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Bahasa Lessons Required for Immigrants to Indonesia

Jakarta, Indonesia’s bustling capital

Indonesia’s government is introducing a regulation that requires companies to offer training in Bahasa Indonesia, the country’s official language, to foreign employees. The requirement comes after considerable media coverage portraying an influx of Chinese workers moving into Indonesia’s like mining, smelting and power industries.
In March, Indonesian President Joko Widodo signed a decree, which was ostensibly aimed at simplifying procedures for issuing work permits to foreign workers, but it contained a clause that instructed all companies, domestic and foreign, who employ foreign workers to “facilitate Indonesian language education and training.”
That new rule is now coming into force, although its practical details are still being finalized. According to an unnamed official from Indonesia’s Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration, it may become mandatory for companies to offer Bahasa training for longer than six months, and companies could face penalties for non-compliance. However, workers will not be held accountable if they do not attend language classes.
Chinese workers top the number of foreigners employed in the country, which totaled 126,000 last year, according to official data. However, some union leaders say these figures do not account for undocumented immigrants.
Bahasa Indonesia is a standardized register of Malay, which has been used as a lingua franca in the archipelago for centuries.
In 2013, a regulation was introduced requiring expatriates to be proficient in Bahasa, but it was never enforced and the President reversed it in 2015.

Accelerating English and Math on the Go

Amanda Cuellar shares the benefits of learning via smartphone for adult English language learners

Families and individuals from all over the world are drawn to Midland, Texas. Its opportunities in the oil and gas industry create a melting pot of different languages, cultures, and levels of education. In 2014, Forbes magazine ranked Midland as the second-fastest-growing small city in the U.S., and we had the lowest unemployment rate in the country at 2.3%.

Amidst this thriving community, however, many of Midland’s residents remain unable to communicate at the grocery store, at the doctor’s office, or with their children’s teachers. One in ten Midland residents speaks little to no English (according to recent census data), making simple tasks a daily struggle for too many adults.

Nationwide, adult English language learners (ELLs) make up a significant part of the estimated 36 million adults in the U.S. who read at or below a third-grade level.1 This growing population is faced with the challenge of finding jobs and providing for their families, with little to no formal education in the English language.

Only about 10% of this group are served by adult education, making them one of the most underserved populations in our educational system. Midland Need to Read seeks to address this gap by helping adults meet their literacy goals, in both basic education and English language skills. Along with our face-to-face instruction and tutoring, we offer an additional resource to our adult students: educational software via mobile technology.

One Student at a Time

Each individual who registers for Midland Need to Read’s adult literacy program is interviewed, assessed, and placed based on his current level and future goals. Students are then matched with a trained volunteer tutor (in a one-to-one, small-group, or class setting) and/or enrolled with staff-monitored computer programs. This access to educational software allows those with limited scheduled availability, or those who do not yet have an assigned tutor, to learn at their own pace and on their own time.

Lorena Castillo is one such student. She is married with two children and commits much of her time to them and to her volunteer efforts in the community. Lorena spends most of her remaining time attending face-to-face classes, with the goal of becoming more proficient and confident in her English-speaking skills. In addition to taking classes, she supplements her education by using Learning Upgrade, a smartphone app with English and math lessons for adults.

The app’s 300 lessons are designed by educators and use songs, videos, and games to engage even the most reluctant of students. Every level provides practice problems, accompanied by immediate intervention and remediation with multimedia supports. Students are able to repeat lessons until they master them, earning a gold certificate when they become proficient in each of the standard’s benchmarks.

“Sometimes I find words [in the app] that I have never used,” Castillo said. “So, I go through [the activity] and see what the meaning is, and it helps me. I use the app when I have a little bit of time, anywhere. Sometimes I’m in the laundry, waiting between washing and drying.”

With the combination of traditional learning and supplemental technology, Castillo has seen a dramatic improvement in her English skills. She can use the app to further her learning when it fits her schedule, no matter where she is or what else she is doing.

Why Tech Works

Digital Promise notes that an estimated 75% of students enrolled in adult education programs also own smartphones. While we know only a small number of people can attend face-to-face classes, we wanted to make an effort to reach a greater number of adult ELLs. When the app was first presented to me, I could not wait to put the students on it. I am all for trying anything that will make learning more interesting and inviting. We started with a pilot, saw how quickly students were experiencing success, and decided to expand.

Often, when adults are out of the habit of learning, it can be a little bit intimidating to come back and sit in a classroom environment. Learning on a smartphone provides students with a sense of privacy. Nobody else is watching them learn and judging their progression. It is truly students working at their own pace. Time on task is no longer limited to students having access to a computer or sitting in class.

Today, dozens of students in Midland are logging on in their cars or on their lunch breaks or binging on lessons after their kids go to bed. On average, our students are logging about 14 hours a month on lessons, and the program’s incentives keep them coming back for more.

