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International Education Week 2021

Now that travel restrictions are being lifted, International Education Week (IEW), Nov. 15–19, 2021, is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the US Department of State and the US Department of Education is part of an effort to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences.

In a joint statement, the federal departments propose the following principles to guide their approach to international education, recognizing that the US government has a unique role in international education because of its responsibility to the American people; its purview over foreign affairs, national security, and economic and border policy; its capacity to provide national and global leadership; and its role in affecting how the US is perceived globally.

As US federal agencies involved in different aspects of international education, the departments commit to undertaking actions to support a renewed focus on international education, including seeking to:

  • Participate in a coordinated national approach to international education, including study in the US by international students, researchers, and scholars; study abroad for Americans; international research collaboration; and the internationalization of US campuses and classrooms.
  • Emphasize the US government’s commitment to supporting key facets of international education, in partnership with US higher education institutions, schools, state and local governments, nongovernmental entities, the business community, and other stakeholders.
  • Incorporate a strong focus on international education as part of the nation’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in order to build back better at home, maintain US global leadership, and promote equitable access to the benefits of international education.
  • Welcome international students, researchers, scholars, and educators to the US in a safe and secure manner and encourage a diversity of participants, disciplines, and types of authorized schools and higher education institutions where they can choose to study, teach, or contribute to research.
  • Encourage US students, researchers, scholars, and educators who reflect the diversity of the US population to pursue overseas study, internships, research, and other international experiences.
  • Recognize the significant benefits that international students, researchers, scholars, and exchange alumni contribute to research, innovation, economic development, and job opportunities in many fields and sectors throughout the US.
  • Promote expanded access to international education, including through the use of technology where in-person experiences are not feasible, to connect US students, researchers, scholars, and educators with their peers abroad.
  • Implement policies, procedures, and protocols so as to facilitate international education and authorized practical experiences while promoting program integrity and protecting national security. Clearly communicate policy guidance and
  • implement fair, efficient, and transparent support processes while maintaining national security and upholding the law.
  • Leverage existing international education programs and resources to create new opportunities to broaden access and underpin US excellence and leadership.
  • Foster increased cooperation among the federal government, the private sector, and educational institutions so as to maintain the integrity of federally funded and protected intellectual property and research endeavors from undue foreign influence and unlawful acquisition.

US secretary of commerce Gina M. Raimondo issued a statement of support: “For generations, the United States has proudly served as the premier destination for international students to pursue degrees, obtain world-class workforce training, and make meaningful contributions to our communities and the nation’s economy. These students’ dreams and successes would not be possible without the unwavering support of a robust US education industry—colleges and universities, public and private schools, and local programs all underpinned by education products, service providers, and technologies made in America.

“The Department of Commerce is proud to support the competitiveness of our education sector, which in 2020 ranked as the sixth largest US service export at $39 billion, a $32.3 billion trade surplus benefiting our economy. Educational service exports are generated when international students pay for tuition, housing, books, and other fees to study in the US. NAFSA estimates that international students studying at US colleges and universities supported nearly 416,000 jobs during the 2019–2020 academic year.
“I thank the teams at the Departments of State, Education, Homeland Security, and Commerce who contributed to this policy framework, which will better position the US to welcome the next generation of international students.”

Participation of all individuals and institutions interested in international education and exchange activities is encouraged, including schools, colleges and universities, embassies, international organizations, businesses, associations, and community organizations. Individuals and institutions tend to hold IEW events as it is convenient for them in their local communities.
To connect with and host international exchange participants living in your own community, visit www.globaltiesus.org/.

California’s Commitment: Literacy, Biliteracy, and Libraries

I have only one critical comment about California’s Secretary of Education Thurmond’s task force report, “California Commits to Literacy and Bets on Biliteracy,” but after that, I have only praise and optimism.

The critical comment: The goal of the task force is that every child in California learns to read by third grade. I suspect that third grade was chosen because of the common assumption that reading ability in grade three is a good predictor of later reading ability and educational success. It is, but there is nothing magic about grade three. Reading ability can improve a great deal after that, in fact at any age, given access to highly interesting and comprehensible reading material (Krashen and McQuillan, 2007).

