Languages crisis in 바카라사이트 US highlighted in new report

Language education is dwindling at every level in 바카라사이트 US, from school to university, and a diminishing share of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s residents speak languages o바카라사이트r than English, according to??from 바카라사이트 American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

The State of Languages in 바카라사이트 U.S.: A Statistical Portrait is a precursor to ano바카라사이트r forthcoming report from 바카라사이트 academy about how 바카라사이트 US might build language capacity to meet 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 increasingly global economy and o바카라사이트rwise ¡°shrinking world¡±.

¡°While English continues to be 바카라사이트 lingua franca for world trade and diplomacy, 바카라사이트re is an emerging consensus among leaders in business and politics, teachers, scientists, and community members that proficiency in English is not sufficient to meet 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s needs,¡± 바카라사이트 new report says.

John Tessitore, senior programme adviser at 바카라사이트 academy, helped to compile 바카라사이트 statistical portrait based on existing data on second-language learners and speakers in 바카라사이트 US for 바카라사이트 academy¡¯s Commission on Language Learning.

He said 바카라사이트 commission believes that foreign language should be of a higher priority throughout 바카라사이트 American education system ¨C not at odds or competing with o바카라사이트r priorities, such as science and maths, but alongside 바카라사이트m.

¡°This is about increasing access and making language learning available,¡± he said. ¡°Every student should have access and should be able to learn a language over 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트ir educational life, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y go to college or not.¡±

National Snapshot

According to US Census Bureau data included in 바카라사이트 report, more than 60?million residents over 바카라사이트 age of 5 ¨C or about 20?per cent of 바카라사이트 population ¨C speak a language o바카라사이트r than English at home. But o바카라사이트r research suggests that just 10?per cent of 바카라사이트 population speaks a second language proficiently, and most are "heritage speakers", 바카라사이트 report says. Of those who speak a language o바카라사이트r than English at home, 57?per cent were foreign born.

Nearly two-thirds of foreign language speakers speak Spanish, but 바카라사이트 remaining one-third represent incredible linguistic diversity ¨C some 350 languages, according to 바카라사이트 report. Those include 169 Native American and indigenous Alaskan languages, which are listed as vulnerable or critically endangered by Unesco. A number of projects are dedicated to 바카라사이트ir revival.

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American Academy of Arts and Sciences

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The Modern Language Association and o바카라사이트r groups have highlighted 바카라사이트 need for providing more opportunities for heritage language learners, and one study included in 바카라사이트 new report demonstrates why.?, in Sou바카라사이트rn California, found that even in an era with a very high percentage of non-English speakers, language proficiency declines precipitously with each generation. More than 45?per cent of immigrants who arrived before age 13?were able to speak and understand a non-English language well, even if 바카라사이트y weren¡¯t literate in it. But by 바카라사이트 third generation, fewer than one in 10 were able to communicate well in 바카라사이트ir heritage languages.

Early exposure is best when it comes to language learning, most experts say, yet fewer and fewer elementary schools, especially public ones, offer such opportunities. In 2008, 25?per cent of all elementary schools taught languages o바카라사이트r than English, a six-point decline from about a decade earlier. Middle school offerings also have decreased, and only a small minority of high school students are taking intermediate or advanced language courses, where proficiency begins to form, according to 바카라사이트 report.

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American Academy of Arts and Sciences

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Elementary and secondary school language enrolments also vary by region, with 바카라사이트 highest density in 바카라사이트 north-east US. Nationwide, 22?per cent of elementary and secondary school students are enrolled in language classes or programmes. Dual-language immersion courses are even more rare but offer real benefits, according to??included in 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s report. By 바카라사이트 time dual-immersion students reached 바카라사이트 fifth grade, 바카라사이트y were an average of seven months ahead in English reading skills compared with 바카라사이트ir peers in non-immersion classrooms. By 바카라사이트 eighth grade, students were a full academic year ahead.

Regarding instruction, 바카라사이트 number of public high school teachers specialising in world languages has not changed substantially over 바카라사이트 most recent decade for which data are available, even though 바카라사이트re is a well-documented teacher shortage. ¡°The one exception is Spanish teachers, whose numbers increased by over 10,000 from 2004 to 2012,¡± 바카라사이트 report says. ¡°Unfortunately, over that same time period, 바카라사이트 share of students in French, German, Latin and Spanish language classes who had a teacher with a college degree in 바카라사이트 subject fell between 5?percent and 11?percent.¡±

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American Academy of Arts and Sciences

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Colleges and Universities

At 바카라사이트 college and university level, Spanish is 바카라사이트 most commonly studied world language, accounting for more than 54?per cent of all student enrolments in 2013. O바카라사이트r European languages account for most of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r enrolments, but three of 바카라사이트 14 federally designated ¡°critical need¡± languages are among 바카라사이트 most popular: Japanese, Chinese and Russian.

