‘Voices of Wisconsin’ examines language diversity

A series of panel discussions examining the role of languages in Wisconsin communities, part of a yearlong celebration of the Year of Languages, opens Tuesday, Feb. 22, in Madison.

Sponsored by the UW–Madison Language Institute and the Office of Human Resource Development, “The Voices of Wisconsin: Language and Community” will offer the perspectives of students, parents, teachers, school administrators, health-care providers, patients, interpreters, employees and employers on issues involving language diversity.

The first “Voices of Wisconsin” discussion, on multilingualism in the schools, will be held from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, in the Central Branch of the Madison Public Library, 201 W. Mifflin St. The sessions are free and open to the public.
Interpreters in Spanish and Hmong will be provided, and interpreters in other languages are available upon prior request. Childcare for children age 3 or older also will be provided.

Another panel, focusing on health care, is set for March 15, and a discussion of language diversity in the workplace is scheduled for April 26. Both sessions will be in the library’s Central Branch, starting at 5 p.m.

Along with the discussions, an exhibit of artwork from Madison-area schools, in which children express their cultural identity and their use of languages in a typical day, will be on display at the library during March.

Issues and challenges involving language in the lives of Wisconsin citizens are increasingly common. About 7 percent of state residents report speaking a language other than English at home.

In Madison schools alone, 52 different languages are spoken. More than 13 percent of students enrolled in the school district are signed up for the English as a second language program.

To learn more about the Year of Languages or the “Voices of Wisconsin” series, visit http://www.languageinstitute.wisc.edu or contact the UW–Madison Language Institute at (608) 262-1473 or contact@languageinstitute.wisc.edu.