Title: A Privilege and A Necessity Research Findings on Early Language Learning Experiences
1A Privilege and A Necessity Research Findings
on Early Language Learning Experiences
- Asian Languages BETAC
- Pat Lo, Director
2Language Around The World
- Percentage of Proficient Speakers of Another
Language - 9 of Americans
- 53 of Europeans
3Language Around The World
Monolinguals 1/3
Bilinguals Multilinguals 2/3
Crystal, 1997
4Language Around The World
Children learning to speak only one language 1/3
Children learning to speak 2 or more languages 2/3
UN Report, 2002
5Benefits of Being Bilingual
- For the Adult
- Job opportunities
- Social circles
- Perspectives
- Appreciation and enjoyment
- Less likely to develop Alzheimers
6Benefits of Being Bilingual
- For the Young Child
- Enriches and enhances mental development
- Improves overall school performance and
problem-solving skills - Cultivates flexibility in thinking
- Creates opportunity to communicate with others
- Develops greater perspectives and appreciation
for other cultures and the home culture
7Cognitive Benefits of Knowing A Foreign Language
- Classification skills
- Concept formation
- Analytical and logical reasoning
- Visual-spatial skills
- Creativity
- Cognitive flexibility
- Colin Baker, 1999
8Benefits for Maintaining the Home Language
- All of the above, plus
- Creates a healthy self-esteem
- Maintains close relationships with parents and
grandparents
9Research on Academic Success for Foreign Language
Learners
- Ohio State World Languages FLES Programs
- Toledo City Schools Study two schools with FLES
program significantly outperformed all other
schools in 6th 8th grade reading and math. - Cincinnati City Schools Study two schools with
FLES and partial immersion programs outperformed
schools without these programs.
10Where is Ohio?
11Research on Academic Success for Foreign Language
Learners
- Ohio State World Languages FLES Programs
- Columbus City Schools Study two schools with
immersion programs outperformed schools without
these programs. - Cleveland City Schools Study a dual immersion
program outperformed all other schools in 6th
8th grade reading and math.
12Research on Academic Success for Foreign Language
Learners
- College Bound Seniors The 1992 Profile SAT and
Achievement Test Takers - SAT Verbal Students with 4 or more years of
foreign language study scored higher - SAT Math Students with 4 or more years of
foreign language study scored about the same with
those who studied 4 years of math
13Leaning a Language vs.Learning in a Language
- Contact time
- Depth and breadth of the target language
- Cultural exposure
14Why Korean?
- Korea is ranked 14th in its Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) or Purchasing Power Parity. CIA
the world Fact book - The nation's GDP per capita has grown from only
100 in 1963 to a record-breaking 10,000 in 1995
to 24,600 in 2007. - Korea is eager to enter the world political
arena. - There are few educational institutions offering
Korean language programs.