It is estimated that in the United States, approximately one-third of young children reside in a household where a language other than English is spoken. Across 19 states and the District of Columbia, close to one-third of children eight years old and younger are growing up with at least one language in addition to English. Also, dual language learners are currently more racially and ethnically diverse than their monolingual English counterparts.

Getting ahead

A burgeoning body of research confirms that 1) at birth, children have the capacity to become proficient in two or more languages; and 2) there are potential developmental and learning advantages to growing up bilingual or multilingual, such as stronger cognitive flexibility,  better attentional control, more positive attitudes towards diversity, and healthy identity development. Many of these advantages continue to develop throughout a person’s life.

Consequently, there is a critical need for early childhood practitioners that know about, and are capable of applying what is known about early bilingual and multilingual exposure to their work. Practitioners that understand the socioemotional and cognitive implications of early bilingual or multilingual exposure, and vigorously incorporate this knowledge into their practice have the opportunity to be more effective by creating and sustaining a climate that embraces bilingualism as an asset, developing strong partnerships with linguistically diverse families, and understanding and incorporating family language development goals into programs’ policies and practices. Very importantly, this enhanced efficacy can be achieved whether or not early childhood professionals are themselves bilingual or multilingual.

Thus, practitioners need preparation that  gives them access to research on the principles and theories of language development; the relationship between first and second language; the role of culture, family, and community in development and learning; and how to create curriculum  and programs that support children from diverse backgrounds.

The post Why Early Educators Need to Know the Benefits of Bilingual Learning appeared first on Education and Career News.

A reading home

“It was my mother who inspired my love of learning, my love of literature and my love of the written word,” Burton recalls. “My mother was an English teacher and reading was mandatory in her household. When I was a child, my mother didn’t simply read to me, she read in front of me so I got that very important modeling. She set the example that reading is as necessary for the human species as breathing.”

“We have to expose children to enough different sources of reading materials until we find that gateway source that is going to turn them into a reader,” urges Burton. “The biggest challenge that we face is marshaling the will of the people to decide that education is indeed a priority for us.”

Solving the crisis

Burton believes whole-heartedly in the power of storytelling. “I believe that if we take any information we want our children to learn, any subject we choose to teach them — history, math, language, social studies — embed that information in storytelling, using the native storytelling idioms of that child’s culture, add in some gaming mechanics and a leveling-up system, we could turn this educational crisis around,” Burton explains.

From game-based learning to knowledge analytics, today’s educators are adopting new technologies to inspire the next generation of thinkers and tinkers. “If we fail to use the technology that is available to us to better educate our children, we will have missed the opportunity of the millennia,” he says.

“Parents ask me all the time, ‘how do I get my child to read more?’” Burton recalls. “I ask these two things: number one, does your child see you reading? We have to demonstrate to our children that it is an important part of life to be a reader. Number two, do you know what your child is passionate about? Because it is our passions that tend to drive our reading appetites.”

The post LeVar Burton Tackles the Educational Crisis Through Reading appeared first on Education and Career News.

As a Goodwill Ambassador, what have you seen to be the most important life challenge facing early childhood education in the world?

The biggest challenge I can see worldwide is that there is no compulsory program or agreed upon international standards that call for early childhood education, and this is crucial not only because the first five years of life are when the brain develops at a rate that is unparalleled later in life, but also because in developing countries, it’s children’s best chance at having the right start in life so they can stay in school and become productive members of society.

How does this challenge directly affect or relate to United States children?

The United States, like most other countries, doesn’t have free pre-K nationwide — though some states have begun to implement it and shown promising progress. Although it’s one of the richest economies in the world, there are many living below the poverty line and places where education is failing. Universal access to pre-K helps take some of the onus off parents, particularly working parents, to be the sole educators. I think the biggest challenge, that is already gaining strength as a movement, is creating awareness of how valuable it really is.

What do you believe can be done to overcome this challenge?

The more that constituents put pressure on their leaders to prioritize this issue, the better chance it has of gaining public funding. Media campaigns have greatly helped in this respect, raising awareness of the value and return on investment.

