Language Issues

A few weeks ago, the U.S. Census Bureau released updated data on the size and makeup of the U.S. Hispanic population. The statistics show that this demographic now comprises more than 45 million consumers. The magnitude of the number speaks for itself, but what concerns me is the idea of falling short on the promise that is made to existing and prospective clients.

Obviously, the rationale behind targeting Hispanics is to tap into this treasure trove of 45 million consumers with incredible buying power. Yet, when one looks at the strategies and programs that are planned and executed against the segment, they fall short on their ability to reach all 45 million. It seems to me that this is because of how the market has always been perceived, thought about and, most important, sold. “*

Bidz.com (NASDAQ:BIDZ), a leading online auctioneer of jewelry, announced today the launch of a complete Spanish-language version of its online auction site, Bidz.com. This version of the Web site can be accessed by clicking the “En Espanol” (”In Spanish”) link on the Company’s homepage, www.bidz.com. The Company has also hired Spanish speaking customer service personnel to better assist their new clientele.

The Spanish-Language site is geared to Spanish-speakers, whether they are in the U.S. or other countries. Bidz.com already derives 24% of its revenue from outside the U.S., and international revenue grew 60% in the first quarter of 2008. The Spanish-language site will be the first in a series of non-English sites, which will seek to tap into the auction site’s attractiveness around the world. The company, which grew revenues 38.5% in the first quarter of 2008, sells on average over 12,000 items a day, making it one of the most visited jewelry sites on the Web. Bidz.com recently launched an online retail store with fixed prices, Buyz.com.

“Our exciting auction format delivers unsurpassed value to consumers, and we believe that by making the site available in other languages, beginning with Spanish, we’ll bring our service to new audiences around the world,” said David Zinberg, Chief Executive Officer of Bidz.com. “We believe that these sites can be a tremendous growth opportunity for the Company.”

“*

As part of basic training, the state requires all Texas officer candidates to take 16 hours of a Spanish class designed for law enforcement. Cadets learn the basic Spanish needed for traffic stops, arrests and most importantly, they learn words that would signal someone has a weapon.

McLennan Community College Law Enforcement Academy, which offers officer training twice a year, includes Spanish classes in each session. The Spanish class is taught by Connie Best, an investigator with the Hillsboro Police Department.

Through class instruction, roleplay scenarios and games designed to aid in retention, cadets learn basic language skills.”*

In the ad, McCain touts “pro-innovation immigration policies” in English (a move to seemingly appease the right wing base), but the Spanish text that appears simultaneous to that declaration trumpets “Immigration Policy Innovation,” a term that makes it sound like he supports comprehensive immigration reform.”*

So did you know this? If you didn’t, perhaps you could send it to someone you know to help spread the knowledge and please tell them about HispanicTips.

View more “Did You Know?” facts in our “Did You Know?” section

It’s striking to hear a room full of eighth graders talk about the Louisiana Purchase and the War of 1812 in fluent, unbroken Spanish.

The non-bilingual ear could pick out names, like Lewis and Clark, and simple Spanish phrases, but the rest would be a mystery. Not a word of English is spoken in this lesson, except for maybe a whispered joke between a couple students. It’s the sort of conversation you’d expect to hear in a college level Spanish-history course.

Most of these students in the Berry Creek Middle School dual-language class have been in the same class together since second grade — and many have been together since kindergarten. “*

So did you know this? If you didn’t, perhaps you could send it to someone you know to help spread the knowledge and please tell them about HispanicTips.

View more “Did You Know?” facts in our “Did You Know?” section

Now an agent with Keller Williams Realty in Kernersville, Peregrina has found that being bilingual has paid off, but in ways he never imagined. How many Realtors can explain fideicomiso, or escrow, in Spanish? For his Spanish-speaking clients, Peregrina has become as much of an educator as he is a real-estate agent.

“It can be a very confusing process. Like adjustable-rate mortgages really confused a lot of people, and agents had to use young children to translate during the complicated process of buying house,” Peregrina said.

He noted that in the Mexican culture most people do not go into debt to buy their homes. They start to build their houses and then stop until they get the money to complete the construction process, sometimes taking two to three years to finish.”*

Representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union and the state’s Latino Affairs Commission urged lawmakers to quash legislation that would require public agencies to conduct business and keep records in English.

