STATES that have passed English-only laws aren’t typically the sort to shower money on bilingual education. Utah, which declared English its sole official language in 2000, seems to be an exception. The New York Times recently reported that the state is expanding its langauge-immersion programs for young students. French, Spanish, Portuguese and Mandarin are currently on the docket. German and Arabic might follow. According to Utah’s governor, this new initiative grows out of the Mormon mission tradition, during which missionaries are encouraged to learn local languages abroad. Utah is some 60% Mormon. 

The teachers — most of them from other countries — teach regular subjects like mathematics and reading and social studies, only speaking exclusively in a foreign language. At first, they pantomime and use pictures and videos to get their point across, but they say the students can understand them within a few weeks.

Utahns are quickly catching on.

Parents, wary at first, have rushed to enter lotteries to place their children in the programs. Some school districts…Continue reading

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