There is some concern in the local community about Ann Arbor Public Schools' (AAPS) move to phase out certain world languages from some of its schools. Staffing challenges and shifting trends in language education are driving the changes.
Dawn Linden is the Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning at AAPS. She says the district has struggled to find qualified teachers for certain languages, which has led to shrinking German and Latin programs.
She adds others, including American Sign Language, have strong student interest but can’t expand without more instructors.
“We would like to expand it. We simply can’t, because we cannot find folks who have that certification.”
Linden says connecting students with online instructors has helped fill gaps caused by the scarcity of language teachers. She adds that the district will continue refining its language programs to keep them as comprehensive and robust as possible.
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