About IWLA

The Iowa World Language Association (IWLA) Vision:

High-quality, equitable world language instruction for all Iowa’s learners at all levels.

The Iowa World Language Association (IWLA) Mission:

IWLA connects world language teachers to develop the skills and resources to sustain programs that enable all Iowa students to be active in a global community.

IWLA essential understandings:

High-quality: Research based, proficiency focused, culturally rich, materials and content that represent various points of view from the diverse peoples that live and change the target language.

Equitable: Providing access in scheduling for all students to world language courses and ensuring that all students see themselves as target language users and speakers regardless of special education status, gender, race, religion, age, physical ability, sexuality, or grades in other courses. Providing content and materials that reflect the student and school as part of a larger global community.

All levels: preK- 16+, language learning can start at any moment and never ends. It is the foundation for life-long learning.

Sustaining programs: World language programs in Iowa struggle with enrollment for a variety of reasons (e.g. limited language offerings, competing with core classes in the schedule, lack of district support for WL-specific courses, outdated content, etc.).