For businesses that are tapping in the global economy and serving increasingly multilingual populations, one truth stands out: language proficiency makes a huge difference. From healthcare to banking, retail to hospitality, multilingual customer service is no longer a bonus—it’s a business imperative. Organizations that invest in multilingual staff and language proficiency assessments are reaping measurable […]
Continue readingStrengthening 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 […]
Continue readingCelebrating 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.
Continue reading5 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 […]
Continue readingYes, 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 […]
Continue readingBuilding Language Program Relevance and Sustaining Growth with AAPPL Data
In today’s educational landscape, language programs face mounting challenges. Budget cuts, shifting priorities, and declining enrollment threaten the very existence of world language instruction in many schools. This trend is deeply troubling as multilingualism is an undeniable asset, and the demand for bilingual professionals is only increasing in fields like business, healthcare, politics, and national […]
Continue readingSetting 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 […]
Continue readingAdvocacy 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 […]
Continue readingUltimate 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 […]
Continue readingThe 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 […]
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