Québec is once again tightening French language laws across different sectors. Prospective and enrolled university students in Quebec are particularly concerned, as they may be affected by a new shift in language regulations.
The province’s education department has announced a plan to raise tuition fees and mandate French-proficiency for out-of-province students. The decision has been met with a backlash by some English-language universities, who have described the move as a “targeted attack.”
Official education representatives have defended the plan, claiming that the move is to protect the French language.
In addition to a fee increase from C$9,000 to C$12,000 per year, Québec will require that 80% of students from outside the province reach an intermediate level of French by the time they graduate. If the target is not met, universities would face financial penalties. These changes will come into effect at the start of the next academic year.
Other changes to education finances will see a larger portion of international student fees going directly to the provincial government, instead of their course operating budget. Those funds will then be redistributed to French-speaking universities.
A letter from Québec’s higher education minister Pascale Déry indicates that this means the province would spend less money subsidizing students from the rest of Canada, while helping to preserve the French language.
McGill University president Deep Saini said the plan was “incoherent” and based on “impressions and emotions, rather than evidence-based decision-making,” while Concordia University president Graham Carr told the Montreal Gazette that he believed the plan would lead to a drop in the number of students, damaging Québec’s reputation.
Both universities said that applications have already dropped by 20%, and that the changes could cost them C$150m annually. McGill University added it may have to cut up to 700 jobs.
Québec’s government is also making changes to the Charter of the French language, which impacts retail and business owners. From this January, business owners have a year and a half to ensure all signs on businesses and storefronts, apart from the company name, must be predominantly in French.
While businesses will be allowed to keep their names and logos in English, the new rules mandate that a description in French must take up two-thirds of the facade’s signage.
Minister of the French language, Jean-François Roberge said, “Most of the companies won’t have any changes to make,” – “But it’s important that 100% of businesses respect that Québec is the only state in North America where French is the only official language.”
Legal loopholes are being closed to make sure French is used as a standard official language in Quebec’s retail sector.
The draft regulation published in Québec’s Official Gazette, states “Public signs and posters of a trademark or an enterprise’s name visible from outside premises must be accompanied at least by terms in French, such as a generic term, a description of the products or services concerned, or a slogan.”
The update to the province’s French charter aligns with the government’s ongoing effort to protect Québec’s only official language, Roberge said.
During the past decade, interpreter and translator services have soared across public and public charter schools in the US.
A primary reason for this dramatic increase is the “Dear Colleague” letter written by the US Department of Education Office of Civil Rights and the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division (January 2015a). A first of its kind, the letter was sent to every school, district, and state education agency across the nation.
It reinforced the laws and regulations about providing all parents and guardians, regardless of the languages they speak and understand, with equal and meaningful access to the same school-related information as all parents receive. In addition, it was written to remind educators that we must provide parents and guardians of multilingual learners with meaningful access to information to make informed decisions about their child’s language-assistance education programming. What was the impetus for this letter? The two US departments found that many districts were not following the laws and regulations and wrote this letter to remind us of our legal obligations.
Despite our awareness of the laws and the importance of family–school partnerships in supporting students’ success in school and their lives, many of us are challenged to secure and sustain the type of interpretation and translation services that are needed to follow our legal obligations and form essential relationships with families.
What are the challenges?
Securing translators and interpreters. All too often, we feel reliant on students, their siblings, extra-familial members, or bilingual staff to provide these services. According to the US Department of Justice and the US Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (January 2015b), doing so violates parents’ rights, as “we must provide translation or interpretation from appropriate and competent individuals.”
Communicating with interpreters or translators, as opposed to parents and guardians, further distancing them from being informed, meaningful partners (Klingner and Harry, 2006).
Engaging in a one-sided flow of school-related information instead of meaningful back-and-forth dialogue with parents and guardians.
Ensuring accurate, meaningful, and “neutral” translations and interpretations.
Allotting the time and resources needed for translators and interpreters to engage in the work successfully.
