New Program Assists Students in Earning International Credential
By GARY STALLARD
AC News Service
As the world continues to connect through global marketing, bilingual education and other forms of international outreach, the need for those able to exhibit proficiency in more than one language becomes even more pronounced.
This year, Angelina College Spanish instructor Dr. Annette Gillum found a way to ensure students who wish to do so are able to earn an extremely valuable credential in that very area.
On Friday, Gillum presented three AC students the Global Seal of Biliteracy, a credential awarded in 50 different countries and recognized internationally. Those students – Pedro Barboza-Soto, Sarah Cook and Savannah Bragg – earned the seal through a series of language proficiency tests.
“Students have to prove they’re biliterate in at least two languages, and that goes beyond being bilingual,” Gillum said. “The exam tests proficiency in reading, listening, speaking and writing.
“We’re presenting them with certificates now, but the students can also register and receive digital badges which are extremely useful in gaining employment and scholarships.”
Gillum said this group marked the first time she’d administered the tests as this is a new program for Angelina College. Those three were students in her Spanish class, and Gillum offered the proficiency testing in lieu of a final exam in her class.
“These students were with me for a few semesters, but I just started mentioning this to them back in the spring,” Gillum said. “I asked who would be interested in participating in this, and they wanted to do it.
“This is our first time doing this, but I want to start publicizing it to get more people interested.”
Gillum added that the program also will benefit for whom English isn’t their first language; those individuals can learn proficiency while earning the Global Seal of Biliteracy at the same time.
In addition, considering the large number of international students enrolled and attending on the Angelina College campus, along with the college’s desire to serve entire communities, Gillum said she hopes to see the participation grow to include faculty members as well.
“We’re looking to see where we can take it from here,” Gillum said. “Some students know languages other than Spanish, so we’re looking to open up the test to accommodate those students.
“We’d love to involve our faculty as well. We’re a Hispanic-serving institution here at Angelina College, and it would be great to be able to say we have instructors with the Global Seal of Biliteracy. We’re still working out how to make all of this grow.”
For further information regarding the Global Seal of Biliteracy program, contact Annette Gillum at agillum@angelina.edu.
Photo caption:
Angelina College Spanish Instructor Dr. Annette Gillum (center) presents students Pedro Barboza-Soto (left) and Sarah Cook with their certifications from the Global Seal of Biliteracy, a “uniform standard used to empower awardees to be a valuable asset in multilingual environments.” Gillum began the program at AC just this year. Not pictured: Savannah Bragg. (Gary Stallard photo for AC News Service)