new jersey international education summit report jersey international education summit report...

New JerseyInternationalEducation SummitReport

FALL 2005

NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


William L. Librera, Ed.D.Commissioner of Education

Richard C. Ten EyckAssistant Commissioner

Educational Programs and Assessment

Jay Doolan, Ed.DDirector

Academic and Professional Standards

Linda MorseManager

Academic and Professional Standards

Janis JensenCoordinator of World Languages

and International Education

September 2005PTM# 1505.16

New Jersey International EducationSummit Report

International Education Connects

New Jersey to the World


New JerseyState Board of Education

ARNOLD G. HYNDMAN, President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Warren

DEBRA CASHA, Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Morris

ARCELIO APONTE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Middlesex

MARGARET F. BARTLETT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ocean

RONALD K. BUTCHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gloucester

MAUD DAHME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hunterdon

KATHLEEN A. DIETZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Somerset

JOSEPHINE E. FIGUERAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Union

JOHN A. GRIFFITH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Essex

FREDERICK H. LAGARDE, JR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Passaic

ERNEST P. LEPORE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hudson

THELMA NAPOLEON-SMITH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mercer

EDWARD M. TAYLOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Camden

WILLIAM L. LIBRERA, Ed.D.Commissioner

Secretary, State Board of Education


Table of Contents

BACKGROUND___________________________________________________1

New Jersey Demographics ___________________________________________1

New Jersey Business ________________________________________________2

NEW JERSEY CORE CURRICULUM CONTENT STANDARDS:

MEETING THE GOALS OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION______3

Social Studies ______________________________________________________3

International Education in the Standards______________________________3

International Education: Global Challenges, Cultures and Connections __3

World Languages ___________________________________________________4

The Vision for World Languages Education ____________________________4

THE SUMMIT_____________________________________________________6

International Education in New Jersey: Vision, Mission and Goals________6

Summit Agenda_____________________________________________________7

Summit Steering Committee _________________________________________9

Summit District Participants ________________________________________10

Summit Highlights _________________________________________________11

Governor’s Proclamation on International Education Week 2004_______12

The Business Perspective ___________________________________________13

Pre-K Education ___________________________________________________13

Implementing International Education K-12 and Beyond_______________14

Teacher Preparation________________________________________________15

State Projects _____________________________________________________15

Town Meeting _____________________________________________________15

A Summary of Recommendations from Summit Presenters

and Participants ________________________________________________16

Summit Acknowledgements _________________________________________17

ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION ON

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION _________________________________18

New Jersey International EducationSummit ReportFALL 2005

The New Jersey InternationalEducation Summit was organized inresponse to a national initiative

spearheaded by the Asia Society followinga report issued by the NationalCommission on Asia in the Schools in2001. The most significant finding of thereport, Asia in the Schools: Preparing Young

Americans for Today’s Interconnected World,

was the disproportionate lack of knowl-edge by American students about Asia inrelation to its global importance in termsof population growth and economic ties tothe United States and other countries.The vision of the commission is that allchildren will acquire the knowledge andskills necessary for life and work in today’sinterconnected world in:

K elementary schools that integrateaccurate and engaging materials aboutAsia and Asian American topics in read-ing and social studies programs, andafford students the opportunity tolearn Asian languages;

K middle schools that build interdiscipli-nary instruction on Asia-related con-cepts and content learned in earliergrades, encourage adolescents’ grow-ing curiosity about the world, and allowstudents to continue studying Asianlanguages at the intermediate level;

K high schools that provide opportuni-ties to explore Asia-related topics indepth through social studies andgeography as well as U.S. and worldhistory themes and support programsgiving students competency in one ofseveral Asian languages; and

K schools that engage in an ongoingeducational partnership with aschool(s) in Asia through technologylinks and exchange programs and fos-ter in students and faculty an appreci-ation for the cultural diversity of theUnited States (2001, p.8).

Since the release of the report, the AsiaSociety has formed a coalition of 30national organizations to implement thereport’s recommendations. The primarygoal of the National Coalition of Asia andInternational Studies in the Schools is totake actions to address the internationalknowledge gap in America’s schools. Thecoalition conducts annual states institutesand provides ongoing technical support inaddition to offering small planning grantsthrough the Longview Foundation for stateactivities designed to infuse internationaleducation in their schools. New Jersey wasa recipient of a 2003 state grant that pro-vided partial funding for its firstInternational Education Summit and hasalso participated in the 2003 and 2004states institutes.

In addition to this national initiative, theNew Jersey Asia Commission has workedfor several years to develop a documentaligned with the New Jersey social studiesstandards to assist districts with incorpo-rating knowledge about Asia into thesocial studies curriculum.