It is with urgency that we must professionalize the roles of interpreters and translators, create a culture of compassion, and support meaningful interpretation to:
build family–school partnerships grounded in caring, empathy, and compassion (instead of checking the box that we are complying with the laws).
support parents’/guardians’ understanding of their children’s schools (including their policies, procedures, and language-assistance programming) and being active, empowered, and engaged in their children’s education.
support school communities in understanding and building partnerships with parents/guardians.
We explore the following topics:
Defining what we mean by interpretation and translation: What are the differences?
How can we secure and retain interpreters and translators?
What steps are needed to support meaningful access to school-based information and meaningful decision-making? What does that look like?
What role does professional development have in supporting interpreters, translators, and school staff in working closely and in partnership with parents/guardians?
What can we do to strengthen family–school partnerships with a professional cadre of interpreters and translators?
Defining what we mean by interpretation and translation: What are the differences?
The term translator is often used to reference both interpreters and translators, even though the roles are not the same or interchangeable. They are two distinct professions—each performs essential roles in ensuring that parents have equal access to information and can make meaningful decisions regarding their children’s education and educational programming. However, the two roles require different sets of skills and expertise.
What is an interpreter?
An interpreter is an individual who can accurately say or sign what needs to be conveyed or understood in another language. Generally, but not always, interpreters work on the spot as communication is occurring to support a meaningful flow of conversation between two or more people who are speaking in different languages. Interpreters must have the requisite knowledge and skill in the languages being spoken to negotiate meaning and support understanding of the culture and context in which the languages are being spoken. Additionally, they must demonstrate strong proficiency and fluidity in communicating back-to-front and front-to-back in both languages.
What is a translator?
A translator writes what is needed to convey information in a printed format. A school translator must be proficient and fluent in English and the home language(s) of parents/guardians to provide meaningful and comprehensible information. Translators must also have a depth of knowledge in a family’s home language, culture, and school practices as well as in American English and culture and school practices. They generally work in a written modality on a computer. As such, they need time to complete a quality finished product and ideally have access to a computer-assisted translation (CAT) tool/software (not machine software such as Google Translate) to leverage terminology and facilitate consistency. The expected outcome is to provide an accurately translated document that expresses the same message and context as the source text.
How can we secure and retain interpreters and translators?
There are various sources for securing interpreters and translators including school, district, local, and higher education communities. Each school and district should look closely at its unique community to determine the most effective way to secure interpreters and translators. For example, an influx of refugees in a local community led to a school district reaching out to the church groups that sponsored families in their community. They knew that the church group had “insider knowledge” of various members of the community who could provide the type of multilingual, multicultural assistance that was needed to support families in enrolling their children in school and, more importantly, become involved as partners in their children’s education. Tapping into these resources involves engaging in various modalities including personal contact; a school newsletter; a local newspaper; social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp; and reaching out to local agencies, organizations, and institutions of higher education including community colleges, four-year institutions, and professional organizations.
Interpreters and translators should have the opportunity to fully embrace their roles and be supported in their practice. Comprehensive language assessments are integral to ensuring depth and adeptness in linguistic flexibility and cultural understanding. It’s helpful to:
Work with partner institutions/organizations who support the evaluation of the linguistic proficiency of interpreter and translator candidates.
Develop an interview protocol to ask standardized questions relevant to the interpreter and/or translator role to ensure candidates demonstrate the peripheral skills (e.g., the ability to communicate as a neutral party, to make sound judgments around communicative flow, etc.) necessary to provide efficient and professional services in educational settings.
In hiring translators, the most successful candidates in the role will have strong linguistic ability between languages and be resources and team players able to identify the most effective style and terminology for the target audience of linguistically diverse families.
Translators and interpreters must know that they are supported, that they have opportunities for continuous growth and improvement, and that their value is reaffirmed as central parts of the district’s equity model and engagement goals. This involves the development of a professional language-access community that is steeped in investment in these essential staff. Indeed, this type of commitment and dedication to their work is central to retention. Competitive compensation is also an important consideration, and strategic partnerships and supplemental funding are paramount.
What steps are needed to support meaningful access to school-based information and meaningful decision-making? What does that look like?
