Anchorage School District
District
World Languages Learning
Academic Benefits
Research shows that students benefit academically from the study of a second or subsequent language and gain positive attitudes about other cultures and languages. Read more about these studies on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) website:
What does research show about the benefits of language learning?
Children who study foreign language statistically outperform non-language students in language, math, science and social studies."
– Carolyn Taylor
Career Opportunities
The need for individuals who can speak and understand languages other than English is acute in many sectors in the United States, from business and social services to national security and diplomacy. The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence report (HR Rep. No. 107-219, 2001) identified language as the single greatest need in the intelligence community.
Why Immersion?
During the 2019-2020 school year, 3,000 students in grades K-12 participated in the district's language immersion programs. These programs prepare students for our diverse and multilingual global community. Benefits of an immersion program include:
- Early start
- Native-like pronunciation
- Extended sequence leading to higher proficiency levels
- Better match with curriculum
- Cognitively challenging
- Culturally responsive
Explore More
Senator Lisa Murkowski spoke to the ACTFL about the importance of language learning in the August 2009 issue of The Language Educator. The resources below explore what parents want to know about immersion programs and the benefits of an early start:
- The Importance of Early Language Study: Changing Students' Minds - and Brains?
National Capital Language Resource Center, Karelia Pallan