Tag: bilingual

Strengthening the Workforce: Why Multilingualism Matters in CTE

In today’s economy, language proficiency is more than a communication tool, it is a workforce necessity. As industries expand internationally, integrate diverse workforces, and prioritize safety and efficiency, the demand for bilingual and multilingual professionals has never been higher. Yet, language credentialing often remains an untapped opportunity in Career and Technical Education (CTE). At the […]

Celebrating the 2025 Seal of Biliteracy Achievement Scholarship Recipients

Language is an Asset—and These Students Prove It For the third year, Language Testing International® (LTI) has proudly awarded the Seal of Biliteracy Achievement Scholarship to high school students who not only achieved their state Seal of Biliteracy but also demonstrated a clear and compelling understanding of what it means to be multilingual.

bilingual bilingualism determining proficiency language assessment multilingual multilingualism Seal of Biliteracy

The Financial Industry’s Language Barrier Issue – A Call to Action for More Multilingual Banking

Let’s be honest—money talks, but what happens when your customers don’t fully understand the language your money is speaking? In a country where over 68 million people speak a language other than English at home, the financial industry has a language issue it needs to address. And it’s a big one.

ACTFL bilingual bilingual employee bilingual employees bilingualism determining proficiency employee language assessment finances financial industry language certification language in the workplace language proficiency language proficiency assessments language skills language test language testing multilingual multilingual employees multilingualism

5 Best Practices for Training and Assessing Medical Staff on Language Proficiency

Clear communication in healthcare isn’t optional—it’s lifesaving. From intake and triage to diagnosis and discharge, every step in a patient’s journey depends on accurate, effective communication. For multilingual patients, language barriers can lead to confusion, delays in care, misdiagnoses, and even fatal outcomes. That’s why healthcare administrators must take proactive steps to ensure their medical […]

ACTFL bilingual bilingual employee bilingual employees bilingualism determining proficiency employee language assessment employee language skills healthcare language assessment language in the workplace language proficiency language skills language test language testing medical staff medicine multilingual multilingual employees multilingualism patient safety

It’s a Fact: A Bilingual Workforce Reduces Safety Incidents

Let’s face it, we are living in a world of fast-paced work environment where language proficiency is no longer just part of a business’s “nice to have” capabilities—it’s actually a risk management strategy. This is especially true in industries where safety, quality, and compliance are directly tied to clear communication. Think for a minute how […]

ACTFL bilingual bilingual employee bilingual employees bilingualism communication employee language assessment employee language skills language in the workplace language proficiency language proficiency assessments language test language testing multilingual multilingual employees multilingualism patient safety tourism

Yes, the AAPPL Assesses Interpersonal Communication. Here’s How.

At the heart of proficiency-focused world language instruction is a commitment to helping learners communicate in real-life situations, to interact, share ideas, ask questions, and negotiate meaning with others. That’s why the Interpersonal Mode of Communication, as defined by ACTFL in the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines – 2024, is so important. And it’s also why some […]

AAPPL ACTFL bilingual bilingualism determining proficiency education interpersonal interpersonal listening and speaking interpersonal skills language assessment language learning language proficiency language proficiency assessments language test language testing

Setting Proficiency Goals and Testing to Those Goals: Ensuring Meaningful Language Learning

As language educators, we all want our students to develop real-world communication skills. But how do we ensure that our instruction aligns with the outcomes we desire? The key is setting clear proficiency goals and then selecting assessments that measure those goals effectively. Without intentional goal setting and appropriate testing, we risk misaligning instruction and […]

AAPPL ACTFL bilingual bilingualism determining proficiency education language assessment language learning language proficiency language proficiency assessments language test language testing

Advocacy in Virginia: The Seal of Biliteracy as an Industry-Recognized Credential

The value of an industry-recognized credential Industry-recognized credentials can include certifications, licenses, and micro-credentials and are a quick way to signal to prospective employers that you have certified skills that are valuable in the workplace. Students in high school seek these credentials for many reasons: to gain full-time employment after graduation, to gain part-time employment […]

bilingual bilingualism career and technical education certificate certification CTE determining proficiency education language assessment language certification language learning language proficiency language proficiency assessments language skills language test language testing multilingual multilingualism

Ultimate Outreach: Bridging K12, Postsecondary, Business, and Community

Have you heard conversations like these? Businessperson: Why does our school teach Spanish when we have a large Vietnamese population in our county? We need more trained workers – can we partner with schools or programs in the area to help us? Community service organization volunteer: We need support from the schools and businesses for […]

bilingual bilingual employee bilingual employees Bilingual Employees & Job Market bilingual professionals bilingualism career and technical education career development CTE determining proficiency education language assessment language learning language proficiency language proficiency assessments language skills language test language testing multilingual multilingual employees multilingual professionals multilingualism

The Perfect Match: How the AAPPL Aligns with the Guiding Principles for Dual Language Immersion

Dual language immersion (DLI) programs are built on a foundation of academic achievement, bilingualism and biliteracy, and sociocultural competence. To ensure success, programs must align with research-based best practices, as outlined in the Guiding Principles for DLI Education. The ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL), the only ACTFL test for learners in […]

AAPPL bilingual bilingualism determining proficiency DLI Dual Language Immersion dual language programs education immersion language assessment language learning language proficiency language proficiency assessments language skills language test language testing multilingual multilingualism