A Blended Approach to Learning

For adult students who are not familiar or comfortable with technology, a blended approach, using smartphones, gives them an opportunity to explore the new, digital world in a safe, familiar environment. In the same way, a more traditional instructional atmosphere provides the younger generation with a way to put down their technology and engage with their teachers and fellow students on a human level.

Both generations are equally willing to help one another bridge the gap, which in turn boosts the effectiveness of both approaches. We have students of various ages and levels of education, but the blended approach allows everyone to experience both settings, providing a better opportunity to find the best fit.

Math, an Essential Part of Literacy

Historically, ELL instruction has primarily focused on reading and writing. As a result of this focus, ELLs who have become proficient readers in English are often many years behind in math. Numbers are the same all over the world, but the applications differ. Oftentimes, people do not realize that students who are learning English are also going through the process of acquiring basic math skills. For instance, our adult learners often have to adjust from using the metric system to our measurement system or from their monetary system to ours.

Researchers have suggested that strong early math skills are top indicators of college and career success, and that STEM-related texts offer a powerful opportunity to engage students in reading by building on their budding interests.2 Additionally, the academic language students learn in math gives meaning and purpose to English reading. For this reason, Midland Need to Read teaches math skills alongside English skills. The power of mobile technology allows students to learn and practice in both areas, anytime and anywhere.

Math and basic algebra skills are often gatekeepers that can prevent students from earning a diploma or GED, going to college, or passing an entrance exam, which is why we think of math as an essential part of our overall literacy mission.

Expanding Tech to All Adult ELLs

Technology will only expand and improve over time and will continue to have a positive impact on learners of any subject, at any age. As technology’s mobility increases, so does its accessibility. With greater accessibility comes greater engagement and universal usage, which will improve individuals’ ability to develop their skills in any environment, at any time.

So far, the use of smartphones by students at Midland Need to Read has accelerated the learning process, giving students the motivation needed to improve their English language and basic education skills, attain their high school equivalency, and improve their lives. Through technology, we provide our students the freedom to learn and practice wherever and whenever they choose.

References

http://digitalpromise.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/designing-for-adult-learners.pdf
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/how-to-integrate-literacy-with-stem/2012/06/13/gJQAX2DGbV_blog.html?utm_term=.25f73bb9e3b8

Amanda Cuellar is the program director for the nonprofit Midland Need to Read Adult Literacy Program (www.midlandneedtoread.org/) in Midland, Texas.

Koko, Signing Gorilla, Dies at 46

Koko—the gorilla known for her extraordinary mastery of sign language, and as the primary ambassador for her endangered species—passed away yesterday morning in her sleep at the age of 46.

Koko, who was featured in Language Magazine in 2002,  touched the lives of millions as an ambassador for all gorillas and an icon for interspecies communication and empathy. She was beloved and will be deeply missed.

Koko, a western lowland gorilla, was born Hanabi-ko (Japanese for “Fireworks Child”) on July 4, 1971 at the San Francisco Zoo. Dr. Francine “Penny” Patterson began working with Koko the next year, famously teaching her sign language. Dr. Patterson and Dr. Ronald Cohn moved Koko and the project to Stanford in 1974 and went on to establish The Gorilla Foundation. While at Stanford the project expanded to include a second western lowland gorilla, Michael. In 1979 Koko and The Gorilla Foundation moved to the Santa Cruz Mountains where Ndume joined them as a fellow ambassador for their species.

Koko’s capacity for language and empathy has opened the minds and hearts of millions. She has been featured in multiple documentaries and appeared on the cover of National Geographic twice. The first cover, in October of 1978, featured a photograph Koko had taken of herself in a mirror. The second issue, in January of 1985, included the story of Koko and her kitten, All Ball. Following the article, the book Koko’s Kitten was published and continues to be used in elementary schools worldwide. Her impact has been profound and what she has taught us about the emotional capacity of gorillas and their cognitive abilities will continue to shape the world.

The foundation will continue to honor Koko’s legacy and advance its mission with ongoing projects including conservation efforts in Africa, the great ape sanctuary on Maui, and a sign language application featuring Koko for the benefit of both gorillas and children.

To make a tax-deductible donation to the Koko Fund, please contact Joy Chesbrough, The Gorilla Foundation’s Chief Development Officer, at: 1-800-ME-GO-APE ext 14.

For general inquiries and condolences, please email [email protected]

Reading Illustrated Story Books ‘Just Right’

A new study, “Goldilocks Effect? Illustrated Story Format Seems ‘Just Right’ and Animation ‘Too Hot’ for Integration of Functional Brain Networks in Preschool-Age Children,” suggests a “Goldilocks effect,” where audio may be “too cold” at this age, requiring more cognitive strain to process the story, animation “too hot,” fast-moving media rendering imagination and network integration less necessary, and illustration “just right,” limited visual scaffolding assisting the child while still encouraging active imagery and reflection. The study is the first to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to explore the influence of story format (audio, illustrated, animated) on the engagement of brain networks supporting language, visual imagery, and learning in preschool-age children.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents begin reading to their children as soon as possible after birth and provide limits on screen-based media use. In addition to TV, screen-based story platforms with animated features are increasingly marketed to children, yet the influence of animation on brain development is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there were differences in the engagement of functional brain networks supporting narrative processing for stories presented in audio, illustrated, and animated formats.

