Texas Foreign Language Association

Texas Foreign Language Association
A Professional Association Dedicated
to the Advancement of
Languages Other Than English

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last update: March 24, 2010

Public Outreach and Advocacy Committee

NEW: Join the Advocacy Email Network. Send Phyllis Thompson – advocacy@tfla.info - your email address.
“A different world cannot be built by indifferent people.” Anonymous

The purpose of this committee is to disseminate and publicize information, data, and materials which demonstrate the importance of the study of modern and classical languages and their literatures and cultures and make the public aware of the need for the study of both English and Languages Other Than English.

The committee also monitors and disseminates to the membership information about legislation and policies at the state and national levels which affect the study of Languages Other Than English.

The committee maintains the TFLA E-mail Network which disseminates to both members and non-members up-to-date information about current state and national policy and legislative developments as well as early information on TFLA events and conferences.

JOIN NOW

To join the TFLA E-mail Network and receive timely updates on a regular basis, just e-mail your e-mail address to Phyllis Thompson - advocacy@tfla.info. Here's how YOU make a difference.

MEMBERSHIPS

TFLA at the state level and ACTFL nationally represent the interests of foreign language studies. AATF, AATG, AATSP and the Classical Association also support language interests. Your membership in these organizations provides financial support and the strength of numbers which is essential if they are to be effective.

PHONE AND FAX

Have you communicated with a board member or a legislator by telephone or fax? Your calls are counted. They make a difference.

LETTERS

Have you sent a letter to a legislator recently? Each time you write you influence legislative decisions.

COMMITTEES

Have you participated on a campus site-based management team or a curriculum committee? You can influence organization and curriculum when you are part of these groups.

THROUGH YOUR REPRESENTATIVES

TFLA representatives and officers advocate for you. They have given testimony for many issues including the Texas Recommended High School Program, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Languages Other Than English, Elementary Language Programs, and Certification for Texas Teachers

SPEAKING WITH FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES

Sharing information about foreign languages with others helps them understand the increasing need for persons who speak languages other than English. They may become our friends and allies.

WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDY?

Keep talking
Keep writing
Keep Participating
Support your Language Organizations
Keep your memberships current
Join the TFLA E-mail Network

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ADVOCACY - the NATIONAL Connection

President Bush: (202)456-1414

Address: The Honorable Barack Obama

The White House

Washington, DC 20500

The office of any member of Congress and all committees and subcommittees can be reached through this number: (202) 224-3121.

Washington Legislative Status Office: (202) 225-1772

US Senator John Cornyn: (202) 224-2934 FAX (202) 224-5220

US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison: (202) 224- 0776

Addresses:

The Honorable _________
US Senate
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable _________
US House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

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E-Mail addresses

President Obama: President@whitehouse.gov

Vice-President Biden: Vice.President@whitehouse.gov

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison: via email form on her website.

John Cornyn: via web site

Many US Senators and Representatives do have e-mail and maintain web sites.

The US Senate and the US House of Representatives maintain indexes listing links to members' home pages. Others do not yet have internet communication capabilities.

To obtain the names and addresses of your national senators and representatives you may call the Federal Information Center at 1-800-688-9889 or visit their website.

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ADVOCACY - the TEXAS Connection

Governor of Texas: (512) 463-2000

Lt. Governor of Texas: (512) 463-0001

Texas Legislature Bill status: (800) 253-9693

Texas Capitol Information: (512) 463-4630

Texas Legislature ONLINE

Addresses for Texas Legislators:

Senator ____________
PO Box 12068
Capitol Station
Austin, TX 78711
FAX 512 463 0326

Representative ____________
PO Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768-2910
FAX 512 463 5896

Governor ___________
PO Box 12428
Austin, TX 78711

The Texas Education Agency
1701 North Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-0326

The Texas State Board of Education

Testimony to SBOE

SBOE reviews physical activity

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Students reap many long term benefits from Languages Other Than English