The usual formula for improving literacy development, as one observer phrased it, is to “starve the children and test them more,” i.e., pay no attention to poverty and increase assessment. But as noted in “California Commits to Literacy…”, Secretary Thurmond is clearly aware that “socio-economic factors… impact a student’s ability to learn to read.” Poverty means, among other things, little access to reading material at home and often little access in school (Krashen, 2011), which brings us to the next point.

The usual prescription for increasing reading ability is heavy (“intensive, systematic”) phonics, teaching all the rules for sound–spelling relationships. This is, however, an impossible task: many phonics rules are very complicated and don’t work very well (Clymer, 1963; Smith, 2004); even the most highly competent readers are aware of only the most basic rules of phonics.1 Also, studies show that the effect of intensive systematic phonics instruction is present when children are asked to pronounce words presented on lists but is miniscule or absent on tests of reading comprehension given after first grade, tests in which children have to understand what they read. Garan (2001) showed this to be the case in studies reviewed by the National Reading Panel, and a similar pattern has been found in a number of additional studies (Krashen, 2009).

Most of our knowledge of phonics rules beyond the basics is acquired by reading, not study. In Becoming a Nation of Readers, Anderson et al. agree and conclude that “phonics instruction should aim to teach only the most important and regular of letter-to-sound relationships… once the basic relationships have been taught, the best way to get children to refine and extend their knowledge of letter–sound correspondences is through repeated opportunities to read. If this position is correct, then much phonics instruction is overly subtle and probably unproductive” (Anderson et al., 1985, p. 38).

Secretary Thurmond clearly understands that access to reading material (books) must be a huge part of any attempt to increase literacy. Those who read more show superior development of vocabulary, spelling, writing, and of course reading comprehension (Krashen, 2004), but reading in quantity requires sufficient access to reading material.

I assume the task force also knows about the powerful potential impact of libraries: for children of poverty, libraries are often the only source of books. Studies have found that children in schools with well-stocked libraries and with credentialed librarians show higher reading competence (https://keithcurrylance.com/school-library-impact-studies). Research also tells us that “there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between children’s services in public libraries and early reading success at school” and “the greater the amount of circulated materials and the greater the attendance at (public) library programs, the more likely kids will do well in reading” (Lance and Marks, 2008).

Secretary Thurmond also understands the importance of developing literacy in both the first and second language. There are no disadvantages to biliteracy, only advantages. First-language literacy is a powerful help in developing literacy in the second language (e.g., Dow, Krashen, and Tinajero, 2009/2010), and advanced literacy in both languages is related to school success and economic success for the individual and society (Cho, Shin, and Krashen, 2004).

There is also growing evidence that a route to high levels of biliteracy that includes heritage-language literacy is reading for pleasure in the heritage language (Cho and Krashen, 2000; Tse, 2001). This is not always possible, however, as access to interesting, comprehensible reading material in the home/heritage language is rarely available (Pucci, 1994; Ashtari and Krashen, 2020). This is a problem that is easy to solve with a greater investment in reading material in the heritage language in school and public libraries and classes that promote the enjoyment of reading in the child’s first language (Ashtari, 2020).
A final word: “California Commits to Literacy and Bets on Biliteracy” is an accurate and strong title, but an even better one would have been “California Commits to Literacy, Biliteracy and Libraries.”

Note
I conducted an informal experiment with 25 native speakers of English, mostly professionals in language arts. I first asked them to read the words bomb, bombing, and bombard aloud. They all did it correctly, not pronouncing the second b in bomb, bombs, or bombing but pronouncing it in bombard. Then I asked them if they knew the phonics rule that explained when you pronounce the second b and when it was silent.

Only eight knew the rule for the silent b in bomb (it comes after the letter m at the end of the word). Only one knew the rule for not pronouncing the second b in bombing and bombs but pronouncing it in bombard. (The second b remains silent before a grammatical suffix, as in bombing and bombs. If the suffix is not a grammatical suffix, b is pronounced, as in bombard.) I had to look up both rules. Most of us had not “learned” these rules but acquired them.

Resources available at https://www.languagemagazine.com/krashen-references-nov-2021/.

Stephen Krashen taught at University of Southern California. He is now professor emeritus.

Bilingual Ed Boosts English Writing

A first-of-its-kind study from the University of Kansas (KU), examining three key cognitive functions and their role in learning to write, suggests that insufficient focus on bilingual education has hindered the progress of Hispanic English learners (ELs).