New Jersey Demographics

New Jersey is one of the most denselypopulated states in the country. Census2000 reports that there are approximate-ly 8.2 million people residing in NewJersey and the total population is expect-ed to reach 8.4 million by 2006. Thegrowth rate for whites is expected to con-tinue to diminish as opposed to non-whites, with a projected growth rate of225 percent between 1990 and 2005.Census data indicate a foreign born popu-lation of more than 17 percent with anexplosive growth rate of Asian and PacificIslanders. In 1970, fewer than 10 percentof the state’s residents were foreign born.Today, New Jersey is ranked seventh in thenation for concentrations of languageminority populations. Such immigrationpatterns have created a society ofincreased diversity that demands aninformed, concerned and empowered citi-zenry.

1


Background

As New Jerseystrives to maintainan importantposition in theglobal economy,the need forinternationallyliterate citizensand workers isessential. Thefoundation forinternationalliteracybegins in ourpublicschools.

The number of New Jersey residents whospeak a language other than English roseby 42 percent in the 1990s. In 2000, oneof every four New Jersey citizens, aged fiveand older, spoke a language other thanEnglish. There are 166 total languagesspoken statewide. Students speakSpanish, Korean, Portuguese, Gujarati,Creole (Haitian), Arabic, Mandarin, Polish,Urdu, Russian and a variety of other lan-guages. Spanish-speaking students repre-sent the highest enrollment with 140,321native speakers, including 35,764 Englishlanguage learners. Enrollment in programs for English language learners has risen byover 50 percent in the last 12 years.

New Jersey Business

Because of New Jersey’s growing role ininternational business and trade, the needfor our students to function in the societyand workplace of a globally interconnect-ed world is greater than ever. New Jersey islocated in the heart of the world’s richestconsumer market, ranks among the top tenstates nationwide in attracting foreigndirect investment, and is home to morethan 1,200 multinational firms from over40 countries. The fact that New Jersey isat the epicenter of the nation’s largestbusiness corridor, has an unmatchedtransportation infrastructure and is hometo some 60 million consumers with a col-lective purchasing power of $1 trillion andretail sales in excess of $560 billion withinovernight delivery, are the reasons thatleading multi-national corporations havetheir American headquarters in the state.

In addition, New Jersey exports productsto more than 200 destinations world-wide. The New Jersey Department ofCommerce has aggressively workedwith international businesses toincrease trade with New Jersey. A keyelement of this strategy has been

trade and investment missions toEurope, Asia, and Latin America, oftenled by the Governor. These missions

have been highly productive in gen-erating export sales and develop-

ing long-term business tieswith key officials from the

public and private sector.

Recently, the State Chamber of Commercehas entered into a partnership that giveschamber members unparalleled access tooffices and resources in both Taipei andShanghai enabling them to pursue busi-ness opportunities in southeast China andTaiwan.

2


Given today’s economic and politi-cal realities, it has becomeincreasingly important that states

— and schools — increase their capacityto understand and respond to an ever-changing world that has become moredependent on the international economy.Issues such as immigration and foreignpolicy increasingly influence the course ofpublic education in a richly diverse statesuch as New Jersey. The New Jersey CoreCurriculum Content Standards lay thegroundwork for excellent internationaleducation programs.

Social Studies

In social studies, students in grades K–4study the cultural background of thosewho came to America from different partsof the world. The focus is on understand-ing one’s own culture and beginning tounderstand other cultures within the com-munity. In geography, students at this levellearn to use maps and develop an under-standing of the world as a physical placeinhabited by people with characteristicsspecific to their region of origin. As stu-dents move along the educational contin-uum, they learn about the political, eco-nomic, social, and cultural forces that haveinfluenced world civilizations. The socialstudies standards encourage teachers tointegrate the study of past civilizationswith the events of the present.Additionally, students develop economicliteracy through the study of internationaltrade and major international institutionssuch as the World Bank. All New Jerseyhigh school students are required to takeat least one course in world history/worldcultures in order to receive a high schooldiploma.

International Education in the Standards

The following cumulative progress indica-tors for international education are foundin the social studies standards and serveas an example of student outcomes.

International Education:Global Challenges, Cultures, andConnections

By the end of Grade 12, students will:

1. Compare and contrast key past andpresent United States foreign policyactions (e.g., diplomacy, economicaid, humanitarian aid, military aid) andpositions (e.g., treaties, sanctions,interventions) and evaluate their con-sequences.

2. Analyze and evaluate United Statesforeign policy actions and positions,including the Monroe Doctrine, theMexican Cession, the TrumanDoctrine, the Cold War, the world-wide struggle against terrorism, andthe Iraq War.

3. Describe how the world is organizedpolitically into nation-states andalliances and how these interact withone another through organizationssuch as the European Union, NorthAtlantic Treaty Organization (NATO),the United Nations, the World Court,and the Group of Seven IndustrializedNations (G7).

4. Analyze and evaluate the interconnec-tions of local, regional, and nationalissues with global challenges and issues,and recommend possible solutions.

5. Discuss how global interconnectionscan have both positive and negativeconsequences (e.g., internationalcompanies, transfer of jobs to foreignplants, international security andaccess to transportation).

