Research, perspectives, and ideas exploring the relationship between language, education, opportunity, and integration.
Imagine you have just arrived in the United States from another country with a teenager who is about to begin high school. Your family may have crossed thousands of miles, perhaps even an ocean or a continent, because you believed that your children could have opportunities here that were not available to you.
Read ArticleImagine arriving in the United States with a university degree, years of professional experience, and the ability to contribute immediately in your field.
Read ArticleFor millions of students in the United States, learning English is not simply an academic objective. It can determine which classes they are able to take, which professional interests they are able to explore, and how quickly they can begin preparing for life after high school.
Read ArticleWhen families move across countries, their language moves with them, but it does not remain unchanged. New words enter it. Old expressions acquire different meanings.
Read ArticleThe phrase “monolingual classroom” can sound like a description of efficiency: one teacher, one instructional language, one common standard.
Read ArticleLanguage can disappear from a family much faster than people expect. A parent may arrive in the United States believing that the language spoken at home is so deeply rooted that children will naturally preserve it.
Read ArticleBilingualism is often promoted with an appealing promise: speaking two languages supposedly makes the brain inherently sharper, improves attention, strengthens memory, increases empathy, and produces better problem solvers.
Read ArticleMore than 5.3 million students in American public schools were classified as English Learners in fall 2021, representing approximately 10.6 percent of total public-school enrollment.
Read ArticleWhen immigrant families arrive in the United States, language is often discussed almost exclusively in terms of English acquisition. That emphasis is understandable.
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