What do you believe needs to be prioritized when it comes to early childhood education?

I think it’s very important for early childhood education to include: nutrition, particularly in developing countries, because healthy nutrition goes hand in hand with healthy brain development; and parent education, so that parents are able to reinforce at home what has been taught in school.

As a mother of two young children, how do you maintain a healthy early development environment before they enter kindergarten?

While I recognize that many parents work and have limited time at home with their children, I think the best thing you can do is take advantage of the time you do have and engage in meaningful interaction with them — talking, showing affection, reading to them. Babies are taking in so much and need constant stimulation. It doesn’t take much creativity on the part of an adult — it’s just exposing them to interaction and being as nurturing as possible when you are together — it goes a long way.

What do you focus on when it comes to having a hand in your children’s education?

I am a bit of a “Tiger Mom” so I’m very involved. I try to look for activities that cover broad development areas, fine and gross motor skills, cognitive, social/emotional, etc. I try to be as in touch with their teachers as much as possible, so I know what’s going on in school and it’s not a world that’s totally dissonant with their home environment. I read a lot on parenting.

What can parents do for their child’s early environment?

The principal thing is creating a safe and loving environment, much of the rest stems naturally from the closeness of the parent-child relationship.

Why is this important?

Talking to your child, even when you think they don’t understand, is one of the most positive things you can do for so many areas of development — cognitive, language, social-emotional. The more words they hear per day, the better.

What should parents be focusing on before enrolling their children in an early education program?

I believe focusing on creating an environment where they feel safe and where their curiosity is encouraged.

The post Shakira Knows the Importance of Accessible Early Childhood Education appeared first on Education and Career News.

Researchers have documented that during preschool years, children living in poverty are often exposed to lower quality and lower quantity language learning environments¹. According to literacy nonprofit Reading Is Fundamental, 34 percent of kids entering kindergarten lack the basic language skills needed to read. In the most recent Nation’s Report Card only 35 percent of fourth graders were proficient in 2019, down from 37 percent in 2017. Students who are not proficient readers in the third or fourth grade are at high risk of dropping out of school. Poor reading ability has detrimental effects for future income, employment opportunities, and participation in society.

“We are passionate about providing equity of access to learning for all students through teaching with technology,” says Jeremy Cowdrey, president of Imagine Learning, a Pre K-8 digital curriculum company. “We believe every student has the right to fulfill their unique potential. Our goal is to meet students where they are and provide educators with data-driven insights that inspire teaching and learning breakthroughs.”

The company started 15 years ago with the concept that language should be an asset to help kids reach their full potential. First, they offered a program to help kids learn the English language in context with developing both language and literacy skills.

Now, more than 3 million students across the country benefit from Imagine Learning programs daily. The adaptive suite of Literacy, Math, and Assessment solutions  are powered by the Imagine Learning Language Advantage^TM—a theory of action that promotes rigorous and equitable development of language that enables students to have deeper comprehension, engagement, and enjoyment of learning.

Results

Imagine Literacy students are 1.8 times more likely to outperform their peers on state tests and Imagine Math students are 3 times more likely to be proficient on state tests. And while performance on state assessments is one benchmark of success, the Imagine Learning team is more proud to help teachers amplify confidence and inspire learning breakthroughs for their students.

Ten years ago, Meriden Public Schools in Meriden, Connecticut started using Imagine Language & Literacy for its bilingual programs. Since 2015, the program has been implemented in all of the district’s elementary schools.

“Imagine Learning programs are embedded into our core content,” says Mark D. Benigni, Ed.D., superintendent of Meriden Public Schools. “It’s part of what we do now.”

Since then, their Smarter Balanced Assessment third-grade reading proficiency is up 20 percent; student performance in the Smarter Balance Assessment is up 25.6 percent; and there’s a 35 percent increase in students scoring Level 4, the highest standard, on the assessment.

Personalized approach

The technology is a supplement, not a replacement for the teacher. And it can both support and improve the ways teachers help students learn.

