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Language Magazine | Improving Literacy & Communication - Education & Personal Development
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Unsealing Career Opportunities - Language Magazine
Language learning isn’t just a skill—it’s a gateway to opportunity. In the US, where over 350 languages are spoken, multilingualism is increasingly vital in industries like healthcare, construction, and technology. The Global Seal of Biliteracy is a transformative credential that recognizes bilingual proficiency and equips students with a tangible career advantage. For career and technical education (CTE) students, this international certification goes beyond recognition: it validates their skills and positions them to meet the growing demand for multilingual professionals. Often earned before high school graduation, the Global Seal serves as a student’s first working credential, paving the way for success
Europeans Advised to Increase Defense Spending or Learn Russian - Language Magazine
In his first speech to the European Parliament since taking office, NATO secretary general Mark Rutte warned that if European defense spending doesn’t rise, Europeans might need to “get out their Russian language courses or go to New Zealand,” according to Politico.Rutte also called for raising the alliance’s defense spending target beyond its current benchmark of 2% of each country’s GDP—a goal that only 24 of the bloc’s 32 members currently meet. He highlighted one of his priorities, to “bring NATO and the EU closer together” to counter an ongoing Russian “destabilization campaign” and address other threats, including those from
Indiana Saves Seal of Biliteracy Program - Language Magazine
Under pressure from language-learning advocates, Representative Robert Behning, the chairman of Indiana’s House Education Committee, has introduced an amendment to his own bill to remove the language that would have eliminated the state’s eight-year-old Certificate of Multilingual Proficiency (CoMP) program. This amendment was later passed by Indiana’s House of Representatives. If CoMP had been eliminated, Indiana would have become the only state without a Seal of Biliteracy program. In January, Behning introduced House Bill 1002 as an attempt to remove outdated educational regulations that supported optional educational programs. The original version of HB 1002 would have eliminated the bipartisan and
Tailor Learning to Students’ Interests - Language Magazine
A recent study from the McGovern Institute for Brain Research, which appears in Imaging Neuroscience, shows how interests can modulate language processing in children’s brains and paves the way for personalized brain research. “Traditional studies give subjects identical stimuli to avoid confounding the results,” says of MIT professor and McGovern Institute investigator John Gabrieli, who is the Grover Hermann Professor of Health Sciences and Technology and a professor of brain and cognitive sciences at MIT. “However, our research tailored stimuli to each child’s interest, eliciting stronger—and more consistent—activity patterns in the brain’s language regions across individuals.” This work unveils a
Grammar Aids Early Vocab Building - Language Magazine
A new study carried out at the MIT Language Acquisition Lab offers a novel insight into the early acquisition of vocabulary—sentences contain subtle hints in their grammar that tell young children about the meaning of new words. The finding, based on experiments with two-year-olds, suggests that even very young kids are capable of absorbing grammatical cues from language and leveraging that information to acquire new words. Even by age one, many infants seem to think that if they hear a new word, it means something different from the words they already know. But why they think so has remained subject to
Rigorous Teaching and Learning - Language Magazine
You know it when you see it” is an axiom that has been applied to rigorous educational experiences. And there is truth to this sentiment. When the classroom is humming along and teachers and students have high expectations for learning, combined with the support to achieve greatness, rigor seems self-evident. It’s obvious that learning will occur when rigor is present and that students’ content and language development will be accelerated. Yet the issue of rigor is especially problematic when it comes to multilingual learners (MLs). Evidence suggests that teachers lower the rigor threshold for these students, a process some researchers
World-Readiness as Career Readiness - Language Magazine
World language enrollments are declining and technology is advancing faster than we can imagine. How can we keep attracting investment in language learning and teaching? Threats and Opportunities for Language Learning… The End Is Not in Sight In the year that I was born, coincidentally, Douglas Adams introduced the world to a very useful little creature called the Babel fish. This “cyborganism” would live in your ear, feed on your brain waves, and allow you to interpret every language you encountered. The original Babel fish was fictional, but it inspired the name of the first free online translator. Announcing the
Colorado Assesses Multilingual Learners - Language Magazine
Early this month, the Colorado Department of Education is presenting a “state of the state on multilingual learners” (MLLs)—a sign of more focus on their needs by the state.In the 2023–24 school year, Colorado identified 114,482 MLLs, up from 109,780 in 2022–23 but lower than the 122,976 in 2019–20—that equates to about 13% of all Colorado students learning English as a new language. That figure is similar to the last few years, but a larger percentage of these students are considered not English proficient—at the lowest level of fluency. In 2023–24, there were 38,036 students identified as not English proficient,
Visions for 2025: Getting Future Ready - Language Magazine
