For students who know their career plans, foreign languages may be an important part of reaching those goals. For other students taking a foreign language is just a requirement for graduation or university admission. However we live in a global society where many jobs, even here in the United States, require fluency in a second language.
After 911, President Bush along with the Secretaries of State, Education and Defense and the Director of National Intelligence developed a comprehensive plan focused on expanding foreign languages beginning in kindergarten. The purpose of this program is to encourage reform, promote understanding and convey respect and understanding of America and its citizens. To do this Americans need to be able to communicate in other languages.
http://www.thelanguageflagship.org focuses on intense instruction by native speaking instructors, studies abroad and exchange programs. Immersion better prepares students to understand the culture, speak with superior fluency, and establish relationships that foster respect and understanding of America and its culture.
There are scholarships to bring native speaking teachers to the United States and scholarships to pay for summer and full-year immersion studies abroad. Students will be immersed in the language program while at the same time pursuing a degree in the major(s) of their choice. The students completing this program are considered professionals in the global economy and are offered employment by private companies, the US government, agencies and commissions.
If your child is interested in exchange opportunities to learn a language abroad, you might want to explore these websites. https://www.thelanguageflagship.org/content/flagship-k-12-initiatives and http://educationusa.state.gov
Any student planning to attend a Florida college or university is required to have taken two sequential courses in a foreign language before entering the upper division of a state university. It is also a requirement of the Medallion Bright Futures Scholarship IF a home education student chooses to apply for the award based on the lower SAT/ACT score by validating the 16 required courses in a Florida public or a Florida private school. So, what choices do home educated students have to obtain those credits?
Since the credits will only be accepted from a Florida public or private school, the two best options would be FLVS or Dual Enrollment in a Florida college. Dual enrollment may be a good option for students who want to fulfill the requirement and get college credit at the same time. However, proximity to a college, selection of courses and quality of instruction should also be considered. FLVS may be a better option for students who live at a distance from the college, may not be able to get the language he or she wants or who may be considering foreign language as a major.
Not all languages are taught at every institution so deciding what you plan to use the language for may determine whether you take the language through dual enrollment or FLVS.
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