Findings suggest that the illustrated format provides visual scaffolding that assists the language network and encourages active imagery and self-reflection in young children, while animation may inhibit such network integration in favor of continuous audio-visual perception. They raise important questions about optimal promotion of healthy brain development and provide novel neurobiological context for AAP reading and screen-time recommendations.

“They underscore the appeal of illustrated books at this age, raise important questions about the influence of media on early brain development, and provide novel context for AAP reading and screen-time recommendations,” says lead author Dr. John Hutton, a researcher and pediatrician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital with a special interest in emergent literacy.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-05/pas-nsm042618.php

Literacy as a 21st- Century Survival Skill

Brooke Foged and Jenny Hammock share their insights into fighting generational illiteracy with the engaging power of technology

In today’s world, reading is an expected skill. Most of what we need to know to get by in life is written down, so for our current students to have future career success in nearly any field, they must have some degree of literacy. Even an entry-level job in a fast-food restaurant requires a person to read the application, and then eventually the employee handbook and the menu. Outside of a career, patients who cannot read their prescription bottles for dosage information may find themselves in real danger, and people signing binding contracts need to be able to read to know what they are agreeing to. In the 21st century, reading is a survival skill.

However, according to the Alliance for Excellent Education (https://www.all4ed.org/state-data/national/), only 36% of eighth-grade students in the U.S. read at a proficient level, and an estimated 32 million adults are considered illiterate (https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-01-08-adult-literacy_N.htm). There are many correlations between a lack of literacy skills and a poorer quality of life (http://www.begintoread.com/research/literacystatistics.html). For instance, 85% of juveniles who interface with the juvenile court system are functionally illiterate, as are 60% of all prison inmates. Some 43% of adults who have Level 1 literacy skills live in poverty, compared to only 4% of those at Level 5.

Given this contrast between the necessity of literacy in our society and how many people in society lack this crucial skill, teachers are left with the responsibility to engage each and every one of their students in the process of learning, regardless of age, natural ability, and other factors like learning disabilities. This is where technology comes in. The right technology, intelligently implemented, is a valuable tool to differentiate learning for each individual by interests, skill level, and familiarity with the English language and to help overcome the challenges students may face due to their family and economic backgrounds.

Family Background and the Cycle of Illiteracy

Families play a critical role in setting students up for success in every area. Teachers only have a few hours a day to teach students, whereas families have a lifelong opportunity to illustrate the importance of education and literacy. Reading aloud to children, providing them with a variety of books, and demonstrating a personal enjoyment of reading are all excellent ways to start children on the track to reading success. Absence of this early family support can create a cycle of generational illiteracy that is difficult to break, particularly once the children become adults.

The older students get, the more “emotional baggage” they bring to their literacy learning curves. They have struggled to read for a long time, and many are so discouraged that they have convinced themselves that they just cannot read—or worse, they believe themselves to be stupid.

Alternatively, this struggle can also make adult learners take literacy instruction very seriously. They know what it means to live in the world without the ability to read. They know what they are missing out on, and they want to remedy it. Teachers in these situations not only have to provide explicit, age-appropriate instruction, but they have to overcome the emotional hurdles that thwart student motivation.

Older readers sometimes struggle with getting help from the teacher. They can often feel frustrated and embarrassed that they still need help, so they do not raise their hands. Peer mentoring can help alleviate some of the emotional struggles for those students by allowing them to work through things with a fellow student. Other students prefer working with a teacher, because they do not want to be seen by their peers as needing help.

For students who are ashamed of their struggles with literacy or with learning English as a second language, technology can provide a safe haven to learn at their own individual paces. The solitary process of going through a literacy software program can alleviate the embarrassment felt by these learners and allow them to repeat lessons and practice particularly difficult concepts over and over again until they master them. They can practice spelling and decoding new words, reading and hearing definitions, and understanding context sentences without the concern of looking foolish in front of a group or holding up class for others who may be ready to move on.

Unique Challenges for English Language 

Learners

For decades, English teachers have been encouraging students to read their writing aloud to themselves and listen for expressions, words, or sentences that “don’t sound right.” This is not bad advice. Native speakers, specifically those who come from homes in which

standard English is spoken, often have a gut instinct for what “sounds” right. Even if they cannot explain a rule or even provide an example, their experience will often guide them to the right answer.

