A newly introduced California Assembly bill would require the state’s teachers to be trained and reading to be taught only according to the principles of the Science of Reading. AB 2222, introduced by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio, a Democrat from the Inland Empire in Los Angeles County, is backed by 20 state-wide advocacy organizations and 15 School District Superintendents and School Board Trustees.
Rubio, who spent 16 years as a teacher, commented, “It is amazing to see the support of so many well-respected advocacy organizations and individuals joining in the fight for educational equity in our classrooms…Only four in 10 third-grade students are reading on grade level in California. This is unacceptable given the resources and values we hold as a state. An evidence-based approach to early literacy instruction is critical, otherwise we will continue to see high school graduation rates plummet and adult illiteracy rates increase.”
Other organizations, including the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) are strongly opposed to the bill for its “sole use of the science of reading as it is not proven to address the needs of California’s Emergent Bilingual/English learner students.” CABE is urging members of the Assembly Education Committee to vote against the bill, explaining, “CABE is strongly opposed to the sole use of the science of reading as it is not proven to address the needs of California’s Emergent Bilingual/English learner students. We know teaching our students to read and write in English and other languages is a top priority, AND, we strongly believe our students need other literacy elements beyond the science of reading to become proficient readers. Educators need the professional trust to know how to best teach their students. Using a one-size-fits-all approach does not provide an equitable path for the success of our Emergent Bilingual/English learners. California can do better.”
Critical to the bill’s impact are its definitions of the Science of Reading and “evidence-based literacy instruction,” which is defined as “evidence-based explicit and systematic instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary and oral language development, fluency, comprehension, and writing that can be differentiated to meet the needs of individual pupils and that adheres to the science of reading. For limited-English-proficient pupils, this shall include instruction for English language development…”
According to the bill, “Science of Reading means an interdisciplinary body of scientifically based research that includes all of the following:
(1) Informs how pupils learn to read and write proficiently.
(2) Explains why some pupils have difficulty with reading and writing.
(3) Indicates that all pupils benefit from explicit and systematic instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing to become effective readers.
(4) Emphasizes the pivotal role of oral language and home language development, particularly for English learners.
(5) Does not rely on any model for teaching word reading based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual cues, including a three-cuing approach, with the exception of instruction to pupils who are identified as deaf or hearing impaired…”
The bill’s authors estimate that training teachers to conform with its requirements would potentially cost California $250-300 million.
If it passes, the bill would go into effect in 2025.
Nominations are now open for School Specialty’s annual Crystal Apple Awards. Students, family members, administrators, fellow teachers, and members of the community are all encouraged to nominate their favorite teacher between February 26 and March 24, 2024 at SchoolSpecialty.com/Crystal-Apple.
Each year, the public nominates teachers who, like last year’s inspiring finalists and winners, go above and beyond to touch the lives of students every day. School Specialty selects 10 finalists from the nominees, and three winners are then selected by public vote. Winners will be announced on April 30.
All three winners will receive a $500 School Specialty merchandise certificate for themselves, a $250 School Specialty merchandise certificate for their school, and a personalized trophy.
The growing research base on dual-language immersion’s benefits for English learners is pushing many policymakers to prioritize linguistic diversity in multilingual schools. What does this mean for racial diversity? And where do African American students fit in?
Like many dual language immersion (DLI) schools, Indianapolis’s Global Preparatory Academy at Riverside 44 (GPA) is audibly, astonishingly diverse.1 Like many other Spanish–English DLI campuses around the country, its annual Celebration of Cultures features flags, outfits, and music from across Latin America—and the broader world.2 Students of all backgrounds sparkle through traditional and modern songs in Spanish and perform dances with roots in Mexican, Caribbean, and/or South American countries.
But it also includes students dancing to the famous rhythm guitar funk beat thudding along behind the Sugar Hill Gang’s pathbreaking “Rapper’s Delight,” as part of the school’s celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary. Next, groups dance to Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It,” Kris Kross’s “Jump,” and more. During an interlude tracking the music’s history, a GPA student explains, “Hip-hop wasn’t just a sense of fashion… it was art.”
This is standard at GPA, where multiracial multiculturalism is central to the DLI program’s multilingualism. While many DLI schools are designed to attract a linguistically diverse student population— and to advance linguistic integration—GPA intentionally includes race, ethnicity, and culture in its model’s design. “We have a very nice Black History Month program,” says Willard Gupton, Sr., the school’s dean of students. “[But] we’re wanting to expand that to where it’s year round, because ours is such a rich history that it can’t be confined to a month.”
When equitable DLI access is discussed at all, it is almost always discussed in terms of linguistic diversity—partly because of the unique benefits that English learners (ELs) appear to gain from DLI instruction. Most studies find that DLI programs are uniquely effective at supporting ELs’ academic success, English acquisition, and emerging bilingual abilities.3 But linguistic diversity does not exist in a vacuum; access to multilingual programming intersects with other racial and socioeconomic power structures in the US.
In particular, African American students appear to be disproportionately excluded from these programs in many US communities.
Changing Demographics, Changing School GPA launched as a “restart” school in Indianapolis’s predominantly African American Riverside neighborhood in 2016. This meant shuttering the existing campus and reopening it as a turnaround charter school within the school district’s “Innovation Network.”4 This presented GPA founder Mariama Shaheed with a unique situation: she had the flexibility of a charter school, some of the resource supports of a traditional district school, and a campus already full of current students.
Shaheed chose a multilingual model, in part because she wanted the school’s new mission to include the bridging of communities and cultures. The school launched a strand of linguistically integrated “two-way” DLI classrooms,5 with native speakers of Spanish and English enrolled together in bilingual classrooms. It also maintained an English-only track for families who preferred it.
