why support second language education?

Social and academic benefits of k-5 world language exposure

• Improved executive function- self-control, listening skills, behavior 
• Overall school performance - increased reading and math test scores
• Superior problem-solving skills 
• Increased awareness & sensitivity to other cultures & racially & culturally diverse peers
• Better pronunciation in native language 
• Increased likelihood of fluency in >1 language

A 2017 bi-partisan sponsored report by the Commission on Language Learning, found :

• "The ability to understand, speak, read and write in world languages, in addition to English is critical to success in business, research and international relations in the 21st century"
• "The US needs more peoples to speak languages other than English in order to provide social and legal services for a changing population"
• "The study of a second language has been linked to improved learning outcomes in other subjects, enhanced cognitive ability and the development of empathy and effective interpretive skills." (see below for details)

What other US school districts are doing to deliver k-5 world language

• Williamson County Schools-Tennesse Spanish & Chinese k-5, in school day @ select public schools
• Palm Beach County-Florida Spanish k-5, after school @ select public schools
• Minnetonka School District-Minnesota Chinese & Spanish k-5, immersion @ all public schools

Reports

• American's Languages Investing in Language Education for the 21st Century
• State of Languages in the US: A statistical portrait
• Utah Language Roadmap for the 21st Century

Additional Information:
1. Exposure in the studies we reference, generally indicates 20 - 40 minutes of language education once to twice per week, ranging from 1-2 years.
2. Marcos, K. 1995. Why, How, and When Should My Child Learn a Second Language? ACCESS ERIC, Rockville, MD; ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics, Washington, D.C.
3. Garfinkel, A. and Tabor, K. E. 1991. Elementary School Foreign Languages and English Reading Achievement: A New View of the Relationship. Foreign Language Annals, 24: 375–382.
4. Middlebury Language Interative, 2017.
5. ACTFL Research Citations on the Benefits of Early Language
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"Our language is our window to the world. Learning another language is an additional window. Let's learn Arabic and let us have another window. "

~ Arabic coach, Mouloud Mahi

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