As another school year approaches, educators everywhere are preparing to welcome a new cohort of learners. With the excitement of fresh beginnings, it’s essential to understand where each learner stands in their language proficiency journey. This insight is critical for tailoring instruction to meet individual needs and fostering growth throughout the academic year. Contact Us […]
Continue readingUnlocking the World: Five Benefits of Virtual Exchanges for Your Language Students
Hello, fellow linguists! You know that, as language educators, our mission extends beyond vapid vocabulary lists and gummed up grammar rules; ideally, we want to open the doors to global citizenship and cultural competence for our students. We want them to catch whatever bug we caught, so long ago, that got us hooked onto travel, […]
Continue readingCelebrating Multilingualism: A Recap of the First Seal of Biliteracy Summit
On June 24-25, 2024, the US Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) held its first Seal of Biliteracy Summit. In a spirited gathering of great minds and passionate professionals, the summit welcomed nearly 200 participants, including researchers, practitioners, educators, students, and policy makers.
Continue readingAnnouncing the 2024 LTI Seal of Biliteracy Scholarship Award Winners
The LTI Seal of Biliteracy Achievement Scholarship celebrates students who have achieved the Seal in their state and stand out for their excellence in biliteracy. LTI received over 130 submissions – congratulations to all the students and teachers who made scholarship submissions this year. It’s exciting to hear your stories and share in your passion […]
Continue readingTurning Obstacles into Opportunities: The Story of José Nieves Roman
We thank Catherine Ragozzino, Multilingual Instructional Coach for Secondary Schools at Meriden Public Schools, for sharing José’s inspiring story with us. José Nieves Roman was born in Isabella, Puerto Rico. He has been legally blind since birth.
Continue readingPicking the AAPPL: How We Chose It and Five-Year Update
Five years ago, we became an early adopter of the Ohio Seal of Biliteracy, a prestigious award for our high school students who demonstrate a high level of proficiency in at least two languages. We envisioned the Seal as a way to honor our highest performing world language students, as well as to honor and […]
Continue readingCelebrating Language Proficiency: Meet the LTI’s Seal of Biliteracy Achievement Scholarship Recipients
Language Testing International, the exclusive licensee of ACTFL, is thrilled to sponsor the Seal of Biliteracy Achievement Scholarship, an award that recognizes the dedication of language learners who attain proficiency in two or more languages. This scholarship serves as a platform to honor their remarkable achievements and celebrate their linguistic accomplishments. This year, we received […]
Continue readingA Case Study: How I Prepare for and Learn from the ALIRA
We have been using the ACTFL Latin Interpretive Reading Assessment (ALIRA) for a number of years in our school. Currently, we use it exclusively for students who have signed up to pursue achievement of the Seal of Biliteracy.
Continue readingGeneration Z Students in the Language Classroom
Today’s classrooms are full of students from a cohort referred to as Generation Z or Gen Z. Understanding the characteristics of students can be an important tool for an effective teacher. The good news for language teachers is that there are several ways to capitalize on Gen Z characteristics to prompt growth in your language […]
Continue readingWe did the test. Now what? Part 1: Looking at yearly performance over time
We love to use the AAPPL test for our students to earn the Seal of Biliteracy, but to refine our program and to recognize growth as well as achievement, we have explored the data reporting tools that the LTI Client Site has to offer. In this article, I will discuss a few of the ways […]
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