Roadmap Plan

The cornerstone of the Indiana Language Roadmap is the pre-K to career educational pipeline, which needs to be comprehensively strengthened in such a way that existing resources are leveraged and aligned, current training opportunities are enhanced, and educators and learners of all ages are supported and incentivized to gain global and multilingual competencies. World language instruction, intercultural competency, and global learning must be promoted early and requires articulation through postsecondary education and career placement.

The Roadmap Plan proposes expanding educational opportunities for schools, colleges, and universities and for workforce training and professional development, including more offerings for high-quality online instruction. Training for in-service and pre-service teachers, counselors, and educators in proficiency-based language instruction and global pedagogy is critical, as are more accessible opportunities for teacher credentialing and licensing. Cross-sector alliances need to be leveraged to support this educational infrastructure, sustain articulated needs, and provide multiple points of access to high-quality instruction. Ultimately, Indiana needs a more purposeful educational pipeline that aligns with the needs of various sectors, builds upon existing strengths, and improves access to educational opportunities so that Indiana residents are prepared for our increasingly global lives and careers.

1.1 INCENTIVIZE TEACHING AND LEARNING

Opportunities for high-quality language instruction and global learning should be expanded by encouraging and incentivizing teachers, learners, and schools. Schools and students need to recognize the benefits of advancing and sustaining language training and global education and be encouraged to seek opportunities to fulfill this essential component of learning in the 21^st century. Indiana must not lose its language teachers to neighboring states that pay higher wages or provide better benefits.

• Advocate for better teacher wages that are comparable to nearby states and consider other means to incentivize the training and retention of teachers
• Prepare school administrators to support world language teachers and globally-engaged educators in ways that foster global learning environments and retain qualified teachers at all schools
• Create more student and school incentives for engaging in and sustaining world language and global learning, such as by developing global school badges, awards for younger language learners, a Governor’s Global Award, or by promoting existing national fellowships or Indiana’s Certificate of Multilingual Proficiency
• Engage students and families through international cultural exchanges between schools and communities and by implementing other experiential pedagogies

1.2 TRAIN MORE LANGUAGE EDUCATORS

Indiana must address its shortage of K-16 world language teachers. The current licensure process must meet the needs of both teachers and students, and licensure options should be flexible and allow for native speakers to become licensed in an efficient and equitable manner. Language learners at colleges and universities should be offered pathways to become teachers and to pursue career opportunities that require multilingual proficiency.

• Advance availability of teacher training and resources in proficiency-based pedagogy, communicative approaches, and innovative methods in teaching languages
• Provide more accessible and high-quality professional development opportunities for school administrators, staff, and teachers about developing and sustaining language programs in schools
• Assess the current requirements and process for obtaining teaching licenses and make recommendations that will improve the process and increase the number of qualified teachers
• Reinstate the bilingual/bicultural license, which existed in Indiana until the 2010 amendments to the rules for education preparation and accountability
• Develop best practices and standards and establish professional development plans for dual language educators and dual language schools
• Advance coordination across the pre-K through career pipeline (including schools of education, world language departments, K-12 schools, English Language Learner programs, and communities) to develop stronger avenues for licensure, teacher training, and communication
• Identify and pursue resources to increase financial support and incentives for world language teachers and educators in teacher training programs
• Support teacher exchanges and provide training for visiting international teachers in methods that ensure continuity in classroom praxis and effective pedagogy

1.3 ENHANCE THE LANDSCAPE FOR GLOBAL LEARNING 

In order to increase global competencies and language learning throughout Indiana, teachers, counselors, parents, and community advocates need to play essential roles and must stay engaged. School curriculum needs to integrate global perspectives and competencies in ways that support state standards, and awareness of state and federal education opportunities for language learning and global skills training must be raised. Equitable access to these initiatives must be facilitated and expanded to increasing numbers of students and schools, in alignment with other educational and workforce priorities of Indiana.

• Work with high schools and institutions of higher education to raise awareness, adoption, and valuation of the Certificate of Multilingual Proficiency (COMP) and increase student benefits, such as developing dual credit options and providing equitable access to proficiency testing
• Develop and seek approval for Indiana graduation pathways that emphasize world language and global competency skills for student college and career preparation
• Diversify the languages offered and strengthen the quality of K-16 curricular language learning choices, including less commonly taught languages, heritage languages, American Sign Language, and Native American languages
• Support teachers and administrators to internationalize school curricula and to employ global pedagogies and resources in all classrooms, at all levels of education, and in alignment with state standards
• Make curricular connections between language instruction and disciplinary content, including STEM, so students can apply their language skills in practice
• Work with the Indiana Department of Education to designate specific staff to coordinate the advancement of world languages and global learning across the K-12 pipeline
• Provide opportunities for language learning and global skills that include online and home schooling, adult learning programs, and community-based language and cultural programs (e.g. Saturday schools, after school programs) as contributors to the educational pipeline for global learning
• Encourage the development of degree and graduation requirements across the pre-K to career pipeline for proficiency in world languages and global skills.
• Heighten awareness of state and federal education opportunities for language learning and global skill acquisition, including seed funding for dual language immersion programs, the COMP, global workforce skills degrees and certificates, and overall support for English language learners, heritage language speakers, and the learning of national security priority languages
• Work with high school and Career and Technical Education teachers and counselors to promote the benefits of language learning and cultural awareness for all students
• Align international education goals with regional and statewide STEM and workforce initiatives to emphasize the importance of global skillsets for research innovation and product development
• Create a statewide website to disseminate best practices in proficiency-based language learning and to share information about world language learning and intercultural teaching and activities in Indiana

To compete nationally and internationally, Indiana must have a workforce that can engage globally, communicate across cultures, and work with diverse groups of people. Indiana can build a global workforce in two ways; through home-grown talent or by importing it from other states and countries. The best solution is to do both.