6. Investigate a global challenge (e.g.,hunger, AIDS, nuclear defense, globalwarming) in depth and over time, pre-dict the impact if the current situationdoes not change, and offer possiblesolutions.

7. Participate in events to acquire under-standing of complex global problems(e.g., Model United Nations, interna-tional simulations, field trips to gov-ernment sites).

3


New JerseyCore Curriculum

Content Standards:Meeting the Goals

of International

Education

8. Justify an opinion or idea about aglobal issue while showing respect fordivergent viewpoints.

9. Discuss the impact of technology,migration, the economy, politics, andurbanization on culture.

10. Compare and contrast common socialand behavioral practices in variouscultures (e.g., birth, marriage, death,gender issues, family structure, healthissues).

11. Participate in activities that fosterunderstanding and appreciation fordiverse cultures (e.g., world languageinstruction, student exchange, clubs,international forums, community serv-ice, speaker programs, arts, sports).

12. Analyze the impact of communicationnetworks, technology, transportation,and international business on globalissues.

13. Analyze how the media presents cul-tural stereotypes and images and dis-cuss how this impacts beliefs andbehaviors.

14. Connect the concept of universalhuman rights to world events andissues.

15. Compare and contrast current andpast genocidal acts and other acts ofhatred and violence for the purposesof subjugation and exploitation (e.g.,Holocaust, Native Americans, Irishfamine, Armenia, Ukrainian collec-tivization, Cambodia, Rwanda) anddiscuss present and future actions byindividuals and governments to pre-vent the reoccurrence of such events.

World Languages

New Jersey is one of a handful of statesthat mandates world languages instructionin grades K–12. Students continueinstruction begun at the elementary levelto complete a five-credit high school grad-uation requirement with many studentsopting to pursue the study of a world lan-guage throughout high school. Model

world languages resource centers in sixschool districts provide technical assis-tance and other resources to schools intheir regions. Currently, 11 school districtsoffer the study of Chinese at the elemen-tary level and nine at the secondary level.One of the goals of the New Jersey inter-national education initiative is to offermore programs that include the study ofChinese and other critical need languagesin well-articulated sequences of study.New Jersey is currently exploring thedevelopment of collabortive programswith the Chinese Ministry of Education.This includes an incentive program to pro-mote the teaching of Chinese in NewJersey school districts using trained andlicensed teachers from China. In addition,the Department of Education has signedmemoranda of understanding with Franceand Italy to promote educational and cul-tural relationships that benefit studentsand teachers in New Jersey and thesecountries.

The Vision for World LanguagesEducation in the Standards

New Jersey hosts a growing economy thatis oriented toward agriculture, industry,finance, education, and research—aneconomy that demands contact and inter-action with the global marketplace. ForNew Jersey students, the need to functioncompetently in more than one languagehas become increasingly important. Thisallows students to participate fully in theeconomic, political, and social life of astate with over 100 ethnic groups, andwhere more than 150 different languagesare spoken. In the twenty-first century,students must be able to participate inculturally appropriate ways in face-to-faceinteraction with members of other culturesin order to be productive members of thediverse communities in which we all live.Only by preparing students with an edu-cation comparable to the best thatschools around the world offer—one thatincludes the study of world languages—can the goal of leaving no child behind beachieved.

4


...it has becomeincreasinglyimportant thatstates—andschools—increase theircapacity tounderstand andrespond to anever-changingworld…

The New Jersey Core Curriculum ContentStandards for World Languages envision allof New Jersey’s students prepared for thedemands of an interdependent world by:

K Teaching world languages for commu-nication;

K Heightening students’ linguistic andcultural awareness of their local, state,and world community;

K Encouraging interdisciplinary andworkplace readiness connections thatmay involve business and communitymembers as mentors and models; and

K Preparing students for using a worldlanguage(s) in whatever career choicesthey make.

The New Jersey standards reflect the phi-losophy and goals found in the nationalstandards, Standards for Foreign Language

Learning in the 21st Century (ACTFL,1999), and were developed by consultingthe best work that has been donethroughout the United States and interna-tionally. The standards are generic innature, are designed for a core subject,and are meant to be inclusive for all lan-guages taught in New Jersey schools.There are two New Jersey standards: com-munication and culture. The communica-tion standard requires all students to beable to communicate in at least one worldlanguage in addition to English for thepurpose of engaging in conversation;understanding and interpreting spokenand written language; presenting informa-tion, concepts and ideas while makingconnections with other disciplines; andcomparing the language/culture studiedwith their own. The culture standardrequires all students to demonstrate anunderstanding of the perspectives of aculture(s) through experiences with itsproducts and practices. It focuses on howcultural products reflect the perspectives(attitudes, values and beliefs) of the cul-ture studied, on how practices are derivedfrom the perspectives (traditional ideas,attitudes, and values) of the culture, andon how the perspectives of a culture sanc-

tion the cultural practices and create aneed for the products. The perspectivesprovide the reason for “why they do it that

way” and the explanation for “how canthey possibly think that?” Since practicesand products not only derive from per-spectives, but sometimes interact tochange perspectives, this fundamentalcomponent of culture must be incorporat-ed to meet the culture standard.Language, as a key to culture, can tell uswhat is important to a group of people,what they do for work and play, what theirsocial values are, what level of technologythey enjoy, where they come from, andmuch more. The study of language andculture is an important component ofinternational education.

