Welcome to the NNELL Members Only website
Advocacy
This area provides you with best practice information on how to advocate for early language learning. We will continue to add information here as it becomes available.
Media Resources
NNELL Power Point for Conference
Presentations
PPT
Ginny Staugaitis' presentation to the Board of
Education
PPT
PDF
Research Links to Use When Advocating for Early Language
Learning
Foreign Language Teaching in U.S. Schools (Results of
a National Survey)
This executive summary by Nancy C. Rhodes and Ingrid Pufahl outlines the
changes between the 1997 and 2008 surveys of world language professionals
in both public and private schools. The changes included those at both the
elementary and secondary levels in the following areas: languages taught,
program types, scheduling, curriculum and instruction paradigms, as well
as educational reform. Some trends indicated are:
- a 7-16% decline in French, German, and Latin study at the secondary level.
- Spanish continues to be the most widely taught language in both secondary and elementary programs.
- only 3-4% of elementary and secondary schools offer Chinese
- the percentage of elementary schools offering foreign language decreased from 31% to 25%
- the use of Internet resources, target culture literature, proficiency oriented assessments, and instruction based on national standards are all on the increase
- from 1997 to 2008 the use of target language in the classroom moved from 22% to 75%
- issues of unequal access to foreign language instruction
http://www.cal.org/projects/Exec%20Summary_111009.pdf
Fostering Second Language Development in Young
Children
Though this article by Barry McLaughlin was written in 1995, its content
is largely still valid. The article is meant for teachers teaching
children whose native and target languages may be different. It helps
dispel some of the myths that exist about second language learning and is
meant for teachers unfamiliar with how second languages are learned. It
seeks to help teachers understand the benefits of both languages and
explains how to guide students to success in both languages without
leaving the child’s own language behind.
http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/ncrcds04.html
Bilingualism's Brain Benefits
In this science notebook by Shankar Vedantam on the brain benefits of
bilingualism, three studies conducted in Canada, India and Hong Kong,
demonstrate that bilingualism may help to offset age-related declines in
some mental performances. In the studies mentioned in this brief report,
the response times of bilingual individuals and monolingual individuals
were measured while distracted. The bilingual individuals in each study
outperformed the monolinguals.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39338-2004Jun13.html
How Global Language Learning Gives Students the
Edge
In this report, author Dan Fost cautions that we must “shed our reluctance
to speak any language other than English.” Fost believes more
[monolingual, English-speaking] students need to travel to other
countries, citing as a central reason, “that kind of firsthand experience
provides critical incentive to learn -- [that is, when] students make
friends in other countries, they want to improve their language skills.
The financial cost for overseas, interscholastic exchange can be
expensive. Still, as Fost describes, there are a number of ways, by means
of which intercultural exchange and language study can be deepened,
without going abroad.
- There are a variety of electronic communications platforms available at little cost to schools which can be used to connect students in classrooms all over the globe.
- There are government sponsored programs such as the National Security Language Initiative, through which scholarships are offered to students to spend part of, or a full, year studying abroad.
- Despite the recent backlash to bilingual education suffered in
states like California and the anti-immigration sentiment, with which
the discourse on immigration reform is imbued, immersion and
dual-language immersion schools, in the places where they have
successfully emerged, are often oversubscribed.
Though Fost describes the current landscape of language education in the US as littered with challenges, he remains optimistic. Due to the shift in the locus of economic and political power from the west to the east and the increased focus on security issues raised since 9/11, the scenario, claims Fost, is changing. Language education has moved from an emphasis on grammar to an emphasis today on communication skills and cultural competencies. What is more, we have begun to recognize that economics, public health, police work, and climate change among other issues all have international dimensions to them.
http://www.edutopia.org/global-language-learning
Bilingual Brain
This article was written by the Society of Neuroscience to share
information based in hard science on why the bilingual brain is stronger
cognitively and how scientists believe it fights off the effects of
dementia. It is well researched and provides an easy overview of the
findings. It was written in 2008 and more recent studies, albeit similar,
have been written since then.
http://www.sfn.org/index.cfm?pagename=brainbriefings_thebilingualbrain
Being Bilingual May Boost Your Brain Power
A researcher from Toronto has helped to pinpoint some of the basic
brain benefits that bilinguals enjoy. Studies show that the brain of a
bilingual person keeps both languages active even if they are only
speaking one. This means that the brain is always working to distinguish
which language should be used in a given situation, providing a sort of
mental exercise that helps keep cognitive pathways strong and healthy.