Career exploration and exposure to real-world experiences are essential in today’s education for students in K–12 as they consider postsecondary and career opportunities after high school graduation. UnidosUS and the National Urban League co-authored a white paper in 2024, “A Community-Based Approach to Career Pathways Navigation,” to elevate the promise of career pathways as a transformative force for learners to navigate a future demanding a skilled and adaptable workforce.1 Yet our research found that Black, Latino, and other student populations such as English learners (ELs) have limited access to high-quality career pathways that can help them to develop marketable skills
Yes, Structured Literacy and Multilingualism Go Together - Language Magazine
Literacy is foundational—not only for academic success but as a fundamental skill for navigating life. Yet literacy rates in the US paint a troubling picture: about 21% of adults are illiterate, and 54% read below a sixth-grade level, with 45 million Americans considered functionally illiterate. This urgent reality calls for evidence-based literacy practices, like explicit foundational skills and vocabulary instruction, developing background-knowledge comprehension strategies, and effective spoken language teaching for multilingual learners (MLs). It Starts with Language Yes, our brains are wired for language. From birth, exposure to language, combined with caregivers’ intentional interactions—like repeating words, allowing practice through babbling,
Indiana Saves Seal of Biliteracy Program - Language Magazine
Under pressure from language learning advocates, Rep. Robert Behning, the Chairman of Indiana’s House Education Committee, has introduced an amendment to his own bill to remove the language that would have eliminated the state’s eight year-old Certificate of Multilingual Proficiency (CoMP) program. This amendment was later passed by Indiana’s House of Representatives. the bill’s lead author and the Committee’s chair. If CoMP had been eliminated, Indiana would have become the only state without a Seal of Biliteracy program. In January, Behning introduced House Bill 1002 as an attempt to remove outdated educational regulations that supported optional educational programs. The original
AI Biased by User Language - Language Magazine
AI speaks letters, text-to-speech or TTS, text-to-voice, speech synthesis applications, generative Artificial Intelligence, futuristic technology in language and communication. A new study, “How User Language Affects Conflict Fatality Estimates in ChatGPT,” published in Journal of Peace, suggests that the language used to ask questions of large language models (LLMs) can significantly affect the information provided by them, potentially deepening biases. Conducted by researchers from the University of Zurich and the University of Konstanz, the study highlights how ChatGPT generates differing responses when asked about armed conflicts depending on the language of the query. Researchers Christoph Steinert from the University of
Tailor Learning to Students’ Interests - Language Magazine
A recent study from the McGovern Institute for Brain Research, which appears in Imaging Neuroscience, shows how interests can modulate language processing in children’s brains and paves the way for personalized brain research. “Traditional studies give subjects identical stimuli to avoid confounding the results,” says of MIT professor and McGovern Institute investigator John Gabrieli, who is the Grover Hermann Professor of Health Sciences and Technology and a professor of brain and cognitive sciences at MIT. “However, our research tailored stimuli to each child’s interest, eliciting stronger—and more consistent—activity patterns in the brain’s language regions across individuals.” This work unveils a
Colorado Assesses Multilingual Learners - Language Magazine
Early this month, the Colorado Department of Education is presenting a “state of the state on multilingual learners” (MLLs)—a sign of more focus on their needs by the state.In the 2023–24 school year, Colorado identified 114,482 MLLs, up from 109,780 in 2022–23 but lower than the 122,976 in 2019–20—that equates to about 13% of all Colorado students learning English as a new language. That figure is similar to the last few years, but a larger percentage of these students are considered not English proficient—at the lowest level of fluency. In 2023–24, there were 38,036 students identified as not English proficient,
Visions for 2025: Getting Future Ready - Language Magazine
Career exploration and exposure to real-world experiences are essential in today’s education for students in K–12 as they consider postsecondary and career opportunities after high school graduation. UnidosUS and the National Urban League co-authored a white paper in 2024, “A Community-Based Approach to Career Pathways Navigation,” to elevate the promise of career pathways as a transformative force for learners to navigate a future demanding a skilled and adaptable workforce.1 Yet our research found that Black, Latino, and other student populations such as English learners (ELs) have limited access to high-quality career pathways that can help them to develop marketable skills
AI Biased by User Language - Language Magazine
AI speaks letters, text-to-speech or TTS, text-to-voice, speech synthesis applications, generative Artificial Intelligence, futuristic technology in language and communication. A new study, “How User Language Affects Conflict Fatality Estimates in ChatGPT,” published in Journal of Peace, suggests that the language used to ask questions of large language models (LLMs) can significantly affect the information provided by them, potentially deepening biases. Conducted by researchers from the University of Zurich and the University of Konstanz, the study highlights how ChatGPT generates differing responses when asked about armed conflicts depending on the language of the query. Researchers Christoph Steinert from the University of
Visions for 2025: Multilingual Experiences Matter - Language Magazine