Teachers say that the school’s model fosters a genuine multilingual and multicultural community. “We’re so diverse,” says GPA kindergarten teacher Alicia Khemir. “They’re getting used to it because this is what we’re introducing them to. The school is just building that bridge for them.”
That’s certainly how families say that they experience the school. “They support all families and don’t discriminate against anyone,” Wendy Barco, a mother of four GPA students, says in Spanish. “They teach in both languages and maintain our language and culture… I don’t have time to teach my kids to read and write [in Spanish] because I have to work!”
And yet, the school’s demographics are changing.6 Of the 421 students enrolled in 2016, nearly two-thirds were African American and one-quarter were Latino; around 11% of students were English learners (ELs), and 85% of students were economically disadvantaged. Today, in the 2023–24 school year, while the large majority of GPA’s students are still children of color, their specific demographics have shifted: 28% of students are African American and 60% identify as Latinos, 40% are ELs, and just above 70% of the student body are economically disadvantaged. In essence, the campus’s shares of African American students and Latino students have nearly flipped. In raw numbers, the school’s African American population has dropped by just over 70 students, while the Latino population has nearly quadrupled—and the school has grown to 700 students.
To a degree, this mirrors patterns in the broader region. Indianapolis Public Schools has lost nearly 8,000 students since 2016, an enrollment reduction of over 26%. This drop is almost entirely explained by 6,311 African American students leaving the district during this period; African Americans were nearly half of IPS enrollment in 2016 and are just 37% today. Indeed, while nearly all major student groups shrank from 2016 to 2023, Latino students grew slightly, increasing their enrollment share from 25% to nearly 37%.
Recruiting and Retaining African American Families Shaheed and other school leaders worry that these demographic trends are undermining the school’s goal of making multilingual, multicultural instruction available to African American students in the Riverside area. While they have learned that many Latinx families, like Santiago’s, are enthusiastic about sending their children to a multilingual school, they are working on understanding what attracts others. “What is the value proposition of bilingual education for a Black family?” Shaheed says she asks herself—and her families.
In particular, GPA staff fret that, in the near term, the benefits of DLI programs may not always be sufficiently apparent to English-dominant African American families and Spanish-dominant Latinx families. For instance, most studies indicate that ELs are more likely to reach English proficiency if they enroll in DLI programs, but only if they remain enrolled at least through middle school. Furthermore, most research on language learning indicates that it takes English-dominant DLI students five to seven years to become bilingual in a second language. This longer time horizon can make DLI a tough sale for historically marginalized families, particularly in 2024. And indeed, some of the school’s short-term academic outcomes still reflect the damage of the pandemic.7
“Our kids were already disadvantaged before the pandemic,” says assistant principal Lidia Vidal. The challenge now, she explains, is to balance between acknowledging the real struggles children have faced in recent years and setting high expectations and pushing for academic recovery. As GPA’s students—a large majority of whom are children of color from low-income families—clamber back from the emergency, it can be difficult for families to trust patiently that DLI’s long-term benefits will actually arrive for their children.
To that end, GPA leaders are focusing on recruitment, family communication, and retention—and on fine-tuning their messaging to families. GPA principal Sharifa Blackwell hosts regular coffee meetings open to all families and is working with consultants to recruit more African American families from the surrounding area. School leaders are particularly hopeful that reforms to Indianapolis school enrollment rules—giving free transportation for potential GPA students living in a larger portion of the city—may make GPA more appealing to African American families who might not have otherwise been willing to make the trip.
Specifically, the school has concluded that some African American families are less interested in the DLI model’s bilingualism and more interested in students participating in a welcoming community where they feel that they belong. So school events—like the Celebration of Cultures—explicitly elevate African American students’ culture as a central part of GPA’s diversity, and as a valuable resource in its mission to prepare students for global leadership. “It’s important for me,” Principal Blackwell says, “that people feel heard and valued, [that we] create spaces where families feel they can be 100% transparent, spaces where they can express 100% of their full Blackness.”
GPA parent Keeanna Warren says that her family “very intentionally chose Global Prep… for my two Black sons” for both of these reasons. “We wanted bilingual education for our children because it’s a valuable skillset for them to have… we wanted our sons to know Spanish,” she explains.
“But also because it teaches empathy and understanding and shows them the value of diversity.”
African American Students’ DLI Access: Local and National Patterns Demographic patterns like GPA’s present thorny questions for researchers and policymakers: Are African American families being structurally excluded from access to DLI? Or are they simply less likely than other groups to pursue DLI schools for their children? There has not been a sufficiently systemic analysis of African American families in US DLI programs to provide a firm answer.
However, in a 2023 report on equitable access to DLI programs, The Century Foundation (TCF) researchers analyzed 1,600 schools serving over 1.1 million students.8 While this sample only covers one-third to one-quarter of US DLI programs, it still offers a window into measuring different student groups’ access. The research found that, although African American students made up 15% of US K–12 enrollment in 2019–20,9 they made up just 11% of enrollment in the sample of DLI schools.10 Further, 944 of the 1,600 schools in TCF’s DLI database enrolled a lower share of African American students than their surrounding districts in the 2019–20 school year.
Limitations in the sample data mean that this statistic does not represent a conclusive finding that African Americans are disproportionately, systematically underrepresented in DLI programs across the country. It is worth emphasizing that nearly 200 of those 944 schools’ African American enrollment shares were within one percentage point of their surrounding districts’ African American enrollment shares.
African Americans’ DLI access differs significantly by community, however. For instance, the 2023 TCF report found that while nearly two-thirds of Washington, DC, students are African Americans, only around one-third of students in DC’s DLI schools are.11 Indeed, some members of the local African American community have worried that DLI programs spur further gentrification of their schools and neighborhoods.12
Similarly, a survey asking families in the city’s historically African American Ward 8 about what new school options they wanted in their community placed dual language immersion programs near the bottom of the list.13
DLI enrollment patterns are only slightly different in the broader DC Metro region, where African American students made up 41% of enrollment but just 32% of DLI enrollment. African American students were overrepresented in DLI schools in Maryland’s Prince George’s County Public Schools and Virginia’s Arlington Public Schools—but underrepresented in DLI in DC and Maryland’s Montgomery County Public Schools.