The following are examples of cumulativeprogress indicators found in the culturestandard.

By the end of Grade 12, students will:

1. Interact in a wide range of social andprofessional contexts that reflectboth peer-group and adult activitieswithin the culture studied, usingappropriate etiquette in verbal ornon-verbal communication.

2. Discuss culturally authentic selectionslistened to, read, or viewed to demon-strate insights gained into the prod-ucts, practices and perspectives ofthe target culture(s).

3. Compare and contrast for discussioncommon social practices in the U.S.and target culture(s) related to uni-versal life events, such as birth, mar-riage, and death.

4. Analyze for discussion observablepatterns of behavior and social con-ventions of various age groups in thetarget culture(s) and compare themwith the U.S.

5. Analyze for discussion relationshipsamong past and current economicand political structures and theirimpact on the perspectives of the cul-ture(s) studied.

5


The first New Jersey InternationalEducation Summit was held onOctober 27, 2004 at Princeton

University, bringing together more than300 educators and other stakeholdersfrom across the state. The goal of thesummit was to share information and ideasfor the development of a five-year plan toimprove the capacity of New Jersey’sschools to provide quality internationaleducation.

International Educationin New Jersey:Vision, Mission and Goals

Vision: New Jersey citizens have the req-uisite knowledge to live and work effec-tively in a complex and dynamic world.

Mission: The creation of a systemicapproach to ensure that all New Jerseystudents are provided with the knowledgeand skills to be able to function culturally,politically and economically in a globalsociety.

Goals:

1. To help students understand, connectto and act on critical global issues byintegrating international perspectivesinto curricula in all core curriculumcontent standards areas with specialemphasis on:

K World languages instruction thatincludes languages central to global lit-eracy and that are important for futureeconomic and security needs; and

K Social studies instruction that focuseson global issues and how to addressthem within the diverse social, politicaland economic contexts that existworldwide.

2. To connect student acquisition ofinternational literacies to real worldexperiences both in New Jersey andbeyond state and national borders.

3. To enhance teacher capacity for inter-national teaching excellence throughpre-service education, professionaldevelopment and opportunities forexchange and study abroad.

6


The Summit

International Education Summit Agenda

Princeton University

October 27, 2004

Agenda Goals: Raise awareness of the importance of international education; Highlightbest practices; Reach out to all constituents; Garner support; and Gather information todevelop a five-year plan.

8:00–9:00 RegistrationContinental Breakfast

9:00–9:30 Welcome and Introductions

Dwight Pfennig, Deputy Commissioner

NJ Department of Education

Anne Marie Slaughter, Dean

Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs;Bert G. Kerstetter ‘66 University Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Princeton University

Kathleen Dietz, Chair, International Education Committee

NJ State Board of Education

Arnold G. Hyndman, President

NJ State Board of Education

William L. Librera, Commissioner

Lucille Davy, Special Counsel to the Governor for Education

9:30–9:45 Why Does International Education Matter InNew Jersey’s Schools?

The Honorable Rush HoltCongressman, 12th District

U.S. House of Representatives

9:45–10:45 Roundtable Discussion:Why International Education is Important: The BusinessPerspective

Vivien Stewart, Executive Director, National Coalition on Asia andInternational Studies in the Schools

Bernhard Kohlmeier, Director of Localization Futures, MicrosoftCorporation

Rafiq Bengali, CEO, Americas and Europe, National Bank of Pakistan

7


Agenda

10:45–11:00 Break

11:00–11:30 Meeting the Goals of International Education PreK-2

Sesame Muppet Rosita and Gary E. Knell, President and CEO, Sesame Workshop

11:30–12:30 Panel: Implementing International Education K-20

Panelists: Martha Abbott, Immediate Past-President, American Councilon the Teaching of Foreign Languages; Robert Shamy, Supervisor ofSocial Studies, East Brunswick, NJ; Carol Joyce, Princeton SchoolDistrict Social Studies teacher and participant in ‘03 Germanyexchange; Ana Maria Shuhmann, Dean, College of Education, KeanUniversity; Terrence O’Connor, Dean, School of Education, TheCollege of New Jersey

12:30–1:45 Luncheon

1:45–2:45 Panel: State Projects in International Education K-20

Panelists: Ed Gragert, iEARN; Andrew Smith, President, AmericanForum on Global Education; Myriam Met, Acting Director, NationalCapitol Foreign Language Center; Christine Brown, Director of ForeignLanguages and English Language Learning, Glastonbury Public Schoolsand Co-chair 2005 Year of Languages Working Committee

2:45–3:45 Town Meeting: Implementing International Education in New Jersey:Barriers, Challenges and Solutions

