Blue Valley Global Language Project- Chinese Immersion

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/Pam1rLMUTHMegDme/?mibextid=oFDknk

PSA: 💜 Ramadan is from March 10th - April 11th this year. It is the holiest time of the Muslim calendar. During Ramadan, students will be fasting from dawn to sunset, which means they will not be eating or drinking anything during that time period. This may leave Muslim students tired and without full energy the next day. Please be sensitive to students who are fasting. 💜

This is great for Washington State. State funding for dual language programs!!

Dual language education is one step closer to becoming a WA law Lawmakers have passed a bill to create permanent funding for dual-language programs in K-12 classrooms. It now awaits Gov. Jay Inslee's signature.

https://www.facebook.com/share/dJERD3mRjKUHfWeG/?mibextid=oFDknk

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/FfLnn6tgsSVbK567/?mibextid=oFDknk

The application for Blue Valley's Chinese Immersion program is now open. The program for incoming kindergarten students broadens horizons, enhances cognitive skills and teaches second language skills. Selection is based on a random lottery, with no preference for early/late submissions. Siblings of current immersion students will have preference, regardless of home school. The application is open through March 18.

For more information and to apply today visit www.bluevalleyk12.org/immersion.

The most important challenge is that of fairness or “linguistic justice”. A common language is a bit like a telephone network: the more people know a language, the more useful it becomes to communicate. The question of fairness arises because individuals face very different costs to access the network and are on an unequal footing when using it. Those who learn English as a second language incur learning costs, while native speakers can communicate with all network members without incurring such costs. It’s like getting the latest smartphone model and sim card with unlimited data for free."

English still rules the world, but that’s not necessarily OK. Is it time to curb its power? | Michele Gazzola For fluent speakers, there are clear benefits – for others, there are huge costs. Here are some ways to boost linguistic justice, says lecturer Michele Gazzola

UTSA associate professor of modern languages and literatures Whitney Chappell said there are a lot of advantages to being bilingual. The hiring advantages are apparent, but the skill also helps people become flexible thinkers and better multitaskers.

“Being bilingual can actually delay the onset of dementia symptoms by about six years,” Chappell said.

She says there’s an increased demand for bilingual speakers in the tech and medical fields.

https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2023/12/29/how-being-bilingual-pays-off/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/but-why-a-podcast-for-curious-kids/id1103320303?i=1000638723366

‎But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids: What's it like to be bilingual? on Apple Podcasts ‎Show But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids, Ep What's it like to be bilingual? - Dec 15, 2023

https://news.asu.edu/20231204-global-engagement-learning-new-languages-opens-world

Learning new languages opens up the world December is National Learn A Foreign Language Month. But what does that mean? ASU News talked to Danko Sikpa, a professor of Slavic languages and applied linguistics in the School of International Letters and Cultures, about the benefits of learning a second language and how to go about it.

📸 Look at this post on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/fFokUqx46cCGq2yh/?mibextid=MUfG1I

Educators say bilingual classrooms deliver positive results Studies have shown that there are significant benefits to bilingual education.

America’s future is moving towards racial, ethnic and linguistic diversity—versions of those trends have already arrived in California’s present. As my co-author Jonathan Zabala and I put it in our recent Century Foundation report, Moving from Vision to Reality: Establishing California as a National Bilingual Education and Dual-Language Immersion Leader:."

California Celebrates Its Linguistic Diversity While Shortchanging Bilingual Ed Calif. has 1.1M English learners and a $130B state education budget, but less-diverse states with fewer resources are making more robust investments.

“Make no mistake: multilingualism is a superpower. Knowing more than one language, acquiring a new language through school, or learning new languages later in life can provide tangible academic, cognitive, economic and sociocultural advantages,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “As our nation continues to grow more diverse, and as our global economy becomes more interconnected, we cannot seize our nation's full potential to compete and lead the world unless we Raise the Bar and provide all students with opportunities to become multilingual.”

Biden-Harris Administration Launches “Being Bilingual is a Superpower” to Promote Multilingual Education for a Diverse Workforce | U.S. Department of Education As part of its Raise the Bar: Create Pathways for Global Engagement, the Biden-Harris Administration today launched “Being Bilingual is a Superpower,” an initiative by the U.S. Department of Education (Department) to promote multilingual education and bolster high-quality language programs and a...

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/heres-why-miguel-cardona-is-pushing-multilingual-education/2023/11

Here's Why Miguel Cardona Is Pushing Multilingual Education The education secretary outlines how the Education Department is investing in language learning. Will it work?

"In fact, according to one research study, those possessing the ability to speak and understand a second language boosted their salary and job prospects by as much as 35 percent. Another study unearthed that nine out of 10 employers rely on employees that speak a language other than English, particularly when considering business development and expansion into new markets, with 56 percent reporting that their demand for bilingual and multilingual speakers will soar over the next five years."

Multilingual Speakers Wanted: Job Demand Surges For The Next 5 Years Learning a new language is not a skill reserved for translators. A second language can prove advantageous for your career, and can boost your salary. Here's why.

https://www.facebook.com/100063760892507/posts/800531562082200/?mibextid=CDWPTG

https://www.facebook.com/100064794484042/posts/708723534630790/?mibextid=Nif5oz

How thinking in a foreign language improves decision-making Research shows people who speak another language are more utilitarian and flexible, less risk-averse and egotistical, and better able to cope with traumatic memories

" A new study reveals that bilingual individuals have a unique advantage when it comes to memory retention and word prediction, due to the “competing words” effect. By constantly selecting from a larger pool of potential words in two languages, bilinguals train their brains for superior cognitive functions.""

The more proficient you are in your secon

Bilingual Brain Boost: How Knowing Two Languages Enhances Memory and Prediction - Neuroscience News Could being bilingual make you better at predicting words and enhancing memory?

https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/articles/4-benefits-of-dual-language-immersion-programs?fbclid=IwAR0lkCwfLKfsAtEZj3busWxwSIbPCy-a-L4IBLnKikM0tpDZ0zP9ujbxbis

4 Benefits of Dual-Language Immersion Programs Both native and non-native English speakers benefit from learning academic content in two languages.

Congratulations! Spots remain for enrollment this fall at Wolf Springs Elementary School! Join the Mandarin Immersion program.

Blue Valley third grader is one of state's best Chinese speakers Hannah Zhao, a third grader at Valley Park Elementary, earned second place in a national Chinese speaking contest.

This fall, the CI program at Wolf Springs Elementary School will welcome a new cohort of kindergarten students.
Join Us now!

Have a student entering kindergarten this fall? Join Wolf Springs Chinese Immersion program.
913-624-2400

Yes! There are still spots available!
Yes! Students can learn multiple languages at home and still learn Mandarin at school.
Yes! It is easy to sign up- Call 913-239-7600 and ask for your child to be in KDG Chinese Immersion!

Play date today
4 -5 pm