New interpreter and/or translator onboarding is needed to ensure that the work that these professionals have been employed to do can be done effectively, with fidelity to the educational process and environment and to bridging partnerships with families. For example, interpreters should be provided with training in the standards of practice (including confidentiality and impartiality) that are integral to their role, and translators should receive onboarding regarding the content and context of school and district communication. Some districts have found it helpful to create handbooks and guides for these two professional roles.
What role does professional development have in supporting interpreters, translators, and school staff in working closely and in partnership with parents/guardians?
Professional development should exist as an evolving model for interpreters and translators. These should be filled with contextual learning and specific skill-based opportunities for growth. An example is a district that meets with interpreters and translators on a monthly basis to support the work and provide rich opportunities for new and veteran professionals to honor and affirm strengths and address challenges as a school year unfolds. At a minimum, professional growth opportunities should occur at least two to three times during the academic year or over the summer months and be facilitated by field experts or staff interpreters and translators who possess deep knowledge and awareness about the work. The goal of professional development should be to support interpreters and translators in broadening and sharing their knowledge and experience and reaffirming their investment in and commitment to this professional work. Sessions should focus on a wide variety of pertinent topics. Indeed, the possibilities are infinite and should include such areas as professional development related to informing parents about the special education process and relevant documents, trauma-informed language access, strategies for simultaneous interpreting, sight translation, interpreting in a virtual environment, federal and state language-access regulations, evolving grammar and style, and understanding parental rights.
What can we do to strengthen family and school partnerships with a professional cadre of interpreters and translators?
Schools and districts share a commitment and responsibility to create welcoming environments for newcomer families and all multilingual families to be our partners in their children’s learning.
Whether a family has recently arrived from Sudan or traversed several hundred miles to the southern border, welcoming language is a meaningful and authentic connector to create partnerships with them. We can strengthen partnerships by intentionally cultivating spaces to acclimate families to the system of education in the US and empowering them to navigate the educational journey in partnership with their children and schools.
Interpreters and translators are fundamental to creating a welcoming environment for families, providing professional and accessible services so that language is never an obstacle. Interpreters and translators are critical to providing equitable access across a wide variety of communiqué, including but not limited to registration platforms, parent–teacher conferences, school messaging services, district calendars, report cards, and extracurricular activities.
In short, all aspects of communication with parents and guardians should include interpreters and translators, as needed, so that every parent/guardian has equitable language access to the full spectrum of their child’s education.
We can support families in navigating the educational journey of their children when we build a strong cadre of interpreter and translator networks.
References
Klingner, J. K., and Harry, B. (2006). “The Special Education Referral and Decision-Making Process for English Language Learners: Child study team meetings and staffings.” Teachers College Record 108, 2247–2281.
US Department of Justice and US Department of Education (2015a). “Dear Colleague.” www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-el-201501.pdf
US Department of Justice and US Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights (2015b). “English LEP Parent Fact Sheet.” www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-factsheet-lep-parents-201501.pdf
Zacarian, D. (2023). Transforming Schools for Multilingual Learners: A Comprehensive Framework for Educators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Dr. Debbie Zacarian, founder of Zacarian and Associates, brings three decades of combined experience as a university faculty member, educational service agency leader, and district administrator. With scholarship in responsive leadership, instructional practices, family–school partnerships, and policy analyses to benefit student outcomes, she’s written many books and school policies and presents extensively.
Dr. Jennifer Love, author, district leader, and consultant, is an expert in language access and engagement recognized by the National Education Association.
As past president of the Maryland ELL Family Involvement Network and having served on the Board of the American Association of Interpreters and Translators in Education, she is committed to professionalizing the field.
Non-French nationals will now need to pass French tests for certain types of residency cards and a higher level language requirement when applying for citizenship.
Formally passed into law in the last week of January, the new bill faced a rocky political battle and now contains amendments to matters of national security, immigration, and language. It specifies the expulsion of radicalized foreigners from France.
The new law entitled Contrôler l’immigration, améliorer l’intégration (control immigration and improve integration) will affect some foreigners already living in France—mainly with pressure to improve or sustain their knowledge of the French language.
Interior minister Gérald Darmanin, who came up with the idea for the legislation in 2022, said, “Today, a quarter of foreigners who have residence permits understand and speak French extremely badly.”