For example, “Our programs recognize when a student is having trouble in a certain area, it flags that issue for the teacher and informs individualized instruction. The teacher can then provide one-on-one support to help that student understand the topic and advance,” says Cowdrey.

The programs also offer unique access to live teaching support both in and out of school from certified, bilingual teachers. This provides equitable educational opportunities to all students and aligns with national initiatives for us ed tech equity.

Urgency

The educational technology gamifies content, which is appealing and interactive for kids. Dr. Benigni says it’s a positive use of screen time.

“It’s a learning tool,” he says. “The careers of tomorrow are going to require our students to be digital learners. We would be remiss if we weren’t preparing them to live in a world where technology plays a key role.”

“There’s room for traditional learning and tech in the classroom. Both have to work in tandem to accelerate the learning for students,” says Emma Sanchez, retired principal and executive director of language acquisition and development for the Chula Vista Elementary School District, the largest elementary school district in California.

Sanchez believes there’s a sense of urgency too. “This is the responsibility of the entire educational community,” she says. “We all share this responsibility to ensure every learner’s academic success.”

¹Chiang, Walsh, Shanahan, et al., 2017

The post The Language of Learning: How Technology-Based Language Development Solutions Accelerate Learning appeared first on Education and Career News.

1. Walk the walk

Read from the day your child is born until the day she leaves the house. Read with your kids, but also let your kids see you read.

2. Develop a routine

Develop family reading rituals like reading before bed, snuggled in a chair or sitting together on the couch as a family, reading your own books on a Saturday morning.

3. Invest in their story

Create a home full of books and book talk: books on your night stand; books on the coffee table; books in the bathroom. While you are reading, ask your child questions about the book, so she can make connections and share wonderings as you read. You can use this information to help your child choose his next book at the library or bookstore.

4. Keep books on the brain

Instead of asking, “What did you learn today?” ask: “What did you read today?” Talking through answers to these questions is a fun way to spark conversations about reading.

5. Create personal shelf space

Have a special bookshelf for your child’s books. Decorate it. Prominently place it in her bedroom. Let kids choose their own books grounded in their interests and passions. Help your child figure out his or her interests by asking these questions: If a book were written just for you, what would it be about? If you could be an expert on any subject, what would it be? What are two things you are really curious about?

6. Celebrate book ownership

Get excited when you add books to the bookshelf and take time to revisit those books that are a bit dusty and worn. Help your child understand that it is a privilege to own books, one that sadly millions of children in our country don’t have.

The post 6 Ways to Create a Love for Reading appeared first on Education and Career News.

At a glance

Illiteracy has reached epidemic proportions in our country. And the lack of access to books is a key contributor to the never-ending cycle of educational disadvantage, with 64 percent of fourth-graders reading at or below the basic level and 93 million adults lacking sufficient reading skills to successfully contribute to society.

These figures are truly startling. And with the illiteracy crisis costing the U.S. economy $225 billion a year, we cannot avoid taking immediate action.

The good news is that we can address this problem. Research has shown that increasing access to books and giving children the choice to choose what they want to read improves academic performance and attitudes toward reading and learning. By making books available to those from low-income communities before achievement gaps emerge, we have the opportunity to level the playing field.

Reaching out

Now is the time to support reading in our communities and work to get books into the hands of disadvantaged children across the country. Consider volunteering for your school district or local library’s reading program. And encourage children to read daily, especially during long breaks from school—when those without access to books are at increased risk of falling behind their peers.

There’s magic in books, and the simple act of reading with our children has a profound impact on their educational development. By giving them choices and increasing access to books, we can make a lasting difference in the lives of those who need us most.

The post Access to Books Is Critical to Ending Illiteracy appeared first on Education and Career News.

But these images are not the reality for millions of children across the United States. For 16 million children living in poverty, only one in three has a book in the home. 

A dire reality

Studies show that socio-economic status has twice the influence on reading achievement as does ethnicity or gender. We know that giving children access to good books, to choose and to own, has a positive impact on how much children read and their attitudes toward reading as well as their writing and speaking abilities.

Why don’t families just go to their local library? For many, the nearest library can be an hour away. In rural areas, typically with no public transportation and the cost of gas, a family trip to the library is expensive.