Meanwhile, other communities show different patterns. African Americans are overrepresented in DLI programs in Portland, Seattle, and Georgia’s Gwinnett County Public Schools, but underrepresented to varying degrees in many other major school districts.
While differences in local demographics, housing, and staffing contexts make it impossible to explain these enrollment patterns in any single way, it’s clear that, in most communities, African American students are underrepresented in DLI schools. Crucially, however, the fact that they are overrepresented in some communities’ DLI schools may indicate that 1) African American communities do seek out DLI programs when they are accessible for their children, and 2) inequitable DLI access for African American students is a solvable challenge.
Now What? While DLI’s unique benefits for ELs make it understandable that discourse around equitable DLI access has focused on ELs and linguistic integration, this conversation is incomplete. A better view takes a broader frame, recognizing that linguistic, racial, and socioeconomic diversities inevitably intersect with one another across this country. Housing and education systems that have historically marginalized African American children have also—sometimes through similar or overlapping mechanisms— marginalized immigrant families and their children. As such, language-only DLI equity efforts must inevitably produce racially driven access inequities for African American students.14
A better approach to DLI equity begins by prioritizing access for students who have not historically had access to multilingual learning in each community—ELs, but also English-dominant students of color.
This is particularly important because the persistent bilingual teacher shortage in the US makes DLI programs a scarce educational commodity.15 First, education leaders should actively consult with racially and linguistically diverse families when designing and launching new DLI programs. Second, genuinely equitable access to DLI begins with intentionally prioritizing linguistically and racially diverse communities when siting new and expanded multilingual programs. Third, while court decisions have limited schools’ ability to establish specific racial thresholds for enrollment,16 they can still pursue authentically diverse enrollments by giving preferential DLI access to students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.17
This strategy must be tailored to the unique demographics and contexts of each community, however.
But in the end, it mostly comes down to “creating better structures so that families of all identities feel affirmed,” says GPA founder Shaheed. “We want families to say that their children never felt more seen and loved than when they were here.”
Dr. Conor P. Williams is a senior fellow at The Century Foundation, where he researches policies affecting English learners’ access to educational opportunities. He is also the founder of The Century Foundation’s EL Forum. Williams is a former teacher and a father of three children in public schools.
A child’s linguistic journey can have many complexities that parents may not recognize, especially when navigating the intricacies of multilingualism. Recent research conducted by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has brought to light an uptick in referrals for hearing, speech, and language concerns among young children over the past two years.1 The study also reveals that only 28% of speech–language pathologists (SLPs) believe parents are familiar with the early warning signs of speech–language disorders.
This underscores the ongoing need for enhanced awareness and early intervention strategies across diverse linguistic contexts. Notably, English language learners (ELLs) represent the fastest-growing student population in the US, with projections indicating that one in four children in classrooms across the nation will be ELLs by 2025.2
Thus, it is becoming increasingly important to address the unique linguistic needs of all school-age children to foster an inclusive approach that spans speech disorders and the diverse journeys of ELLs.
Addressing Common Misconceptions One of the most pervasive misconceptions about speech–language disorders is the belief that they solely concern a child’s ability to articulate words. While fostering age-appropriate language skills is a cornerstone of our work as SLPs, the scope of our practice extends far beyond this.
In the context of bilingual students, a prevalent misconception exists that exposure to two languages inherently leads to a delay in language development. However, extensive research refutes this notion, demonstrating that bilingualism, rather than hindering language acquisition, enhances vocabulary skills and cognitive flexibility. If a child experiences a speech or language delay, it will be evident in both languages, but it is not a result of acquiring two languages.
Identifying Early Warning Signs, Milestones, and Considerations A nuanced understanding of early warning signs and milestones is vital for effective identification of speech–language disorders. Each child follows a unique developmental path, and ASHA’s evidence-based review accentuates key language milestones, particularly from birth to age three. Notably, insufficient exposure to environmental sounds stands out as a significant risk factor, contributing to language delays and learning difficulties in children. Therefore, it is critical to monitor a child’s speech milestones, especially from birth to age three. It is also worth noting that these milestones are based on studies of children in the US who are learning English.
Identifying speech and language disorders in bilingual children requires careful consideration, as language difficulties must manifest in both languages spoken by the student to be classified as a disorder. Otherwise, observed differences may simply reflect linguistic variations.
When distinguishing between typical language development variations and potential signs of a language disorder, it’s crucial to consider individual developmental timelines and cultural backgrounds. While recognizing that variability is normal, specific guidelines can aid in identification: • Developmental milestones—If a child is consistently one or two years behind typical language milestones for their age group, further assessment may be warranted. • Comprehension challenges—Difficulty understanding and following directions, particularly in both language 1 and language 2, could signal a language disorder. • Vocabulary delays—The presence of delays in vocabulary development, limited use of gestures, and struggles with sentence formation can be an important indicator. • Social interaction difficulties—Trouble engaging in conversations, initiating dialogue, and understanding age-appropriate social cues may indicate a language disorder. • Holistic assessment—Considering a child’s overall development is crucial. Language disorders may be associated with other diagnoses, emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive evaluation.
By intertwining early warning signs, developmental milestones, and specific guidelines for identification, educators, parents, and professionals can adopt a more cohesive and nuanced approach in addressing language concerns in multilingual students and ELLs.