Businesses and sectors need tailored solutions to enhance global trade and be successful in import and export markets. To sustain a globally competent workforce, Indiana workers will require opportunities for continued growth through on-going training programs to increase linguistic and cultural capabilities. Indiana must be a welcoming state where international companies want to invest their capital and where people from around the world can come, contribute, and build prosperous lives. All Hoosiers in all regions must be supported to maximize their chances to thrive and contribute to the state’s prosperity. 

2.1 STRENGTHEN THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR GLOBAL EMPLOYABILITY

Indiana’s economic development requires all of its diverse business sectors to provide superior services, attract top-notch talent, retain qualified employees, and succeed in importing, exporting, manufacturing, trade service, and finance. To do so, Indiana requires a globally competent and multilingual workforce.

• Collaborate with employers and particularly Human Resources professionals to define specific skill sets for global employability and prioritize these skills in job descriptions and when seeking appropriate talent
• Provide opportunities for global workforce “skill up” training throughout the educational pipeline, including through Career and Technical Education high school programs and in post-secondary degrees
• Increase career preparation and global employability skills by building internship offerings that mutually meet workforce needs and offer secondary and post-secondary students opportunities to further their language proficiency and intercultural and global competencies
• Utilize the state’s new graduation pathways for high school students as opportunities to gain 21^st century global skills, including developing internationalized pathways and global employability learning experiences
• Leverage companies with foreign direct investment to support cross-cultural and language learning opportunities in local communities
• Work with certification, professional licensing, and credentialing entities to develop more career opportunities for heritage speakers and immigrant Hoosiers that utilize language and intercultural skills

2.2 TRAIN SERVICE PROVIDERS

As Indiana becomes more welcoming to international businesses and citizens of the world, it needs to strengthen the capacity of Hoosier service providers, including law enforcement, the justice system, healthcare, social services, and local school systems. To bridge gaps in professional programs and professional development, Indiana’s workforce requires more training in intercultural and linguistic competencies.  

• Assess specific needs of services by working with state associations (e.g., Indiana Hospital Association, Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police)
• Develop training resources specific to services and sectors that address gaps in intercultural understanding and global competency
• Promote and grow training programs that align language proficiency and intercultural skills with sector needs (e.g. certification programs for medical, court, business interpreters and instructional programs on “Language for Specific Purposes”)
• Develop “train-the-trainer” programs for various sectors, utilizing online or hybrid instruction as needed for language and intercultural skills
• Encourage and facilitate businesses and service-providing organizations to develop Language Access Plans and incorporate diversity and inclusion initiatives into strategic planning

2.3 ADVANCE THE GLOBAL BUSINESS CAPACITY OF INDIANA

All businesses and employees should have access to high-quality resources, training, and expertise to advance global capacity, though there is uneven support across the state to advance the priorities of businesses seeking to expand into new global markets and increase international operations. By creating a business environment that values a globally competent workforce while offering services and a comprehensive quality of place for diverse populations, Indiana can better attract and retain foreign owned businesses and those with foreign direct investment.

• Develop new global business seminars and promote existing ones to provide best practices in growing a global market as well as provide training in critical issues for enhancing global engagement of businesses, across all regions of the state
• Develop high-quality resources and open source trainings supporting global engagement that businesses can access
• Collaborate with key stakeholders, such as local Chambers of Commerce, Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Indiana Small Business Development Centers, and others to leverage and align new and existing opportunities available for businesses
• Build stronger and productive bridges between universities and business to provide the international talent that businesses seek and better leverage the significant international student population in Indiana
• Encourage the creation of, and facilitate membership in, regional trade groups and networks for information and resource sharing, best practices education, opportunity exploration, and joint ventures and collaboration

The Indiana Language Roadmap Plan has been collectively developed, and its future implementation will rely on existing and new networks as well as resources and assets across the state to achieve its mission of making high-quality world language instruction and global learning opportunities available, equitable, and affordable. Defining these building blocks and synergies is critical to the Roadmap Plan’s success and sustainability and this process can foster creative connections through networks of diverse stakeholders. In addition to laying down a state infrastructure for world languages and the acquisition of global skills, these connections will be vital to raising awareness, fundraising, regional implementation, advocacy, and for aligning with the agendas, strategic plans, and goals of stakeholders and partners. Indiana University’s Center for the Study of Global Change will continue to coordinate efforts in conjunction with its partners to develop the infrastructure required to implement and sustain this important work.