They use Languages Other Than English to communicate, interpret and present information.
They gain insight into their own language and culture.
They find it much easier to learn a third language.
They understand English better than those who know only one language.
They gain knowledge and understanding of other cultures. They use this cultural knowledge and understanding to achieve appropriate and meaningful interaction.
They use Languages Other Than English to acquire and/or exchange information.
They perform better in their other academic subjects because they have studied a Language Other Than English.
They use languages other than English to participate in multilingual communities at home and around the world in work and leisure situations.
They make comparisons across the curriculum, seeing relationships among science, social studies and language arts and the history and culture of the speakers of other languages.
heir SAT scores are higher, on the average, in both verbal and math sections than for students not taking a second language. Each additional year of language study shows increased scores, regardless of students' abilities.
They develop higher level thinking skills (i.e., creativity, inductive and deductive reasoning, problem solving, etc.) more rapidly than monolingual students.
They meet college entrance requirements. In recognition of the importance of knowing Languages Other Than English, more and more colleges and universities are requiring the study of Languages Other Than English for admission and graduation.
They have access to more careers and jobs. Languages Other Than English open doors. (US Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics) They are the basis of some careers (teaching foreign languages, translating, interpreting) and a valuable asset to most careers (marketing and finance, tourism, government, medical services, retail services, international organizations and businesses) and one of the skills needed in a rapidly changing world.
As Texas and the United States become more and more involved in foreign trade, tourism, and international cooperative ventures, the number of jobs open to fluent speakers of Languages Other Than English increases. (US Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics) Since the signing of NAFTA, Texas is already doing more commerce with both Canada and Mexico.

Suggestions for Discover Languates 2007 Activities

Student Activities

Establish e-pal connections
Design/distribute T-shirts
Give concerts in different languages
Have students teach languages to adults
Conduct poster contests and create notecards from winners
Ask stores to allow window decoration competitions
Enlist local libraries to promote a “ReadFest”
Create a YOL float for local parade
FL cheers at athletic events
Have students make announcements in FLs for school
Organize a FL camp or a FL day
Have a FL family class
Pair students with English learners in the community
Have a crossword puzzle contest with commonly used foreign words
Take students to local school boards to showcase their work
Have middle and high school students teach a class in the elementary school
Have students do bilingual storytelling at school and public libraries
Make a video showcasing FLS in class and in the community
Identify foreign companies doing business in your community
Sell or give away YOL buttons
Ask alums to give testimonials on the importance of FLS in their careers

Feel free to develop other activities.

School Activities

Have multicultural festivals with music and theater performances
Publish a literary magazine in different languages
Do cafeteria menus in FLs
Announce YOL at sporting events
Highlight exchange students
Celebrate one language each month
Promote a FL student of the Week
Highlight students and adults with multicultural storiesGive awards to supportive individuals and businesses
Invite guests to school
Enlist help of other organizations like Rotary and PTA
Enlist collaboration of teachers in other disciplines
Educate all teachers and school counselors about importance of languages

The Textbook vs. Technology debate

The use of technology is an important component in our LOTE programs. At the same time schools and classrooms are not currently able to function without textbooks. Sufficient funds to provide laptops for every student in Texas are not available. School infrastructure could not support the demands on electricity. The price of electronic textbooks would have to be comparable to the price for hardback textbooks in order to support the research necessary to develop them. Complete abandonment of textbooks is not appropriate at this time, nor is it clear that this would ever be wise.

The increased use of technology in the Texas public schools should be phased in at a realistic and affordable pace. This may be a good time to study all the options and their consequences. TFLA will make every effort to participate in this dialogue. TFLA did contact the Honorable Kent Grusendorf with our concerns about a too early replacement of textbooks with electronic materials. We requested that he support the funding of Proclamation 2002.

Communicate with your legislators
Funding for Proclamation 2002
Governor Rick Perry,
Office of the Governor, P. O. Box 12428 – Capitol Station, Austin, TX 78711

Lt. Governor David Dewhurst, P. O. Box 12068, Austin, Texas 768711

The Honorable Tom Craddick,
Texas House of Representatives, P.O. Box 2910, Austin, TX 78711

Mr. John O’Brien, Deputy Director, Texas Legislative Budget Board,
P. O. Box 12666 – Capitol Station, Austin, TX 78711

Submitted by Phyllis B. Thompson, TFLA Director for Public Outreach and Advocacy

l) NSLI
2) FLAP
3) Discover Languages

ACTFL is launching a new sustained public
awareness campaign for language education.
DiscoverLanguages.org will be built over the next several months