However, this tactic is less helpful for English language learners (ELLs), who are often heavily influenced by the rules and sounds of their native languages. When English aligns with the rules they already know, things can click more quickly. When English deviates from their native languages, we are asking them to create entirely new paradigms for their knowledge bases. In these cases, being able to articulate rules and patterns becomes a crucial skill as they compensate for a lack of a gut instinct.

Many ELL students may have a fairly solid grasp of the alphabet, but most have never been taught decoding strategies. This is where phonics instruction can prove useful. A solid foundation of guidelines and rules can help any person, native speaker or not, learn the basics of reading and writing English. Using simple markings for different letter patterns allows students to look closely at the individual parts of a word and make sense out of them. Once they become familiar with the markings, the process becomes automatic.

Technology and Engaging Literacy

Instruction

Traditionally, reading is seen as a sedentary, quiet activity. Treating it this way can lead some more active students to disengage. This can be overcome by using a multisensory, encompassing approach to literacy instruction with movement, speech, listening, and writing, too. Because several areas of the brain are stimulated during this process, the knowledge is reinforced and retained. Also, using different ways of delivering information addresses everyone’s learning preferences.

Technological advances have made literacy instruction a more active, engaging process. Benefits such as instant feedback, gamification, and analytics have greatly improved student motivation and instructor monitoring in the area of literacy. With technology, teachers can more easily differentiate instruction for students of different reading levels, as well as teach extensive decoding strategies.

There are many ways to make reading instruction fun and engaging. Most learners, regardless of age or skill level, really enjoy a multisensory aspect to direct instruction in the classroom. When it comes to individual work, software is adaptable. Digital lessons can be interactive, filled with images, videos, games, and other fun activities. Software can offer hundreds of different passages to choose from, at a variety of different difficulty levels and for a range of interests, and students can control their progression through these different texts based on how comfortable they feel.

Giving students the autonomy to work at their own pace through programs such as these serves as a valuable tool for increasing literacy and can also serve to scaffold their learning within a blended classroom setting. Software can also include formative assessments at regular intervals to ensure that the student is placed at the appropriate reading level and can also help teachers monitor student progress and discover any trouble spots where they can offer additional help.

Demonstrating the Value of Reading

Technology has come a long way in aiding educators and engaging students, but nothing will ever replace the judgment of a good teacher. Some students may be better served by delaying the introduction of classical literary works in favor of in-depth phonics instruction and more real-world reading, like job applications.

Classrooms that provide authentic text for reading also illustrate the importance of reading throughout life, as opposed to classrooms that only focus on more classical literature. The ideal classroom environment is one in which the teacher encourages reading and helps students understand the value of reading. Classrooms in which frequent reading is modeled and encouraged are great environments for nurturing reading as a life skill that must be learned.

Speaking, by contrast, is a natural process; no matter how much or how little instruction a child receives, he or she is programmed for speech. Reading is a different animal. It is not a natural ability and does require work. Some students will struggle a lot more than others. Processing disorders such as dyslexia can make reading a painful experience. However, while natural ability can increase ease and enjoyment, it is not a prerequisite for success.

Every individual can find his own unique path to literacy success, from an English language learner who is able to use technology to learn letter rules and patterns to a student who jumps at the opportunity to engage with reading material that applies to her individual life and interests. With the right kind of instruction, dedicated teachers, and motivation, all students have the potential to be good readers.

Brooke Foged has a master’s degree in English and experience in higher ed. publication and teaching developmental English at the community college level. She is currently a curriculum developer at Reading Horizons.

Jenny Hammock is a former high school English teacher currently working as a curriculum developer and trainer at Reading Horizons.

Fulfilling the Technological Promise

Language Magazine asks luminaries in the EdTech landscape what to expect and what we can hope for in 2018

I am hoping that school district leaders increasingly focus on making the most of the amazing technology that has emerged to instruct and improve student outcomes. I am also looking to see a positive spillover effect in 2018 from current conversations on how new classroom spaces can be designed to advance student learning.

Importantly, too, I am hopeful that special education staff increasingly will be included in these discussions from the jump, so that chief technologists and pupil-services administrators can meaningfully collaborate to select the right technology for the widest range of students—as opposed to trying to retrofit technology to meet student needs. Focusing on how EdTech can be used to advance students’ literacy and language skills is a critical part of this conversation.

Moreover, I am anticipating and looking forward to an abundance of high-level professional learning opportunities in 2018 for using technology and innovative classroom design to better serve K–12 students. This anticipation is the result of having just developed the Future of EdTech Special Education session track for the 2018 National Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC), as well as having overseen development of a parallel Information Technology session track for chief technologists. The collaboration, guidance, brainstorming and problem solving that will occur at FETC in January—particularly among high-level K–12 leaders including superintendents, IT directors, and CAOs—will set the tone for year-long staff development efforts in schools across the country.

