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Literacy development begins with a foundation on oral language. From the moment children first hear meaningful speech to the very first book read aloud to them the foundation of literacy is already in motion. As children start school, educators begin to support their ability to distinguish and play with the sounds of oral language. Emergent literacy also encompasses learning letter names and the sounds that letters make, so that eventually children can develop the ability to

Last week at the 55th Annual Conference of the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE), I had the opportunity to present a session titled “Data Is Power: Measuring What Matters in Bilingual Learners’ Growth.” The room was filled with educators, administrators, and advocates who all shared a common reality: we are surrounded by data, but not all data is useful. I began the session with three simple questions: How many of you feel overwhelmed by the amount of studen

At BLAST, we understand that bilingualism is a powerful advantage, not a barrier to success. And we think that for way too long, the...

Dual Language programs are gaining momentum across the country, and the latest news from Illinois is a reason to celebrate. The state is...