3.1 BUILD NETWORKS

There is a critical need to build networks and consortiums of advocates, institutions, and individuals that are invested in the Roadmap mission and who will help implement and sustain activity. The four types of networks that will be advanced or strengthened are cross-state (integrating local, regional, state, and federal levels); cross-sector (connecting business, community organizations, education, healthcare, government, social services, etc.); intra-sector (creating stronger connections within business, education, healthcare, etc.), and intra-regional (building stronger regional capacity, including cross-state coordination for border regions).

• Designate and develop a statewide coordinating framework with active involvement of key stakeholders to oversee and foster the successful and sustained implementation of the Indiana Language Roadmap Plan
• Form a statewide council, such as a Governor’s Roundtable, to sustain meaningful conversations around language learning and global competencies
• Develop a communication network to share information about funding, jobs, visas, resources, best practices, and potential collaborations
• Design a database of global business services and resources (such as translation, legal, accounting, logistics, marketing, cultural training, and college/university programs) available across the state
• Use a professional learning community model to create collaborative groups within sectors with representatives that regularly share ideas and strategies
• Develop collaborative groups within regions and sectors with representatives that regularly share ideas and strategies

3.2 ALIGN PRIORITIES

The goals set forth here can best be achieved through coordinating the needs of the various sectors, networks, and regions. Roadmap Plan recommendations and activities must align with and advance the priorities of state, federal, regional, and local organizations and their current initiatives, rather than adding new or separate goals for these entities. A focus on common interests will lead to a more sustainable model that furthers existing goals and builds on current efforts to build a stronger infrastructure for equitable access to job training, world language learning, and global skills.

• Designate and sustain cross-sector, cross-state, as well as intra-regional and intra-sector sub-committees, to assess and assure the alignment of Roadmap implementation with existing priorities, as well as to seek relevant funding sources to advance initiatives that leverage state, federal, and regional priorities
• Align proposed activities with the goals of various stakeholders and existing initiatives, such as Welcoming Cities, Business’ Diversity and Inclusion Programs within Indiana businesses, the Indiana Department of Education, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and regional Indiana Small Business Development Centers
• Pursue creative and sustainable funding models that cross sectors and build on similar priorities and missions, public and private partnerships, foundations, and local and state government funding

The success of the Indiana Language Roadmap will require a communications and educational strategy that raises the profile of the overall project priorities and goals, articulates the needs for the initiative, and informs Indiana residents about the state’s many global connections and communities. An awareness campaign should start immediately. Clearly defined messages about Indiana’s diversity and the economic value and social benefits of world language skills and global competencies must be widely disseminated, using new and established networks and various mediums of communication. This campaign will raise awareness of existing resources, convey the international needs of businesses and other stakeholders, outline educational opportunities, and provide pathways for advocacy at the regional, state, and federal levels. Ultimately, this campaign will contribute to a diverse state infrastructure that is welcoming and that recognizes the importance of the state’s global identity.

4.1 PROMOTE A GLOBAL IDENTITY

Indiana is already global, but this identity is not widely recognized, explained, or promoted as essential to the strengths of its economy, education, and communities. Materials and messaging about Indiana’s global identity and its local ramifications should be developed and broadly disseminated.

• Initiate a marketing and publicity campaign that promotes a Global Indiana and features “Stories of Success” about people who have contributed to their community and how global engagement improves the economic standing and capacity of Hoosiers
• Raise awareness about how internationalized and world language learning, including early language learning, helps students in urban and rural areas achieve core educational standards as well as prepares individuals for careers
• Use established networks, creative media, and targeted infographics to reach diverse populations across the state
• Create a statewide designation for “Global Communities” to recognize areas with policies, programs, and infrastructure development that support international engagement, with scalable metrics for different community sizes
• Produce and disseminate a report on policy and best practices in infrastructure-building to make Indiana an attractive, global, and diverse place to live and work 
• Leverage existing resources to better advertise and connect Indiana’s employment offerings with international workers

4.2 INCREASE ADVOCACY

To ensure continued funding, public engagement, and supportive policy frameworks for these proposed initiatives, the Plan proposes new and effective forms of advocacy and increased communication and coordination between stakeholders and elected officials at all levels of government.

• Engage communities around the state in this work, such as using community forums to determine ways in which global competencies and world language learning support existing community priorities 
• Work with officials and legislators at local, state, and national levels to strengthen the infrastructure for the acquisition of global skills
• Collaborate with organizations that have advocacy goals and programs
• Provide advocacy training across sectors

4.3 COMPILE RESEARCH

A need exists to better understand, distill, and communicate data-driven findings, as well as leverage existing resources, in order to build support and make a compelling case for the importance and value of language and global competency education for all ages and communities.

• Triangulate existing and new data to establish the global needs of sectors, regions, and the state
• Map existing resources by surveying schools, businesses, community organizations (including youth and faith-focused) and determine gaps and opportunities
• Examine the reasons for the lack of language instructional offerings and for low enrollments
• Collect and highlight data-driven assessments of the benefits of global competency and language learning programs