Education Week – Renee A. Foose
“Most of the world’s industrialized nations have national policies that mandate world language instruction in elementary school, according to a white paper issued by the National Foreign Language Center at the University of Maryland. A large body of research posits that world language in the early grades positively impacts intellectual growth, academic achievement, and cultural proficiency. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) contends that students learn to think more flexibly, appreciate nuances in language, and sharpen their listening skills as they learn a second language. Young children also expand their capacity for communicating with peers whose primary language is not English, and they develop an appreciation for other cultures. Our elementary school World Language Program has gained accolades from the community because parents understand the many cognitive and social benefits of such a program. Here’s what the world language pathway can look like for students going through our school system.”(more)