Celebrating the Year of Languages in the U.S.

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Celebrating the Year of Languages in the U.S.
Resources for You and Your Community

• Jocelyn Tamborello Barbara Lindsey
• CT COLT October 18,2004

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Celebrate!
Educate!
Communicate!

• The Power of Language Learning!

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The Year of Languages

• Promote multilingualism and culture understanding
  in the U.S.
• Provide information about the teaching and
  learning of languages
• Support the lifelong learning of languages
• Motivate people to learn languages, and to raise
  awareness of the knowing another language.

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The Year of Languages

• Advancing the concept that every American should
  develop proficiency not only in English, but in
  other languages as well. 
• Launching a media campaign that will yield
  sustained attention and public awareness for
  years to come.  

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The Year of Languages

• Promoting and participating in the development of
  a national policy on foreign language education,
  one that raises the visibility and importance of
  language learning.
• Encouraging and supporting research on all
  aspects of language learning.

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The Year of Languages

• Establishing a national foundation for language
  education innovation, for scholarships for those
  seeking to be language educators, and to provide
  a forum for sharing important programs and ideas.

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The Year of Languages

• Promoting and participating in curriculum change
  through collaboration between national, state and
  local educators and government leaders.
• Building professional unity on national language
  issues, bringing together the various
  constituencies in language education and
  encouraging collaborative advocacy.

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• Our nation values linguistic and cultural
  diversity, international education and learning
  languages. It is time to celebrate our historic
  and important ethnic, cultural and linguistic
  diversity and future.

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Structure of the Initiative

• ACTFL as Sponsor
• Member organizations
• Government agencies and NGOs
• Business and corporations
• Publishers and other exhibitors
• Individuals

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Structure of the Initiative

• National Honorary Committee
• Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS)
• Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT)
• Governor Mark Warner of Virginia
• Dr. Maya Angelou
• Jean David Levitte, Ambassador of France
• Reginald Weaver, President of the NEA
• Thomas James, Dean of the School of Education,
  UNC-CH
• Dr. Humphrey Tonkin, University of Hartford
• Dr. Gonzalo Gomez Dacal, University of Salamanca,
  Spain
• ACTFL Working Committee
• Christine Brown/Marty Abbott, Co-Chairs

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Participants Kit

• General Information
• Sample press releases
• Sample proclamations
• An article for use in newsletters
• Year of Languages Logo
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Catalog of Promotional Materials

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Celebrate

• the increasing importance of language learning
  in American education and American life!

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Kick-Off

• 2005 Year of Languages Kick-off ACTFL Annual
  Convention in Chicago with announcements of the
  ACTFL-sponsored events and testimonials of
  support from noted people from the political,
  business, and entertainment arenas.

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December 2004Media

• Focus on print, television and radio media.
  Organizations are encouraged to build interest in
  2005 The Year of Language by contacting local and
  regional press.

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December 2004Media

• ACTFL Event Press conference held at the
  National Press Club in Washington, D.C. with
  public statements of support from the
• President of the United States
• Secretary of State
• Secretary of Education
• Secretary of Commerce
• Secretary of Defense

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January 2005Language Policy

• The focus on language policy will encourage
  local, state and national policy makers to
  examine the role of languages in their schools,
  and work and business environments.

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January 2005Language Policy

• ACTFL Event An interactive teleconference with
  chief policy makers broadcast from the University
  of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that will engage
  language educators, business leaders and policy
  makers in a discussion of national, state and
  local initiatives that focus on language use and
  language learning.

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February 2005International Engagement

• Activities that highlight the importance of
  international engagement will be encouraged by
  participating organizations. Building
  relationships with countries around the world
  will be featured as well as sister city
  initiatives and study abroad programs.

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February 2005International Engagement

• ACTFL Event A panel of Fulbright Exchange
  participants as well as representatives from
  other international programs will be featured at
  a symposium on the importance of study abroad
  programs and using language beyond the classroom.

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March 2005Connecting Languages to Other Areas

• This focus will encourage activities that show
  the interrelationships between languages and
  other subject areas or professional fields.

