본 연설은 미겔 카도나 미 교육부 장관의 연설문을 편집한 것입니다.
본 연설에서는 이중 언어 구사의 장점과 현재 미국 내의 다중 언어 사용 현황과 한계, 그리고 이를 해결하기 위한 방안과 목표를 언급하고 있습니다.
길이: 560 단어 (5분 5초)
Secretary Cardona Touts Multilingual Education in Being Bilingual Is A Superpower Initiative Launch Event
Glossary
Part 1 |
1 | National Native American Heritage Month | 아메리카 원주민 문화유산의 달 |
2 | Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) | 영어습득국 |
3 | English Learner Toolkit | 영어 학습자 도구 키트 |
4 | Federal civil rights laws | 연방 공민권법 |
5 | Family Toolkit | 가족 도구 키트 (비공식) |
6 | Newcomer Toolkit | 신규 이민자 도구 키트 (비공식) |
7 | Seals of Biliteracy | 이중 문해력 인증서/이중언어구사 인증서 |
Thank you and welcome, everyone!
I know you believe deeply, as I do, that being bilingual is a superpower. It’s an economic and cognitive superpower. Several studies point to greater incomes and competitiveness for bilingual workers. Multilingualism also fosters higher creativity, problem-solving skills, and greater flexibility in decision-making. These are tremendous assets in life and career.
Yet, our nation is not seizing the full potential of multilingualism. We are one of the most beautifully diverse nations in the world, with 350 different languages spoken here. Yet only 20 percent of Americans can converse in two or more languages. The number of people who speak a language other than English has tripled over the last three decades. Yet many of them have been made to feel that’s a deficit, rather than an asset.
If you are a speaker of a native tribal language, you are acutely familiar with a tragic chapter of our nation’s history, where those in power practiced appalling policies of forced assimilation of native languages and cultures. Those policies were shameful and wrong. Today, I want to say it loud and clear: your native language and culture are superpowers.
As we celebrate National Native American Heritage Month, let’s recognize that we can’t talk about multilingualism if we aren’t celebrating and revitalizing native languages – and if we aren’t honoring tribal consultation and educational sovereignty. This must be a core part of our approach to multilingualism – and it is.
Our multilingualism agenda is about unleashing the full potential of our nation. We need real actions to create lasting change. That’s what today’s release event is about: highlighting some of the concrete resources our team at the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) has launched to help districts and schools turn policy into practice and increase student access to multilingual programs.
First, we’ve put together an English Learner Toolkit to help state and local education agencies fulfill their legal obligations under Federal civil rights laws. It’s important to understand what these laws say about protecting the rights of English learners and treating everyone fairly. We’re also releasing a Family Toolkit to help families of English learners find the right services to meet their child’s unique needs, available in multiple languages.
We’ve updated our Newcomer Toolkit that supports teachers, principals, and others who work with immigrant students and their families. For Native American students who are English learners, we’ve awarded nearly $2 million to build capacity and offer support to them.
Finally, we’re sharing information about the benefits of state Seals of Biliteracy and how dual language programs help students earn this credential. Students who earn Seals of Biliteracy have an enormous competitive edge for their future.
We’re far from done. These actions are part of the broader multilingualism agenda we announced earlier this year. It includes funding and supporting proven programs in multilingual education and recruiting and retaining high-quality bilingual educators.
This is our multilingual moment. Now is the time for real change. To all the state and local leaders, superintendents, principals, and educators: we need your partnership. Let’s build a future where every student in America is multilingual – where every young person understands their native language is an asset and learning more than one is a superpower.
Together, I know we can raise the bar for multilingualism in America – for our students, for our families, for our future. Thank you.