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Implementing AI

Saw this post on Facebook from Joe Dale. I know what many schools are working with integrating AI.  Here is something that might help.
 Thanks Joe
I’ve been receiving regular requests from schools around the world to design professional development sessions on integrating AI and accessibility tools into their teaching. To make it easier for them, I’ve put together two comprehensive “menus” of resources: one specifically for language teachers and one for any secondary teacher.
These resources are designed to help schools pick out the tools and techniques that suit their needs, with a view to booking a tailored professional development session. If you’re looking for ideas on how to incorporate AI and accessibility tools into your classroom, feel free to explore these menus and see what might work best for your school. Once you’ve identified the areas that interest you, I’d be happy to work with you to create a customised session that meets your specific goals. Let’s work together to empower both you and your students with some of the best AI and accessibility tools available!
Summary of Accessibility and AI Tools for Language Learning
Cross-Curricular Summary of Accessibility and AI Tools

FC 189 Grant: Proficiency-Based Outcomes in Languages Other Than English

Greetings Multilingual Learner Program Leaders,

DESE’s Office of Language Acquisition is inviting you to a brief webinar to discuss new grant funding opportunities in the FY2025 FC189 grant for Proficiency-based Outcomes in Languages Other than English. The webinar will be held on Tuesday, September 10th, 2024 from 2:00-2:30 PM. Registration for the webinar is available here. Recordings will be made available to all participants who register for the webinar. Applications for FC189 will be due to the Department by 5:00 PM on September 27th, 2024.
Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you at the webinar.

Sincerely,
Andy McDonie
Office of Language Acquisition
Sincerely,
The OLA Team

JNCL-NCLIS ACTION ALERT

 

ACTION ALERT

The House and Senate Appropriations Committees have now approved separate versions of Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) education and defense funding, and they remain very far apart on spending levels. With a simple click of a button, you can tell your Members of Congress to protect language education program funding in the final FY25 Labor HHS Education and Defense Appropriations bills.

If enacted, the House bill’s proposed elimination of Title II-A and Title III would remove all specially directed funding for the more than 5 million English Learners in this country and delete the federal government’s largest investment in professional development for K-12 teachers and school leaders. Similarly, the Senate’s proposed $5 million cut to WLARA would significantly pare back federal investments in innovative world language programs at military-connected public schools.

The good news is that we have time to push back on these devastating budget cuts. Congress is likely to push off final spending decisions until after the November elections.

Let’s use this time to educate Congress on the value and importance of these critical language education programs!

Good News – Credits for Seal of Biliteracy

Beginning Fall 2024, UMass Amherst will award 12 credits for the Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy and 15 credits for the Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction.

More Info here – https://www.umass.edu/registrar/students/transfer-information/massachusetts-state-seal-biliteracy

JNCL-NCLIS Language Education Funding Analysis, Senate Appropriations Committee Finalizes Education & Defense

Dear Ronie,

Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its Fiscal Year 2025 Labor HHS Education and Department of Defense spending bills.

Overall, the Labor HHS Education bill represents a significant funding upgrade from the House Appropriations Committee’s version. Where the House bill proposed to cut approximately $11.1 billion from the Department of Education’s budget and eliminate 17 programs, the Senate bill would actually increase the Department’s funding by more than $900 million and retain all programs.

For language education, the news in the Labor HHS Education bill was largely positive:

  • Title III, English Language Acquisition, received a $5 million increase in the Senate bill, a significant victory considering the House proposed to eliminate all funds for it.
  • Title IV-A, the flexible block grant that some districts use for language education programs, was accorded a $10 million increase over last year, which is the same that it received in the House bill.
  • Title II-A, the professional development grant program that the House also proposed to eliminate, received level funding in the Senate bill.
  • Title VI of the Higher Education Act, which sustained a more than $4 million cut in the House bill, was level funded in the Senate bill.
  • Indian Education, Native Hawaiian Education, Alaska Native Education, and Native American Language Resource Center were all flat-funded.

View the full analysis and funding comparison chart here.