Until now, only applications for French citizenship, or for the 10-year long-term EU residency card require proof of competence in the French language. People with a very low command of French can be ordered to attend language classes at the OFII (Office for Immigration and Integration), but there is no requirement to pass a language test.
The new law will mean that individuals applying for a multi-year residency permit will have to provide proof that their French is at least A2 level (the second-lowest level on the Common European Framework—CEFR—scale, just above the beginner level).
With regards to the 10-year Carte de Résident, the required proficiency level has been raised from A2 to B1—defined as intermediate. Simultaneously, the level required for French citizenship has been raised from B1 to B2—the higher level of intermediate French.
Residents and applicants do however have some time yet to adjust to the changes, as Article 86 of the new law states that a start date will be “fixed by decree of the Council of State (Conseil d’État), no later than January 1st 2026.”
Students at the Center Marika Iyer presents culturally sustaining and critical language practices for today’s schools
Breaking Down the Monolingual Wall Jan Gustafson-Corea introduces a special article series based on a new publication dedicated to dual language success
Ensuring African American Students’ Access to Multilingual Learning Conor P. Williams analyzes the barriers to achieving linguistic, racial, and ethnic diversity in dual language immersion schools
The Pace of Progress Ayanna Cooper strives for a new normal where progress toward linguistic equity accelerates
Framing Authentic Development in Spanish Samuel Aguirre introduces a Spanish language development standards framework for bilingual and language-learning programs
Valuing Local Forms of French Kathy Stein-Smith sees French developing into a language for the future through all of its worldwide variations
Finding Flaw and Disorder Samantha Torres offers strategies to help identify and address speech–language disorders in multilingual students
Sara Davila uses frameworks to focus on literacy goals and choose the AI tools best suited to achieving learning outcomes
Is the Best Form of Input Interactive? Joffrey Caron’s experiment suggests that interactive input is more compelling and leads to more acquisition
Pass the Mic—From Advocate to Activist: One Teacher’s Journey Jill Bessette believes that we need to speak out against systemic racism in our educational structure even, and especially, if it causes trouble
A Bilingual Path to Literacy Success Celia Moses explains how a dual immersion Spanish-language magnet school has succeeded through frequent data dives and personalization with curriculum-aligned supports
Building Young Writers’ Stamina Molly Barry offers strategies to help learners with limited vocabulary compose in Spanish or any target language
Why Are EL Students Overrepresented in Special Education Programs? Patricia K. Dereli argues that Illinois needs to make better use of data to tackle the misclassification of multilingual learners
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 by more 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.
Rutgers Graduate School of Education is now accepting applications for their virtual internship program, John Smartt Summer Scholars. The program provides interested master’s students with the opportunity to gain professional experience, network with scholars in the field of higher education, and learn essential research skills related to equity and leadership in higher education. The internship, centered on the scholarship and programs of the Center for Minority Serving Institutions, includes financial compensation and will offer selected interns practical research skills that will help them as they move forward in their careers.
This year’s John Smartt Summer Scholars Program will be held virtually from Tuesday, June 4 -Thursday, July 11, 2024.
If you are interested in participating, please complete the online application by March 3, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Selected interns will be announced by email in March 2024.
ELIGIBILITY DETAILS – Must be a master’s student in any discipline – Must be interested in conducting research related to Minority Serving Institutions – Must be available to work 19.5 hours a week during the duration of the program
APPLICATION TIMELINE – Application Close Date: March 3, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET – Selection Announcement: March 2024 – Program Dates: June 4, 2024 – June 11, 2024
Please forward this call for applications to anyone you think might be interested in applying.
For questions or more information, please contact Gisselle Criollo at [email protected].
Last month, management of Title III—the state grants for improving instruction of English learners, amounting to $890 million (FY2023)—returned to the US Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA), having been under the remit of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) for the last 15 years. The move will likely increase attention on, and maybe even funding for, multilingual learners.
Back in February, education secretary Miguel Cardona notified Congress of his intention to move functions involving the administration of state-administered grants under Title III of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) from OESE to OELA, where they were originally located. Title III funding is designed to improve the education of English learners, immigrant children, and youth through supplemental services that improve the English language proficiency and academic achievement of ELs.
