At
Global Language Project, our approach is to think about language proficiency
not only as an end in itself, but as a means for students to achieve success in
a multitude of areas. Our curriculum is designed
to make direct links between learning the structure of a new language and the
core subjects that students are learning in their daily classes and core
subjects. Students need to engage on a deep level with another language not
only to gain more opportunities in the workforce, but to also develop the
skills they already are cultivating in the classroom. These skills are also
critical ones for students in higher education and in the workforce.
Often
in public schools, we see world language learning siphoned off into its own
category, which leaves students and educators perplexed as to why achieving
language proficiency becomes such a challenging process. As foreign as a new
language might seem, we believe that there is a way to make learning a new
language a process that students can identify with and in which they can find
familiarity. At GLP, our language
classes are structured so that students reinforce the multiple skill sets,
including social habits, they are learning in the classroom, but through the
eyes of another language and culture. Doing math exercises, for example, in Spanish
not only enhances student comprehension of new Spanish vocabulary but also
reinforces basic mathematical skills. Looking at the lives of important figures
in the history of Spanish-speaking countries not only provides students with
important cultural knowledge of a region, but also enables an appreciation of
history as a way of looking at the world.
While
language is our starting point, in many ways, the ends we hope to achieve are
bigger, and the stakes higher. Many of GLP’s students come from communities
that have limited educational resources and that suffer from poverty and its
social consequences. We have found that our language programs have given
students a safe space to channel their energies into something productive, and
to see the value in developing teamwork, leadership skills, and productive
relationships with their peers. In other words, language learning becomes common
ground for giving students in under-served communities the chance to work
towards broader goals for themselves and even for their local
neighborhoods.
Whether our students are saying Hola!, Ni Hao!, Bonjour!, or
Marhaba!, the value of learning another language remains constant. For us,
it is about enabling students to become a better version of themselves as
students, as potential members of the workforce, as global citizens, and as
members of their communities.
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