National Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month
April is Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month
In our interconnected world, Building Biliteracy 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 Building Biliteracy in April through National Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month. This month-long observance highlights the importance of multilingualism in our increasingly interconnected world.
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 academic 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.
Today, more than 5,000 DoDEA students are learning English as an additional language, and more than 12,000 are learning additional languages beyond English, including Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Turkish, and American Sign Language. 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.
The demand for multilingual individuals continues to rise across multiple sectors. Schools play a critically important role in supporting the building blocks of multilingualism and biliteracy. As we embrace the theme of Building Biliteracy, 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 Building Biliteracy.
