Lawmakers want foreign languages

by Peter Kourkouvis

Friday, February 1, 2008 02:15

Wisconsin legislators introduced legislation Thursday that would create a world language instruction program for the state elementary schools.

With burgeoning globalization, the ability to communicate effectively with people from every corner of the world is no longer a mere convenience but an undeniable necessity, lawmakers said.  

The bill, introduced by state Rep. Gary Hebl, D-Sun Prairie, Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, and state Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster, would provide funding to elementary schools seeking to establish foreign language programs or improve programs that currently exist. The project’s estimated cost is $500,000, which would be allocated from the pool of general purpose revenues, a miscellaneous fund of tax revenues.

If the bill becomes law, elementary school districts choosing to participate in the pilot program would apply for funding through the Department of Public Instruction.

However, support need not be limited exclusively to government funding, as individuals and businesses are allowed to contribute donations to the program, similar to the way benefactors support the Wisconsin Covenant for Education, which offers college scholarship money to students.

“We are conducting a lot of business with other countries and dealing with other languages everyday,” Hebl said. “Businesses will want to encourage the program because it will help them compete.”

Apart from the economic benefits foreign language instruction creates for the community, Patrick Gasper, communications officer for the Department of Public Instruction, said introducing children to foreign languages at a young age can have a more immediate and personal impact on their cognitive development.

“Younger students are able to learn faster and easier than adults, and students who study languages fare better in other subjects,” Gasper said.

“It’s absolutely crucial that our state takes the lead to help our students succeed,” Hebl said.

“Foreign language education is something we need to encourage even more now than in the past, and this bill provides grants to start kids learning at a young age,” he added.

A similar proposal to fund foreign language education was initially included as part of the original state budget, but was removed from the stalled budget last year. According to Hebl, the exact reason why the foreign language bill failed to be incorporated in the final version of the state budget remains unclear.

“It was cut out for reasons that confound me,” Hebl said. “I’m certain other legislators pushed for their own pet projects, but in my perspective, there is no better place to invest than in our children.”

Gasper said he is optimistic the world language program will pass this time.

“We already know that Gov. Doyle supports increasing foreign language education,” Gasper said. “We need to get it to both houses before they adjourn in March. We’re hopeful that it will be approved.”

An aide to Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, chair of the Assembly Education Committee, said Davis had not yet seen the legislation, but he would examine it shortly.