The KU study showed specifically how important word retrieval skills, verbal language skills, and ability to store information in memory are to writing ability. “We found all three variables had a significant predicting effect on students’ English writing ability,” said co-author Anqi Peng, a doctoral student in educational psychology. “In the English model, phonological awareness had a moderate effect, while oral language development and working memory had larger effects. In the Spanish model, oral language development had a negative effect.”

In other words, phonological ability, or word retrieval skills in both languages, positively predicted English writing performance. English oral language development, or verbal language skills (e.g., vocabulary) was also a positive predictor, but those who were proficient Spanish speakers were less likely to be proficient English writers. Working memory of both languages positively affected English writing. Taken together, the researchers said the findings show that only instructing EL students in English presents difficulties to learning to write in the language.

“You’re asking these kids to write academically in a second language, but they’re not getting any academic instruction in their native language. We’re seeing students struggling in writing, largely because we’re not emphasizing it enough early,” observed co-author Michael Orosco, KU associate professor in educational psychology, noting the skill is more difficult to teach and assess than the more popular measures of reading and math. “It is difficult assessing writing. Students need to write to a comprehensive test of written expression designed to measure a broad range of skills such as spelling, grammatical conventions, vocabulary and development of characters. A basic standardized test can’t assess these skill sets. Also, grading a comprehensive writing test is labor-intensive. This is the largest writing study ever taken on this population.”

The authors argue that, in addition to showing which cognitive functions are key in teaching writing to early adolescent ELs, U.S. education needs to focus more on teaching writing. In classroom observations, Orosco said he commonly notes teachers focusing heavily on teaching mechanical and technical writing skills in English without academic writing skills and concepts instruction at the elementary level. In addition, a bigger emphasis is put on reading development than writing during literacy time.

The results also support better understanding of brain function and how children learn. The effects of phonological awareness and oral language development (e.g., vocabulary) on writing proficiency suggest more attention should be paid to brain sciences when preparing future generations of teachers. With that in mind, Orosco has launched the Mind, Brain and Education graduate certificate in KU’s School of Education & Human Sciences, designed to incorporate neuroscience, psychology, and cognitive science to boost research in those fields for new approaches in teaching.

“This study has the potential to change the practice of teaching writing across the US and impact future research in this area,” explained Rick Ginsberg, dean of KU’s School of Education & Human Sciences. “Documenting the importance of instruction in both Spanish and English through such a carefully designed study should sound an alarm for schools not taking a bilingual education approach in teaching writing with the growing population of Hispanic students in this country.”

The authors concluded that more research is necessary to better understand how students learn and how teachers can better instruct writing, since very little evidence is available on writing development of ELs at any level, and better understanding of cognitive processes will only help ensure better education of this important academic skill.

The research, co-written by Anqi Peng, doctoral student in educational psychology at KU; Michael Orosco, associate professor in educational psychology at KU; Hui Wang, doctoral student in educational psychology at KU; H. Lee Swanson of the University of New Mexico; and Deborah Reed of the University of Iowa, was published in the Journal of Educational Psychology.

Anqi Peng et al, Cognition and writing development in early adolescent English learners., Journal of Educational Psychology (2021). DOI: 10.1037/edu0000695

Campaign Against Library Censorship

EveryLibrary has launched a campaign against proposed measures in several states that could lead to librarians facing criminal charges as a result of their “commitment to free speech and access to library materials.” “Librarians around the US are facing measures that mean that they may soon find themselves under attack for stocking books against racism and about the lives and experiences of LGBT Americans,” claims the political action committee.

Texas state representative, Matt Krause, head of the House General Investigating Committee, has sent a letter to the Texas Education Agency, requiring school librarians to survey their collections for titles deemed potentially dangerous. Krause, a candidate for Texas Attorney General, is asking school librarians to identify which of 850 book titles are currently in their school’s collection, how many copies they have of each title, how much money they spent on the books, and whether they have any other books that mention human sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV or AIDS, sexually explicit images, or illegal sexual behavior.

At this time, it is not clear what steps will be taken with the information collected, but overloaded librarians are questioning Krause’s motives while he is running for election.

In Wyoming, librarians recently faced possible prosecution after angry local residents complained to police that books about sex, LGBTQ issues, and how to have a baby were obscene.