Walk into any classroom in the US, you’ll likely encounter students who speak a language other than English at home, who might have learned to read in another language before coming to school, or who are learning to read in more than one language in their classroom. Regardless of the language of the teacher, multilingual learners, including 10% students who are categorized as English Learners (Center for Educational Statistics, 2024) come to school every day and bring with them their valuable multilingual experiences and assets. In 2020, the NEA predicted that by 2025, one in four students in American classrooms
Addressing the US Shortage of Bilingual School Psychologists - Language Magazine
Picture a school where nearly half the students speak a language other than English at home. Now imagine there’s only one psychologist available—and they only speak English. This is the reality for many US schools today. The national ratio stands at one school psychologist per 1,119 students, more than double the National Association of School Psychologists’ (NASP) recommended 1:500 ratio.1 Even more troubling, 92% of these professionals are fluent only in English. As multilingual learners (MLLs) rapidly become the fastest-growing student population in the US—projected to comprise one in four students in classrooms by next year—the need for more bilingual
Iowa Gives Every G1 Student Decodable Books - Language Magazine
Governor 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,” Governor Reynolds said. “These book packs, based on the science of reading, bring parents more fully into that process by giving them a fun way to reinforce at home what their children are
Leading with a Culture of Caring - Language Magazine
When Francisco Lopez was twelve, he and his parents moved from Santiago, Brazil, to a small town in Massachusetts, where his father began working as a Portuguese professor at a university. Accompanied by his parents, Francisco enrolled in a local middle school, where his father enacted the role of family interpreter. They are greeted by the school principal, Mr. Murtaugh, who graciously takes them on a quick tour of the school. At the conclusion, Francisco takes a language test to determine if he is a multilingual learner. A week later, he begins school. Hearing a cacophony of sounds in a
MA Court Could Rule on Science of Reading - Language Magazine
A lawsuit seeking class action status has been filed in the Massachusetts Superior Court against famed literacy experts Lucy Calkins, Irene Fountas, and Gay Su Pinnell, as well as the Reading and Writing Project at Mossflower, Greenwood Publishing Group (DBA Heinemann Publishing), HMH Education Co., and the board of trustees of Columbia University’s Teachers College. The suit, filed on behalf of three Massachusetts children and their parents by Justice Catalyst Law and Kaplan & Grady, seeks substantial relief for students and families across Massachusetts allegedly harmed by the defendant publishers and authors’ literacy products. The suit also seeks a court
An Unexpected Powerhouse - Language Magazine
North Carolina’s impressive climb to fifth in the nation for dual language immersion (DLI) programs is more than just a ranking—it’s also a reflection of the profound impact these programs have on our students and our state’s future. With higher graduation rates, stronger test scores, and better earning potential, a greater percentage of North Carolina students are experiencing the lifelong benefits of bilingual education. This success directly feeds into our state’s top-ranked workforce, a key factor in North Carolina being named the best state for business by CNBC in 2023. Our DLI programs are not just educational initiatives; they are
A Comprehensive Language-Based Literacy Framework - Language Magazine
In this article, we provide a response to the article published in Language Magazine on Oct. 2, 2024, in which authors Jennifer Pendergrass, Tabatha Tierce, and David L. Chiesa were critiquing the WIDA ELD Standards for not being aligned to Scarborough’s Reading Rope, only attending to the upper levels of language comprehension in the Reading Rope and ignoring word recognition and phonemic awareness (Pendergrass et al., 2024). The authors specifically mention that the standards are based on systemic functional linguistics and that in that theory of language, phonology and graphology are one of the layers of meaning, but the WIDA
Kickstarting Newcomer Progress with Literacy Platform - Language Magazine
Throughout the 2021–22 school year, our schools implemented a specialized literacy platform to provide additional support, guidance, and motivation for English language learners (ELLs) in the classroom, with a particular focus on newcomers. This initiative aimed to help these students navigate the dual challenges of learning English and improving their reading skills. The students were very enthusiastic about it, prompting us to broaden the implementation of the literacy platform throughout the district. Currently, approximately 200 out of our 700 students are utilizing an online program designed to assist emergent bilinguals in grades K–6 in enhancing their English language skills (Lexia
Spanish to Exceed 600M Speakers This Year - Language Magazine
The Instituto Cervantes has launched its latest yearbook, Spanish in the World 2024, with the most up-to-date statistics on the language’s international presence and future projections. It shows that in 2024, for the first time, Spanish speakers worldwide will exceed 600 million people. This figure includes almost 500 million native speakers in addition to those with limited competence (around 78 million) and students (more than 24 million). The report also highlights that Spanish remains the second mother tongue on the planet, after Mandarin Chinese, and its relevance is recognized as it’s one of the main choices for users of platforms
Forging Language Futures - Language Magazine