Facilitator: Steve Adubato, New Jersey Network Town Caucus

3:45–3:50 Closing Remarks

Dwight Pfennig, Deputy Commissioner

3:50–4:45 Special Meeting with Foreign Embassies, Language OrganizationRepresentatives, and Heritage Language Commissions

8


Kathleen DietzMember, State Board of EducationChair, International Education

Jo Ann BartolettiExecutive Director

New Jersey Principals and SupervisorsAssociation

Miguel A. CentenoDirector

Princeton Institute for International andRegional Studies

Elizabeth ChristophersonExecutive Director

NJN Public Television

Debbie ConwayDirector

Professional Development andInstructional Issues, NJEA

Steve CorodemusAssemblyman

District 11

Maud DahmeMember and Past President

State Board of Education

Lucille DavySpecial Counsel to the Governor for

Education

John DoughertySocial Studies Coordinator

New Jersey Department of Education

Lawrence DownesPresident

New Jersey Natural Gas Company

Dana EgreczkyVice President Workforce

New Jersey Chamber of Commerce

Jeff GraberAssistant Superintendent

Princeton Regional Schools

Janis JensenWorld Languages Coordinator


Grisel Lopez-DiazAssistant Professor

New Jersey City University

Dwight PfennigDeputy Commissioner


Karin RindalSenior Manager

Telcordia Technologies

Robert ShamySupervisor

K–12 Social StudiesEast Brunswick School District

Seema Singh, Esquire

Director and Ratepayer Advocate

New Jersey Division of the RatepayerAdvocate

Richard C. Ten EyckAssistant Commissioner


Joan VerplanckPresident

New Jersey Chamber of Commerce

John WebbDirector

Teacher Preparation, Princeton University

9


Summit Steering Committee

Gary Knell and Rosita from Sesame Workshop

Berkeley Heights

Berlin Borough

Bernards Township

Blairstown Elementary

Burlington County Institute of Technology

Burlington Township

Camden County Technical School

Cherry Hill

Cinnaminson

East Orange

East Windsor Regional

Edison Township

Egg Harbor Township

Ewing

Glen Ridge

Hillsborough Township

Jersey City

Kingsway Regional

Lacey Township

Lawnside

Lenape Regional High School

Linden

Little Egg Harbor

Lodi

Marlboro Township

Mendham Borough

Midland Park

Monmouth County Vocational

Mount Olive

Newark

New Egypt High School

Northern Burlington County Regional

North Hunterdon–Voorhees Regional

Nutley

Pequannock Township

Pleasantville Public Schools

Princeton Regional

Ramsey

Ridgefield

Ridgewood

Toms River Regional

Township of Union

Vernon Township

Verona

Watchung Hills

Washington Township

West Windsor–Plainsboro Regional

Woodbridge Township

10


Summit District Participation

Participants heard from a range oflocal, state and national experts ona variety of topics, which directly

addressed the summit goals to:

K Raise awareness of the importance ofinternational knowledge to social andcultural integration in New Jersey andto New Jersey’s economy;

K Mobilize political, corporate and edu-cation leadership to support a greaterfocus on education about other worldregions, their languages and cultures;and

K Build networks among educators andschools interested in infusing interna-tional knowledge and skills across thecurriculum and strengthening existinginternational education programs.

Participants were welcomed to the summitby a distinguished group that includedrepresentatives from the State Board OfEducation, the Department of Education,higher education and the Governor’sOffice–highlighting the commitment tointernational education by a broad spec-trum of policymakers throughout thestate. Deputy Commissioner DwightPfennig, summit facilitator, remarked:“Today’s event is significant because itpublicly acknowledges the department’scommitment to address the internationalknowledge gap in New Jersey’s schools.”State Board president, Arnold Hyndman,and board member, Kathleen Dietz, chair

of the State Board International EducationCommittee, underscored that to achievesuccess in implementing this initiative, allpolicymakers must come to the realizationthat international education should beapproached equally as an economic devel-opment, workforce development and edu-cation policy initiative.

The Honorable Rush Holt also providedattendees with a glimpse into Congress’attention to a particular component ofinternational education–our nation’s defi-ciency in language skills. RepresentativeHolt and others in Congress have intro-duced a number of proposals that focuson developing the nation’s languagecapacity.