These brain benefits help bilinguals perform better on certain cognitive
tasks that required focusing on important information and avoiding
distractions. Finally, researchers believe this kind of mental exercise
may help delay the onset of dementia in older bilingual adults.
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/04/135043787/being-bilingual-may-boost-your-brain-power
Technology Cannot Replace Human Interaction
This blog from Little River School comments on a study done by brain
researcher Patricia Kuhl. Her research shows that babies who were exposed
to language learning videos only failed to have any measurable gain in
ability to distinguish languages, but babies who were exposed to new
languages through interactions with humans made remarkable progress. The
study has implications for teachers who are deciding how much technology
to incorporate into their classrooms.
http://littleriverschool.wordpress.com/2011/02/17/technology-can-not-replace-human-interaction/
Benefits of Learning a Foreign Language at the
Elementary Level
A recent article, Benefits of Learning a Foreign Language at the
Elementary Level, published on the Web site Bright Hub, reinforces what
those in the profession have been advocating for years: early language
learning. The author, Audrey Alleyne, cites research studies that provide
evidence of the benefits of early language learning. These benefits
include: developing high levels of language proficiency, a boost in
cognitive and creative abilities, achieving native-like pronunciation and
intonation, and the transfer of literacy skills from the first language to
the second. The article also discusses the critical period for learning
languages and the effectiveness of using a thematic curriculum. It
concludes by suggesting that legislatures in the U.S. are ignoring current
brain research that has proved the cognitive benefits of learning foreign
languages.
http://www.brighthub.com/education/languages/articles/99504.aspx
Study on the Contribution of Multilingualism to
Creativity
A recent report by the European Commission reveals that multilingualism
contributes to creativity. Data were collected from a forum of 30
country-specific experts in Europe across a wide range of European
languages. Analysis of these data resulted in six primary findings:
- Multilinguals have flexible minds, that is, they are open to a variety of perspectives and are able to think divergently and convergently.
- Multilinguals have enhanced problem-solving capabilities.
- Multilinguals have expanded metalinguistic awareness (ability to analyze how language is used and use languages to achieve goals).
- Multilinguals have stronger memory abilities that improve the learning process.
- Multilinguals possess robust interpersonal communication skills.
- Multilingualism may slow the rate of decline of certain cognitive
processes as a person ages.
The report includes results for participants’ language group, age group, gender, occupation, and language skills. The percentage of positive responses to the survey rises with the number of languages known. One of the main conclusions of the report is that multilingualism appears to help people realize and expand their creative potential. The authors of the report recommend that the benefits of multilingualism should be widely publicized to the general public.
http://ec.europa.eu/education/languages/news/news3653/report_en.pdf
Patricia Kuhl: The Linguistic Genius of Babies
In this ten-minute video, Patricia Kuhl reports on brain research that
reveals new information about how humans learn. Kuhl speaks about her
recent research in Seattle that provides evidence of a critical period for
learning languages, occurring before a child’s first birthday. She claims
that babies and children are “little geniuses” at learning languages until
they turn seven years old.
Kuhl’s research findings show that during the first year of life, babies
are able to discriminate all the sounds of any language they hear, no
matter what language it is. Kuhl describes this as “taking statistics” and
she claims her research has found that it takes a human being (versus a
television or audio-recording) in order for babies to take their
statistics. One implication of her research is that we have the capability
to preserve languages simply by speaking to babies.
http://www.ted.com/talks/patricia_kuhl_the_linguistic_genius_of_babies.html?awesm=on.ted.com_babybrain
What We Can Learn From Foreign Language Teaching in
Other Countries
Ingrid Pufahl, Nancy Rhodes, and Donna Christian from the Center for
Applied Linguistics (CAL) summarize a research study they conducted on,
“What we can learn from foreign language teaching in other countries.”
Readers will learn what foreign language teachers from 19 different
countries perceive to be the most important factors in designing and
sustaining a successful foreign language program.