Montserrat Garibay, assistant deputy secretary and the director of OELA, issued a statement explaining the significance of the move: “This change is going to allow the department to focus the work that supports English learners in one principal office, while the critical collaboration between the Title III State Formula Program and Title I team in OESE will continue across offices to support states and school districts with high-quality assessments and other coordination starting today.”
Garibay went on to say that the commitment to multilingualism is present at all levels of the department and that the change would enable them to:
Elevate the critical role of Title III in producing high-quality language instruction to support English learners, highlight and assist grantees more intently in the development of English language proficiency, and help support improvement in academic achievement among ELs.
Centralize the core work of supporting and strengthening educational opportunities for ELs within OELA at the department.
Increase institutional capacity to lead and implement the department’s multilingual strategy on a national stage.
Logistically, the process for states and districts to receive Title III funding will not change, but OELA is hoping to work more directly with educators and researchers, and there is the possibility that restrictions on spending may be loosened.
Garibay closed her statement full of optimism: “Moving forward, OELA welcomes Title III with open arms to build the foundation of this transformation. OELA will be raising the bar by leading the way in creating pathways for global engagement through multilingualism for ALL students. The elevation of the work along with the alignment and importance of policies and programs supporting ELs across the department will ensure that every English learner can truly embrace their superpower to reach their full potential.”
Ana M. Santos, MA, CCC-B/SLP, a bilingual speech–language pathologist, was enthusiastic about the move on LinkedIn: “OELA overseeing these funds will ensure research is disseminated widely and pedagogy strategies will shift to best practice for our English language learners. The training and professional development can now be focused on cultural responsiveness and competence for our linguistically diverse students, making English learning as it should have been all these years! I’m looking forward to more engagement and direct communication with the true change makers!”
Last summer, a coalition of more than 160 organizations called on Congress to double Title III funding to $2 billion. OELA may make a stronger case for more Title III dollars now that it oversees the program.
I have been the principal at Georgia Brown Elementary School for five years, but my relationship with the school began many years ago when my own children were students there and I began substitute teaching. It’s been a real joy to see the school grow and change over those years and develop the amazing dual immersion program that it has today.
Dual immersion programs allow English language learners to continue their journey in their native language—Spanish, at our school. The more proficient students are in their primary language, the faster they are able to transfer those skills to a second language. Our English speakers have the opportunity to learn a new language.
In the 2022–2023 school year, 95% of kindergarten, 72% of first-grade, and 68% of second-grade students were reading at or above grade level. Here’s how we did it.
A Bilingual Vision Biliteracy is essential to our vision at Georgia Brown. Our school’s mission statement reads, in part, “All students will achieve bilingualism, biliteracy, and sociocultural competency. Georgia Brown provides rigorous standard-based instruction in Spanish and English while engaging in positive cross-cultural experiences.” The statement goes on to declare that all “students will develop high biliteracy skills in Spanish and English by the end of fifth grade.”
We have more than 620 students, who work with 23 teachers and eight intervention teachers. We have a waiting list and use a lottery to determine who gets in. Approximately 80% of our staff are native Spanish speakers. They are from all over Latin America, which is great for helping us reach the sociocultural competency required by our mission.
Our Spanish list is rarely full, so we do conduct outreach to educate local parents about the benefits of a dual immersion program for their students. They believe that their children need English to be successful and tend to see less value in becoming proficient in Spanish. We never have too many open spots; however, because we are a magnet school, we pull students from across our district and even beyond.
Like other dual immersion schools, we are sometimes criticized because our students do not always score as high as students in English-only programs in early grades. We teach kindergarten in Spanish 90% of the day and introduce more English each year. Students transition to reading and writing in English in third grade. They are on a different track than students at English-only schools, and so we can’t really compare to other students in the first few years, though we tend to perform better later on.