Key Strategies and Activities to Support Development in and beyond Classroom Settings Regardless of exposure to a second language, promoting language development in children involves creating a rich and supportive environment that encourages communication and vocabulary growth. Here are key strategies and activities that telepractitioners have found effective in supporting language development across traditional classrooms, virtual learning environments, and home settings:
Key Strategies for Educators • Incorporate visuals: Visual aids, such as pictures, charts, and real-world objects, can provide context and support comprehension. • Talk to students in their preferred languages: Whenever possible, engage students in conversations using their native languages to facilitate communication and build rapport. • Provide early exposure to English: Expose students to English through songs, rhymes, and stories to gradually introduce them to the language in a fun and engaging manner. • Utilize repetition for retention and memory development: Repeat key concepts, phrases, and vocabulary words to help students retain information and enhance their memories.
Activities for Educators and Parents • Read books regularly: Reading exposes children to new vocabulary, grammar structures, and storytelling techniques, fostering a love for language and literacy. • Encourage pretend games and narrative play: Imaginative play allows children to express themselves creatively, practice using language in different contexts, and develop problem-solving skills. • Promote storytelling: Encourage children to retell stories, describe events, and create their own narratives to enhance their descriptive language skills and overall communication abilities. • Discuss daily routines, activities, and experiences: Talking about daily routines and experiences helps children connect words to real-world objects and actions, expanding their functional vocabulary. • Encourage self-expression: Asking open-ended questions and providing a supportive environment empowers children to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas freely, contributing to their linguistic and emotional development.
By combining these approaches, educators and parents can create a nurturing and stimulating environment that supports the speech and language development of all children, including multilingual learners.
The landscape of speech–language disorders in school-aged children, especially those navigating multiple languages, is complex but navigable. Awareness, early intervention, and debunking common misconceptions are pivotal in ensuring that every child, regardless of linguistic background, has the opportunity to thrive in their language development journey. By fostering understanding among educators, school professionals, and parents, we can collectively contribute to a supportive environment that allows every child to reach their full linguistic potential.
Samantha Torres, CCC-SLP, is a bilingual speech–language pathologist (SLP) and clinical manager at VocoVision (www.vocovision.com), a leading teleservices provider for K–12 schools across the US. Sam has demonstrated expertise in both in-person education settings and telepractice, assisting culturally and linguistically diverse school-age children facing a range of communication disorders. In her role as a clinical manager at VocoVision, Sam offers valuable clinical support and fosters collaboration among telepractitioners, enabling them to deliver exceptional services to students with disabilities.
The purposes of the Native American Language Grant (NAL@ED) program are to support schools that use Native American and Alaska Native languages as the primary language of instruction; maintain, protect, and promote the rights and freedom of Native Americans and Alaska Natives to use, practice, maintain, and revitalize their languages, as envisioned in the Native American Languages Act of 1990; and support the Nation’s First Peoples’ efforts to maintain and revitalize their languages and cultures, and to improve educational opportunities and student outcomes within Native American and Alaska Native communities.
Types of Projects The absolute funding priorities for the program in FY2020 limit projects to the development and maintenance of new Native American language programs or the expansion and improvement of existing Native American language programs.
Absolute Priority 1: Develop and Maintain New Native American Language Programs To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to develop and maintain a Native American language instructional program that—
a. Will support Native American language education and development for Native American students, as well as provide professional development for teachers and, as appropriate, staff and administrators, to strengthen the overall language and academic goals of the school or schools that will be served by the project;
b. Will take place in a school; and
c. Does not augment or replace a program of identical scope that was active within the last three years at the school(s) to be served.
Absolute Priority 2: Expand and Improve Existing Native American Language Programs To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to improve and expand a Native American language instructional program that—
a. Will improve and expand Native American language education and development for Native American students, as well as provide professional development for teachers and, as appropriate, staff and administrators, to strengthen the overall language and academic goals of the school or schools that will be served by the project;
b. Will continue to take place in a school; and
c. Within the past three years has been offered at the school(s) to be served.
As the number of multilingual learners continues to rise in the US, many schools are turning to bilingual education as a means of instruction. A survey by the American Councils Research Center (ARC, 2021) identified over 3,600 dual language bilingual education (DLBE) programs across 44 states.1
The same survey found that over 80% of DLBE programs feature Spanish as a partner language to English, with Chinese and French making up an additional 14% of programs. Increasing the number of DLBE programs is a priority for the US Department of Education (ED). In a recent letter, Secretary Miguel Cardona reiterated the ED’s commitment “to provide every student with a pathway to multilingualism while ensuring equitable access to a high-quality education for students who are English learners” (ED, 2023).2 The department’s efforts are also evident in its focus around world and heritage language programs, since they prepare students for the Seal of Biliteracy awards that have become common across the country.
In response to the growth of bilingual education programs and to advance federal initiatives for multilingual learners, leading organizations are focusing on authentic education products and services that embrace linguistic diversity in America’s classrooms and prepare multilingual learners for college and career success. To address this need, WIDA recently released the Marco de los estándares del desarrollo auténtico del lenguaje español (Marco DALE), a Spanish language development standards framework that seeks to be a game changer in the teaching and learning of Spanish in the US, with implications for bilingual, heritage, and world language programs, regardless of language of instruction.3
Comprising six “Big Ideas” and four components, the Marco DALE has multiple applications. This standards framework lends itself to teachers of Spanish in bilingual, heritage, and world language programs to inform daily classroom instruction and to administrators and policymakers to inform language-learning initiatives. The framework serves as a guide for curriculum, instruction, professional learning, and assessments and can also guide program decisions. While it was developed through an extensive review of standards of Spanish across several countries in Latin America and the US, it also reflects current research on bilingual education and effective language-development practices.
All together, it is a unique and innovative standards framework that serves as a key resource for language educators.
