The Seal of Biliteracy is an important and meaningful recognition of learners’ achievements in language learning. It celebrates linguistic diversity, honors learners’ heritage languages, and promotes the value of multilingualism in our schools and communities.
But to truly support learners’ futures in college, careers, and beyond, it’s essential to look further than the Seal itself and focus on what underpins it: the assessment used to demonstrate language proficiency.
I have noticed that financial institutions are recognizing more and more each day the importance of language accessibility and cultural fluency in serving their communities. One notable example is the Latino Community Credit Union (LCCU) in North Carolina, which has demonstrated in recent years how implementing multilingual services can lead to increased customer loyalty and expanded community reach.
Established in 2000 in Durham, North Carolina, the LCCU was founded in response to a series of violent crimes targeting Latino immigrants who, lacking access to traditional banking services, were forced to carry large amounts of cash when they got paid by their employers. This vulnerability highlighted the urgent need for a financial institution that could serve the Latino community’s unique needs.
From its inception, LCCU prioritized language accessibility. Recognizing that many of its members were more comfortable communicating in Spanish, the credit union ensured that all services, including account management, loan applications, and customer support, were available in both English and Spanish. Additionally, LCCU provided financial education programs tailored to the cultural contexts of its members, helping them navigate the U.S. financial system more effectively.
Of utmost importance, the credit union attributes its success to the bilingual staff they have hired from within the community who have the ability to help customers regarding financial matters in English and Spanish. I truly admire this decision, because in my experience not all institutions take serious measures in providing clear communication, mitigating risk, and fostering trust by prioritizing the language skills of their customer-facing employees as an operational imperative.
This is why ACTFL® assessments delivered through Language Testing International® (LTI), are so valuable because they are the gold standard in determining language proficiency, helping financial organizations like LCCU ensure that their teams can consistently meet the needs of clients of all backgrounds.
These figures underscore the credit union’s success in building trust within the Latino community. By addressing language barriers and providing culturally relevant services, LCCU not only attracted new members but also fostered long-term loyalty.
LCCU’s experience illustrates the broader benefits of embracing multilingual services in the financial sector. By investing in language accessibility and cultural fluency, financial institutions can:
Communicating in a customer’s preferred language demonstrates respect and understanding, fostering trust and confidence in your expertise.
Tailored financial education programs can empower underserved communities, leading to more informed financial decisions.
Multilingual services can attract a more robust customer base, opening up new markets and opportunities for growth, especially if no one else is catering to them, as in the case of LCCU.
Providing culturally relevant services can lead to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.
When financial institutions build trust with first-generation customers through language access and cultural respect, they often gain the loyalty of future generations. Children and grandchildren of initial members tend to stay within the trusted institution, resulting in sustained growth and a deeper community footprint.
I applaud LCCU for serving as an example of a compelling business model that demonstrates how to leverage language accessibility and cultural fluency to drive customer loyalty, generational engagement, and community empowerment. As financial institutions seek to attract untapped market segments, embracing multilingual services is not just a matter of compliance or goodwill—it’s a strategic imperative that can lead to sustained growth, deeper relationships, and success across generations.
To maximize these efforts, I recommend that financial institutions evaluate the language proficiency of their teams through ACTFL® assessments. Verifying true language capabilities ensures that institutions meet regulatory expectations in over 120 languages through objective, ACTFL-certified evaluations of an individual’s reading, writing, speaking, and listening proficiency.
By eliminating ambiguity, organizations can make informed staffing and development decisions, while bilingual professionals gain clear validation of their capabilities—strengthening the foundation for operational excellence and sustainable growth. For more information visit languagetesting.com.
At ACTFL® and Language Testing International® (LTI), we are committed to delivering the best possible assessment experiences for educators and learners. We always innovate, always listen, and always improve. As we kick off the new school year, here’s what’s new and updated with the ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL).
The AAPPL content is reviewed and refreshed every year; the 2025-26 version of AAPPL will be released Sept. 15. Please note that any test orders placed before Sept. 15 will receive the version used in the 2024-25 academic year.
The first ACTFL assessment of American Sign Language (ASL) is launching this September, just in time for the new school year! The ASL AAPPL assesses Interpersonal Interaction (II) and Receptive Comprehension (RC) and is designed for d/Deaf learners, CODAs (Children of Deaf Adults), and ASL language learners. It provides an ACTFL score that can be used for the attainment of the Seal of Biliteracy as well as for benchmarking and progress tracking.
The ASL AAPPL is fully accessible to all learners, and accommodations are available through the standard request process.