The bill, they said, is unnecessary, threatens civil and human rights of non-English-speaking citizens and would deter residents from learning other languages.

“The denial of services to American citizens with limited English proficiency is already happening,” said Ezra C. Escudero, director of the Ohio Latino Affairs Commission, which advises the governor and lawmakers on issues facing Hispanic residents. “… There is no need for English only legislation like House Bill 477. State agencies are already in compliance with its proposals, and the vast majority of Ohioans only speak English.”"*

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ), the state’s largest locally based health insurance provider, today launched its first full-scale multicultural marketing campaign targeting Arizona Hispanics.

The campaign targets Hispanics through television, radio and print advertisements, as well as a series of “webisodes” designed to appeal to younger audiences.

The Hispanic population in Arizona numbers approximately 1.8 million, accounting for almost 30% of the state’s general population. According to BCBSAZ 2007 market research, approximately half a million — or 25% — of Arizona’s Hispanics lack health insurance.

“By building greater awareness of the health care products, services and networks we provide, we have an opportunity to inform Hispanic consumers about their health care choices and how to take action,” said Vicki McDonald, vice president of marketing, BCBSAZ. “The campaign communicates a compelling and targeted message that speaks to this market through creative messaging and imagery.”

The six webisodes featured in the campaign are intended to more effectively target younger consumers. The cleverly written and produced video vignettes feature five energetic and interesting personas – Paulina, Teresa, Carlos, Claudia and Javier. Each persona represents a key segment of the target market and can be viewed in both English and Spanish.

“We’re particularly excited about this rollout since this is the first time Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona has used virtual marketing specifically for a bilingual audience,” said McDonald.

The webisodes can be viewed at:

* www.azblue.com/webisode
* www.youtube.com/azblueteresa
* www.myspace.com/azblueteresa

BCBSAZ is supporting the webisodes with print and broadcast ads on both Spanish and general market media. The company also will use direct mail marketing.

“Our goal is to help Arizona’s Hispanics make informed decisions about their health care and insurance options,” said Richard L. Boals, president and CEO, BCBSAZ. “Currently, less than half of Arizona Hispanics have private health insurance, and we’d like to see that figure increase to 100 percent.”

“*

California’s beach goers soon will learn about rip tides and other dangers en Espanol as well as English when 1,900 educational signs sprout on public access points along the coast.

The signs, planned to go up over the next few months, will alert visitors to potential dangers along the shore.”*

Zions Bank today announced the launch of a Spanish language version of its Internet site, http://www.zionsbank.com/espanol. The Web site is targeted at the growing number of Latinos making financial transactions online. Nationally, 76 percent of bilingual Latinos use the Internet, according to a 2007 report by the Pew Hispanic Center. Other studies indicate Hispanic entry into the online marketplace is outpacing that of the general market. “*

Sen. John McCain today announced his Spanish-language campaign Web site, http://www.johnmccain.com/espanol/, in honor of Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican holiday commemorating an 1862 battle. But it appears news only happens in English — the most recent posting under his news section is from April 16. The English-language site, by contrast, has dozens of news items since April 16

And while the video on the main screen showing McCain’s biographical commercial has Spanish subtitles, clicking on the link “La historia de un gran heroe Americano que esta listo para ser nuestro lider” takes you to an English-language version instead.

The McCain campaign says the Spanish-language site will “feature regular updates in Spanish throughout the election.”"*

Dorel Juvenile Group USA (DJG USA), a division of Dorel Industries (TSX: DII.B DII.A), the nation’s largest juvenile products manufacturer and the maker of Safety 1st® brand products, is launching a Spanish-language version of its Safety 1st Web site on May 5. Espanol.safety1st.com boasts all of the exciting features of the English-language site, safety1st.com, including:

* Easy-to-find product searching in four categories: Child Care (including bathtubs and accessories, high chairs, and health items) Home Safety (including childproofing items and monitors), Play & Relax (including bouncers, play yards and swings) and Travel (including car seats and strollers). Products are also searchable by age, room and collection.
* Tools such as a car seat selector to determine which type of car seat is best for your child, a room-by-room childproofing guide, a how-to childproofing video and a state-by-state map of booster seat legislation that shows parents requirements by age, height and/or weight.
* Access to the Safety 1st Community, including a “Share Your 1st” Bulletin Board where parents can post photos of their child’s firsts and a “Wish List” where parents can share with friends and family which Safety 1st products they like.