In Indiana, a bill that would punish schools and public libraries for sharing “harmful material” with minors, was withdrawn before its final reading in the Senate by its author, Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville. According to this bill, schools and public libraries would be at risk for Level 6 felonies if parents disagreed with the books on the shelves. In Indiana, a Level 6 felony—the same as possession of child pornography—carries a sentence of six months to two and a half years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.

EveryLibrary, a 501c4 political action committee dedicated to building voter support for libraries, has started a petition for individuals to email their state legislators, to affirm their right to choose what they read. The petition can be found on the EveryLibrary website at https://action.everylibrary.org/nationalaccess

“Government should not get to dictate reading material that is available in libraries,” said John Chrastka, executive director of EveryLibrary. “We’re encouraging the people who are alarmed by these recent acts of legislation to sign our petition. Our lawmakers must hear from the voters that they support freedom of speech in libraries.”

“EveryLibrary will continue to stand up for libraries around the US, and continue to fight these regressive policies. When a local conversation about what is in the library collection becomes weaponized by politicians looking to get re-elected, it moves into dangerous territory for our society. Censorship is not—cannot—be the future of American libraries,” added Chrastka. “We must take action now to protect our access to books and the written word. What we do today will impact us and future generations.”

High School Student Pens Children’s Book Celebrating Diversity

Surayyah “RayRay” Fofana, a 16-year-old high school student from New Jersey, has published her first book, RayRay Paints a Self-Portrait, to share with the world a realistic and warm portrayal of a diverse home and to create a character that kids just like RayRay could identify with.

On November 9th, RayRay Paints a Self Portrait was featured on KindCotton.com, a company focused on promoting childhood literacy. Kind Cotton will not be selling the book, but will allow teachers to request copies for free until supplies last. The book is also being sold on Amazon and Barnes & Noble but all proceeds go towards donating additional books to Kind Cotton.

“I’m proud to make an impact in classrooms and in the minds of young readers. Although I’m still growing up, having the opportunity to tell my story has allowed me to relive some of the most memorable and vulnerable moments of my elementary school days.  Through sharing this book with young kids,  I hope it can help them navigate their own experience and maybe even provide some comfort and understanding.”,” said Ms. Fofana. “Ultimately, it’s a book about self-acceptance, self-love, and understanding. It’s an important message I hope to pass on to young people everywhere.”

Teachers may request complimentary class sets of the book here. Copies are limited and will be on a first come, first serve basis.

We’re Naturally Bilingual

LA’s Korean Steak Tacos with Cabbage Cilantro exemplify natural biculturalism

Neuroscientists at New York University have discovered that the brain uses a shared mechanism for combining words from a single language and for combining words from two different languages, which indicates that language switching is natural for those who are bilingual because the brain has a mechanism that does not detect that the language has switched, allowing for a seamless transition in comprehending more than one language at once.

“Our brains are capable of engaging in multiple languages,” explains Sarah Phillips, a New York University doctoral candidate and the lead author of the paper (“Composition within and between Languages in the Bilingual Mind: MEG Evidence from Korean/English Bilinguals”), published in the journal eNeuro. “Languages may differ in what sounds they use and how they organize words to form sentences. However, all languages involve the process of combining words to express complex thoughts.”

“Bilinguals show a fascinating version of this process—their brains readily combine words from different languages together, much like when combining words from the same language,” adds Liina Pylkkänen, a professor in NYU’s Department of Linguistics and Department of Psychology and the paper’s co-author.

To better understand these processes, Phillips and Pylkkänen, who is also part of the NYU Abu Dhabi Institute, explored whether bilinguals interpret these mixed-language expressions using the same mechanisms as when comprehending single-language expressions or, alternatively, if understanding mixed-language expressions engages the brain in a unique way.

To test this, the scientists measured the neural activity of Korean/English bilinguals who viewed a series of word combinations and pictures on a computer screen. They then had to indicate whether or not the picture matched the preceding words. The words either formed a two-word sentence or were simply a pair of verbs that did not combine with each other into a meaningful phrase (e.g., “icicles melt” vs. “jump melt”). In some instances, the two words came from a single language (English or Korean) while in others both languages were used, with the latter mimicking mixed-language conversations.

In order to measure the study subjects’ brain activity during these experiments, the researchers deployed magnetoencephalography (MEG), a technique that maps neural activity by recording magnetic fields generated by the electrical currents produced by our brains.

The recordings showed that Korean/English bilinguals, in interpreting mixed-language expressions, used the same neural mechanism as they did while interpreting single-language expressions. 