Ironically, as we learn more about how to teach children about science, technology, engineering, art, math, health, social studies—concepts and vocabulary easily introduced through well-illustrated, well-written books—funds have been slashed to the point that many school libraries have closed or have not gotten new books in a decade or more.

The result? A literacy crisis, especially significant in light of our country’s need to compete globally.

This crisis is made more critical because so many do not see it as such. It’s cyclical, beginning before children enter school and continuing through graduation, when children in poverty read at levels four years behind their wealthier peers—if they are not among the 8,000 students who drop out every day. These children become parents, who statistically never catch up.

The future is in our hands

Knowing that the future of our country is inextricably linked to our skills in literacy, you can make a difference immediately: read and support reading.

Support libraries, and make use of good books that tell stories and teach content. It’s never too early to tell stories, sing songs, and narrate what you see; as simple as it is, talking about the world helps imprint the brain—it’s the way little ones figure out how language works. We know that children in poverty lose reading ability over the summer. Support reading—access to books and choice for children—any time children are out of school.

The world of reading research gives us new answers to old questions every day. We have known for as long as we have had written language that literacy is the vehicle for other learning. Let’s address this silent crisis now.

When children have access to books, we empower them to develop a lifelong love for learning, which strengthens us all.

The post America’s Literacy Crisis: An Overlooked Epidemic appeared first on Education and Career News.

Vincent Grosso

SVP, Managing Director of National Geographic Learning, Cengage

What do you think is the greatest challenge that elementary educators face today?

Elementary educators, and specifically teachers, need to manage the incredibly complex and diverse ecosystem of today’s classroom. Teachers strive to maximize the learning outcomes for every individual student, regardless of ability, talent, socioeconomic background or other unique attributes, and all while properly balancing time and resource allocation across academic disciplines from reading to science.

How do you think technology entering the classroom has impacted Elementary-level learning today?

Technology has impacted elementary-level classrooms in multiple ways, one being motivating and engaging today’s learners. Young learners have grown up on devices using game-like software, and need and expect the same type of engagement and brainwork when it comes to school. Teachers have benefited from seeing real-time results and using that data to make immediate learning decision in order to individualize each student’s learning path.

What do you hope to see for the future of elementary education in this digital age?

I hope to see elementary educators and providers further embrace technology to improve learner outcomes. Digital programs, like National Geographic Panorama and Reading through the Lens of Science provide personalized instruction, cross-curricular courseware (both reading and science) and data/analytics to reach, engage and improve effectiveness and productivity in the classroom. To meet the ever-increasing demands on the teacher (and the learner), digital solutions can allow the educator to better serve the student and unlock his or her full potential.

Pamela A. Mason

Senior Lecturer on Education and Faculty Director of the Language and Literacy

What do you think is the greatest challenge that elementary educators face today?

Promoting high academic achievement for all students is more than a mantra. It is the mission of elementary educators. High academic achievement is attained in classrooms and schools that are culturally responsive to students and families. In most districts, the teachers do not come from the same cultural or linguistic backgrounds represented in their school communities, so elementary educators benefit from professional development to understand and tap the many strengths that their students bring to school. Keeping up with innovative, effective teaching techniques and managing student data to inform instruction are also part of the challenges in attaining high academic outcomes.

How do you think technology entering the classroom has impacted Elementary-level learning today?

Technology presents the challenges of seizing opportunities and threats. Opportunities center around promoting critical thinking skills. Why ask questions when answers can be searched online? Elementary educators can use the affordances of technology to develop critical thinking skills about the sources as well as the content of web-based information. Technology can be used to foster peer collaboration within a classroom, across classrooms, or across the world, using multiple languages. It can also strengthen family engagement, providing families with expanded information about curriculum and lines of communication with the school.

What do you hope to see for the future of elementary education in this digital age?

