficiency & Employability - Language Magazine
Last month, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-California) announced the reintroduction of the Biliteracy Education Seal and Teaching (BEST) Act, a bill that establishes a federal grant program at the US Department of Education to recognize high-level student proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in both English and a second language. Under this program, states would be able to establish or improve their own Biliteracy Seal programs to award seals to K–12 students. The bill focuses on supporting the implementation and scaling of Seal of Biliteracy programs and ensuring that cost is not a barrier to students participating in them. This recognition
French Community in the US - Language Magazine
So many French words have been incorporated into English that we may not even realize that we are hearing French among the languages spoken around us. French is both a global and a local language, spoken by over 320 million around the world and by more than 33 million in the Americas (Nadeau, 2021). In the US, French ancestry may be traced to Canada, Haiti, France, and other areas of the world, particularly African and Caribbean countries. It is important to consider the reality that the learning and use of French in the US provides access to a global skill
What is Academic Language? - Language Magazine
The term academic language has been used a lot in the field of English as a second language education. What is it? You will probably get a different answer from each educator you ask. How do we support students in acquiring academic language? There are varying answers to this question as well. What we can agree on is that focusing on academic language is crucial for any educator working with multilingual learners, as it equips students with necessary tools that open the doors for future opportunity and access, both inside and outside the classroom. In the late 1970s, Jim Cummins
English 3D Updates for Early Learners - Language Magazine
Designed by Dr. Kate Kinsella, English 3D is an explicit and interactive English language development program for multilingual learners in grades K–12. The curriculum builds upon existing linguistic strengths, enabling rapid acquisition of the academic speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills needed for reclassification, secondary school, college, and career. English 3D has earned the WIDA Prime 2020 Seal, indicating its alignment to the current WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework, 2020 edition. English 3D received the highest score possible (a “4” rating) in all areas of review, indicating its “strong and comprehensive” alignment to the WIDA Standards Framework. Program author
Reading Legislation Update - Language Magazine
Iowa Gives Every G1 Student Decodable Books Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education have announced a statewide investment of over $3.5 million to provide every first grade student with decodable book packs to take home and keep, reinforcing classroom instruction. “Iowa is making early literacy a top priority, recently enacting landmark literacy legislation, improving state standards and ensuring teachers have the tools they need to hone this foundational skill in their students,” Gov. Reynolds said. “These book packs, based on the Science of Reading, bring parents more fully into that process by giving them a fun way
“You only get one chance at this life thing, don’t waste it!” - Language Magazine
With the landscape changing for federal workers, many people are on the lookout for new career opportunities where they can apply their skills and expertise while continuing a path of service. The field of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) offers a wide range of possibilities, from teaching in public schools, international schools, and specialized language schools to working in refugee resettlement, community outreach, and corporate training. And you don’t have to be a linguist to get started.Even before recent reprioritizations by the current administration, those working across government agencies and in the military looked to TESOL for
Collaboration Is Key to Successful UDL Implementation - Language Magazine
In our first article in this series, the universal design for learning (UDL) principles (CAST, 2024) were introduced as a much-needed framework to respond to learner variability, more specifically to dually identified English learners we referred to as multilingual learners with exceptionalities. Firmly rooted in the sociocultural tradition that language develops through meaningful interactions and grounded in the UDL principles of multiple modes of engagement, representation, and action and expression, the integration of UDL guidelines has been found to benefit students with disabilities or learning support needs, as well as multilingual learners with and without exceptionalities. As UDL is already
Fostering Community and Belonging - Language Magazine
At the close of 2024, the Haitian Creole Language and Culture Program that I founded at the end of 2023 in Indianapolis, capital of the great state of Indiana, entered its second phase with a new wave of excitement and partnership. Researchers, language students, experts of all kinds have already manifested for the new session, which started on September 30, 2024. I briefly sampled the Creole program in a recent conversation with eminent linguist Albert Valdman, Rudy Professor Emeritus, and distinguished professor Kevin Rottet, both from Indiana University Bloomington, and the reception was overall positive; those present argued the “project
Emilia Pérez’s Spanish Ignites Criticism - Language Magazine
The most-nominated non-English film in Oscar history, Emilia Pérez, may be set in Mexico with a Spanish script and song lyrics, but it was largely filmed in France and written by non-Spanish speakers, which has led to backlash from Mexicans who feel that the movie trivializes the country’s ongoing struggle with organized crime.The Spanish language used in the film has also been criticized. Héctor Guillén, a Mexican screenwriter and producer, told the New York Times, “The dialogues are completely inorganic—what the characters are saying doesn’t make sense.” Despite being nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song, songwriters Clément Ducol
Study Finds Large-Print Books Boost Literacy and Social–Emotional Health - Language Magazine
New research released by Thorndike Press from Gale, part of Cengage Group, suggests that 87% of teachers saw a positive impact on their students’ reading success when they made the switch to large-print books. The study was conducted independently by Project Tomorrow, a reputable education nonprofit, on behalf of Thorndike Press, to better understand the potential role of large-print books in supporting students’ literacy development. The study examined the impact of students reading large-print-formatted books on their reading engagement and achievement levels. Approximately 1,500 students in grades 4–12 and 56 teachers and librarians across 13 US elementary, middle, and high
Ending the Reading Wars, Pt. 1 - Language Magazine
This and the next article in this series try to get at the question of how oral language and written language differ. I believe this question has been at the heart of many, if not most, of the disagreements we’ve had about how to help people learn to read. There are three principal sections, the third one started here and then finished in the next article: • How the issue was first defined nearly 50 years ago—whether learning to read is natural or unnatural—was unfortunate and misleading. • A suggested distinction is likely to be more productive: the difference between