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Globalization 101
Globalization101.org is an objective online resource to teach high school & college students about policy aspects of globalization related to civics, economics, geography and history, without any fees or charges. Globalization101.org provides unbiased, easily understandable information and related lesson plans to teach about cross-disciplinary subjects such as international trade, world - wide health and environmental issues and global technological changes. The site includes 11 in-depth issue briefs, more than 70 news analyses, teachers’ resource section (with lesson plans and alignments to state standards), video interviews and a useful links section. We have just recently uploaded a Spanish-language translation of the Culture Issue Brief: http://www.globalization101.org/index.php?file=issue&pass1=mains&id=14 and a Chinese Language translation of the World Bank and IMF Issue Brief: http://www.globalization101.org/index.php?file=static&id=23&PHPSESSID=fbe00dbb598381949bfa024c986a9d59. We appreciate any feedback on the translations and look forward to adding more translations over the coming year. If you want to learn more or sign up for our newsletter, e-mail g101@carnegieendowment.org.
General Hugh Shelton National Student Leadership Scholarship -
The General Hugh Shelton Leadership Initiative is again offering a major four-year college scholarship valued at $10,000 per year (renewable) plus an annual $2,500 stipend for external leadership experiences such as study abroad. Last year, Ryan Nilsen of Wake County won this national scholarship. The mission of the General Hugh Shelton Leadership Initiative is to "inspire, educate, and develop values-based leaders who are committed to personal integrity, professional ethics and selfless service." The application deadline is Nov. 5. For more information, please go online to http://www.ncsu.edu/extension/sheltonleadership/scholarships/nsls.htm
Achieving Equitable Access to World Language AP ® Exams for All Students. A letter to the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages
April 30, 2005
To: Chief State School Officers
From: Tom Matts and Marcia Wilbur, The College Board
Re: Achieving Equitable Access to World Language AP ® Exams for All Students
Cc: National Council of State Supervisors For Languages
AP World Languages Initiative
You are very likely aware that The College Board is purposefully and actively seeking to impact world language studies by expanding its Advanced Placement (AP) offerings to include AP Chinese Language and Culture, AP Italian Language and Culture, AP Japanese Language and Culture, and AP Russian Language and Culture by May of 2007. By developing these new AP Exams for students and the corresponding professional development support for teachers, the College Board is taking the necessary steps towards recognizing and promoting second language study its rightful place of prominence and importance in U.S. schools, given the urgent demands of our global 21 st century society. While we will continue to support the acquisition of traditional European languages with our AP French, AP German, AP Latin, and AP Spanish courses, we recognize the need to encourage students to broaden their understanding of and ability to communicate with the citizens of a greater variety of nations abroad.
A Matter of Equity
The College Board is equally committed to equitable access to our AP courses for all students, and to th e principle that all students who are willing to accept the challenge of a rigorous academic curriculum should be given consideration for admission to AP courses.1 The Board encourages the elimination of barriers that restrict access to AP courses for students from ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in the AP Program. Schools should make every effort to ensure that their AP classes reflect the diversity of their student population. For the study of world languages, the Equity Policy Statement translates into long-sequences of study.
Because of the time investment necessary to achieve second language proficiency and due to the demonstrated benefits of world language studies, it is imperative that state policy makers consider the addition of formal, sequential instruction of world languages as essential, beginning in the middle school and even sooner, in order to allow equitable access to everyone. While we know that elementary programs are key to developing students’ ability to acquire a second language and to fostering their positive, receptive attitudes about language and culture, without long-sequence language study of five or six years, second language fluency and success on an AP exam in a world language remain possible for only an elite, select group of our student population. Does the required K-12 curriculum in your state include long-sequences of world language study?
Five Years’ Study Significantly Better Than Four on AP Exams
Research data bear out that in order to achieve equity for all students, long sequences of study (greater than four years) in secondary schools are essential to the acquisition of second language proficiency. As part of the 2002 AP French, AP German, and AP Spanish language exams, survey data support a strong connection between the length of study (in years) and students’ scores on the corresponding AP Examination. Students who had studied the language for five years scored significantly higher than those who had studied it for only four (Baum, Bischof, & Luna, 2004).2
Foreign Language Study Translates to Higher SAT Scores
In the College Board’s report, 2004 College Bound Seniors: A Profile of SAT Test Takers, students whose profiles include long-sequences of world language study consistently demonstrate higher scores on both the math and verbal portions of the SAT than do their non-language studying counterparts.3 The gains are incremental; the more years of world language study, the greater the gains on the SAT Test. These data continue to corroborate previous research confirming the correlation of world language study with higher SAT scores.4
We hope you believe, as we do, that it is time for state legislatures to recognize the need to support second language proficiency for every U.S. student. We welcome your questions and extend our appreciation to you for your time and careful consideration of this matter.
With best regards,
Thomas Matts
Director, World Languages Initiative
Advanced Placement Program
The College Board
45 Columbus Avenue
New York , NY 10023
212/373-8727
tmatts@collegeboard.org
Marcia Wilbur
Associate Director
Head, World Languages & Cultures
K-12 Professional Development
The College Board
3700 Crestwood Parkway, Suite 700
Duluth, GA 30096
770/225-4079
mwilbur@collegeboard.org
Notes
1 Visit the College Board’s Equity Policy Statement and additional related information at: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/article/0,,150-157-0-2200,00.html
2 Baum, D. Bischof, D, & Luna, C. (2004) Before and Beyond the AP Foreign Language Classroom. http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/apc/ap04_beforeandbeyond.pdf
3 http://www.collegeboard.com/about/news_info/cbsenior/yr2004/reports.html
4 Cooper, T. (1987). Foreign Language Study and SAT-Verbal Scores. The Modern Language Journal, 71(4), 381-387.
North Carolina’s 2005 SAT Scores Increase
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction reports that the state's 2005 average total SAT score increased by four points to 1,010, with participation rising by four points to 74 percent of high school seniors, according to results released August 30, 2005, by The College Board. The nation grew by two points to 1,028. For more information, including district results, please go to the NCDPI Web site at http://www.ncpublicschools.org and look under "News."
Students learn Arabic daily through content-based teaching
On Expanding Chinese Language Capacity in The United States
Educating Language Learners
Educational Leadership: December 2004/January 2005
The Complete Curriculum: Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in America’s Schools NASBE ( National Association of State Boards of Education) Policy Update, Vol. 11, No. 9.
Campaign urges America to learn foreign languages -
"Nearly half of Americans say there is "too little" foreign language instruction in the nation's public schools, and 50 percent attribute this to a lack of funding, a Roper Poll has discovered..." Read the article.
Modern Language Association's Language Map
The MLA Language Map is intended for use by students, teachers, and anyone interested in learning about the linguistic and cultural composition of the United States. The MLA Language Map uses data from the 2000 United States census to display the locations and numbers of speakers of thirty languages and three groups of less commonly spoken languages in the United States. The census data are based on responses to the question, "Does this person speak a language other than English at home?" The Language Map illustrates the concentration of language speakers in zip codes and counties. The Data Center provides actual numbers and percentages of speakers and includes census data about seven additional groups of languages less commonly spoken in the United States.
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