Specifically, the brain’s left anterior temporal lobe, a brain region well-studied for its role in combining the meanings of multiple words, was insensitive to whether the words it received were from the same language or from different languages. This region, then, proceeded to combine words into more complex meanings so long as the meanings of the two words combined together into a more complex meaning. 

These findings suggest that language switching is natural for bilinguals because the brain has a combinatory mechanism that does not see that the language has switched.

“Earlier studies have examined how our brains can interpret an infinite number of expressions within a single language,” observes Phillips. “This research shows that bilingual brains can, with striking ease, interpret complex expressions containing words from different languages.”

Composition within and between Languages in the Bilingual Mind: MEG Evidence from Korean/English Bilinguals

Sarah F. Phillips and Liina Pylkkänen

eNeuro 3 November 2021, 8 (6) ENEURO.0084-21.2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0084-21.2021

Phillips discusses research on bilingual speakers in this NYU-produced video (credit: New York University, courtesy of Kate Lord).

Reading & Writing Project Celebrates 100th Reunion

Last month, the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP) celebrated their 100th Reunion with 5000 teachers virtually attending more than 250 free workshops. For 100 Saturdays spread over four decades, the organization, founded in 1981 by Lucy Calkins, has opened its doors to teachers and principals from throughout the world.

Calkins, the College’s Robinson Professor in Children’s Literature, praised the educators who “pivoted over and over, day after virtual day” during the pandemic. “Today, my message is that family matters in our classrooms and among our colleagues in this big, wide world,” said Calkins, expressing that for many educators, the TCRWP “is family.”

Kicking off a symposium of influential writers, scholars and educators, bestselling author and keynote speaker Jason Reynolds inspired attendees with a vivid, heartfelt framework for how educators may better connect with their students.

“How do we use humility, intimacy and gratitude to engage with our babies? All they want to know is that you love them enough to care about what they care about,” said Reynolds, who in collaboration with Ibram X. Kendi, authored Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, a teen-centered version of Kendi’s earlier work, in 2020.

“Once they know that someone knows them and sees them, then they can read the book,” Reynolds said. “Our children are alright. They are complicated, but they are also children. There is trauma, but there is also triumph.”

It was an action-packed day of workshops that explored an impressive breadth and depth of literacy education. Reunions, such as this one, occur twice each year for TCRWP. In addition, the Project leads approximately forty mini-institutes each year, one hundred conferences, and more than one hundred locally-based institutes in school districts worldwide.

“As a teacher who did attend these workshops, I know how much educators benefit from the ongoing professional development and learning,” says Emily Butler Smith, TCRWP’s Associate Director for Professional Development. “One of the things that makes teaching as a profession great is that educators can keep learning and growing. The Reading and Writing Project also fosters a sense of community among people who are committed to life-long learning.”

Attendees also heard other esteemed authors and researchers, including Jennifer Serravallo, Carl Ciaramitaro, Randy Bomer and Sonja Cherry-Paul, who also serves as TCRWP’s Director of Diversity and Equity. “The institution of schooling was never built with Black and brown students in mind,” Cherry-Paul explained during her workshop on culturally relevant and sustaining teaching practices. “But we can teach in ways that aim to dismantle these oppressive systems.”

Closing the reunion, famed children’s author Kate DiCamillo — author of The Tale of Desperaux and Because of Winn-Dixie — discussed learning to read as a child, her new book, and her writing process.

“How do you do this, how do you turn words into a story?” posed DiCamillo, reflecting on how early in her career, the folktale “The Elves and the Shoemaker” offered what she wanted most: a magical solution to the hard work of writing. “How does it happen without magic, without elves?”

For DiCamillo, a two-time winner of the Newbery Medal and author of more than two-dozen books for children, the process of writing is akin to that of teaching. Quoting fellow novelist Jeanette Winterson, DiCamillo noted: “The challenge is to continue to do it.”

This article was originally published by Teachers College, Columbia University, on Nov. 3. 

Getting Kids to Listen

The current boom in podcasting has captured public attention for a variety of reasons, from the nostalgic reference to radio shows of the pre-TV era to a source of inspiration for some of the more popular TV projects of the current streaming era. Perhaps something less known is the positive impact audio can have on developing preliteracy skills.

