Arabic and Persian Literacy in the St. Louis region
STARTALK, sponsored by the 2021 President of the United States National Security Language Initiative, a federal grant program funded by the National Security Agency, announces the 2021 summer grant funding recipients. Professor Soheil Mansouri (Webster University in St. Louis) and Professor Cindy Brantmeier (Washington University in St. Louis) are Co-PI recipients of funding for their joint project that will promote Arabic and Persian Literacy in the St. Louis region.
Professors Brantmeier and Mansouri, along with Professor Mike Strube (Washington University in St. Louis) will develop a research driven self-assessment criterion referenced instrument that will help the native adult speakers of Arabic and Persian self-diagnose their existing strengths and weaknesses as language users and practitioners. This instrument will be grounded in published research (Brantmeier et al, 2012). The initiative seeks to expand and improve the teaching and learning of strategically important world languages that have not been widely taught in the USA. As part of the project, the program will equip local heritage speakers of Arabic and Persian with the necessary theory and research on language acquisition so they can teach their native language to foreign language learners in the St. Louis area.
Other programs under the NSLI umbrella include Title VI/Fulbright Hays programs of the US Department of Education and The National Security Education program of the National Defense University