A year ago, the Modern Language Association (MLA) delivered sobering news about the state of language study in higher education, along with valuable insights for overcoming the challenges we face: Language enrollments are declining even as the need for knowledge of world cultures and languages grows across many sectors of the workforce… Departments that thrive are those that actively seek internal and external collaborations, update their programs to attract interest and meet student needs, and celebrate student success through scholarships, awards, and social events. (Enrollments in Languages Other Than English in United States Institutions of Higher Education, MLA, 2023) In
Translanguaging and Assessing Biliteracy through Writing - Language Magazine
Anyone who has taught in a dual language program knows the struggle of fitting in sufficient instruction in each content area in both languages while complying with the state requirements. With most standardized reading tests only given in English, it is tempting to devote more time to reading instruction in English, while setting aside writing instruction in either language. However, by not teaching and assessing writing in a holistic manner, we are denying our students the opportunity to use their full set of language skills to construct meaning and demonstrate their knowledge and thinking (Ramos and Musanti, 2021). Writing is
Applied Peace Linguistics - Language Magazine
As a language learner, how often do you reflect critically on your psycho-social purposes for learning? As a language user, how often do you consider the impact of your expression and its role in promoting harmony and justice? As a language teacher, how often do you teach with the intention of building peace? As a language researcher, how often do you carefully examine teaching, learning, and use from a peace perspective? If rarely, what has prevented you from doing so? Perhaps you feel quite busy with and possibly burdened by your normal workload and daily routine? Or maybe you have
Crackdown on ‘Unauthorized’ Chinese - Language Magazine
China’s internet regulator has launched a campaign to crack down on “unauthorized” use of language online, in a move experts say is a bid to stem the widespread use of slang and abbreviations by Generation Z on social media.The Cyberspace Administration of China will take steps to “rectify the chaos of the irregular use of Mandarin and other characters on the internet,” the country’s state news agency Xinhua reported last month.The move is part of a nationwide crackdown on language usage with the code name Clear and Bright, and will target expressions involving homophones—words that sound the same but mean
Congress Defers FY25 Language Education Funding Decisions - Language Magazine
In late September, Congress completed work on a continuing resolution (CR), a temporary spending measure that will keep the government operating through December 20. The House passed the CR with a vote of 341–82, while the Senate approved it 78–18. The president will sign it into law shortly. With these votes completed, Congress now stands in recess until after the election and effectively defers final decisions on fiscal year 2025 spending until then. When Congress returns, it will begin negotiating in earnest on final overall spending levels for each of the federal government’s twelve annual appropriations bills, including the FY25
A Nonbinary Gender? - Language Magazine
There is a growing proportion of transgender and nonbinary people worldwide, and the practice of addressing this group by they/them pronouns and using their as a singular possessive pronoun is becoming increasingly commonplace in today’s society. As a Spanish college professor, I am fielding more and more questions from students about the preferences used in the Spanish language when referring to nonbinary (no binarie in Spanish) persons and how the Spanish language is developing relative to modifications in the English language. This is where the differences and complexities arise: Spanish, unlike English, has masculine and feminine nouns. The modern Romance
Literacy Policy - Language Magazine
Michigan Implements New Literacy/Dyslexia Bills Two new literacy/dyslexia laws were signed last month by Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer at Gardner International Magnet School in Lansing. “Kids won today,” said state superintendent Dr. Michael F. Rice. “This is the most consequential education legislation signed in Michigan in the past two decades, with the possible exception of historic state school aid budgets for fiscal years 2023 and 2024. In the coming years, Michigan children learning to read will benefit enormously.” In September, the state Senate and House sent two literacy/ dyslexia bills to the governor in resounding bipartisan votes. The K–12 literacy/dyslexia
Bilingualism Makes the Brain More Efficient - Language Magazine
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to build connections within itself, adapting to the surrounding environment. The brain is most plastic in childhood, forming new pathways in reaction to stimuli such as language. Past research has shown that learning a second language may positively affect attention, healthy aging, and even recovery after brain injury. A new study from the Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) of McGill University, the University of Ottawa, and the University of Zaragoza in Spain elaborates on bilingualism’s role in cognition, showing increased efficiency of communication between brain regions. Scientists recruited 151 participants who either spoke French, English, or
International Education Week is Nov. 18-22 - Language Magazine
International Education Week (IEW), a joint initiative between the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, is November 18-22, 2024. According to the U.S. Department of State's website, IEW is 'an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.' Higher education institutions across the U.S. are celebrating with art exhibits, concerts, food tastings, movie screenings, sporting events, and more. Many students also have the opportunity to attend information sessions about studying abroad and applying for scholarships. Institutions that are interested in hosting international exchange participants are encouraged to contact their local Global Ties office.
