The Consulate and La Scuola D’Italia spotlight Italian language education in NY
Aiming to promote culture and language, the Italian Consulate General in New York is working on a new initiative aimed at creating an English-Italian bilingual section in New York public schools. The Consulate General will develop this project under the Two-Way Bilingual Education Program, an instructional design model outlining methods for the integration of limited English speakers and native English speakers. It was implemented by the state of New York in 2010. Not only will this new plan develop bilingual proficiency, it will promote academic integrity for all students involved.
To further the initiative, the Consulate General has decided to hold informational meetings with various bilingual experts, including Fabrice Jaumont, the Education Attaché and Director of New York Education Office of the French Embassy to the United States. The French Embassy is also pursuing bilingual integration in New York schools.
This initiative is greatly dependent on the engagement of the Italian-American community and support from Italian cultural institutions in New York such as the Italian – American Committee on Education and La Scuola D’Italia Guglielmo Marconi. To further interest and involvement in the project, there will be a meeting at the Consulate General of Italy on April 3rd at 6:00PM. The title of the meeting is “The Advantages of Bilingualism: Creating Together an Italian Dual Language Program in Your Local Public School.”
Speakers at the meeting will include Fabrice Jaumont, Bahar Otcu-Grillman (Ed.D. Mercy College Assistant Professor TESOL/Bilingual Education), Carlo Davoli (Education Office Director, Consulate General of Italy, NY), Maria Kot (Community liaison with Metropolitan Russian American Parents Association), Anna Cano-Amato (Principal at PS 110, Brooklyn) and Robin Sundick (Prinicipal at PS 84, Upper West Side).
The meeting will be followed by a Q&A session. The address of the Consulate General of Italy is 690 Park Avenue, New York. Please email elettorale.newyork@esteri.it to confirm your participation.
-Rose Minutaglio