As the foundation of the Marco DALE stand the Big Ideas, which reflect a synthesis of key research-backed practices, theories, and beliefs essential for curriculum and instruction of language-learning programs. Perhaps the greatest driver behind the framework and a key component of any language-learning classroom is the Big Idea of equity of opportunity and access. When a new DLBE program is created or bilingual and language-learning initiatives are instituted, these are mostly driven by equity because they enable students to use their full linguistic skills to learn. The Marco DALE defines equity within multilingual students’ wide array of linguistic, cultural, educational, and socioeconomic contexts, which incentivizes educators to see students as complex individuals who are active contributors in the learning process. Moreover, educators who are creating resources from scratch for the teaching of Spanish and other languages will find the standards framework an equal driver of equity, since the framework elevates the teaching and learning of Spanish and other partner languages of English.
Another Big Idea of the Marco DALE is the integration of language and academic content. To strengthen DLBE and other bilingual education programs, and to further promote the teaching of the content areas in heritage language programs, WIDA proposes using academic content as a context for teaching language. That means that language learning is presented within the content areas of language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science. In prioritizing the teaching and learning of the content areas in English and the partner languages, multilingual learners are able to develop high levels of academic language while not falling behind on the curricular content. Furthermore, language learning takes on a purposeful and meaningful role by being embedded within the existing curriculum. This allows schools and districts to adopt the Big Ideas and utilize the framework by integrating it into the curriculum and language initiatives.
To ensure that multilingual learners are able to receive content instruction in both partner languages, the Marco DALE also promotes the Big Idea of collaboration among all members of the teaching community. In practice, this translates to a shared responsibility for the learning process, whereby all teachers, administrators, school personnel, and even parents, families, and community members take part in the education of multilingual learners. Within the classroom, enacting the Big Idea of collaboration ensures that bilingual and language programs provide meaningful and ample opportunities for content and language teachers to work together. At the school and district levels, collaboration brings opportunities for coordination of student services and engagement opportunities that are extended to the families and communities of multilingual learners.
Within all aspects of the classroom practice, including the planning of units and lessons, the teaching and learning process, and the assessment for language, the framework highlights the Big Ideas of interaction with others and multiliteracies present in education. Interaction draws on the practice of providing ample opportunities for students to engage with others in the language-learning process. That is, students learn best when they meaningfully interact with each other, with their teachers, and with their learning tools (like printed and digital texts).
Furthermore, through a multiliteracies approach, analysis, interpretation, and development of meaning and identities are prioritized through the use of multimodal artifacts across a diversity of contexts.
In the bilingual and language-learning classroom, multiliteracies enable students to align their identities as learners to the creation of meaning as they acquire language and content.
Perhaps the most prominent Big Idea in any bilingual or language program is elevating the transculturalism demonstrated by multilingual learners. The Marco DALE defines transculturalism as the dynamic and fluid movement and navigation across cultures and communities. Within transculturalism, students also navigate across cultures when they engage in translanguaging practices. In elevating the presence of transculturalism within the bilingual or language-learning classroom, educators will find themselves enriching the teaching and learning practice and empowering their students to learn in and across languages. As students are emboldened to negotiate their linguistic repertoires, they will also acquire and apply their learning across languages.
Drawing on the Big Ideas, the Marco DALE presents language expectations with language functions and sample language features that are specific to Spanish across the following grade-level clusters: kindergarten, first grade, grades 2–3, grades 4–5, grades 6–8, and grades 9–12. The language expectations are organized by the academic content areas, which are reflective of the standards statements and the four ley language uses (narrate (relatar in Spanish), inform, explain, and argue). The grade-level clusters also include proficiency-level descriptors that guide what students can do with language across six levels of language proficiency. Additionally, WIDA will be publishing separate grade-level cluster booklets with authentic student-annotated samples and annotated mentor texts to support educators.
Through its Big Ideas and its components, the Marco DALE looks to respond to the educator needs for instructional tools and guidance that can strengthen bilingual, DLBE, heritage, and world language programs across the country. Its Big Ideas can also inform language policy and program-level decisions in languages other than English and Spanish. Given its practical design, it can be used alongside existing curriculum and program initiatives, including those for English language development, heritage and world languages, and academic content in English and other languages.
WIDA (2024). “Follow the conversation: Interaction in language development.” WIDA Focus Bulletin. Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. [link forthcoming]
WIDA (2023). Marco de los estándares del desarrollo auténtico del lenguaje español de WIDA: Kínder al 12º grado. Junta de Regentes del Sistema de la Universidad de Wisconsin. https://wida.wisc.edu/teach/spanish/marco-dale
Samuel Aguirre ([email protected]) is the director of WIDA Español at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, which is housed at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In his role, he oversees the research, development, and delivery of WIDA products and services in Spanish and English and works with national experts to support and promote bilingual education and language learning across the country. For more information, visit https://wida.wisc.edu/teach/spanish/marco-dale.
US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and US Representative Julia Brownley (D-California) introduced the Biliteracy Education Seal and Teaching (BEST) Act, legislation that would provide federal grants to states to create Seal of Biliteracy programs that encourage and recognize high school students who achieve proficiency in at least two languages. The Senate bill is co-sponsored by US Senators Alex Padilla (D-California), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire), Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), and Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico).
“In today’s interconnected world, learning a second language not only helps students perform better in school but also improves problem-solving skills and chances at professional success,” said Senator Schatz. “In Hawai’i, students have the unique opportunity to earn a Seal of Biliteracy for fluency in the Hawaiian language. Our bill will improve and expand this important program nationwide so that every student can be recognized for learning a second language.”
“Being proficient in two or more languages can be a critical advantage in today’s globalized, competitive economy. By ensuring states establish and carry out a Seal of Biliteracy program, we can properly equip our students with language proficiency while also better safeguarding our future national security,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “I have seen firsthand the benefits of this program across the State of California and more specifically in my district, where many students are fluent in more than one language and bilingualism is very prominent. It is important for our schools to prepare our students with the 21st-century skills, like multilingualism, that will benefit them tremendously in their future academic and professional careers.”
