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Americans Want Language Education. Why Are Language Programs in Crisis?

America has a language paradox.

A recent Pew Research Center survey of 3,507 adults found that 78% of Americans believe it is at least somewhat important for children growing up in the United States to learn a language other than English. Yet only 43% of public schools offer world language classes, including just 20% of elementary schools. At the high school level, access rises to 82%, but by then many students have already missed the sustained early learning needed to build meaningful proficiency (nces.ed.gov).

If public support for language education is so strong, why are so many language programs struggling to survive?

The answer may lie in a disconnect between what Americans believe about language learning and how the education system positions, funds, and measures its value.Continue reading

Understanding English Language Certificates 101

If you want to feel more confident in your English competence and officially certify your proficiency, it is beneficial to learn more about language certificates. English language certificates can help put you into consideration for new, exciting opportunities.Continue reading

From Bilingual Headcount to Verified Transit Workforce Language Proficiency

Written by Lisa Rice

Your transit organization likely knows how many of your employees identify as bilingual. But when a rider needs an explanation of a service disruption, a paratransit policy or safety instructions, do you know who has the skills to handle it? Are those employees in roles that match the job responsibilities, with the support needed to optimize their potential? Could others be overlooked or underutilized?

How to Prepare for a Language Proficiency Test

A language proficiency assessment measures how well you can use a language in real-life conversations or applications, regardless of how you learned it. Understanding how to prepare for a language proficiency test helps you sharpen your skills and increase your chance of getting a higher score. Since these proficiency-based tests focus on what you can do with a language, practice is more important than memorization. You must dive beyond vocabulary and use strategic preparation to become comfortable in your target language.

Language Majors Are Beating the Odds. Here’s What Employers Already Know and Language Programs Should Pay Attention to.

“What are you going to do with that?” has become an almost inevitable question for students studying world languages. Traditionally, the assumption has long been that language learning is enriching, but not necessarily practical; culturally valuable but not career oriented.

Recent labor market data tells a different story.

ACTFL credentials ACTFL language proficiency assessments ACTFL proficiency certificate language majors

Selecting the Right Language Assessment for Your Program

Choosing a language assessment is an important decision. The right test can help educators understand what learners can do, guide instruction, support program goals, and give students meaningful evidence of their language proficiency.

As schools prepare for a new academic year, here are several questions to consider when selecting a language assessment.

AAPPL accessibility accommodations ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines COPPA

How Can Businesses Scale Language Proficiency Testing?

Businesses can scale language proficiency testing with a standardized testing framework and consistent proficiency scoring criteria. ACTFL tests evaluate language users on a proficiency scale that ranges from a Novice level to a Superior level. This scoring criteria helps you determine an employee’s precise language capabilities in real-world situations and on a global scale.

How AI Is Revolutionizing Language Learning

AI for language learning is becoming more popular with students because of its easy accessibility and advancements in natural language processing (NLP). From Azure AI Speech and Berlitz to Duolingo and Rosetta Stone, many companies are integrating AI into their language learning platforms because they offer excellent accessibility, personalization, and real-time feedback.

Set the Pace Before You Set the Curriculum: Using Early AAPPL Benchmarks to Start the School Year Strong

Every August, world language teachers begin the year with the same challenge: discerning where their students are today, including what they’ve learned last year, what they’ve inevitably forgotten over the summer, and how to help them make meaningful progress over the months ahead. The goal of Back-to-School planning isn’t to prove that students have already reached proficiency; it’s to establish a realistic starting point, set an appropriate pace, and build the routines that will steadily move learners forward.

AAPPL benchmarks Gold Standard

Your Heritage Language Is More Valuable Than You Think

Hispanic professional

Why understanding your language proficiency may be one of the smartest investments you make in your career

Growing up, my heritage language was simply part of everyday life. As a first-generation Puerto Rican, Spanish was the language of family gatherings, traditions, stories, and connection. Like many heritage speakers, I never questioned whether speaking another language had value; it simply existed as part of who I was.