Developed in collaboration with d/Deaf and hearing ASL experts across the country from high school and university settings, ASL AAPPL honors the visual-spatial nature of the language and brings equity and recognition to ASL classrooms.
The ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL) for American Sign Language (ASL) is launching this fall, bringing the trusted ACTFL® gold standard to ASL for the very first time. The test was developed in collaboration with d/Deaf and hearing ASL experts and educators from across the country, as well as psychometricians and ACTFL’s Assessment and Research team, to ensure appropriateness of content, inclusiveness in all test resources, and test validity and reliability. The ASL AAPPL offers learners, educators, and institutions a research-based, culturally responsive, and interactive way to evaluate learners’ performance toward proficiency in American Sign Language.
Available in Form A and B and designed for learners in grades 9-12, the ASL AAPPL can support:
The spring testing is upon us. We have prepared useful tips as you plan for testing with the AAPPL and ALIRA.
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In today’s world, nearly every profession benefits from multilingual communication. But in healthcare, it’s not just a bonus. It’s often a matter of safety, equity, and legal responsibility. Whether it’s a nurse caring for a Spanish-speaking patient, an EMT responding to a call in a multilingual neighborhood, or a clinic receptionist helping a Chinese family navigate care options, the ability to communicate across languages can be the difference between misunderstanding and healing.
While academic institutions across the country make the tough decision to cut language programs, the demand for a language-proficient workforce, especially in healthcare, is growing. Employers are actively seeking nurses, technicians, and other frontline workers who can connect with diverse patient populations. By embedding Languages for Specific Purposes (LSP), such as Spanish for Health Professionals, into nursing and health sciences programs, institutions can meet this growing demand while offering students an unparalleled career advantage and preserving the language programs.
And when paired with ACTFL® language proficiency credentials, these programs become even more powerful, turning students’ multilingual skills into professionally recognized assets.
It’s no secret that if you deliver exceptional customer service, you will have the true competitive edge—and language skills are at the heart of it. Whether you’re in hospitality, retail, healthcare, or travel, the ability to communicate clearly and warmly across languages transforms everyday service into memorable experiences that drive loyalty and business growth.
As a communications and marketing expert, I have traveled to most major U.S. cities and internationally, talking to professionals across a wide variety of industries. I’m always curious to learn how important language proficiency is to the customer service imperatives of their companies.
Here are seven language pro tips that I’ve learned throughout the years that can elevate customer service in any industry, along with my personal experiences from hospitality, travel, healthcare, and retail contexts.
The demand for multilingual professionals is growing fast. In industries such as healthcare, hospitality, construction, and emergency services, the ability to communicate across cultures isn’t just an asset; it’s a workforce necessity. As communities become more diverse and industries more globally connected, employers are increasingly seeking workers who can speak the language of their customers and colleagues.
At Upper Bucks County Technical School (UBCTS), we believe in preparing students for the real world, where showing up on time, mastering your craft, and communicating are essential to long-term success. That’s why, through a partnership with Language Testing International® (LTI), the exclusive licensee of ACTFL® assessments, and NOCTI (the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute), we’re helping students graduate not just career-ready, but bilingual, credentialed, and confident.
When I sit with Marlyn Bonzil-Juste, CEO of Top Choice Medical Transport, it’s like sitting across from a quiet force of nature—steady, determined, and deeply rooted in service to her community. Every word she speaks carries the weight of experience, compassion, and an unwavering belief in the power of connection.
Marlyn’s journey to co-founding Top Choice Medical Transport is personal and tenacious. As an immigrant from Haiti, she watched her family struggle with access to reliable and culturally mindful healthcare transportation. It was her grandmother’s hardships in getting to critical medical appointments that first ignited Marlyn’s determination to build a better solution. Founded in 2020, her company has quickly become a vital link between patients and healthcare providers throughout Central Florida.
As I discussed with her how multilingual communication plays a critical role in non-emergency medical transportation, it became clear that Top Choice Medical Transport isn’t just a service—it’s a lifeline for many people.
As classrooms increasingly rely on digital platforms for instruction and assessment, ensuring student safety online has become more than a best practice. It’s a legal and ethical responsibility. While teachers often evaluate testing tools and classroom apps based on usability, price, and instructional value, there’s another critical factor that should always be part of the decision-making process: data privacy compliance.
Specifically, any online tool or assessment used with students under age 13 must comply with COPPA, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, a federal law enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). But here’s the catch: self-auditing alignment with compliance guidelines is not the same as being certified.
Let’s take a closer look at what COPPA compliance really means, why third-party certification matters, and how Language Testing International® (LTI) sets the standard for online student safety with the AAPPL and ALIRA test platforms.