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March 2005Connecting Languages to Other Areas

• ACTFL Event A panel discussion of languages
  and the connections to other fields will feature
  scientists, mathematicians, sociologists, and
  artists.

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April 2005Higher Education

• This focus will provide a forum for discussion
  of enrollments, curricula, programs, and
  initiatives in the higher education institutions
  in the United States. Symposia that focus on
  higher education initiatives that promote
  advanced levels of languages will be featured.

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April 2005Higher Education

• ACTFL Event Students who have participated in
  the National Security Education Program (NSEP)
  will be featured along with programs that combine
  engineering or business with language, such as
  the University of Rhode Island.

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May 2005Language Advocacy

• This month participating organizations are
  encouraged to identify ways that language
  learning and multilingualism can be promoted in
  their own communities. Highlighting languages in
  the media will be a primary mechanism for
  promotion.

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May 2005Language Advocacy

• ACTFL Event In conjunction with the JNCL
  Delegate Assembly, events will be held on Capitol
  Hill to highlight the importance of languages at
  the federal level including building our language
  capacity as a nation through various programs and
  initiatives.

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June 2005Adult Learning and Language Use

• During this month, language learning and
  language use by adults will be featured.
  Organizations that offer programs for adults to
  learn languages will be highlighted as well as
  ways that languages are used in work and leisure
  situations.

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June 2005Adult Learning and Language Use

• ACTFL Event A symposium on Language Use in the
  Work World will feature policies and practices
  found in the U.S. business world.

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July 2005Languages and Communities

• This focus will encourage participants to
  feature the languages and cultures found in their
  own communities. Chambers of Commerce, Rotary
  Clubs and other service organizations, as well as
  libraries should be tapped for participation at
  the local level.

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July 2005Languages and Communities

• ACTFL Event The annual Folk Life Festival
  sponsored by the Smithsonian Museum will feature
  communities throughout the U.S. and their
  respective languages and cultures.

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August 2005Parents

• The important role that parents play in
  providing language opportunities for their
  children will be highlighted. Information on the
  brain research and other important benefits for
  students will be emphasized as well as the
  important role that parents play in supporting
  language programs.

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August 2005Parents

• ACTFL Event The National Council of PTAs
  will co-sponsor a forum that will provide parents
  with cogent benefits and rationales for beginning
  to learn languages at an early age. K-12
  programs that highlight language learning will be
  featured.

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September 2005Heritage Languages

• Emphasis will be on promoting the learning and
  maintenance of heritage languages including
  Native American as well as endangered languages
  and American Sign Language.

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September 2005Heritage Languages

• ACTFL Event A nationwide teleconference will
  feature heritage languages found in various
  regions of the USA and efforts being made to
  preserve those languages.

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October 2005Early Language Learning

• The benefits of early language learning will be
  emphasized as well as various program models that
  can be used at the elementary level.
  Participating organizations will be encouraged to
  make presentations at PTA meetings and to School
  Boards highlighting the rationale for beginning
  language programs in elementary schools.

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October 2005Early Language Learning

• ACTFL Event A Saturday festival featuring
  elementary students who are studying languages
  will be organized with presentations of songs,
  skits, and artwork.

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November 2005Celebrating Accomplishments
Looking Ahead

• Culmination of 2005 The Year of Languages at the
  ACTFL Annual Convention in Baltimore. Using the
  momentum to build a better future. The first
  National Language Teacher of the Year winner will
  be announced.

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December 2005Culture

• Participating organizations are encouraged to
  highlight the learning of culture during this
  month.

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December 2005Culture

• ACTFL Event Culminating cultural program at
  the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. sponsored
  by ACTFL and various embassies.

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Educate

• students, parents and the public in general
  about the benefits that students gain from
  learning other languages and studying about other
  cultures. 

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Communicate

• the importance of language programs in American
  education and society! 

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Celebrate!
Educate!
Communicate!
Orchestrate!
Participate!
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How can you participate?

• List your activities on the CT COLT web site!
  http//www.ctcolt.org/yoleventform.htm
• Join a CT COLT committee
• Share this information with your colleagues and
  neighbors
• Visit the ACTFL web site regularly
  www.yearoflanguages.org