Credentialing Additional Language Proficiency across CTE Career Pathways with the Seal of Biliteracy (Interview with Dina R. Yoshimi)

Our nation’s multilingual talent has long been one of our best-kept secrets, but it’s one we can no longer afford to keep. With our 21st century penchant for stretching supply lines, educational opportunities, production processes, collaborative research endeavors, and leisure travel around the globe, the need for proficient multilingual skills in the workforce has never been greater. Addressing this need is not merely aspirational; it is essential.  The competitiveness of American industry, the strength of our national security, the global engagement of our researchers and educators, and the equitable access to human services for limited English proficient populations all depend on our doing so. Continue Reading Here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YSn1_KdhyX5pJtd9Gfu4y-dFY9h0Yo0S0nsR_giO_x8/edit?usp=sharing Dina Rudolph Yoshimi (Ph.D., Applied Linguistics, University of Southern California) is an Associate Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures at the University of Hawai‘i-Mānoa and Director of the Hawai'i Language Roadmap Initiative (UH-Mānoa College of Arts, Languages, & Letters). Her research interests include the pragmatics of everyday language use and language use in the state’s workforce. During her tenure as Roadmap Director, she has coordinated the launch of the Hawai'i Language Roadmap and provided key leadership in the development and implementation of the state’s Seal of Biliteracy. Under her guidance, the Roadmap has promoted the development of a multilingual workforce for Hawai‘i through statewide symposia, multilingual career development programs, and outreach endeavors that have reached over 3500 employers, educators, students, and job seekers across the state. She is currently directing the Roadmap’s initiative to promote the credentialing of language proficiency as an additional workforce skill in Hawai‘i’s high-demand industry sectors. As Roadmap Director, Dr. Yoshimi serves on the State of Hawai‘i Workforce Development Council’s Sector Strategies and Career Pathways Committee and its Performance Standards Committee, the UH-Mānoa College of Education’s Multilingual Learner Teacher Education Committee, and the Moanalua High School World Language Learning Center Advisory Board. Dina R. Yoshimi, Ph.D. Director, Hawai‘i Language Roadmap Initiative College of Arts, Languages and Letters Moore Hall 382 University of Hawai'i-Mānoa Office: (808) 956-2077 Web: nflrc.hawaii.edu/languageroadmap/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiLanguageRoadmap Instagram: @hawaiilanguageroadmap