'Speaking in Tongues'

Speaking in Tongues examines America’s resolute commitment to remaining an “English-only” nation by showcasing an America in which communication barriers are being addressed.

An African-American boy from public housing learns to read, write and speak Mandarin. A Mexican-American boy, whose parents are not literate in any language, develops professional-level Spanish while mastering English. A Chinese-American girl regains her grandparents’ mother tongue – a language her parents lost through assimilation. A Caucasian teen travels to Beijing to stay with a Mandarin-speaking host family. Their stories reveal the promise of a multilingual America. Each child’s world opens up when he or she starts learning two languages on the first day of kindergarten; each is developing both bicultural and bilingual fluency.

A panel discussion featuring CLU faculty members will follow the screening.

Admission is free.