Most teachers know that audio delivers educational and developmental benefits, something worth taking a closer look at during the current audio renaissance through podcasts. Podcasting is still a relatively novel tool for supporting literacy and learning in primary and preschool classrooms. Similar to audiobooks, podcasts aid in building background knowledge, vocabulary acquisition, and comprehension skills. However, the wide variety of podcast formats can provide added benefits for auditory learners since the medium can be adapted to suit various learning styles more than even an audiobook might be.

For early learners, listening is an essential skill when learning to read, and podcasts offer an entertaining introduction to active listening to children as young as three years old. Similar to audiobooks, tuning in to podcasts exposes children to narrative structure, understanding language, and how that language conveys meaning. In their paper “The Early Catastrophe: The 30 Million Word Gap by Age Three,” Betty Hart and Todd R. Risley found a correlation between the number of words a child hears and that child’s rate of language acquisition. While listening to a variety of podcasts, both fiction and nonfiction, students build their vocabulary, ultimately improving their reading skills.

The connection between language and auditory learning is extensive. Research out of University of California, Berkley, published last month in the Journal of Neuroscience, reveals that listening to a book or story likely stimulates the same cognitive and emotional parts of the brain as reading it.1 “At a time when more people are absorbing information via audiobooks, podcasts, and even audio texts, our study shows that, whether they’re listening to or reading the same materials, they are processing semantic information similarly,” says lead author Fatma Deniz, a postdoctoral researcher in neuroscience in the Gallant Lab at UC Berkeley and former fellow with the Berkeley Institute for Data Science.

Daniel T. Willingham, a psychologist at the University of Virginia, wrote in the New York Times, “Examining how we read and how we listen shows that each is best suited to different purposes, and neither is superior.”2 For example, audiobooks cut out the decoding process—the translation of print on the page to words in the mind. By high school, decoding is an automatic process, yet it is an essential skill beginning readers must tackle. So, while auditory supplements should not replace reading, audiobooks and podcasts provide opportunities for literacy learning where there may otherwise be none.

As high school English teacher Michael Godsey reported in an article for the Atlantic back in 2016, after having his class listen to episodes of This American Life and Serial, he was impressed by the critical thinking and engagement he saw from students.3 Students began having in-depth discussions about the stories with other adults who were listening to the same podcasts. Moreover, maybe most importantly, listening to podcasts makes his students want to read more. The embedded advertisements and overwhelming amount of seemingly irrelevant children’s podcasts available can be overwhelming to primary and preschool educators.

The Kids Listen survey had similar findings to Godsey’s in-classroom exploration of podcasts.4 The survey uncovered that 80% of kids listen to a podcast more than once, and after they’re done listening, 75% start discussions based on what they have learned. On top of that, kids may learn better when they listen. According to the Audio Publishing Association, comprehension, vocabulary, reading speed, and even motivation are all positively impacted by auditory learning.5

No matter the listener’s age, whether in the classroom or at home, podcasts are an entertaining tool to teach students about themselves, their peers, science, history, and other subjects. The variety in kid-friendly podcast formats lends itself well to reaching a range of learners and a wide variety of interests. For example:

• Trivia and audio game shows such as ExtraBLURT (grades 3–6) and ExtraBLURT Jr. (K–2) invite kids to play along with immersive trivia games and encourage listeners to shout out the answers. From the challenge of listening and formulating an answer in their minds to the natural dopamine burst of correctly answering questions, unbeknownst to them, children are building literacy skills, all while being entertained without a screen aiding the fun.

• Rich story-based podcasts require listeners to concentrate, comprehend, and react carefully. A perfect example of this is the fairy-tale podcast series Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest (K–5), which asks listeners to anticipate plot twists and question logic in these Grimm tales.

• Interactive podcasts also lend themselves well to reaching those students who might need to move their bodies while learning or those who love to test their comprehension skills. For example, American Public Media’s Brains On!® science podcast answers questions about the world, all while encouraging kids’ natural curiosity and wonder using science and history. Meanwhile, the Anytime Art show teaches young children new creative skills through a virtual art project that is taught over the course of five days, resulting in a completed piece of art spanning painting, drawing, sculpture, collage, and more.