4) DOD announces language pay
5) Critical languages grants
6) A new era for languages
7) JNCL Response to NSLI
8) A Response to the National Securily Language Initiative by the Language
Profession
9) TFLA Petition regarding NSLI

FLAP NOTICE OF PRIORITY

On May 19th, the Department of Education announced a competitive preference priority for critical foreign languages for the Foreign Language Assistance Program (FLAP) grant. The Department intends this priority to increase the number of grants to the LEAs and the SEAs that have critical language programs. The Department will award up to an additional 15 points to an application that meets the priority. The critical languages given competitive preference priority are: Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Russian, and languages in the Indic, Iranian, and Turkic language families.

The Department of Education received comments from over 75 parties when it announced its proposal to make critical languages a priority for the FLAP grant. Many of the comments stressed that by limiting the grant to
critical languages, to the exclusion of other languages, would be detrimental to language education overall. In response to this concern,
the Department of Education states that "this priority for projects teaching
critical languages would not necessarily preclude applicants from proposing projects providing instruction in other foreign languages when applying for a grant."

To read all of the Department of Education's responses to the comments
submitted, please visit the following websites:

FLAP - Local Education Agency Notice

FLAP - State Education Agency Notice

FLAP APPLICATION
On the same day, the Department of Education also released the FLAP SEA andLEA grant applications. The two applications are attached as .pdf files.
The applications are also posted on www.grants.gov at:

Foreign Language Assistance Program: State Educational Agencies (84.293C)

U.S. Department of Education
Foreign Language Assistance Program: Local Educational Agencies (84.293B)

Curriculum Changes: 4 X 4

The Texas Foreign Language Association respectfully encourages the SBOE to adopt the Commissioner’s proposal to increase the number of required credits for the Recommended Plan from 24 to 26 in order to accommodate the increase in requirements of one credit each for math and science while still allowing students choices.

One size does not fit all. We don’t want to require all students to add the two credits for math and science and thereby deny them the opportunity to explore other important subject areas. Flexibility is necessary, both for students and for school districts. Each discipline offers students opportunities for intellectual growth and increased knowledge for the 21st century. We do not want to deny students the opportunities to pursue interests or develop expertise needed for specific career goals.

If the Recommended Program credits remain at 24, students lose two credits that they could have used to explore elective courses such as music, art, and languages other than English. These opportunities can be the deciding factor that motivates them to do well, to stay in school, to begin vocational decisions, and to become life-long learners. In these courses students develop creativity and critical thinking skills---all skills that will be useful in any 21st century career.

Even now, before the addition of a fourth year of math and science, there were not enough opportunities for students to take upper level courses in areas of interest. If the credits remain at 24 and an extra credit in both math and science is added, upper level courses in other very worthwhile areas may disappear.

Specific benefits of Languages Other Than English:

Higher level of proficiency in extended sequences. Students benefit from studying LOTE over an extended number of years. Students who study level 5 LOTE courses are performing at the Advanced-low to Advanced-high level of proficiency. This is the proficiency level required of teachers to pass the TOPT. It is necessary to increase total credits from 24 to 26 in order for students to be able to complete the Recommended or Distinguished Plan and/or still complete the fifth year AP/IB courses.

College preparation. Many colleges and universities give admissions preference to students who take these courses and award college credits for successful passing of the exams.

Benefits to other academic areas. Four years of LOTE study has benefits in other academic areas. The 2005 College Board SAT Report on College Bound Seniors shows that students increase their SAT verbal and math scores with 4 years of LOTE study.
    Content Area                            Verbal*                                 Math*

ELA
515

522

Science

530

539

Math

519

528

Social Studies

521

526

LOTE

562

568

Fine Arts

543

541

* Mean scores for verbal and math based on four years of study in the content areas:

Career preparation for 21st century. Four and five years of LOTE study prepares students to use these languages in careers. Commerce is increasingly international and President Bush has launched the National Security Language Initiative, a plan to further strengthen national security and prosperity in the 21st century through education, especially in developing foreign language skills.

