From the Deputy
Assistant Secretary's Desk
 Dear friends,
As a political appointee, this is my last week serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary for International and Foreign Language Education (IFLE) in the U.S. Department of Education. It has been my greatest honor to serve our nation in the Obama Administration and work alongside so many of you to advance international education and language learning for our students.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the incredibly capable and talented team in IFLE and more broadly in the Department of Education. Without their hard work, we wouldn’t achieve a fraction of what we set out to do. Their commitment and professionalism made coming to work everyday an absolute joy. I know they will continue to do great work moving forward on behalf of students and with you as partners.
In my 28 months with the team, I have been most proud of our collective work to broaden access to students who may have never been exposed to international education. I am also excited that we have placed a significant emphasis on “telling our story” and reiterating the importance of global skills to more audiences.
As our young people navigate the challenges, opportunities, and complexities of the 21st century, the work of the international education community is ever more important – not just for their career prospects, but for the basic day-to-day interactions that take place in our neighborhoods. As I envision the kind of America I want to live in, your support is fundamental to that.
I want to thank you for all the hard work you put in each and every day. Keep up the good work!
With my warmest regards,
Mohamed Abdel-Kader
Deputy Assistant Secretary for International and Foreign Language Education
|
Framework for Global and Cultural Competency
The U.S. Department of Education is committed to preparing all U.S. students to succeed globally through international education and engagement. Today, more than ever, our students need to be equipped with the critical thinking, communications, socio-emotional and language skills to work collaboratively with their counterparts in the United States and all over the world. Understanding and appreciating other parts of the world, different religions, cultures, and points of view are essential elements of global and cultural competence.
The Department’s "Framework for Developing Global and Cultural Competencies to Advance Equity, Excellence and Economic Competitiveness" is the product of a working group with representatives from across ED and discussions with the education community. This work builds on existing research and provides a framework for the development of global and cultural competencies beginning in early childhood through postsecondary education and bases it on a foundation of discipline-specific knowledge. It is designed as a guide to consider how these competencies are developed over time and at various stages of education.
We invite you to use this framework as a resource as you develop your own curricula and strategies for preparing students to succeed in today's globalized world.
 #GlobalReady Communications Initiative
IFLE will launch a new communications initiative in the coming months to encourage U.S. students, teachers, and citizens to be "global ready." We will share more information soon through this newsletter, our website, and our @GoGlobalED Twitter feed. In the meantime, feel free to use the image above in your classroom and on social media!
OPPORTUNITIES
Summer Institutes for Teachers
 There are dozens of federally funded National Resource Centers (NRCs) at universities around the United States. One of their many functions is to provide resources to help U.S. teachers strengthen their capacity to teach international content. To do this, they provide curriculum materials, teacher education, travel opportunities for teachers, scholarly speakers, and more. Through these sites you can find a wide array of resources: lesson plans, culture boxes, and Skype-based classroom speakers, just to name a few.
Many NRCs also organize summer institutes for teachers. Some institutes have funding available to defray travel expenses for out-of-town participants. Information for the upcoming year will be posted at the website below as it becomes available.
|
ENGAGE WITH US
Follow us on Twitter @GoGlobalED
 IFLE is on Twitter with the latest from the world of international and foreign language education. Follow us @GoGlobalED and tell your friends! We'll see you in the Twittersphere!
|
Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel!
Join our FLAS and
Fulbright-Hays Alumni Groups on LinkedIn
Send Us Your Feedback and Comments
 We want to hear from you! Do you have suggestions for webinar topics? Ideas for things to include in future newsletters? Send them to Carolyn Collins at carolyn.collins@ed.gov.
|
 If
you know someone who would like to receive the IFLE newsletter, encourage them
to sign up HERE!
|
![LinkedIn [in] Logo](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/USED/2017/01/1164620/1171882/in-2c-128px-tm_crop.png)