11


Summit Highlights

Rush Holt, center; Kathy Dietz, left; Dwight Pfennig,

right

To know where we are is to seeourselves through those whothink differently than we.William L. LibreraCommissioner

New Jersey State Department of Education

Immediately after September11, 2001, Americans foundthemselves again facing aSputnik moment. They realizedthat they were caught flat-foot-ed, unprepared to confront AlQaeda terrorists. We need anational commitment to lan-guages on a scale of theNational Defense Education Actcommitment to science, includ-ing improved curriculum,teaching technology and methods, teacher develop-ment, and a systemic culturalcommitment.The Honorable Rush HoltU. S House of Representatives

Governor’s Proclamation: International Education Week

November 15–19, 2004

WHEREAS, New Jersey’s economy and its ability to compete in the global marketplace aredependent on the ability of all residents to function culturally, politically and economical-ly in a global society; and

WHEREAS, international education promotes knowledge and understanding of othercountries — including their language, history, geography, religion, arts and political andeconomic systems; and

WHEREAS, international education fosters creativity, critical thinking, and problem solv-ing through the exploration of complex and controversial issues; and

WHEREAS, the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards support internationaleducation through the study of social studies, world languages, the arts and other corecontent areas; and

WHEREAS, connecting the student acquisition of international literacies to real worldexperiences beyond state and national borders through participation in international stud-ies, international exchange programs and other activities that advance cultural awarenessand promote mutual understanding is important for all New Jersey students; and

WHEREAS, the first New Jersey International Education Summit held on October 27,2004 will raise awareness of the importance of international education and provide aframework to develop a five-year plan to implement international education across the cur-riculum in New Jersey’s schools; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education have pro-claimed November 15th through November 19th, 2004 as International Education Week— a time to celebrate the diversity of America and the many different cultures, languagesand traditions that make up our global community;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JAMES E. MCGREEVEY, Governor of the State of New Jersey, dohereby proclaim NOVEMBER 15th THROUGH NOVEMBER 19th, 2004 asNEW JERSEY INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION WEEK in New Jersey.

GIVEN, under my hand and the Great Seal of the State of New Jersey, this nineteenth dayof October in the year of Our Lord two thousand four and of the Independence of theUnited States, the two hundred and twenty-ninth.

JAMES E. MCGREEVEYGovernor

12


Proclamation

The Business Perspective

Rafiq Bengali, CEO, Americas and Europe,National Bank of Pakistan, provided par-ticipants with a critical viewpoint of theeconomic importance of internationaleducation. Mr. Bengali focused his discus-sion on understanding other cultures andthe need for language skills when con-ducting business abroad, noting that 1out of every 6 new jobs are in the field ofinternational trade. Mr. Bengali stressedthe ability of future employees to adapt toother cultures as a key factor in successfulbusiness ventures.

All business is global, yet allmarkets are local. This global-ized multicultural world needsleaders with a keen under-standing of national cultures.By learning from other coun-tries, these leaders develop thebest thinking and best practicesfrom around the worldenabling them to leverage cul-ture as a tool for competitiveadvantage.

Rosen, 2000

Vivien Stewart, Executive Director,National Coalition on Asia andInternational Studies in the Schools, alsostressed that globalization is drivingdemand for an internationally competentworkforce, noting that trade with Asia nowequals over $800 billion per year. Ms.Stewart also cited the NationalCommission on Asia and the Schools,which found that levels of student knowl-edge are rudimentary—25% of college-bound high school students did not knowthe name of the ocean that separates the

United States from Asia and 80% did notknow that India is the world’s largestdemocracy.

The compelling changes in oureconomy, the dawning of theinformation age, and the horri-ble events of September 11,2001 and their aftermath, havecreated an unprecedented needto focus on international knowl-edge and skills. To solve mostof the major problems facingour country in the 21st Centurywill require every young per-son to learn more about otherworld regions, cultures, andlanguages.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, 2003

SOURCE: Vivien Stewart “A World

Transformed: Preparing American Students

for the Interconnected World of the 21st

Century” presentation to the New Jersey

International Education Summit,

October 27, 2004.

Pre–K Education

Representatives from Sesame Workshophighlighted their efforts to address educa-tional needs across the world. Presidentand CEO Gary Knell, along with SesameMuppet Rosita, shared clips of SesameStreet adaptations tailored to more than25 countries. Episodes of the showfocused on topics specific to each individ-ual culture, with an emphasis on buildingself-esteem and empathy for others. Mr.Knell also shared a clip of “Global Grover,”a character that provides a glimpse intoother cultures, while highlighting similari-ties. The new character airs on SesameStreet, and aims to heighten cultural sen-sitivity at an early age.

13


The Business Perspective

14


development, including travel abroad, aswell as business partnerships in achievingthis infusion into the curriculum. Ms.Abbott also noted the importance of aworld languages component in the cur-riculum and alerted participants to the2005 Year of the Languages initiativebeing sponsored by ACTFL. The primarygoal of Year of Languages is to promotethe concept that every American shoulddevelop proficiency in a language(s) otherthan English. Robert Shamy focused hisdiscussion on using an anthropologicalperspective as a basis for teaching stu-dents about world cultures. Mr. Shamyendorsed the use of anthropological stud-ies as a scientific basis for the study of cul-ture in the secondary curriculum. The finalspeaker on the panel, Carol Joyce, aSocial Studies teacher from the PrincetonSchool District, provided a case study ofher experiences from two travel abroadprograms—one that brought her toGermany, and another to China and Japan.Ms. Joyce shared the benefits of her expe-riences and emphasized the value of theprogram in providing enrichment forinstruction and as an opportunity for pro-fessional growth.

