Advocacy for World Languages Lynn Fulton-Archer World Language Specialist, Rock Hill Schools [email_address]

What do these have in common? Strong Curriculum Organization Effective Planning Enthusiasm Up-to-date Information BUILDING BLOCKS OF ADVOCACY

Strong Curriculum

Organization

Effective Planning

Enthusiasm

Up-to-date Information

“ Where” does Advocacy occur? In your own classrooms Build strong programs that show results In your community Create opportunities for students to use the language outside the classroom In the legislature Contact representatives to support foreign language initiatives

In your own classrooms Build strong programs that show results

In your community Create opportunities for students to use the language outside the classroom

In the legislature Contact representatives to support foreign language initiatives

“ Who” are the Advocates? Students Parents Community Members Businesses Native Speakers YOU!!!

Students

Parents

Community Members

Businesses

Native Speakers

YOU!!!

“ What” can you do? Be proactive, not reactive! Don’t wait for budget cuts to act Establish relationships with everyone at all levels! Administration, teachers, parents Get parents involved! Committees, volunteers, e-mail

Be proactive, not reactive! Don’t wait for budget cuts to act

Establish relationships with everyone at all levels! Administration, teachers, parents

Get parents involved! Committees, volunteers, e-mail

“ When” should you advocate? At the beginning of the year Send letters to parents with program goals, meet with administrators and colleagues about the upcoming year In the middle of the year Sponsor festivals to highlight students At the end of the year Create opportunities to highlight student achievement

At the beginning of the year Send letters to parents with program goals, meet with administrators and colleagues about the upcoming year

In the middle of the year Sponsor festivals to highlight students

At the end of the year Create opportunities to highlight student achievement

“ How” can you advocate? Create a strong, standards-based program that produces results! Sponsor festivals and other events that highlight your language program. Contact the media with positive events within your programs. Create newsletters and flyers about languages in your school.

Create a strong, standards-based program that produces results!

Sponsor festivals and other events that highlight your language program.

Contact the media with positive events within your programs.

Create newsletters and flyers about languages in your school.

Recent Congressional Initiatives STUDY Abroad Foundation Act: $80 million to send students abroad SMART grants: Federally funded grants of $1.445 billion dollars each year TEACH grants to provide loan forgiveness upon teaching in high need areas COMPETE legislation increasing numbers of IB and AP programs in critical areas

STUDY Abroad Foundation Act: $80 million to send students abroad

SMART grants: Federally funded grants of $1.445 billion dollars each year

TEACH grants to provide loan forgiveness upon teaching in high need areas

COMPETE legislation increasing numbers of IB and AP programs in critical areas

What’s the message? We have power! But how do we use it? We need a roadmap!

We have power!

But how do we use it?

We need a roadmap!

Our Advocacy Roadmap The Goal Areas of the National Standards Communication Culture Connections Comparisons Community

The Goal Areas of the National Standards

Communication

Culture

Connections

Comparisons

Community

Communication Interpersonal Talk with everyone! Have an “elevator speech” about languages Interpretive Visit www.languagepolicy.org Do your homework! Presentational Informal notes, thank you’s Formal letters, information for the news

Interpersonal

Talk with everyone!

Have an “elevator speech” about languages

Interpretive

Visit www.languagepolicy.org

Do your homework!

Presentational

Informal notes, thank you’s

Formal letters, information for the news

Culture Products Legislation Studies, Research and Reports Practices Grade Level, PTO, School Board Meetings Get involved! Perspectives Put yourself in others’ shoes Learn what drives decisions

Products

Legislation

Studies, Research and Reports

Practices

Grade Level, PTO, School Board Meetings

Get involved!

Perspectives

Put yourself in others’ shoes

Learn what drives decisions

Connections Knowledge Information we have Information others need Viewpoints Our perceptions of decision-makers Decision-maker perceptions of educators

Knowledge

Information we have

Information others need

Viewpoints

Our perceptions of decision-makers

Decision-maker perceptions of educators

Comparisons Language “School” language “Local” language “National” language Culture “School” culture “Local” culture “National” culture

Language

“School” language

“Local” language

“National” language

Culture

“School” culture

“Local” culture

“National” culture

Community Within the School Student-created materials Video, print publications Beyond the School Festivals and Special Programs Outreach to business, community Lifelong Learning Panels of former students Careers with languages

Within the School

Student-created materials

Video, print publications

Beyond the School

Festivals and Special Programs

Outreach to business, community

Lifelong Learning

Panels of former students

Careers with languages

Local Resources Rotary Clubs Sister Cities Organizations Trade and Tourism Boards

Rotary Clubs

Sister Cities Organizations

Trade and Tourism Boards

National Resources http://www.languagepolicy.org

http://www.languagepolicy.org

National Resources http://www.languagepolicy.org Lobby organization for foreign languages Special pages devoted exclusively to foreign language advocacy Links to Congressional and Senate Web pages, funding sources and grants

http://www.languagepolicy.org

Lobby organization for foreign languages

Special pages devoted exclusively to foreign language advocacy

Links to Congressional and Senate Web pages, funding sources and grants

National Resources http://www.nnell.org

http://www.nnell.org

National Resources http://www.nnell.org Information specifically about early language learning Contact information to obtain the NNELL Advocacy Packet Links to journal articles and Web sites concerning early language learning issues

http://www.nnell.org

Information specifically about early language learning

Contact information to obtain the NNELL Advocacy Packet

Links to journal articles and Web sites concerning early language learning issues

National Resources http://www.mla.org

http://www.mla.org

National Resources http://www.mla.org MLA Language Map 2000 Census information that can be accessed quickly and easily showing numbers of languages spoken broken down into city, county, state, region

http://www.mla.org

MLA Language Map

2000 Census information that can be accessed quickly and easily showing numbers of languages spoken broken down into city, county, state, region

Additional Resources Flyers & Brochures Modern Language Association http://www.adfl.org/resources/index.htm Web Sites Foreign Language Association of Georgia http://www.flageorgia.org Videos Asia Society http:// www.asiasociety.org

Flyers & Brochures Modern Language Association http://www.adfl.org/resources/index.htm

Web Sites Foreign Language Association of Georgia http://www.flageorgia.org

Videos Asia Society http:// www.asiasociety.org

Discover Languages Ideas Mailbox Banners “Home of a French student” Discover Languages logo Language Tree Showing languages spoken by students, teachers Alumni Forum Students return to discuss how they use language

Mailbox Banners “Home of a French student” Discover Languages logo

Language Tree Showing languages spoken by students, teachers

Alumni Forum Students return to discuss how they use language

Advocacy Building Blocks Create a strong, standards-based program that produces results! Sponsor festivals and other events that highlight your language program. Contact the media with positive events within your programs. Create newsletters and flyers about languages in your school.

Create a strong, standards-based program that produces results!

Sponsor festivals and other events that highlight your language program.

Contact the media with positive events within your programs.

Create newsletters and flyers about languages in your school.