With no accompanying visuals, podcasts by nature encourage children to listen actively, start conversations, and ask questions. The portable nature of podcasts also makes them perfect forms of entertainment, sneaking in a bit of learning in the car, on the school bus, even as a background to morning breakfast at home. In the classroom, they can be used for whole-class instruction, small-group pairings, or independent listening, and with the wide variety available, they can support instruction across the curriculum. Their entertainment value is high as well, keeping kids engaged with age-appropriate music, serial stories with cliffhangers, and in many cases, jokes that can be shared again on the playground.

When beginning the search for curriculum-appropriate podcasts, it is essential to ensure the podcasts are of the highest quality, with a strong appeal to the listeners. Start by looking at award-winning and best-of children’s podcast lists from credible resources. Look into the creators of the podcasts and their backgrounds in entertainment, education, and content development for the listeners’ age ranges as a credibility test.

Common Sense Media and Parents’ Choice Foundation both offer unbiased reviews of podcasts and audio entertainment streaming services, for example. Listen to a few episodes, paying close attention to the quality of sound, opportunities to listen actively, content relevancy as it maps to your teaching objectives, and age appropriateness as tests. Exceptional editorial and storytelling, as well as sound quality and high production values, are essential to keep listeners engaged.

While podcast offerings are extensive, for age-appropriate offerings and ad-free audio for younger learners, on-demand streaming services are great solutions for preschool and primary school educators—offering thousands of podcast episodes, audiobooks, and songs that have been carefully created and curated for both home and school listening and developed specifically for children ages 3–12. My company, Pinna, is widely experienced in both the kids’ education and entertainment spaces and is dedicated to creating safe content that encourages active listening, conversation, social interaction, and imaginative play—and gets kids giggling, guessing, puzzling, and participating.

References
1. Journal of Neuroscience, https://www.jneurosci.org/content/39/39/7722
2. New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/08/opinion/sunday/audiobooks-reading-cheating-listening.html?module=inline
3. Atlantic, https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/03/the-benefits-of-podcasts-in-class/473925/
4. http://media.wix.com/ugd/e00686_39770d40ba834662b02497e7c95e2217.pdf
5. https://www.audiopub.org/uploads/pdf/sound-learning_infographic_2016.pdf#asset:4417

Maggie McGuire, CEO of Pinna (www.Pinna.fm), is a seasoned media expert with deep experience in product and content development as well as innovation experience. McGuire brings a background in education and over 20 years of experience in children’s media to Pinna, most recently serving as vice president of eScholastic, the digital division of Scholastic. This article appeared in Language Magazine’s November 2019 issue.

Reclaiming Wôpanâak Language

Kuweeqâhsunumun.

Y8 kutapuneân tâpatôtamuneât
kah pâhk8ânât
kumeenawânutam8ôkanunônash.

*Part of the morning address at the Weetumuw Katnuhtôhtâkamuq School.

In the United States, Native American Heritage Month is celebrated in November. For this article, the preferred term, Indigenous People will be used. Students who know their roots, culture and language are empowered. For Indigenous students this is especially important. This is the mission of the Weetumuw Katnuhtôhtâkamuq in Mashpee, Massachusetts. A school founded in 2016 by members of the Wampanoag community on their tribal land. The school is headed by linguist Dr. Nitana Hicks Greendeer, whose first name means “my daughter” in Algonquin, a language of the Algonquian family.
Dr. Greendeer states the goal of the school is to, “teach our children to be Wampanoag people.” Children who will be able to help keep culture present in our community.”
Currently the school has 24 students in grades Preschool – 3rd grade with plans to include additional grades in the future. Initially modeled after montessori schools, Weetumuw Katnuhtôhtâkamuq Wôpanâak language and culture-based education as a form of decolonization. With a focus on leadership, community values and cultural practices, students are afforded the opportunity to learn about relevant topics in real time, with less restriction to pacing guides and standardized assessments. For example, a community member had recently hunted ducks and was able to demonstrate, in the classroom, how to prepare the ducks for cooking. For students to make connections between their community, environment and language are vital components of the program. A requirement for enrollment is for students to be part of a household where Wôpanâak is spoken so as language is learned at school it can be continued at home. Students at Mashpee High School have the opportunity to continue learning Wôpanâak as well. In 2020 Alyssa Harris, a Wampanoag and graduate of Mashpee High School was the first to seek the Seal of Biliteracy for an idiginous language in Massachusetts.
Wampanoag written language, one of the first indigenous languages to develop and use an alphabetic system, is part of the Algonquian language family, has 20 letters, 13
consonants and 7 vowels.