Perhaps of most interest to readers of this publication, FETC programming will explore numerous emerging best practices for improving literacy acquisition and overall student outcomes. A featured FETC session titled How EdTech Can Fill the LD Gaps is just one example, where experts will provide insights to help the field adapt to the needs of students with learning challenges. Attendees also have the opportunity to attend deep-dive workshops and concurrent sessions on how to access free resources to help students who struggle with reading and writing; employ digital games to help students develop literacy, life, and career skills; and use adaptive technology to inform ELA instruction.

Overall, I am anticipating that 2018 will be a year in which conversations in education predominantly center on how to create active learning experiences and spaces for students of all abilities.

Steve Bevilacqua, editorial and content sponsorship director, FETC

Are We Living in the Jetsons’ Future?

While I have often heard people lamenting the fact that we do not yet have the flying cars from the TV cartoon The Jetsons, I think it is time for us to realize that much of what was shown as “the future” in that show is technology we use every day. After all, just ten years ago, we could not imagine the transformation that would occur from:

  • Smartphones
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Uber
  • Netflix
  • Crowdfunding
  • Cloud storage
  • Virtual reality

 

This trend of the future happening right now is only going to increase in 2018. So, what can we expect to see?

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Our devices are getting smarter. Now, instead of having to tediously open an app to see what the weather will be in my location tomorrow, I simply need to ask my favorite artificial assistant—whether that is Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, or Google’s Home. Instead of opening my calendar on my computer and seeing if I have an open time slot, I just ask my artificial assistant to do it for me.

Artificial intelligence will become more prevalent in 2018, especially in the job market. A new Forester Research report states that in 2018, “AI-enabled automation will eliminate 9% of US jobs.” The jobs most impacted will be in call centers, administration, and sales. Education will need to help retrain those who lose their jobs, causing a growth in community colleges and online courses. Skills for new jobs that will need to be learned include drone automation, designing entertainment for driverless transportation, robot programming, and computer coding.

Autonomous Robots

While we will not see Rosie the Robot cooking meals in our homes just yet, we will see a great increase in the robotic service industry. Domino’s Pizza and other fast-food chains aggressively research the use of robotic labor for food preparation and delivery. To get an idea, check out Flippy, the kitchen assistant. Or take a look at SAM, the semi-automated mason, who can lay 3,000 bricks a day.

What will the growth of robots mean for education? Someone has to program these devices and perform troubleshooting and maintenance on them. This is a career that is guaranteed to expand over the next ten years and one for which we should be preparing many of our students. To help us understand how the labor force will change as a consequence of the rise of the robotic labor force, take a look at the slightly tongue-in-cheek website Will Robots Take My Job? Enter any job, like short-order cook, and see the likelihood that a human will no longer be performing this task in the future.

Augmented and Virtual Reality

A natural step up from current interactivity, AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) additions to learning modules will become more prevalent in 2018. Instead of just watching the heart pump in a video, now students can be a blood molecule flowing through the chambers in a virtual reality simulation. Learning about the Civil War? Take on the role of a Confederate soldier at Gettysburg with just a pair of VR goggles and a cell phone. Learning becomes more immersive as AR, VR, and AI combine to allow students to experience and create. As the technology becomes less expensive and new boundaries are explored, AR/VR will be accessible to more students around the globe, allowing learning to become a more social activity in which students can learn together virtually.

The Internet of Things (IOT)

Connecting anything to the internet so that it can be controlled over distance has tremendous possibilities for schools. Implemented fully, it can improve efficiency and reduce costs. But it also provides more ease of use and greater access to information. For example, if each school bus is connected to the IOT, then parents can always know where their child’s bus is at any given moment using an app. “Smart” payment systems will allow students to pay for school lunches and for parents to add money to their accounts with just a fingerprint. Automatic attendance tracking, temperature sensors, smart HVAC systems, and more will become more widespread.

The need for increased bandwidth to manage all the devices connected to the internet will drive how soon education will be impacted by IOT. Once these challenges are met, greater student engagement, more timely data, more powerful mobile learning, and a safer learning environment will be the result.

I think that, if George Jetson and his family walked into our world today, they would feel right at home. As educators, we need to make sure we are doing everything we can to feel at home in this future and to help our students be the most prepared they can possibly be for what is coming next.

Lori Gracey, TCEA executive director

Unveiling the Force of Learner-Initiated Informal Language Learning: Extramural Learning

It is an established fact that learning a second or foreign language (L2/FL) can take place both inside and outside an educational context (Benson, 2011; Gee, 2007; Peterson, 2010; Reinders, 2012). In recent years, it has been suggested that the learning of L2/FL English may be decisively improved through exposure to and use of English outside institutional settings, so-called extramural English (EE), which has been defined as learner-initiated, informal, voluntary activities mediated in English, such as playing digital games, listening to music, watching television or films, and reading (Sundqvist and Sylvén, 2016). Recently, a number of studies have provided empirical evidence of learning taking place thanks to EE among young learners (Duursma, Meijer, and de Bot, 2017; H. Jensen, 2017; Kuppens, 2010; Lefever, 2010; Sundqvist and Sylvén, 2014; Sylvén and Sundqvist, 2012), teenagers (Brevik, 2016; Brevik and Hellekjær; Sundqvist and Wikström, 2015), and adults (Sockett and Toffoli, 2012).