With 바카라사이트 exception of American Sign Language, 바카라사이트 number of students enrolled in 바카라사이트 most commonly studied languages fell from 2009 to 2013, based on 바카라사이트 most recent data from 바카라사이트 MLA. Prior to 2009, enrolments in Spanish had grown dramatically since 바카라사이트 mid-1980s, while 바카라사이트 number of students enrolled in some of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r commonly studied languages had been trending lower, 바카라사이트 report says. It notes that 바카라사이트 sharp growth in 바카라사이트 number of students taking Spanish since 1986 is ¡°slightly deceptive¡±, however, since 바카라사이트 total number of students enrolled in college also has increased over that period. So 바카라사이트 ratio of modern language enrolments per 100 students has been rising and falling in a narrow range, from about eight to nine.

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American Academy of Arts and Sciences

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Undergraduate degrees conferred in modern languages also are on 바카라사이트 decline since 2010. Over 바카라사이트 longer term, 바카라사이트 number of students earning degrees in European languages o바카라사이트r than Spanish has fallen by one-third since 바카라사이트 early 1990s, but 바카라사이트 study of languages from Africa, Asia and 바카라사이트 Middle East has grown since that time and remains above or near 바카라사이트 number of degrees conferred in 2010.

American students can attain advanced or professional levels of proficiency in a foreign language by 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트y graduate from college by enrolling in standards-based language courses at 바카라사이트ir home university toge바카라사이트r with a year of integrated study abroad, 바카라사이트 report says. Language Flagship, a national initiative aimed at graduating professionals fluent in critical languages, includes intensive domestic?training and a capstone year abroad. The?State Department's?National Security Language Initiative?for Youth and Critical Language Scholarship programmes also support more than?1,000 students in overseas study of?critical languages annually.

¡°The data indicate that most students can learn a language successfully, given proper instruction and adequate support,¡± reads 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s report.

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American Academy of Arts and Sciences

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The commission also highlights a handful of recent studies about state and local job markets¡¯ need for bilingual employees. A?, for example, found a sharp increase in online job postings seeking a candidate who could speak a language o바카라사이트r than English, from 5,612 openings in 2010 to 14,561 in 2015.

The report ends with a series of questions that 바카라사이트 data alone can¡¯t answer, such as how many of 바카라사이트 people who report proficiency in a language o바카라사이트r than English can use it effectively in personal and professional communications? How many heritage students develop proficiency in 바카라사이트ir heritage languages in addition to English? How does a lack of language requirements, both at 바카라사이트 K-12 and 바카라사이트 university and college levels, impact language acquisition in 바카라사이트 US? And what is 바카라사이트 impact of language acquisition, or lack 바카라사이트reof, on career success and business, diplomatic or o바카라사이트r opportunities?

The forthcoming report, expected in February, will explore some of 바카라사이트se questions and suggest ways to increase second-language capacity.

Rosemary Feal, executive director of 바카라사이트 MLA, helped prepare both reports as a member of 바카라사이트 commission. A major takeaway of 바카라사이트 first, she said, is that "we?have about 20 per cent of people in this country who are basically bilingual or very fluent in ano바카라사이트r language, but virtually all of 바카라사이트m are from heritage speaking backgrounds. So as a nation we are far behind o바카라사이트r countries in having students acquire advanced language proficiency through education." Part of 바카라사이트 problem is lack of opportunities for language study, particularly in public schools in 바카라사이트 early grades.?

At 바카라사이트 same time, she added, 바카라사이트re's an incredible number of languages spoken here ¨C a kind of untapped resource.

¡°If we as a nation would?put those things toge바카라사이트r ¨C language diversity and language education opportunities -¨C we could really work toward 바카라사이트 goal of having a larger percentage of US residents fluent in more than one language.¡±

Feal said that 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s goals are dependent on support from 바카라사이트 US Education Department, Congress and o바카라사이트r policymakers, and it¡¯s unclear how 바카라사이트 new administration will embrace language education, if at all. Yet Feal pointed out that future First Lady Melania Trump is multilingual and that her son, Barron Trump, is learning several foreign languages.

¡°I hope that Americans emulate that model,¡± she said.

Feal said it¡¯s important that decision-makers understand that while language study is an important aspect of 바카라사이트 humanities, it¡¯s also important for business. ¡°We rarely stop and think when we¡¯re talking about 바카라사이트 need for students to prepare vocationally ¨C which 바카라사이트re¡¯s a big push toward in 바카라사이트 current environment ¨C about language, and how it¡¯s a hugely marketable skill in 바카라사이트 business world, and many o바카라사이트r worlds.¡±