The findings elicited from this survey identify eight exemplary
characteristics for successful foreign language education, one of which is
an early start! These eight characteristics are:
- An early start
- A well-articulated framework
- Rigorous teacher education
- Comprehensive use of technology
- Effective teaching strategies
- Strong policy
- Assessment
- Maintenance of heritage, regional, and indigenous languages
http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/0106pufahl.html
Bilingual Babies Cue in to Language
Researchers have discovered that babies from bilingual homes develop the
ability to distinguish between multiple languages based on visual clues
such as lip movement and facial cues. This increased visual perception may
indicate a developing ability to focus attention and engage in complex
thinking later in life.
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/70009/title/Bilingual_babies_cue_in_to_languages
Why it’s Smart to be Bilingual
Casey Schwartz summarizes research-based studies on the benefits of
bilingual learning on the brain. Rather than focus only on the advantages
of gaining cultural knowledge, Schwartz highlights studies that show how
young bilingual brains develop better “executive function,” or the ability
to maintain focus and disregard irrelevant information. As these brain
skills are often compromised in young learners with ADHD or other
attention disorders, researchers are now examining whether bilingual
learning might have an impact on these conditions.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2011/08/07/why-it-s-smart-to-be-bilingual.html
Being Bilingual: Beneficial Workout for the Brain
The Chronicle of Higher Education published findings from current research
presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science
focused on benefits of bilingualism for the brain. The research shows that
bilingual adults have an ability to consciously switch between languages,
are skilled at blocking out unimportant information, are better able to
focus on what is relevant, have the ability to quickly and efficiently
switch between tasks and have an improved spatial memory. The research
also shows a delay of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in bilingual
adults. Research targeting bilingual children found that babies used
facial expressions to determine whether the language being used was
familiar to them or not.
Implications for learning languages in the classroom are that cognitive
abilities can be increased by improving short-term memory through
memorization of long sequences of letters and learning how to use the less
common meanings of words. Conclusions highlight the mental advantages
gained from learning languages.
http://chronicle.com/article/Being-Bilingual-Beneficial/126462/
A Second Language Gives Toddlers an Edge
A report from Montreal, Canada, claims that infants who learn a second
language have an edge over their monolingual peers. The claim is from a
research study conducted by Concordia University and York University in
Canada and the Université de Provence in France. Data were collected from
63 infants who were 24 months of age; half were monolingual and half were
bilingual. The infants were assessed using five language and cognitive
tests. Data were also collected from parents through a language exposure
survey.
The senior researcher reported that the bilingual children had acquired a
vocabulary in both languages and were able to switch between English and
French. The researcher encourages parents and educators to expose infants
to a second language early on because of the benefits that this study
revealed.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-01/cu-asl011911.php
Hearing Bilingual: How Babies Sort Out Language
This New York Times article summarizes several research studies that
illustrate how bilingual infants distinguish between more than one
language. By examining how infants process language in the brain—before
they even start speaking—researchers are learning that children from both
monolingual and bilingual homes have the ability to discriminate between
multiple languages at six months old. However, by the age of 12 months,
only bilingual babies retained this “cognitive flexibility.” By studying
infants and language, researchers hope to learn how brain growth is
affected by language acquisition at a young age.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/11/health/views/11klass.html?_r=3
Students Speaking Native Language Do Well
This brief article out of Columbia, Missouri, reports on the results from
a survey given to 408 Mexican-American students. The study found that the
Latino students who maintained their native languages and embraced their
cultural heritages received higher grade point averages than those Latinos
who only spoke English at home and in school. Since research also shows
that Latino students have high dropout rates, the researcher recommends
that schools welcome and support English learners’ home cultures and
native languages to promote their academic success.
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2011/09/21/Students-speaking-native-language-do-well/UPI-93721316647615/?spt=hs&or=sn
Bilinguals Score Higher on Intelligence
This brief cites a study conducted by researchers at the University of
Haifa in Israel of sixth graders who spoke Russian and Hebrew and who were
learning English. It found that bilinguals learn a third language easier
than monolinguals and bilinguals also score higher on tests of
intelligence. The researchers recommend that language learning begin
early.