While EE has already become a recognized factor for L2/FL English learning in European countries, especially in the Nordic countries, the Netherlands, and Belgium, in many other countries it remains an unknown source for and path to learning English. However, scholars in the South Asian region have recently begun looking into EE as a possible resource for L2/FL English learning too (see, e.g., Stockwell, 2013), and we predict a similar type of development there with regard to the role of EE for learners of all ages.

Our explicit wish for the coming year(s) is that EE become acknowledged worldwide as the language-learning goldmine it in fact is. Neglecting the exposure to and use of English in, for instance, social media and digital games is detrimental to both teaching and learning. However, acknowledging the vast learning possibilities of EE by, for instance, letting students talk about their experiences of EE in class will make students aware of the fact that while being engaged in some activity solely grounded in their own private interests, they learn English at the same time, because this is what research has shown (cf. the empirical studies mentioned above). Teachers who plan for and invite discussions of such learning experiences in their classrooms are guaranteed to see EE-experienced students offer personal and generally successful “learning stories” to peers who are yet to discover the potential of EE.

As a bonus, by becoming aware of the various kinds of EE their own students have experience of, teachers will be better prepared to individualize teaching, which is often necessary today considering students’ diverging proficiency levels in English (sometimes linked to individual difference variables, but also to varying degrees of involvement in EE). By gaining knowledge of their own students’ EE preferences, teachers have the opportunity to take student learning further into the academic realms of language, which are more rarely encountered through EE. Thus, this is where English language instruction and school will play a crucial role in the future.

On a final note, though we have focused on extramural English in this short piece, we would like to point out that it is naturally possible for learners to initiate activities voluntarily in any language (Ln), especially in technologically advanced societies where access to innumerable languages is just a click away. For example, there appears to be evidence of learning from extramural Japanese among university students in Sweden, much thanks to online resources of Japanese (Bengtsson, 2014). In closing, we think the time is ripe to start talking about extramural Ln as a specific field of L2/FL teaching and learning.

Pia Sundqvist and Liss Kerstin Sylvén are professors at Karlstad University and University of Gothenburg, Sweden, respectively. More information on them and the references for this piece can be found online at www.languagemagazine.com/references-fulfilling-technological-promise.

Pia Sundqvist holds a PhD in English linguistics from Karlstad University, Sweden, where she is associate professor of English. Her research interests are out-of-school, extramural informal English language learning, CALL (especially gaming), L2 vocabulary acquisition, and assessment of L2 oral proficiency, with a focus on primary and secondary school learners. Email: [email protected]

Liss Kerstin Sylvén holds a PhD in English linguistics from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, where she is professor of language education. Her research interests are second-language learning through content- and language-integrated learning (CLIL), extramural exposure, and CALL, with a special focus on individual learner differences. Email: [email protected]

Looking ahead to 2018, I am encouraged to see the proliferation of dual-language programs throughout the U.S. When students can learn some of their school subjects in English and others in a foreign language, the advantages are demonstrated and clear. Students do better in reading (in English!) and math, and eventually outperform peers who are not in dual-language settings in just about every subject.

We live in a global world where people interact with different cultures and languages daily; they need this skillset to thrive in a competitive workforce in which communication is critical. In 2018, I hope that more people’s eyes are opened to the fact that study of a foreign language actually improves student achievement in other subjects. The rest of the world is far ahead of us in this respect and not only encourages proficiency in multiple languages but requires it in order to graduate.

I am encouraged by the fact that 29 states and the District of Columbia now offer the Seal of Biliteracy to students earning high school diplomas. Students who receive the seal must demonstrate, either via classroom or a test, that they can communicate in two languages. In 2017, six states adopted the seal. Approximately a dozen more states are currently considering adding the seal or are in the early stages of adoption. Here’s hoping that we can get half of those states to join in 2018. This Seal of Biliteracy is just one important way to get students, teachers, and schools focused on the benefits of language learning and to put in the long hours of time and effort required to become proficient in a second language.

I see a lot of room for technology to expand language-learning opportunities for students enrolled in dual-language programs as well as in more traditional ones, and I hope that an increased embrace of technology in language teaching and learning is something we will see in 2018. We also continue to see an increase in the number of businesses around the globe that are working with Rosetta Stone to implement language-training programs for employees. Learning does not just stop once you leave school; it is important to continually build skills to keep you competitive; this will carry you in your career. It is encouraging to see that global companies value this in their workforces.

