As two-way immersion programs (TWI) are increasingly embraced by educational systems across the country as a means of eliminating educational disparities and realizing the cognitive benefits of learning more than one language, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) dedicates its May Data Forum to examining the trend in TWI adoption over the last five decades.
The Forum features data from the Center for Applied Linguistics that puts the number of such programs at approximately 425 in 2011, up from just a handful in the early seventies. To jumpstart what the Academy hopes will be a vibrant public discussion of the implications of this trend, the Academy invited two language education experts and the principal of a Washington, DC-area immersion elementary school to share their thoughts. Drs. Richard Brecht and Robert Slater, Co-Directors of the American Councils for International Education Research Center, discuss a recent study documenting the superior academic achievement of immersion students and, in view of the challenges of implementing TWI, caution against too hasty a roll-out of such programs. Jessica Panfil, principal of Escuela Claremont in Arlington, Virginia, offers a window on the reality of TWI implementation, what it offers students but also what it demands of teachers and school leadership. The Academy encourages education decision-makers, researchers, practitioners, and consumers, as well as members of the general public, to respond to both the data and commentary (https://www.amacad.org/dataforum).
The May Data Forum is one of several language-related activities recently initiated at the Academy. In response to a bipartisan request from members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, the Academy has created a national commission to examine the current state of language education, project what the nation's education needs will be in the future, and offer recommendations for ways to meet those needs. Supported by the Mellon Foundation, the Commission is Chaired by Paul LeClerc, Columbia Global Center in Paris, Columbia University. Additionally, the Academy's Humanities Indicators recently updated and enhanced its indicators on multilingualism and enrollment in language courses at both the K 12 and postsecondary levels.
About the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Founded in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is one of the country's oldest learned societies and independent policy research centers, convening leaders from the academic, business, and government sectors to respond to the challenges facing the nation and the world. In its work, the Academy focuses on higher education, the humanities, and the arts; science and technology policy; global security and energy; and American institutions and the public good. Academy research has resulted in reports like The Heart of the Matter and Restoring the Foundation: The Vital Role of Research in Preserving the American Dream. Projects under the guidance of the Academy's Committee on International Security Studies address the impact of energy and security technologies on global prospects for peace and prosperity. All of the Academy's work is advanced by its 4,600 elected members, who are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs from around the world.
Media Contact: David Nuscher, dnuscher@amacad.org
Join the conversation on dual-language immersion programs on the Forum or add your voice using #LanguageMatters on Twitter.