“We are pleased to be able to serve our Spanish-speaking customers on the Safety 1st Web site,” said Dave Taylor, President and CEO of DJG USA. “We welcome them to our online community and look forward to sharing many ‘1st’s’ together.”

In addition to Safety 1st, DJG USA designs and distributes products under the Cosco® Juvenile, Quinny®, Maxi-Cosi® and Eddie Bauer®-licensed brands, and will also offer Spanish-language versions of some of those sites, including espanol.djgusa.com, espanol.coscojuvenile.com and espanol-eddiebauer.djgusa.com.”*

He is one of about 8,000 immigrants of Hispanic or Latino origin who reside in Butler County. The group is one of the largest growing minorities here. At Van Buren, nearly 90 of the 425 students are Hispanic or Latino.

Public schools across the county are employing English as a Second Language tutors to help students like Roberto, who enroll with limited English skills. Their ability to speak, read and write English may not be at their grade level.

The ESL program, which serves 498 students in the Hamilton School District, costs the school district $650,000 a year, with $410,000 of that coming from its general fund.”*

A proposal to declare that English is the official language of Oklahoma is a defensive measure to protect the state from enforcement of an unconstitutional, extortionary executive order issued by former President Bill Clinton, said the bill’s author.

Executive Order 13166, issued by Clinton in August 2000, orders governmental entities that accept federal funding to “provide meaningful access” to their services to persons who are not proficient in the English language, also referred to as “limited English proficiency” or LEP persons.”*

A growing number of limited-English speakers, as well as the businesses and organizations that serve them, will now find it easier to communicate thanks to Centris’s On-Demand Interpreter Service. Centris, a leading provider of high-quality multilingual call center services, today introduced a new, over-the-phone language interpretation service that connects limited-English speakers with specially trained Spanish interpreters who facilitate communication between the consumer and a business’s English-speaking customer representative.

Centris Interpreter Service is “On Demand!” - Subscribers have access to Spanish - English interpreter when they need one. The service doesn’t have to be scheduled in advance and is available twenty-four hours a day, 365 days per year. Centris customers initially set up an account online at www.centrisinterpreter.com and then use the service by simply calling a toll-free phone number. A specially trained interpreter will greet the customer in the appropriate language and then establish a three-way call with the requested business or individual.

According to Jamie Maddox, CEO of Centris Information Services, “Nearly 15% of the U.S. population is Hispanic and the percentage is projected to grow to over 20% by 2020. With Centris On-Demand Interpreter Service, Spanish speakers can communicate in their own language to financial institutions, health care organizations, and utility companies - any business or individual - affordably, whenever there is a need. Conversely, English-speakers can easily engage an interpreter to better communicate with the growing number of limited-English speaking businesses and service providers.”

For as little as $3.99 for a five minute call (only $0.75 per each additional minute), Centris customers can have a Spanish interpreter as close as their speed dial.

From a business’s perspective, the service offers an intelligent way to attract and provide superior customer service to an increasingly affluent Hispanic consumer segment. In addition, it provides a cost-effective means to meet government regulatory compliance policies mandating organizations to provide services to limited-English speakers in their native language.

Kelly McDonald, president of McDonald Marketing, a firm specializing in helping U.S. companies become “Latino-ready,” said, “English-to-Spanish communication, and vice versa, requires a meaning-for-meaning interpretation. Many ideas that are expressed in one or two English words may require several phrases to convey the concept in Spanish. That’s why you may notice that non-English conversations seem to take longer.”

Because of its operations in Longview, Texas and Monterrey, Mexico, Centris is uniquely positioned to provide interpreter services that are both technically accurate and culturally appropriate.

For more information, visit: www.centrisinterpreter.com or call (800) 799-3955.

About Centris Information Service:
Centris Information Services is a leading provider of high quality multilingual outsourced contact center services. The company is headquartered in the U.S. with major operations in Longview, Texas and Monterrey, Mexico. Centris helps companies improve customer satisfaction and increase revenue by creating positive customer experiences that combine high-touch with high-tech.

Contact:
Centris Information Services
(800) 530-4897
info @ centrisinfo.com”*

Appealing to the growing and established Hispanic markets in Houston and South Texas, the Houston Astros and television partner FSN Houston today announced that they have joined forces to produce and televise 15 Astros games in Spanish in 2008.