For example, I am eager to see how cutting-edge technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) can be incorporated more fully into the teaching and learning of languages and cultures. VR has the capacity to make you feel like you are really there—whether “there” is a Parisian café, an open-air market in Mexico, or the Coliseum in Rome. That immersive environment, paired with a puzzle to solve and sympathetic real people and believable characters to work with, should prove a very engaging way for people to practice and learn another language. Later, when they are finally in the country, using their new language, students can use AR to take what they have learned out into the real world. The technology can help them interact with native speakers and learn about their surroundings, deepening their experience and facilitating their exchanges with others.

Even if we do not get as far as introducing VR and AR into classrooms in 2018, I hope that more people will open their eyes to the possibilities technology already offers. When I was studying French as a teenager, I had to ask my parents for a short-wave radio as a holiday gift, because it was the only way I was going to be able to get French-language broadcasts on demand.

Today, students can access all manner of authentic materials in the language (and style) of their choice. Whether they like rap, pop, or rock music, comedy shows, crime thrillers, or artsy movies, variety shows or cartoons, they can find on the internet more content than they could ever consume. This content can help them learn the language and the culture simultaneously. Language teachers can use it to bring the language alive and make their class the one students look forward to every day.

Most of all, I hope that in 2018 more people will realize how learning a new language can improve communication with others—whether it is a classmate from another country, a coworker or customer halfway around the world, or the person next to you on the bus. Language skills can help us better understand each other in this increasingly connected yet somehow more divided world. Here’s hoping that 2018 will bring more opportunities for mutual understanding through the appreciation of other languages and cultures.

Dr. Lisa Frumkes, senior director of content development, Rosetta Stone

Multilingual Students Succeeding in the U.S.

A new study finds that scores from students who speak a language other than English at home have improved dramatically over the last 15 years

Students who speak a language other than English at home have improved in reading and math much more substantially since 2003 than previously reported, according to a study published this month in Educational Researcher. Hidden Progress of Multilingual Students on NAEP by Michael J. Kieffer, associate professor of literacy education at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, debunks a common myth that multilingual students and English Learners have made little progress in academic achievement in recent years, and that U.S. schools continue to fail these students.

“Educators and policymakers have been misled by traditional ways of looking at achievement data for English learners,” said Kieffer. “When we look at the broader population of multilingual students, we uncover remarkable progress.” 

Kieffer and the study’s co-author, Karen D. Thompson of Oregon State University’s College of Education, analyzed National Assessment of Educational Progress data from 2003 to 2015. The data demonstrated that although all students’ scores improved, multilingual students’ scores improved two to three times more than monolingual students’ scores in both subjects in grades four and eight. There is little evidence that these trends can be explained by cohort changes in racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, or regional composition.

The research also demonstrates that multilingual students are about one-third to one-half of a grade level closer to their monolingual peers in 2015 than they were in 2003. The data cannot identify the specific sources for the change in achievement but suggests that a bundle of policy changes which occurred between 2003 and 2015 may have moved schools in the right direction in serving multilingual students.

“Despite the dominant perception that these students have made little academic progress in recent years, our findings indicate there is real evidence of progress for this population,” said Thompson. “Students are showing what they know.”

This research was supported, in part, by grants from the Sper Foundation, the William T. Grant Foundation, and the Institute of Education Sciences in the U.S. Department of Education.

Be Global Ready on June 22

Language Resources for Teachers & Schools

Join the U.S. Department of Education for an in-person and online Be Global Ready event to share resources to help U.S. teachers and schools teach world languages!

Featuring presentations and resources from:

  • International Affairs Office, U.S. Department of Education
  • International and Foreign Language Education Office, U.S. Department of Education
  • Office of English Language Acquisition, U.S. Department of Education
  • American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
  • Center for Integrated Language Communities, City University of New York
  • Critical Language Scholarship and National Security Language Initiative for Youth, U.S. Department of State
  • STARTALK, National Security Agency

To attend virtually, visit the EDStream website at 1pm EST on June 22nd

http://tinyurl.com/June22atED

Online participants can participate during the Q&A session by emailing their questions to [email protected].

June 22, 2018

1:00-2:30PM EST

US Department of Education LBJ Building Barnard Auditorium

400 Maryland Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C.

Early Language Key to School Success

Kim Echart of the University of Washington News reports on a new study which shows that early use of words and grammar determines overall student success

A new study indicates that children’s language skills in kindergarten predict their performance in other areas, including math and reading, throughout school. Not only does a child’s use of vocabulary and grammar predict future proficiency with the spoken and written word, but it also affects performance in other subject areas.

Language, in other words, supports academic and social success, says Amy Pace, an assistant professor in the University of Washington Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, which led the study, published in Early Childhood Research Quarterly. The study was the first to look at a comprehensive set of school readiness skills and to try to determine which, of all of them, is the most solid predictor of a child’s later success. Language—the ability to fluidly learn words and to string them together into sentences—was the hands-down winner, said co-author Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, director of the Infant Language Laboratory at Temple University.