Data-Driven Professional Growth Goals Georgia Brown is a data-driven school, and that begins with our teachers’ professional growth goals. They look at their data and create SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goals based on it. Throughout the year, after each summative assessment, they dig into the data again to see what progress they’ve made toward their professional growth goals and to consider changes in their classrooms. I encourage them to see their list of goals as a living document and even to keep it on their wall so they keep their goals in mind and adjust them as necessary.
Our professional learning communities (PLCs) have been a game-changer for us. Ninety percent of our faculty is trained on effective PLCs and, during that training, we revisit our school vision. A couple of years ago, if I had asked my teachers about the school vision, they wouldn’t have been able to tell me much. Now they would tell me that all students will achieve bilingualism, biliteracy, and sociocultural competency. It’s posted in every classroom, and every lesson they teach is related to that vision.
Our PLCs have also helped to ensure that our teachers are working closely together yet still have personal freedom. They often plan lessons together in PLC meetings, and whether they are planning together or individually, they begin with the assessment and plan backwards from that. They always have four questions to answer:
• What are students going to learn? • How will students learn it? • Did they learn it? • What will I do with the highest and lowest performers?
Teachers also participate in three data retreats each year. At the first one, they spend an entire day looking at the data and planning the first trimester. They break the trimester down by week so they have a map showing what standard will be addressed and when. They integrate different subject areas, such as social studies and science, and create a common assessment for the end of the first week so they have the full week to teach it.
During weekly PLCs after formative assessments have been completed, teachers come together to look at the data and see who was successful, who needs additional support, and who needs to be retaught by the teacher or an intervention specialist. Teachers get creative with their schedules to provide a ten- to 15-minute lesson to reteach a concept. This continues week by week, so teachers are constantly looking at the data and adjusting, rather than waiting until the end of the trimester to see where students are.
Improved alignment has also been important in moving our school forward. When I got here, we were all over the place, and it took me a year and a half to figure out who was teaching what. We’ve done a lot of work to make sure everyone has the same curriculum and resources and that they are meeting our goals. Consistency really is key.
Curriculum-Aligned Reading Material To ensure students are receiving appropriate reading practice, we go through our multitiered systems of support process and identify the different tiers. Students then find reading material at their Lexile level. Additionally, we use an online research hub of articles and digital books to provide our students and teachers with curriculum-aligned resources in English and Spanish for use in grades K–2.
As a school, we’ve been focusing on culturally relevant practices for a while now. In the past, those projects were sent home, and some parents would end up doing a lot of the work, while other students received no support at all. The online library allows the students to conduct their own research and find their own articles and videos. If they are struggling, the program will read to them so they don’t get stuck. Students have been reading a lot of articles as a result, almost doubling from 15,722 articles in the 2021–2022 school year to 29,366 last year. And they have already read more digital books than they did last school year. They read 1,436 e-books during the entire 2022–23 school year and have already read 1,571 books from July to October to kick off this school year.
The online library has also been helpful in integrating subjects such as social studies and science into our nearly two-hour literacy block. It’s divided into five areas—animals, biography, health, science, and social studies—so it’s easy for students to find the resources to complement what they are learning in, for example, a science lesson.
It’s not always easy to see how dual language immersion benefits all students— even proficiency scores can hide the truth in early grades. But with a commitment to readjusting as the data demands and the help of resources that truly support emerging bilingual students, dual language immersion programs are better for all students.
Celia Moses is the principal at Georgia Brown Elementary School. She can be reached at [email protected].
Vietnam—the land of delicious food, viral-worthy motorcycle traffic, immense history, and… language classes? Learning Vietnamese is definitely not on the radar for many language learners, and as I’ve written before, it’s notoriously difficult to find language-learning materials in Vietnamese.1 Unlike many international languages such as French, Spanish, or English, Vietnamese is spoken primarily by native speakers and there are few opportunities outside the community to learn the language. The greatest way to overcome the barrier to entry to learning this language is to buckle up and take the leap to Vietnam itself.