The Spanish-language broadcasts will be original productions separate from FSN Houston’s telecasts and will be carried on secondary FSN Plus channels on cable systems in Houston and South Texas markets. They also will be made available to DirecTV and Dish Network. Veteran announcer Rene Cardenas, who pioneered Astros Spanish-language radio broadcasts when the team debuted in 1962 and is considered the dean of Major League Baseball Spanish announcers, will team with Raul Saenz to call the games. Spanish graphics will supplement the broadcasts.

The first Astros Spanish-language telecasts are scheduled for May 7 and May 8 against the Washington Nationals. Spanish-language Astros games will be shown throughout the season with six in May, four in June, two in July, two in August and one in September.

In Houston, the games will be carried on Comcast Cable channel 76, which is available to digital cable customers (see schedule below for other markets).

“The Houston Astros are thrilled at the opportunity to provide Spanish-language broadcasts to markets all across Texas,” said Houston Astros Senior Vice President Communications Jay Lucas. “We will provide an excellent product to our Spanish-speaking fans by combining an outstanding broadcast team in Rene Cardenas and Raul Saenz with FSN Houston’s high-caliber production quality. We’re happy to be able to offer this product to fans that have been among the most passionate and devoted to our team throughout the history of our franchise.”

“The Houston Astros are one of the most aggressive teams in Major League Baseball to reach out and market to their Spanish-speaking fans and we’re excited to help them target their fan base,” said FSN Houston Senior Vice President/General Manager Steve Tello. “The Astros recognize the importance of the Hispanic community and have developed a plan that appeals to their growing Spanish audience.”

According to the most current U.S. Census figures, Houston is the fourth largest Hispanic market in the country with a population of 730,865. Hispanics make up 37.4 percent of the Houston market, while 1.1 million Hispanics live in surrounding Harris County. In the Astros’ extended fan base outside of Houston, Hispanics are the majority of the population in six markets, led by Laredo (94.1%), Brownsville (91.3%), McAllen (80.3%), El Paso (76.6%) San Antonio (58.7%) and Corpus Christi (54.3%). With a Hispanic population of 671,394, San Antonio ranks as the nation’s fifth largest Hispanic market.

Fans in those markets will be treated to one of the most prolific Spanish announcers in baseball as Cardenas returns to the Houston broadcast booth. The native of Nicaragua began his Major League Baseball career in 1958 when the Los Angeles Dodgers named him their first Spanish-radio announcer after the team moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. Recognizing the success Cardenas achieved connecting with Spanish-speaking fans in Los Angeles, the Astros hired him in 1962 to direct their Spanish broadcasts when Houston was awarded a major league franchise. He spent 15 years with the Astros and eventually moved to Arlington in 1981 to become the Texas Rangers’ first Spanish broadcaster before returning to Los Angeles in 1982 to call Dodgers game in Spanish until 1998. In 2000 Cardenas was inducted into the Nicaraguan Baseball Hall of Fame. He currently writes a popular sports column for La Prensa and the Astros Spanish-language website and Astros magazine.

Cardenas will work with Saenz, a well-known Texas broadcaster who also serves as analyst on University of Texas football Spanish-radio broadcasts and the Dallas Mavericks Spanish radio network. Since 2004 he’s anchored sportscasts for Dallas-Fort Worth Univision affiliate KUVN where he won a Lone Star Emmy award for Best Sports Story in 2005. Saenz started the first Spanish play-by-play radio broadcasts for the San Antonio Missions Double A minor league baseball team in 2002, and has been sports director at Telemundo affiliates in Houston and San Antonio.

2008 FSN Houston Astros Spanish Language Television Schedule (All times listed are Central)
Day		Date		Opponent		Time
Wed.		May 7		Washington Nationals		7:00 p.m.
Thu.		May 8		Washington Nationals		7:00 p.m.
Tue.		May 20		Chicago Cubs		7:00 p.m.
Wed.		May 21		Chicago Cubs		7:00 p.m.
Thu.		May 22		Philadelphia Phillies		7:00 p.m.
Fri.		May 23		Philadelphia Phillies		7:00 p.m.
Fri.		June 13		New York Yankees		7:00 p.m.
Sat.		June 14		New York Yankees		6:00 p.m.
Fri.		June 27		Boston Red Sox		7:00 p.m.
Sat.		June 28		Boston Red Sox		6:00 p.m.
Fri.		July 18		Chicago Cubs		7:00 p.m.
Sat.		July 19		Chicago Cubs		6:00 p.m.
Fri.		Aug. 1		New York Mets		7:00 p.m.
Sat.		Aug. 2		New York Mets		6:00 p.m.
Fri.		Sept. 12		Chicago Cubs		7:00 p.m.