“The revised BEST Act is a statement by its sponsors, Congresswoman Julia Brownley and Senator Brian Schatz, that multilingualism is an asset to be recognized for students and should be available equitably to all learners, especially English language learners and heritage learners,” said Amanda Seewald, executive director of the Joint National Committee for Languages and the National Council for Languages and International Studies (JNCL-NCLIS). “This bill’s emphasis on implementing Seal of Biliteracy programs broadly in school districts across the nation will help students acquire the skills they need for college, career, and life and uplift the languages that are central to identity for so many. JNCL-NCLIS has been honored to work on this legislation with such dedicated legislators and looks forward to its passage.”
The BEST Act would expand the opportunity to earn a Seal of Biliteracy for dual proficiency in Native American languages.
Background California’s State Seal of Biliteracy program was first established in 2011 when legislation sponsored by then-Assemblywoman Brownley was signed into law. Since then, over 250,000 high school students have graduated with this seal in California. In the 2021–22 school year, 351 districts in California participated in the program. The program has also been replicated in 49 states and the District of Columbia, which have each approved and established their own statewide Seal of Biliteracy programs.
The BEST Act is co-sponsored by Representatives Gerald Connolly (D-Virginia), Gwen Moore (D-Wisconsin), Jimmy Panetta (D-California), and Linda Sánchez (D-California) and supported by the JNCL-NCLIS, National Education Association, California Language Teachers’ Association, Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents, Californians Together, and the National Association for Bilingual Education.
French language and Francophone culture are global and—as the world evolves—renewed manifestations of language and culture stand positioned to grow in influence and leadership. In a globalized and interconnected world, it is easier than ever before to attend and participate in French and Francophone events around the world.
As the Journée/Mois/Printemps de la Francophonie approaches, the office of the OIF (Organisation internationale de la Francophonie) Ambassador to the United Nations in New York traditionally holds a meeting for all of us who are planning Francophone events.
This combination of old and new, from regions around the world, ensures the ongoing vibrancy and sustainability of French as a global language.
In addition to the Journée/Mois/Printemps de la Francophonie around the world and in your neighborhood, it is also possible to enjoy Francophone media wherever you are on TV5Monde, a worldwide French-language media network celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and through many other media sources.
With projected growth in Africa—the fastest-growing continent—and creative media like the television series Lupin re-imagining traditional French literature and culture for new generations and diverse audiences, French can easily be considered a language of the future.
The year 2023 was a banner year for French, highlighted by the opening of the Cité internationale de la langue française at the extensively renovated historic Château de Villers-Cotterêts, where French was proclaimed as the national language of France—and the best is yet to come. In 2024, Paris is slated to host the Olympic Games, with French as an official language, both as one of two official languages of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and as the language of the host country. France also has a just-appointed Premier Ministre, Gabriel Attal, who, at 34 years old, is the youngest in recent history, symbolizing renewal to many.
The French Language and the Francophonie—Now and Forever French is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with more than 300 million speakers. The majority of French speakers reside in Africa, whose young and growing population points to present and future French language growth. It is also a global language—an official language of the United Nations, the IOC, and many other international and global organizations and initiatives. It is spoken on every continent. It is interesting to note that TV5Monde is currently funded by France, Switzerland, Canada, Québec, and the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.
Beyond our heritage language and our personal and cultural lives, French language skills and a knowledge of French and Francophone culture are also an advantage in the workplace, with French among the top languages in demand in the US workplace and in international business. On the global stage, French also—perhaps most importantly—sets an example in valuing and welcoming local forms of French. As we all know, French is a global language with a local touch, including both a global language that people around the world use in communicating with others and a local language that people around the world use in their daily lives communicating with family, friends, and their local communities, from Québec to Polynésie. While the langue de Molière and the Académie française retain their roles, French is evolving as a global language, incorporating terms from local Francophone communities around the world. This is especially important for French language heritage educators, speakers, and language learners. Local forms of French are being welcomed in the French language globally and in French language learning and use in the US. In addition to the importance of valuing local forms of French in a global sense, it is also important to think of the students who may be in our classrooms, who may include French language speakers with origins spanning the globe along with those learning French as an additional/ world language.
It is essential for educators and for local stakeholders who seek to encourage French language learning and use in our local communities to take into consideration not only French as a global language but also the French spoken by students in local communities and in the Americas.
As a global language, French is unique in that it generally exists in a multilingual environment. In most countries and regions where French is spoken, it may be one of several official or widely used languages. In fact, French speakers may be the minority in a country where it is an official language, such as in Switzerland and Canada. The sharing of French, however, has been referred to as an advantage, or gift, in the sense that it is a unifying factor, bringing together Francophone communities around the world in the expression of humanistic ideas as well as through their local language terms and expressions.
This welcome of international French is especially visible on the media network TV5Monde, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, where programming from around the Francophone world is readily available on a daily basis, and in the freely available online Dictionnaire des Francophones, where words and expressions have been recommended by French speakers around the world.
Most of us are aware not only of the role of French as a language of culture and ideas in the world but also as a language of our US history and cultural identity, with names like Lafayette and the role of France an undeniable part of our American Revolution. In the current era, public figures like Antony Blinken and John Kerry speak French, as do celebrities like Jodie Foster and Bradley Cooper.
Many of us are well aware of the role of French in the world as a language of culture, civilization, ideas, and humanistic values, and even more of us are aware of the role of France in the American Revolution. The Paris Olympics and the selection of the youngest prime minister in recent history are in the current news. While we are well aware of the historic and cultural role of French, we are sometimes less aware of the business and technological importance of France in the world, where companies like LVMH and French business figures like Bernard Arnauld are less well known.
