4 Reasons to Earn the Global Seal of Biliteracy

The Global Seal of Biliteracy is recognized nationally and internationally by employers and schools as a standard metric of language proficiency.  Anyone may earn the Global Seal by taking exams like the STAMP test; those who receive qualifying scores will receive a certificate establishing their operational fluency or functional fluency in any of the languages offered.  Read below for four of the many reasons to earn the Global Seal of Biliteracy.

The Global Seal of Biliteracy Lasts a Lifetime 

Unlike scores from AP tests or other language exams used solely for high school and college credit or whose results expire after a couple of years, the Global Seal of Biliteracy is a credential that lasts a lifetime.  High School students who take the exam may add their achievement of biliteracy to their resumes, CVs, LinkedIn profiles, and more even beyond their high school and college careers.  Further, students may use the credential to apply for scholarships or internship opportunities for bilingual and multilingual individuals.  

Earn High School or College Credits – with Less Stress! 

Students who earn the Global Seal of Biliteracy may earn credit for both high school and college, depending on their scores and school policy.  In addition to earning credit, earning the distinguished Global Seal of Biliteracy looks great on college applications.   

Flexibility with Biliteracy is Everything

Unlike many exams that must be proctored in person, students may take the STAMP exam for the Global Seal with LanguageBird remotely on a student’s own time.  The STAMP exam is designed to measure a student’s literacy.  Whether the additional language is learned at home, in school, or through immersion, students do not need to take a specific class to be prepared for the STAMP exam.  Additionally, the STAMP exam is adaptive; it adjusts to the test taker’s level to be appropriately challenged, but not overwhelmed. 

Many Languages Offered 

Earning the Global Seal of Biliteracy is not limited to traditional languages offered in schools.  The credential may be earned for any of over a hundred languages, depending on the type of test taken.  LanguageBird offers the exam in Arabic, English, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (both Simplified and Traditional), Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and more.    

Documented Proficiency

The Global Seal of Biliteracy is a wonderful option for heritage learners of any languages mentioned above.  It offers heritage learners the chance to document their proficiency for use on college applications.  Further, the Global Seal is aligned to ACTFL standards, based on the functional, practical skills that are often a strong suit for heritage learners.  

Celebrate Biliteracy and Bilingualism! 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 20% of Americans can converse in two or more languages.  True biliteracy may be even lower, as biliteracy involves the ability to speak, read, and write in two or more languages.  Compared to the 56% of Europeans able to speak more than one language, it is clear that Americans have some ground to make up.

Celebrate the Opportunity   

Speaking additional languages is a skill to be celebrated!  Bilingualism opens the doors to other people and their cultures.  Earning the Global Seal of Biliteracy exhibits an individual’s dedication to world language and ability to connect with others. 

The STAMP Exam

Interested in taking the STAMP exam to earn your Global Seal of Biliteracy?  Register here to take the exam on your own time through LanguageBird.