FSN Plus Astros Spanish Language TV Affiliates:
Market		Cable System		Channel
Aransas Pass		Cable One		20
Austin		Time Warner		77
Beaumont-Port Arthur		Time Warner		15
Brownsville		Time Warner		78
Bryan-College Station		Suddenlink		22
Columbus		Time Warner		79
Corpus Christi		Grande Communications		38
Corpus Christi		Time Warner		6
El Paso		Time Warner		24
Georgetown		Suddenlink		95
Gonzales		Time Warner		75
Harlingen		Time Warner		78
Houston		Comcast Cable		76 (digital basic)
Hilltop Lakes		DMS Cable		39
Kerrville		Time Warner		63
Lampassas		Suddenlink		2
Laredo		Time Warner		16
Lufkin		Suddenlink		15
McAllen		Time Warner		78
Nacogdoches		Suddenlink		14
Port Lavaca		Cable One		20
San Antonio		Time Warner		50
San Marcos		Grande Communications		80

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The Catholic Church is presented with a challenge and a tremendous opportunity in the rise of Hispanic Catholics in this country. But if this opportunity is not seized in the moment, it could result in a serious loss of fervor, fire, and enthusiasm for the Church in America.

To date, a whopping 39% of all U.S. Catholics are Hispanic, while only 6.3% of U.S. priests are Hispanic. About 20% of all Catholic parishes in this country have a majority Hispanic presence, including a fair number of recent immigrants who speak only Spanish and some broken English. For many Catholic priests, this is a significant pastoral challenge.

How does a pastor hear minister effectively to parishioners who speak another language and come from another culture? Charity is a universal language, but words are also necessary, especially when it comes to the sacraments, family counseling, education, and spiritual guidance of all kinds.

The dangers of not meeting this challenge are already written in the statistics. About 20% of Hispanic Catholics arriving to this country end up converting from Catholicism to various branches of evangelical Protestantism, sects, or no religion at all. Of the total population of Hispanic evangelical Protestants, half are ex-Catholics.

Aware of the challenge — and the great promise — of a booming Hispanic population, many bishops are requiring their seminarians to learn Spanish and asking their priests to become bilingual.

And the Church’s shepherds are taking up the challenge. While seminarians are conjugating their verbs, many priests are signing up for online Spanish classes or CD programs to get up to speed. Most promising of all, a growing number of priests are participating in immersion programs that allow them to learn both the language and the culture of “Hispanidad” on site in Mexico and other Latin American countries.

Intensive Immersion

One of these immersion programs is the Curso de Hispanidad, a five-week intensive course from July 1st to August 1st for American and Canadian priests and seminarians. The program, sponsored by Sacerdos Institute in conjunction with the Department of Humanities and the Center for Language Studies of Mexico City’s Anáhuac University, takes them to Mexico City where they take intensive classes in Spanish language and Hispanic culture at the Interamerican Cultural Center while also enjoying priestly fraternity with other participants in the course.

The program is adapted to varying language abilities, with a beginner’s and an intermediate track, both of which use a range of teaching styles: lectures, tutorial, conversation periods, readings, listening tapes, seminars, and media. Both language levels emphasize preparation for priestly ministry, with special clinics on celebrating the sacraments and preparing homilies in Spanish. In addition, there are classes on Latin American culture and on the particular aspects of ministering to Hispanics in North America.

Integral Learning

But classroom learning is only half of the picture. The other half of this integral program is the “learning by osmosis” that takes place through exposure to the Mexican people with their fervor and celebratory spirit. On the weekends, participants go out into the community alongside a Mexican priest in guided pastoral ministry, adapted to their ability level. And of course, there are the outing days for visiting interesting cultural sites and practicing their Spanish en vivo. One of these outing days includes the opportunity to concelebrate Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, an experience that stays with the participants for a long time.