In addition, the French presence, or espace francophone, around the world is somewhat less known to us. Many of us are unaware that—beyond France—not only is French spoken in other European countries but also around the world, and right here at home, in the US, Québec, Canada, and the Caribbean.
Since becoming president of France, Emmanuel Macron has launched a campaign to support and promote the French language in the world. One might be tempted to ask, mais pourquoi? The answer is simple—the vast majority of Francophones, or French speakers, over 320 million around the world, live outside France, with the majority living in Africa.
Macron has highlighted not only the significance of the French language in a wide range of areas but also the fact that French is a global language that belongs to many countries. On the Journée internationale de la Francophonie, March 20, 2018, he launched the worldwide campaign for French.
High-profile elements of this campaign include the Dual Language Fund, the Dictionnaire des Francophones, the Français pour tous/French for All initiative, and the opening of the Cité internationale de la langue française in the just-restored historic Château de Villers-Cotterêts. The Dual Language Fund, launched in 2017 during President Macron’s visit to New York City, builds on the growing interest in dual language immersion schools. Published in March 2021, the freely available online Dictionnaire des Francophones was a collaborative initiative of the OIF and includes over 470,000 words from around the world.
The French for All initiative, launched in Louisiana during Macron’s state visit in 2022, highlights the importance of opportunity for French language learning, which is an especially important concept in the US. It supports the education and training of French teachers, significant at a time when there is a shortage of world language teachers.
The opening of Cité internationale de la langue française at the Château de Villers-Cotterêts, proposed at the beginning of the campaign for the French language, took place on Oct. 30, 2023, with a nearly hour-long speech by President Macron.
While we may be accustomed to thinking of French in terms of history, literature, and so on, it is also necessary to think of the French language and of French and Francophone culture in terms of science and technology, business, current global issues, and the like. Another area that we may not always think of is the truly global nature of French. While the word global is often used, it is often used in an abstract sense, and many Americans remain relatively unaware of French beyond the iconic symbols including the Eiffel Tower, croissants, macarons, and so on. They may be unaware that French has always been an American language, with French spoken throughout the US, most notably in Louisiana and New England, and—beyond the US—throughout the Americas, most notably in Canada and in the Caribbean.
The focus is increasingly on the dynamic among the different regions of the world where French is spoken, with the influence of Africa, home to the majority of the world’s Francophones, growing in importance due its rapidly growing population. Closer to home is Canada, where the Francophone population, though located throughout the country, is concentrated largely in Québec, along with neighboring Ontario and New Brunswick. Closest to home is the Francophone population of the US, again located throughout the country, yet most heavily concentrated in New England and Louisiana, with a significant number of Francophones (80,000) in New York City.
Conclusions French is a global language and an American language. It is spoken around the world, a language of international organizations and relations, and of international business, science, and technology. It is also an American language, spoken by 33 million in the Americas, and a US language since the earliest days of the European era. It is a language characterized by diversity, with the majority of French speakers located in areas beyond French borders, which welcomes new words from around the world.
Action steps include additional opportunities for French speakers in the US to learn and to use French not only in their personal and cultural lives but also in their communities and in the media.
It is essential that educators and communities have the opportunity to come together to develop new and additional language programs including world and heritage languages, as well as immersion programs, to develop low-cost and free materials that reflect the global nature of the French-speaking world. Organizations like the Franco-American Centre and the Nous Foundation lead the way, along with initiatives like the French-Canadian Legacy Podcast and many others.
We must remember the pillars of the ongoing international campaign for French education, communication, and creativity— and the Cité internationale de la langue française at the Château de Villers-Cotterêts. Most importantly, French as a shared language is an atout—an advantage, bringing together diverse cultures in a global world. It is more important than ever that we work together here in the US—in our classrooms and communities—to defend and support French language and Francophone culture. L’union fait la force.
Kathy Stein-Smith, PhD, is associate university librarian and adjunct faculty in foreign languages and related areas at Fairleigh Dickinson University—Metropolitan Campus, Teaneck, New Jersey. She is chair of the AATF (American Association of Teachers of French) Commission on Advocacy. She is Officier dans l’Ordre des Palmes académiques and a member of Pi Delta Phi, the National French Honor Society. She is the author of three books and several articles about the foreign language deficit, has given a TEDx talk, “The US Foreign Language Deficit—What It Is, Why It Matters, and What We Can Do about It,” and maintains a blog, Language Matters.
Kathy has also recently been elected to the executive board of the American Society of the Academic Palms (www.frenchacademicpalms.org).
Cultural and linguistic diversity is essential for sustainable societies. It is in UNESCO’s mandate for peace that it works to preserve the differences in cultures and languages that foster tolerance and respect for others.
Multilingual and multicultural societies exist through their languages which transmit and preserve traditional knowledge and cultures in a sustainable way.
Linguistic diversity is increasingly threatened as more and more languages disappear
Globally 40% of the population does not have access to an education in a language they speak or understand. Nevertheless, progress is being made in multilingual education with growing understanding of its importance, particularly in early schooling, and more commitment to its development in public life.
“The scientific studies are clear: learning in one’s mother tongue is essential to success at school. This boosts self-esteem, awakens curiosity from an early age, and facilitates cognitive development.” (…) “Advocating multilingualism in schools also means preserving and promoting linguistic plurality, especially with regard to languages which have only a few remaining speakers.”
There couldn’t be a better time for the new book Breaking Down the Monolingual Wall: Essential Shifts for Dual Language Success (Corwin Press) to be published and shared through a special series of articles in Language Magazine. This timely publication, authored by eight dynamic and relevant practitioner authors and edited by Dr. Ivannia Soto, highlights the why and the how of multilingual and dual language education as an imperative for true student success. The series will propel and guide us in continuing to move forward toward building stronger and more sustainable multilingual and dual language learning programs.