Implementing InternationalEducation K–12 and Beyond

A panel discussed the implementation ofinternational education in K–20 settings.Panelists recommended:

K Infusing international education intothe K–12 and teacher education cur-riculum;

K Expanding professional developmentopportunities in international educa-tion; and

K Incorporating travel abroad programsinto pre-service and in-service teachereducation.

Marty Abbott, Immediate Past-Presidentof the American Council on the Teachingof Foreign Languages (ACTFL), noted theimportance of infusing an internationalperspective into the curriculum, asopposed to adding another subject—amessage that was also reiterated byRobert Shamy, Supervisor of SocialStudies in East Brunswick, NJ. Ms. Abbottstressed the importance of professional

Under the auspices of the American Council on the Teaching of ForeignLanguages, 2005 has been designated as the Year of Languages. The goalsof the observance in the United States are to build public awareness of the

value of language learning, facilitate dialogue between education leaders and policy-makers, and encourage and support research on language learning. This ambitiousinitiative represents the most coordinated collaboration of educators at the local,state, regional, and national levels that has ever taken place in the language profes-sion. Business groups and international economic councils, chambers of commerce inthe United States, U.S. embassies abroad, foreign consulates and embassies in theU.S., and international governments will participate in a variety of activities in sup-port of the goals of this initiative. Their efforts will focus on highlighting the integralrole of languages in school, work, and business environments of the 21st century,providing Americans with a new and fresh perspective on the value of learning otherlanguages.

15


Teacher Preparation

From a higher education perspective, AnaMaria Shuhmann, Dean of the College ofEducation at Kean University, discussedinternational education within the contextof teacher preparation, including the stateteacher licensing requirements for NewJersey. She focused on the suggested stan-dards set forth by the AmericanAssociation of Colleges for TeacherEducation (AACTE). Dr. Shuhmannstressed the importance of infusing aninternational focus in teacher educationfor all certification areas, as well as requir-ing a two-year language requirement for allprospective teachers. In addition, she dis-cussed the important role of heritage lan-guage speakers in teacher preparation. Dr.Shuhmann noted the different perspec-tives that heritage language speakers have,as well as their ability to serve as culturaltranslators. Finally, Terrence O’Connor,Dean of the School of Education at theCollege of New Jersey, highlighted aunique program that provides opportuni-ties for prospective teachers. The pro-gram, Global Student Teaching, providesteacher candidates with the opportunityto see other cultures firsthand throughAmerican and British International Schoolsabroad. The college also offers extensivestudy abroad program for all majors, aswell as a Graduate Global Program for stu-dents in the Masters Degree Program.

State Projects

The final panel of experts focused on stateprojects. Ed Gragert from iEARN gaveparticipants a visual image of the interac-tive online activities provided to studentsand teachers across the globe. iEARN cur-rently participates in the education ofnearly 1 million students in science, theenvironment, mathematics, social studies,economics, literature, creative writing andlanguage acquisition. Myriam Met, ActingDirector of the National Capitol ForeignLanguage Center, outlined the compo-nents of an exemplary international educa-tion program which includes world lan-guages. Dr. Met highlighted the key com-

ponents to successful language learning:time; intensity and engagement; authentictasks; interaction; and cross-cultural expe-riences. Andrew Smith, of the AmericanForum for Global Education focused hisdiscussion on recommendations for NewJersey in moving forward with an interna-tional education initiative. Mr. Smith’scomments have been incorporated intothe recommendations included in the fol-lowing section. Christine Brown, Directorof Foreign Languages and EnglishLanguage Learning at Glastonbury PublicSchools, discussed the successConnecticut has had with implementinginternational education. International edu-cation efforts are led by an InternationalEducation Committee chaired by a legisla-tor, and comprised of language and socialstudies professionals and representativesfrom business and higher education. Thecommittee reports directly to theLegislature and the Commissioner ofEducation. The state has adapted a GlobalEducation Survey to include questions onthe scope of language programs; adminis-tered the survey to school superintend-ents and district level curriculum special-ists; conducted focus groups; and helpedto establish an International EducationCommittee as a part of the StateSuperintendents Association. Ms. Brownalso highlighted the successful world lan-guages program at Glastonbury PublicSchools, which has provided longsequences of language study in a varietyof world languages since the fifties, andhas been nationally recognized as a leaderin world language education.

Town Meeting

The Summit closed with a Town Meeting,facilitated by Steve Adubato of the NewJersey Network Town Caucus. The TownMeeting provided participants with anopportunity to share their thoughts onmoving forward with international educa-tion in New Jersey’s schools. A summary ofrecommendations is included in the fol-lowing section. Participants also focusedon how to best champion the cause ofinternational education.