The Committee also offered its support of “initiatives to build multilingual teacher pipelines through Grow-Your-Own initiatives and provide professional development in multilingual education for existing school staff and teachers” and “efforts for post-secondary fellowships to bolster the multilingual educator pipeline.”

Unfortunately, the Department of Defense’s FY25 spending bill, included only $10 million for the World Language Advancement and Readiness Grant Program (WLARP). While this is the same level as last year, it is still $5 million less than the House FY25 Defense spending bill included and $5 million less than FY23’s final appropriated level. JNCL-NCLIS will continue to work to show Congress WLARP’s value and restore the program to its $15 million funding level.

Congress is now in recess until September. When it returns, it will have very few days left to legislate before recessing for the election. It is anticipated that Congress will pass a Continuing Resolution, a temporary budget measure, to keep the government operating from October 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year, until December.

JNCL-NCLIS News

 

Before leaving for September recess, Congresswoman Deborah Ross (D-NC), Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (D-NC) and Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) introduced a full reauthorization of Title VI of the Higher Education Act.

The Advancing International and Foreign Language Education Act would reauthorize U.S. Department of Education higher education world language programs through 2030.

JNCL-NCLIS has worked closely with the Coalition for International Education to gather support for this reauthorization legislation and to ensure that Congress provides appropriate funding levels for Title VI in annual appropriations.

“Language education can broaden horizons and expand opportunities for Americans,” said Representative Jimmy Panetta (D-CA). “As the co-chair of the America’s Languages Caucus, I’m proud to support the Advancing International and Foreign Language Education Act which would extend language programs so critical to building a workforce ready to compete around the world. By investing in language and international education programs today, we ensure our nation can continue leading the world and the global economy.”

Resources for the Start of the School Year

Leslie Grahn has been sharing some resources to help teachers start the school year off on a positive note.  Check them out.

Kick off the new school year by starting with the “why.” Why learn another language? What are the benefits? How do you plan to start the conversation with your students? Here are some curated resources for you.  Click here to access the resources.Check back for more resources!

How will you provide a supportive learning environment for your language learners in the new school year? Support them with word walls, chat mats, expression lists, and more! Curated resources for you here.

As we are building relationships with our students and creating classroom community in the new school year, consider having students reflect on their strengths and talents and how they can contribute to the classroom community. Resources for multiple languages here

As we focus on building relationships and classroom community in the new school year, consider designing communicative tasks that have an affective element- tasks that create connections with and between students. Lean on instructional strategies like find someone who, speed friending, inside-outside circles and more.  Click here for a link to building relationships and Learning Environment!  Here are some resrouces for Speaking and Writing in World Languages.

Get your language learners out of their seats and moving with brain breaks in the TL! Zumba, Yoga, Dance, and more! Resources for multiple languages here

Check back often for more resources.  I will add them as I find them!  Thanks so much Leslie Grahn!

JNCL Legislative Alert

TAKE ACTION

On June 27th, the House Labor HHS Education Appropriations Subcommittee approved a bill that would slash $11 billion from the Department of Education, which is a 13% drop from last year, and eliminate 17 federally funded education programs. While not all cuts are not publicly known, it is clear that the House bill would completely eliminate two key language education programs – the $890 million English Language Acquisition (Title III) program and the $2.19 billion Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A) program. Take action today to help restore funding for these language programs! 

CLICK HERE FOR MOR INFORMATION

Special Announcement JNCL-NCLIS

In a significant stride towards advancing language education and policy, the Joint National Committee for Languages and the National Council for Languages and International Studies (JNCL-NCLIS) proudly announces its 2025 advocacy events. These events, taking place both in-person and virtually, aim to unite educators, policymakers, and language enthusiasts from across the nation. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in dynamic discussions, participate in workshops, and advocate for robust language programs. Whether joining on-site or online, participants will be instrumental in shaping the future of language education and policy.

Special Announcement: JNCL-NCLIS In-Person & Virtual Advocacy Events in 2025 (languagepolicy.org)