“The information on Hispanic culture and religious experience were particularly useful. As I celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe this year I recognize that without my participation in the Curso de Hispanidad I would be at the periphery of this observance rather than at its heart, which is where I want to be,” said Bishop Allen H. Vigneron of the Oakland diocese.

His experience was echoed by Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell of the Springfield diocese in Massachusetts. “I have to say that my appreciation for the Latino culture has been very much enhanced,” he said.

Seminarian Vincent Anyama agreed. “The in-depth exposure to the values and richness of Mexican culture was a very valuable tool for my future ministry to Mexican Hispanic immigrants in the local Church of Dallas,” he said.

All for Priests… and Priests for All

Legionary of Christ Father Alex Yeung, who organizes the program, emphasized that this is a program that brings priests together and offers them a chance to build a sense of fraternity while learning and growing together.

“The participants live, study, and pray alongside each other,” he said. “We teach an integral approach to ministry to Latinos, coupling practical solutions with communication skills. A love for Hispanic peoples is a great fruit of the program. Besides the accredited small-group tutoring to allow learning at one’s own pace, there are numerous pastoral experiences giving participants exposure to the day-to-day life of Latinos in various sectors of society.”

For priests, ministering to an increasing Hispanic population can be a challenge, given the language logistics and the differences in culture. But, as past participants in the Curso de Hispanidad program — and others like it — have observed, the time investment in learning the language and culture is worth it.

For more specific information about the Curso de Hispanidad, click here.

Contact:
Jim Fair
Director of Communications
Legion of Christ
Phone: 630-858-6398
CELL: 312-953-9864
Email Contact”

Parents in Wisconsin say don’t recite The Pledge Of Allegiance in any language other than English.

An uproar has begun in a high school in Wisconsin over The Pledge of Allegiance being broadcast in Spanish over the Intercom. Once a year at Edgerton High School Spanish classes have recited the pledge. This year a parent got hot under the collar.

On March 11 the daily announcements at Edgerton High School had the Spanish class reciting the Pledge of Allegiance as it has for many years. It only happens one day per school year but this year is causing a fuss.”*

Unlike the Hispanics of 1933 Tulsa, those of 2008 have even more obstacles to overcome. Not only do they have the difficulty of adjusting to a new country, they have one law, House Bill 1804, and a pending law, Senate Bill 163, with which to deal.

HB 1804, known as one of the most strict and punitive anti-illegal immigration laws in the country, was the brainchild of Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, and easily passed through the state Legislature and over the governor’s desk.

This wrongheaded and mean-spirited piece of legislation is now followed up with SB 163, which would make English the official language of Oklahoma. Funny, I thought English already was the official language, although I often have my doubts after reading some responses and listening to telephone messages following any column written about 1804. “*

After nearly a year of preparation, Central Washington University has launched a Spanish language version of its Web site. The site is accessible at www.cwu.edu/sp, and can also be easily found on CWU’s homepage, www.cwu.edu, by clicking the En Español link at the bottom of the page.

“This Web site is essential. It reaches out to a large part of Central’s demographic, as well as the larger community that the university serves,” says CWU President Jerilyn S. McIntyre.”*

Say hola to the Blue Beetle.

This month’s issue of DC Comics’ Blue Beetle, due in comic-book shops Wednesday, will be almost entirely in Spanish.

Why? “It’s a gimmick,” writer Jai Nitz says — not, he adds, that there’s anything wrong with that.

The purpose, he says, is to bring some attention to a great title that deserves more readers. At the same time, it serves the story, which finds Hispanic teenager Jaime “Blue Beetle” Reyes and his non-Spanish-speaking girlfriend at a family gathering where everyone speaks Spanish.”*

The Frederick County government has proclaimed English its official language in a resolution so watered down that its original sponsor voted against it.

The document proclaims English the official, primary and common language of Frederick County government.

But the Board of County Commissioners deleted language proposed by Republican Commissioner Charles Jenkins that would have barred the translation of government documents into other languages.”*

Greeley-Evans School District 6 officials last week got some news they hope will increase graduate rates.

English Language Learning students showed improvement or significant improvement in nearly every category and grade level in the Colorado English Language Assessment test. CELA is given to students who entered the district having no proficiency or limited proficiency in English. The assessment, given to 3,600 District 6 students in January, measures how well these students have progressed in learning to read, write, speak and listen in English.”*

*From: http://www.greeleytrib.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish