Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice’s Post

"Over the last 20 years, the population of people needing English education jumped by 50%, while at the same time state funding for English lessons per adult learner fell by 25% and federal funding to Massachusetts fell by 40%, according to a recent MassINC report. This lack of funding has led to a lack of adequate English education services in communities across Massachusetts, according to the report. In fact, over 20,000 immigrants across Massachusetts are currently waiting to be accepted into state-funded English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes, according to according to the Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education." https://lnkd.in/gt92uNff

The Council of Europe Education Department is launching the new 'Language Support for Migrants (LSM) Toolkit' The new 'Language Support for Migrants (LSM) Toolkit' has been designed at the Education Department of the Council of Europe as part of its LIAM project (Linguistic Integration of Adult Migrants). It is the result of 4 years of work that led to a partial revision of the 2017 Toolkit which has been updated, partly modified and above all integrated by new tools. It comprises 80 resources (or ‘tools’) designed for use with migrant learners of all ages. Accompanying this Toolkit is a Guide designed for training teachers and volunteers. The Council of Europe is pleased to invite you to follow an one-hour webinar in which the new LSM Toolkit will be presented: Tuesday 19th March 2024 (15:00-16:00 CET) The webinar will be in English with French interpretation. During this session, Council of Europe experts will present the new toolkit and the Guide. One of the teachers involved in the piloting of LSM tools will share her firsthand experience of using the tools in her classroom. The event is aimed primarily at teachers and volunteers involved in a migratory context. Researchers and language testers are expected to attend as well. Participation in this webinar is free. You can register until March 15. More information can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eEN_cESG On this site you will also find the button to request a zoom link for this webinar. #LESLLA #Alfabetización #Alfabetizzazione #Alphabetisierung #Alphabétisation #AlfaNT2 #ANT2 #ELE #AdultLiteracy #AdultEducation #AdultEd #LIAM #LASLLIAM #LLAT #COE

Benefits of HL education HL education has benefits beyond offering language and culture classes to children and beyond the general benefits that follow from being multilingual. In particular, community-based HL programs: -teach literacy skills, including translation and language awareness -teach culture, literature, geography, and history of the country of origin -reward/exercise the intrinsic motivation of students to develop language -provide a foundation for high-level bilingual and intercultural proficiency -provide a safe space for bilingual / multilingual communication -support communication in the home, including with grandparents -develop self-esteem and plurilingual identity -support the wellbeing and personal development of students from diverse backgrounds who may regularly encounter discrimination -value and celebrate students’ achievements in the heritage language -support children in world citizenship and intercultural communication -model meaningful volunteer work for students -help new immigrants to exercise their professional skill set as teachers, managers, and community leaders -help immigrants young and old remain meaningfully connected to their language communities -help new immigrants understand the new culture and education system -are well-positioned due to their networks to become first responders in times of crisis -reimagine cultures -support immigrant children to integrate into society of the host country

More people than ever before are choosing to learn English. Read about how one organization in Chicago, Instituto del Progreso Latino, is helping ESL adults succeed! #LearnEnglish #ESLAdults #EnglishLanguageLearners #ESLPrograms #AdultEducation #LanguageLearning #EducationForAll

Teaching a Nation to Fish... There’s a world of opportunities out there, and language is the key. Fortunately for this mono-linguist, English is the international language of business - a fact I’m continually reminded of, surrounded by people who speak 4 or 5 languages with ease. It is with great humility that I encourage the children of Moldova to invest in languages, particularly English. Strangely, despite its clear importance, English is not part of the national curriculum and is taught in only a handful of schools. This reflects a fractured mindset - a belief that prioritises languages like French, German, or Italian, considered "useful" for those who may migrate to neighbouring countries for manual labour. A mentality that, in essence, prepares children for a life of survival, not success. Last night, I sat in a meeting where a Moldovan remarked that Moldova has “nothing to offer Europe,” as if to suggest that integration with the European Union is pointless. And therein lies the issue: if you are constantly told you're worthless, you'll start believing it. But that is not the belief at Hope4❤️. We’re not preparing people to survive - we’re preparing them to thrive. And settling for second best simply isn't an option. At Hope4, we have already started investing in IT and English classes in schools, and we have plans to do even more. Our goal is to open up a world of opportunities for children across Moldova, showing them that they are free to aim-high and dream-big, and see beyond the limitations imposed on them. I was told my entire life that I couldn’t - until I proved that I could. Born into poverty, my precious Dad's advice, when I wanted to leave the factory job I'd been doing straight out of school for 8.5 years was, stay where you are - we're factory workers, and that's it. But I refused to wear the label he placed on me, and believed in something better, and that makes me more than qualified to tell the children of Moldova, to believe in better. I don't blame my Dad, it's the same mentality that's keeping children across Moldova from following their dreams, but that broken mind-set simply has to stop, and it stops right now. Together, #WeAreHope4 education across Moldova. #English #Education #LanguageMatters #DreamBig

