East Middle School students and faculty are taking new strides towards language learning and connecting with cultures across the globe after a successful Pilot program for the Junior Seal of Biliteracy, making Binghamton the 2nd district in the State to offer this unique opportunity!
The students who participated in the program were honored with medals at the district’s ENL Celebration on Monday, June 15, and received the Jr. Seal during their 8th grade moving-up ceremony.
The six students who participated had to complete an 8-step process involving research, reading, writing in a world language, writing in English, and creating a presentation, working very hard outside of class time to bring the projects to life.
They presented to a panel of evaluators for 5 minutes and participated in a question-and-answer session for an additional 5 minutes.
"What was amazing to me was that the roles of teacher and student were reversed, as the students were able to teach us about their culture and language,” said Diana Drew, English as a New Language teacher at East Middle School. “The students held the knowledge and enriched our worlds with their diverse experiences."
The program was adapted from a Passport Program started at Vestal that is now in the process of being an official NYS program. The adaptations were designed to best support our ENL students and to encourage the continued academic use of their first language.
The students awarded and their completed projects:
Tamo Alsaho (Arabic) - Syria / Travel Agent
Yasha N. Diaz Diaz (Spanish) - Bad Bunny / Influential Person
Evenande Jacinthe (French) - Maitre Gims / Influential Person
Valentyn Kulahin (Ukrainian) - Lesya Ukrainka / Influential Person
Jayden Reyes Melendez (Spanish) - La Parranda / Holiday
Daniela Rodriguez Acosta (Spanish) - el Día de Puertorriqueñidad / Holiday
Many students said that their goal was to share, spread, or celebrate their culture.
Tamo Alasho wore a traditional Syrian dress to her presentation, writing that future students "should learn your own language and be proud of it.”
"Don't be scared or stressed because they (the adult panelists) will not laugh at you, but help you," said Evenade Jacinthe. She said she gained the courage to speak in front of others through the program.
Yasha Diaz noted that the program helped with "preparing me for more public speaking" and allowed her to gain the "skill of speaking in front of people in different languages".