You will find insights, strategies, and pathways through concrete, practical, and innovative approaches that can be drawn upon as we continue to uplift multilingualism in our schools as well as to face uphill challenges in breaking down monolingual systems in our educational programs.
With the increased momentum and visibility of the power and impact of multilingual and dual language education programs in US schools, it is a time to celebrate—as our US secretary of education Dr. Miguel Cardona proudly states, “Bilingualism is our SUPERPOWER!” Unmistakably, the time is now to uplift the essential components that are needed to develop, increase, and transform multilingual and dual language programs to become the norm for all students. At the same time, we must keep close the lessons of the past and be proactively aware of and respond to the challenges and opposition that exist for the success of multilingual programs.
And how do we, in fact, ensure that the multilingual programs we develop and nurture will be successful? As you follow this series, you will delve deeper into the following fidelity components that are necessary to ensure high-quality and successful program implementation: the need for more bilingually authorized teachers; high-quality instructional resources; accurate assessment and accountability in the target languages of instruction; updated research studies; being supportive of language and learning needs that arose from the pandemic; ongoing support for leaders of biliteracy programs; attention toward narrowed and weakened support systems; the awareness of the swinging pendulum toward English-only or English-centric program models; instruction of literacy that ignores the assets of multilingualism; the last-gasp approaches by some to continue to support monolingual and monocultural education; and the power and impact of parent and family engagement in successful multilingual programs.
The rich linguistic foundation represented in our schools and across our nation provides the perfect momentum for the growth of multilingual/dual language programs. Dynamic student data throughout the US shows that multilingual and multicultural education is a must. According to a report distributed by the US Department of Education and the Office of English Language Acquisition (2019–20), there are 50 languages or language categories that appear in one or more states’ lists of the top five languages spoken in their communities. Spanish is on the top five list of 45 states and is spoken bymore than 75% of emergent bilingual/EL students across the US. Vietnamese, Chinese, Arabic, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Cushitic, Tagalog, and Russian, representing smaller percentages, complete the list of the top ten languages spoken in US schools. Nationally, 21% of all students speak another language than English at home, and close to 10% of those students are identified as English learner students (students who are acquiring English as a second language).
While English learner and English language learner continue to be recognized as the official terms used in state and federal systems, a nationwide alternate movement has begun to use assets-based terminology such as multilingual learners, emergent bilingual learners, and biliteracy learners to identify students who have a primary language other than English and are additionally learning English, uplifting the concept that students are speaking and learning in more than one language and are becoming multilingual.
Coming together through research, policy, practice, and advocacy via a book like this is essential in making multilingualism a reality for all our students and their future impact on our world. For decades, the historical, pedagogical, and legal road map of multilingual education in the US has followed a curved pathway that drives, uplifts, and motivates us still today. These legal and policy decisions are numerous and are addressed throughout the book, especially in the final policy chapter: Mendez v. Westminster (1947); Brown v. Board of Education (1954); Lau v. Nichols (1974); Castañeda v. Pickard (1978/1981); California’s Prop 227 (1998) followed 18 years later by Proposition 58 (2016); Colorado’s Amendment 3 (2002); Massachusetts Question 2 (2002); the California State Seal of Biliteracy (2011) and its growth to approval in 49 states; California’s English Learner Roadmap (2017); and many, many others. This timeline of legal and legislative battles reflects both additive and deficit approaches to multilingual and dual language education that have compelled us to pivot from theories of English-only or English-dominant instructional programs and to embrace the powerful potential and possibilities of multilingual and dual language education.
In today’s context, preserving and learning languages becomes an issue of equity and civil and human rights. The comeback surge from our legislative and policy wins has set the stage across the nation for new approaches, updated language, rigorous research, and implementation of highly impactful programs. We have key tools that are addressed throughout Breaking Down the Monolingual Wall, such as the Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education (3rd edition, Center for Applied Linguistics, Dual Language Education of New Mexico, and Santillana USA); learning standards and frameworks across different states in languages other than English; and state and national organizations, coalitions, government agencies, university programs, and partnerships whose sole mission is to support multilingual and dual language programs.
Now, more than ever, we have the momentum to recognize the natural potential to grow and increase multilingual/dual language instructional options for all students. Indeed, the drive continues across the nation to build on the assets of students’ languages and cultural backgrounds and to increase the development of additive educational models that expand students’ access to multilingualism (such as dual language, one-way immersion/developmental language education, heritage language programs, etc.) rather than providing a subtractive monolingual, English-only education model that reduces the value and potential of students’ languages and cultures.
This series of Breaking Down the Monolingual Wall chapters will remind us that we are living in a wonderfully innovative and expansive time in which our languages, cultures, and vast life experiences open windows and build bridges to an ever-evolving and connected global society that impacts all aspects of our lives. As educators, we possess the privilege and the responsibility to ensure that our educational systems, our pedagogies, and our practices expand and focus on a multitude of options for all students (and their parents and families). Uplifting the gift of multilingualism and multiculturalism is at the heart of that. We are called to be fully engaged in creating classroom communities that reflect and value the languages and cultures of our students and to elevate the values of equity, justice, kindness, empathy, and love across our classrooms—locally, nationally, and across global borders.
In the words of Guatemalan Nobel Peace Prize laureate Rigoberta Menhcú: “When you are convinced your cause is just [and right], it is worth fighting for.”
Seguimos juntos! Let’s continue the struggle together!
Jan Gustafson-Corea, senior consultant and former CEO of the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE), has campaigned tirelessly for the right to multilingual education. Breaking Down the Monolingual Wall: Essential Shifts for Dual Language Success, edited by Dr. Ivannia Soto with contributions by eight other authors, is published by Corwin Press.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