Explore the future of learning with us at TutorRev! 💡 We are constantly inspired by stories like this one from Pittsburgh. The article discusses how English tutoring in the city is not just about language learning but also about fostering connections with immigrants. 🌍 It highlights the importance of cultural exchange and mutual understanding in our communities. 📚 Discover more about this topic by following the link below. 🔗 #TutorRev #EnglishTutoring #PittsburghCommunity #CulturalExchange #ImmigrantIntegration https://vist.ly/3mf2ys9

To counter the deficit approach often taken by people when discussing international students in the UK, let me introduce you to this group of young men. They studied on our BA (Hons) Education and TESOL programme in the Strathclyde Institute of Education. Nine of them completed their studies this year. After graduation, students on this course return home to teach English in Oman. This can be in schools, universities, within the police force etc. What I wanted to highlight here is the students' contribution to Glasgow while they study with us. In order to contextualise their university learning, they undertake four placements over three years. They support migrant children in Glasgow primary schools, they teach Arabic to primary school children as an L3, they support adults learning English (including refugees and asylum seekers), and they work with EAL teachers in secondary schools across the city. Using an asset-based approach allows us to capitalise on the knowledge, skills and experiences these students bring with them to the university. This approach has allowed: schools to offer translation when communicating with children and families who speak Arabic; children who have arrived unaccompanied in Glasgow to have an Arabic speaker who can help them settle; Arabic lessons for staff and students; English classes from students who understand the experience of learning in a new country in a new language; basic English support for adults new to Glasgow (catching a bus, phoning the doctor etc.). Our course's partnership with Glasgow schools, colleges and third sector organisations is positive, bi-directional and fruitful. As universities work on equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives, they could do worse than to start with the assets they already have within their international student population. Assets first!

Quick read: Where the Need for Bilingual Teachers Has Changed Over 20 Years, by Nadia Tamez-Robledo Excerpt: "The need has gained new urgency as the immigrant population in the U.S. grows. Politicized clashes over the nation’s immigration policy have seen the governor of Texas busing migrants newly arrived across the Mexican border to cities like New York, Chicago and Denver. All districts in all three metro areas report a shortage of bilingual teachers. But that shortage is nothing new, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, which shows that more than one-fifth of school districts had trouble filling at least one bilingual education or English as a second language role back in 2011-12. That figure grew to nearly one-third of districts during the 2020-21 school year. ... Back in 2000, the concentration of English learners was strongest in the Southwest and other Western states, where nearly one-in-four California students was classified as an English learner. By 2020, the English learner populations had shifted away from just border states and major cities. Delaware had the largest increase of any state in its proportion of English learners, growing from 1.8 percent to 10.7 percent over the 20-year period. English learners are the fastest-growing student demographic in the state, according to a Delaware education nonprofit, making up one-fifth or more of students in some counties. Put into numbers, Delaware saw an increase from about 2,000 English learners to nearly 14,600. ... The three states that lost the highest percentage of English learners were California, Arizona and New Mexico — though the number of English learners they serve is by no means small. California, for instance, had more than 1 million enrolled schools in 2020. That figure had been more than 1.4 million in the Golden State back in 2000." Link: https://lnkd.in/eZ82gVbW

Recently I shared my support for a dual language primary school in Jersey. In the linked article by Jersey Evening Post, Deputy Philip Bailhache provides more reasons why Jersey would benefit from bilingual schools on the island. The article references a survey of parents, that shows at least 𝟲𝟬% of those surveyed 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 if that option were available. This data suggests that there will be competition for this new resource, and that potentially having three schools would ensure that no child is left disadvantaged by a lack of space. Deputy Bailhache also advises that discussions with French ambassadors and government ministers were not only interested in the idea, but 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱. Suggesting that our French neighbours will support new business opportunities with French-speaking countries. Predictions made from existing Population data, shows that Jersey’s non-English population is growing fast, and by 2031, we can expect 23% of the population to be born outside Jersey and the British Isles. The schools will help integrate a new diverse population, protect Jersey’s cultural heritage and repopulate the island with residents who can speak and write in both English and French! 📢 💬 #support #jerseyci #multilingual #bilingual #diversity

Today's International Mother Language Day 🗣 The theme of this International Day Celebration 2024 is “Multilingual education is a pillar of intergenerational learning.” Today, an estimated 40% of children are not accessing education in their mother tongue. Many find themselves marginalized or even forced to deny their cultural heritage (UNESCO, 2024). ➡ At Language Access, we understand the profound impact of language on education and cultural identity. As advocates for language access and inclusivity, we believe that every individual has the right to learn and express themselves in their mother tongue. 👨👩👧👦 Through our efforts, we strive to bridge the language gap and ensure that communities have equal access to quality education, healthcare, legal aid, and community services in their native languages. #language #languageaccess #internationalmotherlanguageday #motherlanguage #multilingual #education