I hope to see a balance between the use of technology to promote student learning, their love of learning and developing empathy within the “global village.” Elementary educators can build the foundation for responsible uses of technology as a tool for learning and not the outcome. School leaders should support teacher use of technology to enhance their responsiveness to the ever-increasing knowledge base and to expand professional development, especially concerning closing opportunity gaps for all students. Technology can benefit students who have been typically marginalized by providing them with culturally relevant instruction, expanding everyone’s definition of the canon and of experts.

Julie Yaeger

EVP, Learners Edge

What do you think is the greatest challenge that elementary educators face today?

Meeting the individual needs of all students continues to be challenging for elementary teachers as learners become more diverse. Elementary classrooms reflect varying academic abilities thus the capacity to differentiate instruction to a meaningful level is a daunting task.

How do you think technology entering the classroom has impacted Elementary-level learning today?

Technology can provide dynamic tools for monitoring student achievement, timely communication with parents and guardians and at times increase student engagement. Challenges usually surround professional development training to insure efficiency for the educator and the incorporation of lesson or unit modifications to maximize learning through technology.

What do you hope to see for the future of elementary education in this digital age?

Classroom instruction that encourages a balance of technological and non-technological opportunities for learning. Energized and inspired educators using research-based strategies gained through purposeful, sustained professional development, allowing for increased differentiation of instruction and, ultimately, improved student outcomes.

The post Education Experts on the Main Challenges and Future of Education appeared first on Education and Career News.

Knowledge is power

Billions take advantage of free resources offered by our nation’s libraries each year. My earliest library memory is of San Antonio Public Library’s summer reading program.  That summer I learned that knowledge is power.   

Each trip to the library pulled me deeper into a world of opportunities, paving the way for my role as the president of the world’s largest and oldest library association – the American Library Association. 

My story is not unique. Indeed, libraries provide the foundation for literacy and transform lives through education and lifelong learning. I have witnessed job-seekers secure employment opportunities by using free library resources and the expertise of librarians.  

In their early literacy services, libraries build children’s confidence by providing parents and caregivers with free story hours and book clubs. Last year libraries circulated more than 2.4 billion items, more than 34 percent of them were children’s materials.

A plethora of resources

It’s not just books making the difference in children’s lives. According to the U.S. Department of Education, in 2011 only 32 percent of American eighth grade students performed at or above the proficient level in science. Libraries benefit STEM learners by introducing underrepresented learners to important concepts and skills, including authentic scientific practices.

Adult learners also find support at libraries.  Libraries transform lives through programs such as Project Read, which helps English-speaking adults improve basic skills, Literacy Link, which teaches reading and writing skills to functionally illiterate adults, and the American Dream Starts @ your library, which improves literacy services for adult English language learners.

You don’t have to read between the lines to see the essential relationship between libraries and literacy. It is as simple as A, B, and C.

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Global literacy

The great news is that the world long ago solved how to teach children to read and write. Fifty countries have reduced illiteracy to 1 percent or less, in part because quality teacher support and student content are readily available in the world’s most widely spoken languages.

Yet, in 50 other countries, the have-nots of world literacy, 25 percent or more of people cannot read, write or fully participate in the economy. I frequently visit classrooms across the Global South, where there are far too few books. It’s common to see a group of 10 students sharing a single, worn reading textbook. My heart aches for the struggling readers in those groups. My head knows there is a better way: digital reading tech.

New tools, new literacy

E-readers and tablets allow students to have hundreds, even thousands of books at their fingertips. Ruggedized and with long battery-life, these devices are more durable and portable than paper books. Over time, they cost less. And data analytics allow teachers to see student-specific reading patterns, in turn fostering individualized instruction.

These innovations can drastically reshape traditional approaches to literacy, especially in low-resource classrooms where children in rural poverty hope to learn. Imagine a future where every child — never having had access to a schoolbook of her own — suddenly has that story in her hands as her teacher gives instruction. Better yet, imagine she has access to over a hundred books in the size of one, and takes them home with her to practice reading with her family.

That future is now. In one case of third grade classrooms empowered by access to e-readers, the literacy proficiency among students was 5.3 times greater than peers without such technology. Well-designed tech, paired with quality teaching support, can be the great literacy equalizer. The tools to once and for all democratize learning are here — and improving every day.

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