A new language learning option will be available in the Lynn School District in January.
In an interview with The Item last week, Superintendent Evonne Alvarez said that the district signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Rosetta Stone, an online language learning program.
Alvarez said that knowing a second language will be a crucial skill in the future.
“Research says that most of this country will be black, brown, and speaking Spanish in the next 10-15 years,” she said. “It’s a disservice to our students who only speak English not to have an opportunity to also learn Spanish. The jobs of the future will require students who can speak both languages.”
She said that today’s kindergarteners will compete with people who speak two languages by the time they go to college or start a career.
“We have to make decisions now to make sure that those students are able to compete and have the same access and opportunities,” Alvarez said. “It’s our responsibility to provide them the opportunity to learn Spanish.”
Access to Rosetta Stone will also benefit teachers.
“For our teachers who are primarily dealing with students who speak only Spanish – how do they communicate?” Alvarez said. “This is a great tool where they can learn some conversational Spanish or learn to be fluent at their own pace. We’ve had an inordinate amount of teachers and staff who have asked, ‘How do I pick up some Spanish to be able to communicate with my students?’”
The program will not just be available for students and teachers, though. District staff and parents will also be able to utilize Rosetta Stone.
“School Committee members who don’t speak other languages, how do they support the families they represent when they can’t communicate with them?” Alvarez said. “They’ll have access as well to be able to pick up Rosetta Stone and use that tool.”
Rosetta Stone offers learning in 25 different languages.
Alvarez said that would be especially impactful for families who do not speak English.
“Think about a family that only speaks Portuguese or Spanish or Arabic or Khmer, which are our primary languages, being able to learn English, what that does for the economic growth of our local community,” she said. “It’s something as simple as providing a platform where they can learn at their own pace.”
