An examination of the postgraduation benefits of earning a Seal of Biliteracy

• Kristin J. Davin ^[1] ; Kristen R. Cruz ^[1] ; Charlotte R. Hancock ^[1]
  1. [1] University of North Carolina at Charlotte

     University of North Carolina at Charlotte

     Estados Unidos

     
• Localización: Foreign language annals, ISSN 0015-718X, Vol. 57, Nº. 3, 2024, págs. 634-653
• Idioma: inglés
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen

  • Across the United States, students have the opportunity to earn a Seal of Biliteracy (SoBL) when they graduate from high school. Awarded to students who demonstrate proficiency in two or more languages, the SoBL originated to confront English-only ideologies and promote multilingualism. But critics question the impact of the policy on students and whether English-dominant students experience greater impacts than their linguistically-minoritized peers. To that end, this study posed the question, What do recipients report postgraduation as benefits of earning a SoBL? In this qualitative investigation, 33 SoBL earners were interviewed postgraduation to analyze the benefits that they experienced from SoBL attainment. Four themes characterized the findings: increased employability in sales and education, pride and acknowledgment for linguistically-minoritized students, greater confidence and interest in postsecondary education, and difficulty receiving college credit. The article concludes with implications for strengthening the impact of the policy.