Steve Adubato from NJN Caucus and Iris Nagler, NJDOE

A Summary ofRecommendations fromSummit Participants

Summit participants and consultantsoffered the following recommendations tobe used in the development of a five-yearinternational education implementationplan to present to the Governor in January2006:

1. Establish a Governor’s or LegislativeTask Force that includes business andeducation leaders, to assess NewJersey’s economic and cultural ties tothe world in order to inform the prepa-ration of an internationally competentworkforce.

2. Establish a K–20 Task Force to addressthe implementation of internationaleducation from the elementarythrough post secondary levels. Thetask force would:

K Review the recommendations of previ-ous commissions or task forces thathave addressed international educa-tion implementation issues in variousstates;

K Evaluate Pre K–12 student standards,assessments and curriculum throughthe lens of international education,including the study of world languagesand the need to include languages crit-ical to global literacy in current pro-gram offerings;

K Develop a template for infusing inter-national knowledge and skills intoexisting standards in all content areaswith special emphasis on instructionthat focuses on global issues and howto address them within the diversesocial, political and economic contextsthat exist worldwide;

K Identify model international educationprograms throughout the state to bedesignated as international educationresource centers;

K Plan ongoing initiatives to raise aware-ness about the importance of interna-tional education with the educationand business community;

K Advocate for the adoption of an inter-national education requirement forpre-service teachers in all contentareas in order to obtain New Jerseyteacher certification;

K Assess current in-service professionaldevelopment opportunities availablefor teachers and provide suggestionsfor additional international studiesexperiences both at home and abroad;

K Evaluate how technology is currentlybeing used in the curriculum to incor-porate international education anddetermine other potential uses; and

K Determine the status of internationalstudent enrollments in higher educa-tion institutions as well as overall stu-dent enrollments in post secondaryinternational education programs andsuggest ways to increase enrollment.

3. Include findings from the Governor’sCommission and K–20 Task Force toaddress New Jersey’s specific needs inthe five-year implementation plan.

4. Advocate for the creation of a positionwithin the New Jersey Department ofEducation focusing solely on interna-tional education to assist with currentand future implementation efforts.

16


Summary

Summit Acknowledgements

Miguel CentenoDirector

Princeton Institute for International andRegional Studies

John WebbDirector

Princeton University Office of TeacherPreparation

The Longview Foundation

The Asia Society

The New Jersey International EducationSteering Committee

Lori MeyerSummit Scribe

References

National Standards in ForeignLanguage Education Project. (1999).Standards for foreign language learning in

the 21st century. Lawrence, KS: AllenPress, Inc.

New Jersey Department of Education.(2004). New Jersey core curriculum content

standards. Trenton, NJ: Author.

Steinemann, N.K., Fiske, E.B.&Sackett, V. (2001). Asia in the schools:

Preparing young americans for today’s inter-

connected world. New York: The AsiaSociety.

Rosen, R. (2000). Global literacies:

Lessons on business leadership and national

cultures. New York: Simon & Schuster.

17


18


New Jersey General Assembly

Assembly Resolution on International Education

WHEREAS, the cultural and economic structure in the State of New Jersey is becomingincreasingly global in perspective and citizens and workers require the skills to function ina multicultural and economically interdependent world; and

WHEREAS, international education promotes knowledge and understanding of othercountries including their language, history, geography, religion, arts, and political and eco-nomic systems; and

WHEREAS, international education fosters an understanding of cultural differences andsimilarities and enables students to understand how world affairs affect their lives, theircommunity, their state and the nation; and

WHEREAS, international education fosters creativity, critical thinking, and problem solv-ing through the exploration of complex and controversial world issues; and

WHEREAS, international education will improve students’ rudimentary knowledge base inthe academic subjects and is an essential component of modern civic education; and

WHEREAS, the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards support internationaleducation through the study of social studies, civics, world languages, the arts and othercore content areas; and

WHEREAS, in addition to ensuring that students acquire the necessary skills in reading,writing, mathematics and science, New Jersey needs to provide opportunities for studentsto acquire international knowledge and skills in order to help them understand their con-nection with other countries and cultures and how global issues are inextricably linked totheir present lives and their future; and

WHEREAS, the systemic implementation of international education in schools includes:the incorporation of international content into all core curriculum areas; the creation of K-12 pipelines in major world languages; the addition of an international dimension toteacher preparation, professional development and school leadership training programs;and pioneering new uses of technology for language learning, on-line professional devel-opment and connecting New Jersey schools and teachers to schools in other parts of theworld; now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

That this House hereby joins the New Jersey Department of Education in encouraging stu-dents, teachers, administrators, and educational policy makers to promote and participatein international education activities that enhance civic education, advance cultural/cross-cultural awareness, lead to communicative competence in world languages, further litera-cy/multi-literacy, and promote mutual understanding and respect for citizens of othercountries.

Because of New Jersey’s

growing role in international

business and trade, the need

for our students to function

in the society and workplace

of a globally interconnected

world is greater than ever.

“

“

Published by:


P. O. Box 500

Trenton, New Jersey 08625

http://www.state.nj.us/education

new jersey international education summit report jersey international education summit report...

Documents