Summary

Ryan Smith, a principal at Glenn Duncan Elementary School with 26 years of experience in education, discusses the importance of language development for elementary school students. He highlights the benefits of dual immersion programs and the rapid language acquisition he has witnessed in his own school with young students. Smith emphasizes the need for language education to be inclusive and accessible to all students, regardless of their background or abilities. He also discusses the significance of the Seal of Biliteracy in recognizing and celebrating students' language proficiency, and encourages the language community to continue advocating for language education and to prioritize student engagement and relationships in the classroom.

Chapters

00:00

Introductions

03:11

Language Development in Elementary School

05:11

Dual Immersion Programs

07:54

Inclusivity and Accessibility in Language Education

13:09

Recognizing Language Proficiency with the Seal of Biliteracy

23:36

Language Education in Underserved Communities

28:44

Reimagining Electives in Education

37:39

The Impact of the Seal of Biliteracy

43:45

Final Thoughts and Appreciation

Episode Resources

Vista’s The Language Imperative Podcast

https://go.vistahigherlearning.com/The-Language-Imperative-Podcast.html

Vista’s Language and Literacy Solutions

https://vistahigherlearning.com/programs/k-12