Here are some words that derived from Wôpanâak:
Pumpkin: Pôhpukun (ponh-pu-kun) = ‘grows forth round’
Moccasin: Mahkus (mah-kus) = ‘Covers the whole foot’
Skunk: Sukôk (su-konk) = ‘Ejects body fluid’
Moose: M8s (moos) = ‘moose’

Who Are Indigenous Students?
Language preservation and reclamation is important, especially now. Language and culture are interconnected. An affirmation of one’s culture can easily rest in one’s ability to communicate with members of the community. In 2016-17 approximately 8% of English learners in the United States identified as American Indian/Alaska Native (U.S. Department of Education, May 2020). Of the languages spoken by American Indian/Alaska Native, these are the top five and states where they were reported; Navajo (AZ, NM, UT), Yupik languages (AK), North American Indian (MT, NM), Cherokee (OK), and Zuni (NM) (U.S. Department of Education, May 2020). As we work to create more diverse, equitable and inclusive school communities for all students, we must acknowledge, celebrate and affirm all languages, even those less known. Like the Toussaint L’Ouverture Academy in Boston, the Weetumuw Katnuhtôhtâkamuq, is yet another example of how a community is reclaiming not only its language but also positively influencing the trajectory of its next generation of bilingual and biliterate citizens.
The founder, Jessie ‘little doe’ Baird, began The Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project in 1993. The work involved intensive study which led to the Wampanoag dictionary project. As a young woman she had dreams of her ancestors speaking to hear in a language she couldn’t understand. Decades later, having earned a master’s degree in Linguistics from MIT, awarded the MacAuthor Foundation Fellowship among other prestigious awards, she along with other Wampanoag community members, can celebrate the revitalization of their language.

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (2020, May). English Learners Who Are American Indian/Alaska Native. Retrieved from https://ncela.ed.gov/files/fast_facts/FactSheet_ELsWhoAreAIAN_041020_508.pdf

For ideas on how to celebrate Native American Heritage/ Indigenous People Month visit the following websites:
Colorín Colorado
https://www.colorincolorado.org/books-authors/literacy-calendar/american-indian-alaska-native-and-native-hawaiian-heritage

Library of Congress
https://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
https://mashpeewampanoagtribe-nsn.gov/

National Congress of American Indians
https://www.ncai.org/initiatives/native-american-heritage-month

PBS
https://www.pbs.org/specials/native-american-heritage-month/

Ayanna Cooper, Ed.D, is an advocate, educator, native of Massachusetts, and the owner of A. Cooper Consulting. She is author of And Justice for ELs: A Leader’s Guide to Creating and Sustaining Equitable Schools (Corwin) and the editor of the Pass the Mic series.

Fun Language Apps Boost Senior Brain Function

Bilingualism has been linked to improved executive function and delayed onset of dementia, but it is unknown whether similar benefits can be obtained later in life through deliberate intervention. Given the logistical hurdles of second language acquisition in a randomized trial for older adults, few interventional studies have been done thus far. However, recently developed smartphone apps offer a convenient means to acquire skills in a second language and can be compared with brain training apps specifically designed to improve executive function. In a randomized clinical trial, 76 adults aged 65–75 were assigned to either 16 weeks of Spanish learning using the app Duolingo 30 minutes a day, an equivalent amount of brain training using the app BrainHQ, or a waitlist control condition. Executive function was assessed before and after the intervention with preregistered (NCT03638882) tests previously linked to better performance in bilinguals. For two of the primary measures: incongruent Stroop color naming and 2-back accuracy, Duolingo provided equivalent benefits as BrainHQ compared to a control group. On reaction time for N-back and Simon tests, the BrainHQ group alone experienced strong gains over the other two groups. Duolingo was rated as more enjoyable. These results suggest that app-based language learning may provide some similar benefits as brain training in improving executive function in seniors but has less impact on processing speed. However, future advancements in app design may optimize not only the acquisition of the target language but also the side benefits of the language learning experience.

See the full report:

Jed A. Meltzer, Mira Kates Rose, Anna Y. Le, Kiah A. Spencer, Leora Goldstein, Alina Gubanova, Abbie C. Lai, Maryam Yossofzai, Sabrina E.M. Armstrong & Ellen Bialystok (2021) Improvement in executive function for older adults through smartphone apps: a randomized clinical trial comparing language learning and brain training, Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2021.1991262

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