Saigon’s Linguistic Playground
The vibrant streets of Saigon (officially now Ho Chi Minh City but still called Saigon by most locals) have long been a hub of culture and history in Vietnam. I decided to study with Live the Language (LTL) Language School for the balmy month of May. LTL set up a homestay through the school with a lovely three-generational family in the multicultural and hip neighborhood Bình Thạnh. The neighborhood is composed of narrow alleys just waiting for you to get lost in, with street vendors, hip cafés, and bars around each corner. My homestay family went above and beyond—they took me on adventures around the neighborhood and the city each weekend, and we would often go on walks in the evening after the heat was more bearable to explore the bustling nighttime streets. In many ways, Saigon is a city that comes alive at night—especially in the summer—due to the heat. Because I stayed with a homestay family, I also had homecooked meals each night and was able to talk about my day. Saigon is not just a city; it’s a gateway to a world of language, culture, and connection, just waiting to be explored.
Family Ties
One of the distinctive features of learning Vietnamese in Saigon is the opportunity to live with a multi-generational Vietnamese family. This arrangement provides an invaluable insight into the culture, traditions, and way of life that textbooks alone cannot convey. Here are some of the benefits:
Cultural Immersion: Sharing a home with a Vietnamese family exposes students to the customs, rituals, and celebrations that are an integral part of Vietnamese life. Whether it’s participating in Lunar New Year festivities, enjoying traditional family meals, or learning the art of making delicious pho, living with a local family offers a truly immersive cultural experience.
Language Practice: Living with native speakers ensures constant exposure to the Vietnamese language. Conversations with family members help students improve their language skills rapidly, building their confidence in speaking and listening comprehension.
Emotional Support: Adjusting to life in a new country can be challenging, but the presence of a supportive family provides a sense of belonging and security. This familial support network can be particularly comforting for international students.
For the Intrepid Traveler
Each year, Vietnam attracts more than 3.6 million international visitors, according to the National Authority of Tourism. It’s a country that is getting more and more attention from a wide variety of travelers, especially those searching for a place that can still be visited on a budget. Adding a language-learning course—even for a portion of the trip—can turn a typical vacation into an enriching immersion experience. I can’t count the number of foreigners who heard me speaking Vietnamese in public and were shocked when I told them I had only been in the country for a few weeks. Many shared that they’d been in the country for much longer and could only exchange pleasantries, if that. I also visited Thailand after Vietnam, except without a language immersion exchange, and I was just like those other visitors who essentially couldn’t speak the language at all. It’s not that I am a language whiz—on the contrary, I think that all it takes is a streak of curiosity to pick up a working knowledge of any language. However, the most evident difference was that I took immersion language classes at LTL in Vietnam, while I just relied on “immersion” in Thailand. I spent over four times as long in Thailand, yet I was able to learn a great deal more Vietnamese than Thai. I’m living proof that taking immersion language classes is an invaluable supplement to any trip. There are additional benefits to adding a language-learning course to any trip, especially a trip to Vietnam:
Forces you to stay still: While it’s a blast to hop around from city to city, especially in Vietnam with the popular motorcycle routes, it’s such a pleasure to be able to stay in one place for an extended amount of time. Taking language courses was a great opportunity for me to really get to know the ins and outs of Saigon, rather than just seeing a snapshot of a series of locations.
Gives structure to your trip and to each day: My favorite thing about my class is that I knew that each morning would be spent learning Vietnamese, leaving the afternoon open to explore, relax, or try something new. I didn’t feel pressured to have bespoke experiences at every moment of each day, and I enjoyed the structure that classes gave me.
Offers an opportunity to talk to locals: Many travelers spend almost all of their time talking only to other foreigners instead of the locals themselves. Traveling can easily become an insular experience, for the backpacker hostel crowd, older travelers, and couples alike. Not only was I able to have “language safaris” exploring the town with my tutor, but I also became acquainted with the other staff at LTL who were around my age and had fun exploring the city and chatting with them. They offered advice, insight, and friendship that I otherwise would not have experienced.
Teaches you to navigate situations more easily: Not only can it be a smoother experience to give directions or ask for the check in the local language, it’s also a sign of respect. Especially in a country like Vietnam, where many travelers visit without speaking any Vietnamese, speaking just a little is an indicator that you are interested in connecting to the culture and people a little more deeply, and many are appreciative of that.
