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January
15, 2013
Languages in the News
A "Languages for Jobs" Initiative
This policy innovation memorandum,
written by Terrence G. Wiley, President, Center for Applied
Linguistics, Sarah Catherine Moore, Language Policy Research
Network, Center for Applied Linguistics, and Margaret S. Fee,
Language Policy Research Network, Center for Applied Linguistics
reviews the status of foreign language instruction in the U.S.
and provides recommendations for increasing it. With foreign
language instruction on the decline, the authors claim the
federal government is not making comprehensive efforts to
promote the instruction of languages, including German, Hindi,
Mandarin Chinese and Portugese. The writers state that the
global economy is shifting away from the English-speaking world,
claiming that the Chinese economy will surpass the U.S. economy
in size soon after 2030. Latin America (Portugese and Spanish
speaking) and South Asia (Hindi- and Urdu-speaking) are growing
strongly as well.
The widespread use of English as the
leading global second language, especially in business, does not
offset the disadvantage faced by monolingual Americans. A 2011
survey of more than one hundred executives in large U.S.
businesses found foreign nationals have an advantage in
competing for international jobs. Three-quarters agreed that
language skills made it easier for foreign nationals to work in
the United States than for U.S. nationals to work overseas. This
leaves Americans at a significant disadvantage at a time when
U.S.-based multinational companies are growing faster abroad
than at home.
The authors also compare foreign language
instruction in the U.S. with other countries. In the U.S., as of
2008, just one in five public school students was studying a
foreign language. On the contrary, for the majority of developed
countries, foreign language education begins between the ages of
five and ten, is mandatory, and is systematically tested along
with “core” subjects. While the U.S. federal government fails to
address the need for foreign language instruction, 75 percent of
Americans believe all students should know a second language and
a majority supports foreign language graduation requirements for
high school.
The writers encourage the federal
government to institute a national “Languages for Jobs”
initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Education.
Specifically, the authors recommend that foreign language
instruction should “be funded at roughly $100 million annually,
include accountability measures for foreign language teaching
and programs, be characterized by immersion programs that begin
at the primary level, and include our heritage language speakers
to ensure they maintain their first language.”
Click
here to read A “Languages for Jobs” Initiative.
Tips and Tools
Poll Everywhere
Teachers can use this website to poll
students by using an open-ended question or a question with
multiple choice responses. A computer or cellphone is needed to
type or text in responses.
Poll Everywhere is free for audiences of
40 people or less, with upgrade possibilities to receive tagged
responses with names. Within the site, visitors can access a
blog about the product which focuses on how to use it in the
K-12 classroom.
Click here to access
Poll
Everywhere.
The Lives of Japanese
Elementary Students
This site was developed to give children
studying Japanese an opportunity to become more familiar with
their peers in Japan. It includes information about the
elementary school system in Japan, photos, videos, class
activities, letters and audio messages.
Click here to access
The Lives of Japanese Elementary Students.
Apps for iPads, iPods and iPhones
It’s fun to learn Spanish
This app has carnival themed games to keep Spanish
and English learners of all ages entertained. The free lite
version allows access to a variety of games that practice
colors. Access to the games (e.g. memory, bingo, balloons, and
marbles) is unlimited as long as tickets do not run out. Gold
coins are earned within each game and then exchanged for more
tickets.
The full app can be purchased for $1.99
and includes more vocabulary categories like transportation,
animals, numbers, alphabet, shapes, and the farm without the
worry of running low on tickets.
Free
Flashcards - Flashboard Flashboard is a free app
that allows flashcards to be made easily. Users create a new
deck of flashcards using the camera roll, inserting a URL, or
importing a Google Docs spreadsheet. Mark flashcards with stars
to indicate higher importance or turn a deck into a memory game
by clicking the button on the top right. Pre-made free
flashcards can be incorporated using Quizlet.com.
This
issue of Newsworthy was compiled by Tammy Dann.
Send any comments, questions or information for future issues to
her at tdann@nnell.org
Thank you to Akiyo Yokoi,
Heather Hendry, Shanon Shreffler,
and Andrea Suarez for providing the
links and Amy Murphy for the apps used
in this issue.
Thank you to Amy Murphy,
Kennedy Shultz, Sally Hood,
and Veronica Guevara for their work
writing summaries.
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