Multilingual Life at GHS Seal of Biliteracy: The Seal of Biliteracy is an award granted by schools, districts, U.S. states or other organizations for students that show proficiency in English and at least one other language. This year, the STAMP assessment to earn the seal will be on Saturday, March 4. The deadline to sign up was Feb. 10, 2023. The test entails a reading, writing, listening and speaking section. All questions are asked in English. In order to earn the seal, students must show English proficiency in at least one of the following ways: earn a 3 or higher on an Ohio state standardized test for high school language arts I and II, earn a 18 on the English section of the ACT and a 21 or higher on the reading section of the ACT, earn a 430 on the English section of the SAT and a 450 on the reading section of the SAT, or earn a proficient score or higher on the Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment (OELPA). Additionally, students must show proficiency in their other language by either scoring a 4 or higher on an AP language exam or earning an intermediate-high score or higher for reading, writing, listening and speaking on an Ohio Department of Education approved exam, i.e the STAMP test for Green High School. The test is offered for Spanish, German, Mandarin, Portuguese, Italian, Russian, Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi, Japanese, Korean and Polish; however, the seal is also attainable for Vietnamese, American Sign Language and more, along with those mentioned. To take this exam, students must submit a form and test fee prior to the application deadline. Why is it important? The Seal of Biliteracy provides many benefits; it encourages students to further their language studies and showcases the skills they have gained from learning another language. It may also appeal to college admission officers, future employers and even military recruiters. Additionally, the state of Ohio requires at least two diploma seals for graduation, so this would provide another opportunity to earn one. GLS English Learning Program: The Green Local Schools English Learning (EL) Program is a system for helping students who are learning English and for their teachers to accommodate any potential needs while learning. There are seven types of EL programs: ESL Pull-out, English-Language Instruction, Content-based ESL, Bilingual Instructional, Transitional Bilingual/Early-exit, Maintenance Bilingual/Late-exit and Two-way Bilingual. GLS utilizes the pull-out program, meaning ELL students stay in the classroom to learn with native English speaking peers and then get pulled out at a certain time for additional English lessons. “The goal of the program is to help students be successful in the classroom by improving their English. We work on reading, writing, listening and speaking. The ultimate goal is to service the students until they can sit in a regular classroom with no need for accommodations. They must test in and out of the program using standardized tests,” English Learning teacher Joann Cornelius, who works across all GLS buildings, said. Students may become part of the program when registering to attend Green if they declare another language spoken at home and a language barrier is suspected. To discern levels of proficiency, Cornelius tests students according to the Ohio English Language Proficiency Screener (OELPS). To graduate from the program, students must show they have met certain goals based on OELPS scores. As of fall 2019, 5.12 million English Language Learner (ELL) students were enrolled in public K-12 schools, representing 10% of public school students. According to the National Education Association, this is expected to increase to 25% by 2025. “There are typically about 170 students in Green speaking another language. There are more than 30 languages spoken! I work with about 40 students individually,” Cornelius said. Benefits of Multilingualism: While learning another language may seem intimidating, the benefits that come from it outweigh the obstacles one may face in the process. To begin with, multilinguals have a greater ability to connect with others since they can communicate with a wider range of people. This is helpful for those planning to study abroad in a foreign country or even for those who are just traveling. It can also help in advancing one’s career. Knowing another language is one of the top eight skills to have for most occupations, and the demand for multilingual professionals continuously rises. Studies have also shown that learning another language helps with memory, concentration, the ability to multitask, analytical and listening skills, and other cognitive functions. Plus, some may even be able to build a deeper connection to their own family by learning the language of their heritage.