Skyrocket Education Services’ Post

“When we have more students earning the seal, we move the needle to reverse the historic focus on modern monolingualism education.” Experts at the summit discussed the cognitive and academic benefits of elevating multilingualism through programs like the seal. They also spoke of the work that remains in expanding access to the seal for all students, and English learners in particular. #OELASealofBiliteracy24

What a great article 🤯. To increase participation of the Seal of Biliteracy more awareness needs to be spread on how to get it.

Fascinating insights on the Seal of Biliteracy reveal the need for improvement to ensure English learners receive the seal on their diplomas. Analysis of 39 states in the 2021-22 school year shows that only 27 states disaggregated recipient data by former English learner status. Surprisingly, among these states, only about 8% of seal recipients were ever English learners. Well worth the read. #Education #Bilingualism #SealOfBiliteracy

🌎 Does your school or district currently promote the #NewYorkStateSealofBiliteracy for all students? The #NYSSB recognizes high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in English and one or more world languages. 📚 The intent of the NYSSB is to encourage the study of languages, to identify high school graduates with language and biliteracy skills for employers, to provide universities with additional information about applicants seeking admission and placement, to prepare students with twenty-first century skills, to recognize the value of language instruction, and to affirm the value of diversity in a multilingual society. Successful candidates will earn three points in English and three points in each world language from a points matrix, which includes course grades, national and state exams, transcripts, and culminating projects. The NYSSB takes the form of a Seal on the student's diploma and a medallion worn at graduation. 💡

Creating a classroom that celebrates multilingualism is essential. Read how Sonia Águila does it and inspires her students to succeed. https://bit.ly/3P7XshU #ELs #ELL #MLL #Education #MultilingualClassrooms #BilingualStudents #BilingualismIsASuperpower

"Unfortunately, without funding to back its #implementation, most #districts have not been able to adopt the framework’s powerful strategies for improving #literacy for all students. This lack of funding means many districts are not providing the necessary professional development for teachers, not investing in high-quality instructional materials, and not offering sufficient coaching and support services. As a result, the framework’s potential to improve literacy outcomes remains unrealized in most areas." Californians Together Executive Director Martha Hernandez took to EdSource to raise the importance of the English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework, and explain why funding it is crucial for creating a literacy approach that works for all students. More: https://buff.ly/3XmwCGV #EnglishLearners #MultilingualLearners #Biliteracy #NationalLiteracyMonth #California #LanguageArts

Is a bilingual school right for your child? Great question! Bilingual co-teaching schools offer significant benefits to students, both academically and socially. In bilingual co-teaching schools subjects are taught simultaneously in both languages. These programs enhance cognitive abilities by encouraging mental flexibility and critical thinking, as students learn to navigate and switch between two languages. This dual-language approach also fosters stronger language skills, as students develop literacy in both languages simultaneously. Socially, bilingual co-teaching promotes cultural awareness and sensitivity. Students are exposed to diverse cultures, which broadens their perspectives and helps them appreciate different backgrounds. Additionally, the co-teaching model allows for personalized instruction, catering to students' individual needs and learning styles. This ensures that all students, regardless of their language proficiency, can thrive. Overall, bilingual co-teaching programs equip students with essential skills for success in a globalized world. La Scuola d'Italia Guglielmo Marconi is an independent Italian international school in Manhattan, New York City, serving Pre-Kindergarten through High School/Liceo. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs established the school in 1977.  #LaScuoladItalia #IB #PYP #MYP #DP #Edchat #Learning #Teaching #Leadership #Students #Edreform #Education #School #Classroom #EarlyEd #PassionDrive #InspiringSchools #Learn

This is a comment I often get after I deliver my keynote on Disrupting the Monolingual Bias: “So what, Lillian, you DON’T want us to invest in my ELLs’ English language development?”  Here is my response: Yes, of course I do. I hold 4 degrees in bilingual education. I want our nation’s emergent bilinguals to develop a strong, robust, full-bodied range of English language literacy skills and analytical tools to succeed in whatever professional endeavors they may wish to pursue. And to achieve that goal in the US, a citizen requires confidence and competence in academic English.  And yet- ✨ I never want their English language development to come at the cost of their heritage language, culture, or humanity.✨ This is what I’m fighting against day after day- I never want English dominance, or the need to assimilate (e.g. change who you are to fit in) to forsake full biliteracy development. See... there is an invisibility of assimilation forces that operate so powerfully and unapologetically in our educational system. When we can peel back that layer of invisibility, we see the felt pressure to acquire academic English proficiency comes at so many costs. This is what I'm fighting to disrupt 😈. Thoughts? Drop me a line below 👇🏻 #bilingualeducation #teacherempowerment #schools #dei

In our upcoming book, tentatively titled 'Social Progression and Identity Reconstruction among Subaltern English Learners', chapter 3 — Liberative Motivation — explore the complex journey of non-elite South Asians in acquiring English and how this process becomes a tool for personal liberation. Grounded in self-determination theory, the chapter highlights how autonomy, relatedness, and competence play crucial roles in motivating these learners. For individuals from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, learning English represents far more than the pursuit of fluency — it becomes a pathway to social mobility, empowerment, and acceptance in a highly stratified society where English functions as a gatekeeper to opportunity. The chapter introduces the term "Liberative Motivation," a concept that captures the deeper yearning of subalterns to transcend the boundaries of class and identity that traditionally confine them. Through credible personal testimonies, it highlights the challenges these learners face — without the privilege of English-speaking environments — and how their motivations range from pragmatic, instrumental goals like employment to more integrative desires for social inclusion and self-expression. In this chapter, we reflect on how language acquisition, in contexts of marginalization, can become an act of resistance and self-assertion. This analysis is a timely reminder that education, when approached as a liberative tool, holds the potential to not only change individuals’ trajectories but also challenge the deeply ingrained inequities within society. The book will be published by Routledge Taylor & Francis Group later next year.

All 50 states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation to formalize a seal that celebrates students' bilingualism. Here's a deeper look. #K12 #Schools #Bilingual #EWTopReadsoftheWeek