Allows you to travel more sustainably: By learning a language you can get out of consumerist and colonial-based travel patterns. By attending a language-learning course, travelers can give more meaning to their travel experience and actually immerse themselves in the culture of Vietnam, rather than simply going shopping, attending planned-out tours with large groups of other tourists, or venturing down the same backpacker trail as so many others.
Overcoming Hurdles—With a Little Help from My Friends
A quick Google search on the subject of learning Vietnamese elicits numerous responses on how notoriously difficult it is to learn. In fact, it’s difficult to find much information at all about learning Vietnamese outside of the dire pleas of language learners on how to make it easier to learn the language, only to be chagrined when fellow learners respond to just give up, and that it’s impossible unless you’re a native speaker. But fear not—it’s immensely straightforward, and dare I say fun, to learn Vietnamese. Simply by having a dedicated teacher (or tutor) to help guide along the treacherous path of pronunciation, grammar, subjects, modifiers, phrases, and expressions, students can focus on what they’re learning rather than how to learn in the first place.
At LTL I was lucky enough to have an incredible private tutor—Andy—who completely transformed my learning experience. While I’m sure that all the tutors available at LTL are more than proficient, I was so overwhelmingly impressed with Andy’s teaching that I would go so far as to suggest it’s worthwhile to go to Vietnam specifically to learn from him. We met up Monday through Friday for four hours each day to study—and while that sounds like a lot of classes, they went by surprisingly quickly due to the interesting learning materials. On our first day of class, Andy asked me why I was interested in learning Vietnamese, what kind of subject matter I was interested in, and the kinds of things I would like to learn and talk about. Since I personally am interested in arts, culture, and history, Andy tailored the program to fit my interests. I was also interested in learning how to talk about myself and my likes and dislikes—who doesn’t like to talk about themselves!
One of the components I most enjoyed about our classes was when we got out of the classroom itself. On these excursions, billed as language safaris, Andy would take me to different locations such as cafés or restaurants and put my language-speaking skills to the test. It was a fun way to practice being in these scenarios, with a back-up plan that he would come to the rescue if I got too nervous or couldn’t properly express myself. We also went to interesting historical locations around Saigon that I would never have found myself, such as an old spy bunker in the middle of the city that’s full of vintage memorabilia from the 1960s.
Rediscovering Roots for the Vietnamese Diaspora
There is a large diaspora of over five million Vietnamese people living overseas (known as Việt Kiều), with the largest community residing in the US. The opportunity to study Vietnamese can serve as a bridge for the Vietnamese diaspora in the following ways:
Reconnecting with heritage: Many Vietnamese diaspora members have lost touch with their ancestral roots over the years. Learning the language in Vietnam allows the Vietnamese diaspora to reconnect with their heritage, bridging the gap between generations and preserving their cultural identity.
Strengthening family ties: For families spread across different countries, learning Vietnamese and experiencing life in Saigon can be a powerful way to reconnect. It fosters a sense of unity and shared culture among family members, even if they are geographically distant. Many people also grew up partially speaking or understanding Vietnamese but not feeling completely confident navigating the language. This is where an immersion class in Vietnam can boost language learners’ abilities to comprehend Vietnamese.
Career and business opportunities: As Vietnam continues to grow economically, proficiency in its language can open doors to a wide range of career and business opportunities. The ability to communicate effectively in the local language is highly valued in both business and diplomatic circles and offers an opportunity for those in the diaspora to connect economically with Vietnam in the future.
With the help of my homestay, LTL, and my tutor Andy, I walked away from Saigon able to have a basic conversation about myself, share my likes and dislikes, ask for and give directions, make basic observations, and navigate restaurants and markets in Vietnamese. Did I walk away fluent? Absolutely not! Not even close. But it’s important to have reasonable goals when learning a language. More importantly, I left Vietnam with what I believe is an inside look at how people actually live in the country, and I was able to get off the tourist path and live (more) like a local. There’s nothing like the enriching experience of learning a language in a bustling metropolis, especially with the unique benefits of living with a multigenerational family. For those seeking to immerse themselves in the beauty of this nation’s language, history, and traditions, there’s no better way than enrolling in an immersion school in Saigon.
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