Diminishing number of electives:

Unfortunately, elective opportunities for middle school students are diminishing as districts make curricula changes and double block English and/or math to focus on TAKS assessment. In 2003 9% (65,602) of students studying languages other than English were in middle school. In 2005 7% (55,833) of students studying languages other than English were in middle school. Many students start courses in languages other than English in high school. For 2005-2006, the 720,108 students of the 830,328 students studying LOTE, K-12, were in high school.

The inclusion of a mandatory two credits of math and science for all students further reduces options for students. It could seriously reduce the enrollment in other programs like languages other than English, music, and art. It is, therefore, necessary to increase total credits from 24 to 26 in order for students to be able to complete the Recommended or Distinguished Plan

Oral Testimony at SBOE meeting, September 14, 2006

1) One Size does not fit all: Need for flexibility in order to include areas besides the so called foundation subjects. These additional areas could be where students find motivation to study more and/or to stay in school, develop critical thinking skills, prepare for 21st century professions and avocations. Therefore, it is important to raise the required credits of the Recommended Plan from 24 to 26 to maintain the same flexibility of electives.

2) Data about LOTE (see written testimony for details)
            5th level courses, AP and IB courses
            College admissions and college credit
            SAT and four years of LOTE

3) Middle School Opportunities
            Students can take HS credit in math and foreign languages in middle school in order to have time for more electives or to pursue interests more deeply in HS. Students who choose this path and take math in middle school and earn one HS credit should not be penalized and required to take a 5th year of math in HS. They should be allowed to pursue other subjects which could also be rigorous, for example AP music theory or AP LOTE courses..

National Foreign Films

NATIONAL FOREIGN LANGUAGE WEEK MARCH 2-8, 2009

Alpha Mu Gamma is the Official Sponsor of National Foreign Language Week

National Foreign Language Week was inaugurated in the Spring of 1957 by Alpha Mu Gamma. Sister Eloise Therese, the National President of Alpha Mu Gamma from 1956 to 1960, discovered that such a week had never been officially celebrated in the United States as a whole, although foreign language had receive recognition by different educational institutions at various periods of the academic year. Inspired by her the National Council of Alpha Mu Gamma began to formulate plans to make the United States aware of the need for and importance of foreign language study through the celebration of NFLW. The first celebration was set for the week of February 17 to 23, 1957. Each year since then the National Executive Council of AMG has set a week for this event. In recent years it has become the practice to have NFLW during the first full week of March.

On December 12, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent a telegram endorsing the celebration, and each succeeding president has added his support. An even greater contribution to the success of NFLW was made by the posters of the late Bruce Russell, who received not only the Pulitzer Prize but also recognition from President Eisenhower for his efforts toward greater world understanding through his timely cartoons. He offered the Society a cartoon each year until his death in 1963, and even left one finished drawing and an unfinished sketch that were used in 1964 and 1966 respectively. These posters have been distributed each year throughout the United States and are available for sale to interested bodies.

The chapters of Alpha Mu Gamma, now spread through over forty states, took the initiative in organizing activities during the Week with the purpose of making the American student aware of the vital necessity for foreign language study. Typical projects were newspaper articles, radio and television programs, foreign language films, festivals of foreign music and plays, the singing of foreign songs and lectures open to the public. Soon other universities, colleges and schools were also celebrating NFLW.

Every year a NFLW poster with a new theme is printed. It is distributed free to all AMG chapters and is available for sale to the public. Normally the posters size is 24"x19", and are printed in two versions - one with the official date for the Week and one without. The cost, at present, per poster is $6 and shipping & handling is $6 (for 1-5 posters). Shipping is free for orders of 25 posters and above. They are mailed out in solid mailing tube by US Priority Mail.
The Official Theme for the year 2009 is:

"Many Hands, Many Voices, One World"

NFLW will be celebrated March 2 - 8, 2009/p>

Click on image to enlarge

To see past years' posters and US Presidents' letters, enter History/Archive

National Office
Alpha Mu Gamma National Office
Los Angeles City College
855 N. Vermont Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90029

Phone & Fax: (323) 644-9752
amgnat@lacitycollege.edu

lacitycollege.edu home | E-mail: Webmaster | LAColleges.net | LACCDBuildsGreen.org - Last Updated: 12/10/08 >

Sample Proclamation