Language and Culture Summit: A Strategic Imperative
Outcomes from the Language and Culture Summit: A Strategic Imperative
sponsored by the Department of Defense endorse the enhancement of language
and cultural capabilities within the United States. Leaders from the
Department of Defense, industry, and universities established initiatives
that prioritize the learning of languages and cross-cultural competence by
making them core competencies. Initiatives include:
- Building the cultural knowledge of our military personnel.
- Prioritizing the recruiting of military personnel who are proficient in another language.
- Promoting military personnel who possess cultural and linguistic skills
- Prioritizing language learning in Department of Defense schools located on military bases.
- Increasing recruitment of native language speakers.
- Developing partnerships between the Department of Defense and
universities in order to increase the number of students who study
other languages and cultures.
The key conclusion from the summit stated that knowledge of other languages and cultural competence are crucial for the United States’ future national and global security.
https://www.signup4.net/public/ap.aspx?EID=STRA44E&OID=160
How Children Learn Languages
This report cites Dr. Charles Yang’s The Infinite Gift. Yang is an
Associate Professor of Linguistics at the University of Pennsylvania.
Organized in six concise parts, the report provides, in easy accessible
language, the phenomenon that is language acquisition and the known
factors which influence it. It debunks the myth that if a child is exposed
to too many languages at once, s/he can become confused.
This report appears on the website Early Advantage. Early Advantage is
an independent publishing company known for the marketing of Muzzy, the
early language learning program produced by the British Broadcasting
Corporation. The mission at Early Advantage is to develop effective
language learning programs for young children.
http://www.early-advantage.com/articles/universalgrammar.aspx?adkey=17-5901
Learning Languages When Young Increases Fluency
The Jerusalem Post reports that researchers from Haifa University found
that those who speak two languages learn a third language more easily, and
also increase their IQs while doing so. The study included two groups of
sixth grade students who were all learning English. One group consisted of
native Russian speakers, immigrants who had previously learned Hebrew. The
second group consisted of native Hebrew speakers. Both groups were given
tests to measure their mastery of reading strategies and knowledge of the
rules of writing systems in both Hebrew and English. The native Russian
group was also given identical tests in Russian.
Results indicated that the native Russian group scored better than the
native Hebrew group. The native Russian group scored higher on writing
exercises and on exercises involving knowledge of word formation.
Researchers tested the students' IQs before and after their English
language training. They discovered that among students from both groups
with the same average starting IQ, the native Russian students increased
their IQ by about 7% following their English language learning experience.
http://www.jpost.com/Health/Article.aspx?id=203897
An Early Start: Young Learners and Modern Languages
in Europe and Beyond
This site links readers to a compilation of articles from around the world
that address the topic of an early start to foreign language learning. The
compilation provides insight into the way in which early language learning
is addressed internationally. Although different models are shared from
various countries, Curtain and Nikolov conclude that simply an early start
is not only what we should advocate, we should also consider the variables
that can influence a successful early start to learning a foreign
language. These variables include continuity and articulation,
methodologies that may or may not be developmentally appropriate, and the
need for research on outcomes reflecting expectations that are
developmentally appropriate and in alignment with the way in which
language is taught at an early age.
http://archive.ecml.at/documents/earlystart.pdf
Bilingualism appears to boost young children’s
mental abilities, study reports
A recent study at Cornell found that children who begin learning a second
language early in life, strengthen their executive attention, or ability
to attend to important input, dismiss unimportant input, and decide what
actions to take as a result of the important input. The study was
conducted on 56 four-year-olds,
children from middle-class neighborhoods whose parents were
college-educated. The study compared U.S. native English-only speaking
children, U.S. bilingual children (Korean-English), U.S. Korean-only
speaking children and Korean-only speaking children in Korea. The Korean
and Korean-English speaking children from the United States had first
generation native Korean parents; the bilingual children had about 11
months of formal exposure to English through a bilingual daycare program.
The study used a computer game to assess components of executive
attention.
The U.S. bilingual children were the most successful out of the four
groups. The study also was able to separate out the effects of
bilingualism from the effects of culture. According to the article, in
Korea children are raised with more behavioral control and taught to be
more reserved than children in the U.S. The study showed that the children
raised in Korea were more accurate with the game than the U.S. raised
monolingual children. The researchers now want to discover how
bilingualism improves executive function so that this may be capitalized
on in the classroom.
http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/July11/BilingualismKids.html