National Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month
In our interconnected world, being Language Ready is more than just a skill—it’s a superpower. Multilingualism, the ability to speak and understand more than one language, offers a wealth of individual and societal benefits that extend far beyond communication.
DoDEA is spotlighting the benefits of being #LanguageReady in April.Â
At the individual level, multilingualism provides students with academic benefits like increased cognitive flexibility and higher levels of abstract reasoning. Multilingualism can foster a sense of identity, resilience, and greater cross-cultural understanding. Bilingual brains build cognitive reserves that protect against memory loss and can adapt and reroute neural pathways more efficiently meaning that speaking multiple languages may even delay the onset of dementia.
Families in DoDEA speak more than 120 different languages. Thousands of students enter DoDEA schools every year with home languages beyond English and experiences in schools where English is not the primary language of instruction. These linguistic experiences enrich instruction and contribute to greater metalinguistic awareness for all students and staff.
Students in DoDEA schools can also study nine languages: Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Turkish. Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, a tenth language, American Sign Language (ASL) will be offered by the DoDEA Virtual School as well as four levels of Spanish for Heritage Speakers in Puerto Rico. For K-6 students, DoDEA offers Host Nation courses where students learn about the cultures and languages of Belgium, Bahrain, Netherlands, Germany, Guam, Italy, Spain, Japan, Korea, United Kingdom and Puerto Rico.
As we embrace the theme of Language Ready, let’s celebrate multilingualism. Whether you’re fluent from birth or learning languages later in life, remember that each word you speak adds to your cognitive toolkit. Be curious, explore new languages, and unlock the power of being Language Ready.
