The demand for bilingual employees is increasing across the United States.
Danyelle Davis and Brittney Gehrig of the Idaho Association of Teachers of Language and Culture said more Idaho students could benefit from earning credentials that will help them in the workforce at the Idaho Association of School Administrators’ summer workshop on Tuesday.
The State Seal of Biliteracy is given to high school seniors who demonstrate proficiency in English and at least one other language through assessments such as the Avant STAMP.
Students can also earn the internationally renowned Global Seal of Biliteracy, a three-tiered credential that recognizes increasing levels of language proficiency from high school through college.
The three tiers include:
- Functional fluency (equivalent to state seal)
- Working fluency
- Professional fluency
“The global seal is a serial numbered certificate that you can post on places like LinkedIn so that employers can glance at your skill level,” said Davis, a French teacher at Sage International School Of Boise.
According to research presented during the session, nine out of 10 employers rely on workers with language skills, while demand continues to outnumber the available supply of bilingual employees.
West Ada School District has awarded seals in 11 languages, including ones students already speak at home.
“If you have a native Swahili speaker, you can have them get the seal of biliteracy,” said Gehrig, a French lecturer at Boise State University.
Measuring language proficiency throughout a student’s education gives them a way to see growth over time.
“If you make progress available to them along the way, it increases their motivation to stay on the path,” Davis said.
