Unprecedented Collaboration to Document Language Access During the past two years, as the nation has faced both a global pandemic and an increase in domestic unrest, the need to communicate in all of America’s languages—all the languages spoken across the country—has become even more apparent. Language access has become a central challenge to the equitable … Continue reading America’s Languages Working Group Launches New Online Resource
Quality Hybrid Courses Key to Financially Sustainable Colleges
Important piece in Ed Tech on the future of higher ed in the wake of the pandemic. Dr. Melik Peter Khoury, President of Unity College, explains why Unity thrives at a time when so many small colleges are closing or merging.
Reaching State Governments
Although public research universities educate 3.8 million students annually and initiate the fundamental research that drives scientific and technological discovery, state governments have cut their funding to these institutions by at least 34% on average. Since the universities are able to raise tuition and cut programming (however, inadvisable that may be) state houses have treated … Continue reading Reaching State Governments
Academy Language Report Now National Policy
America's Languages, the final report of the American Academy's Commission on Language Learning, provided the context for the new Department of Education international strategy, as outlined in Succeeding Globally Through International Education and Engagement, unveiled today. The Academy report is cited as a justification for increasing resources for the development of global competencies. First Idea worked … Continue reading Academy Language Report Now National Policy
The Power of Third-Party Validation
First Idea helped organize this call-to-action as a strategic tool for teachers, translators, proprietors and publishers to use on the own behalf. The lesson: sometimes the best case you can make for yourself is to let your supporters speak for you.
Language Learning and National Security
Language Learning and National Security An op-ed in Inside Higher Ed by Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, drafted as part of the campaign to support America's Languages, the report of the American Academy's Commission on Language Learning.
Because Multilingualism is an Asset and a Goal Worth Pursuing
We needed to prove that American monolingualism is an insufficient basis for success in an increasingly interconnected world. More positively, and perhaps more importantly, we needed to prove that multilingualism is an asset and a goal worth pursuing.
The Meaning of Bipartisanship
When the constituents are many and the stakes are high, policy becomes a writing exercise. America’s Languages articulates a national strategy for improving language education in the U.S.
First Idea Communications 