Canada Freezes NWT Language Allocation - Language Magazine
The federal funding allocation for Indigenous language programs in the Northwest Territories (NWT) has stalled at CAN$5.9 million per year for the next three years. The figure has not changed since 2016, so, when inflation is factored in, it represents a cut of 20% in real terms. The federal government claimed it was instead sending more money directly to Indigenous governments and organizations. In a statement to Cabin Radio, Canadian Heritage, which supplies the NWT government with language funding, said its agreement with the territory was “ongoing, predictable funding” and a “sustained commitment,” despite not having increased in eight years.Canadian
New Federal Funds for Native Languages - Language Magazine
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced over $7 million in new funding awards for Native language projects. In 2024, ACF’s Administration for Native Americans (ANA) will fund eight projects under the Native American Language Preservation and Maintenance program and one project under the Esther Martinez Immersion program. These new awards are in addition to $10,218,134 for 37 continuing language projects, for a total ANA FY 24 investment of $17,316,599 in Native languages.
New Ojibwe Immersion Program - Language Magazine
This fall, Wisconsin’s Bayfield School District is launching an Ojibwemowin immersion program for kindergarten students in collaboration with the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The district of just over 400 students is one of the few in Wisconsin where the majority of kids—69.2 percent—are Native American. “I can’t how significant this is—not only for our community in our area, but for our children and their future,” Paap, who is a Red Cliff Tribal member, told Wisconsin Public Radio. “Cultural identity has been something that the federal government has worked really hard to strip away from Indigenous people, and
WKU Renews Chinese Flagship Program - Language Magazine
Western Kentucky University’s (WKU’s) Department of Modern Languages’ Chinese Flagship Program has renewed its four-year $1.5 million grant with The Language Flagship, an initiative of the National Security Education Program within the Defense Language and National Security Education Office. The federally funded program offers students an affordable, high-quality undergraduate education that combines the study of Mandarin Chinese with rigorous academics in an engaged honors community setting. Founded in 2009, it is the only one of its kind in the state of Kentucky. All students participating in the program are affiliated with the Mahurin Honors College and pursue a secondary major.
Leadership: Pivoting to Progress - Language Magazine
Teachers are often drawn to education in hopes of exercising their creative freedom to make a difference in children’s lives. Yet it can be a crushing blow to realize when they enter the teaching profession that it involves far more than passion, intellect, and creative freedom. Teachers must constantly navigate an array of hierarchical structures, from top-down initiatives to rigid personnel policies to observation protocols that measure and ensure teacher compliance. There is likely nothing quite as frustrating for creative and passionate intellectuals as to realize that they’ve been ensnared in a complicated web of rules and mandates—that the autonomy
Saudi Arabian Schools Welcome First Chinese Teachers - Language Magazine
The first 175 Chinese language teachers began teaching at primary and middle schools in Saudi Arabia last month, as part of an agreement made between the two countries in 2023 to enhance cooperation in Chinese language education. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Education and the Center for Language Education and Cooperation under China’s Ministry of Education jointly organized a preservice training at Tianjin Normal University for the educators. This initiative highlights the collaborative efforts to implement agreements between the leaderships of China and Saudi Arabia in 2022, strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries. According to China’s state Xinhua News