For this study, Pace and her colleagues examined longitudinal data from more than 1,200 children in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development’s Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. That study used several measures of academic and social skills at specific ages and grade levels, including evaluations upon entry to kindergarten and in grades one, three, and five. While there is considerable research on how children develop specific skills over time, much of that research is focused on patterns of learning within a single subject area, like math or reading. Researchers in the UW study wanted to determine whether there are relationships between skills when considered in combination and to think about how these combined abilities might predict gains, or growth, above what might be expected based on the skills the child demonstrates when he or she first enters a kindergarten classroom. The team analyzed academic and behavioral assessments. 

Researchers found that of the skills and milestones evaluated, only language skills predicted students’ performance both within that subject area and in most others (math, reading, and social skills) from first through fifth grade. Reading ability in kindergarten predicted reading, math, and language skills later on, and math proficiency correlated with math and reading performance over time. People often confuse language with literacy, Pace said. Reading skills include the ability to decode letter and sound combinations to pronounce words and the ability to comprehend word meanings and contexts. Language is the ability to deploy those words and use complex syntax and grammar to communicate in speech and writing. And that is why it has such potential to affect other areas of development, Pace said. At a time when so much focus is on math and science education, language deserves attention, too.

Measuring the impact of one skill on another, in addition to measuring growth in the same skill, provides more of a “whole child” perspective, Pace said. A child who enters school with little exposure to number sense or spatial concepts but with strong social skills may benefit from that emotional buffer. “If we look at just a very narrow slice of a child’s ability, it may be predictive of ability in that area, but it’s not necessarily a good prognosticator of what’s to come overall for that child,” she said.

Researchers expected to find that the effects of kindergarten readiness would wear off by third grade, the time when elementary school curriculum transitions from introducing foundational skills to helping students apply those skills as they delve deeper into content areas. But according to the study, children’s performance in kindergarten continues to predict their performance in grades three through five. This was consistent for multiple skill areas, including language, math, and reading, and suggests that bolstering children’s development in those first five years is essential for long-term academic success.

A few findings merit further study, Pace added, especially as they relate to educational policy. The study also represents an opportunity to rethink what skills are considered measures of kindergarten readiness, she said. The original Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development was funded by the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development. Additional co-authors were Rebecca Alper of Temple University, Margaret Burchinal of the University of North Carolina, and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff of the University of Delaware.

Keeping the Internet Real

Amid all the talk of fake news, misinformation, and abuse of personal information, the ongoing battle to save net neutrality has been pushed to the background. The net neutrality rules, which passed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2015, prevent broadband and wireless companies from blocking or slowing internet traffic. Surveys show that a majority of the public supports net neutrality and, as the internet becomes more crucial to the provision of fundamental public services like education, its neutrality is in the national, and international, interests.

The internet should be an open and accessible resource. Today, we access the internet through our phones, tablets, and computers, but the future of the web will be heavily intertwined with virtual and augmented reality. This future of mixed reality will deliver learning experiences and information in ways we are only just starting to envisage. Thankfully, we will have teachers to guide and direct students through the morass of data, but there is still the question of who maps the world and controls what is experienced. We cannot rely on a few powerful companies to be the gatekeepers of information and education. Even if they are well trusted, the potential for manipulating what is learned and what is considered fact is too great. Students are better off relying on the multiplicity of sources to aggregate information, but to do so, they must be taught how to qualify their sources and the information supplied.

As we are continuing to see with the Facebook manipulation saga, it is virtually impossible now to prevent false information from being presented as fact. Once such information is conveyed through virtual reality, the difficulty of qualifying it will be multiplied exponentially. All we can do is equip our students with the research skills and knowledge to enable them to make informed judgements about the information that will bombard them—make them “internet literate.”

The Congressional Review Act (CRA) is being used to try to halt the FCC’s repeal of net neutrality. The CRA gives Congress 60 legislative days to undo a regulation from a federal agency. Simple majorities in both the House and Senate, as well as the president’s signature, are needed to roll back the FCC’s vote.

Last month, the Senate surprisingly voted to undo the regulation and restore the principle of net neutrality. During a press conference following the vote, Senate minority leader Charles Schumer of New York credited the victory to the grassroots advocacy that has led millions of people to call their senators and representatives asking them to support the CRA. Despite this momentum, a similar bill currently lacks the support needed to pass in the House of Representatives by the deadline of June 11. Even if it were to pass, it would also require the president’s approval, so its passage is unlikely.

Nevertheless, net neutrality may survive through state initiatives—there are more than two dozen states, including California and New York, considering legislation to reinstate the rules within their borders. Earlier this year, Washington became the first state to sign such legislation into law. Governors in several other states, including New Jersey and Montana, have signed executive orders requiring ISPs that do business with the state to adhere to net neutrality principles.

Historically, teachers have been the guardians of information. With the advent of artificial intelligence and multiple realities, that role is changing. Now, they must impart the skills needed by their students to assemble information, assess it, and determine its value for themselves.

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