Business+letter

Business Letter

October 24, 2009

Ms./Mrs./Mr./Dr. first and last name, title [Go on the business website to get the title of the person and their address] address

Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr./Dr. first and last name, title [Use the same names as the inside address, including the personal title]

As a member of the Iowa World Language Association, I am writing to seek your support for its position statement on the need to include world languages in the Iowa Core Curriculum. I enclose a copy of the position statement with this letter.

The Iowa Core Curriculum has been designed by the Iowa Department of Education to prepare Iowa’s students for the demands of a 21st Century in which they will need to both compete and cooperate in a global economy and globalized society with international peers. The study of world languages has not been included in the Iowa Core Curriculum in spite of national organizations declaring world languages a critical core content area.

In 2006 the Committee for Economic Development published a report entitled “Education for Global Leadership: The Importance of International Studies and Foreign Language Education for U.S. Economic and National Security” in which it noted that to succeed in overseas markets U.S. companies of all sizes must have employees with knowledge of world languages and cultures and with overseas experience. This report urged business leaders to join other leaders to “inform the public about the importance of improving education in foreign languages and international studies.”

To be well prepared for the 21st Century, the Iowa World Language Association believes that all of Iowa’s students should have the opportunity to study a world language as a core content area in the Iowa Core Curriculum. Iowa’s students should have the opportunities that students in surrounding states now have: to begin the study of world languages and cultures in early elementary school and to continue their study, uninterrupted, through high school and college.

The Iowa World Language Association asks, therefore, that you write a letter of support for the inclusion of world languages in the Iowa Core Curriculum. If your letter is received by November 13 it will be presented to the Iowa Department of Education together with the position statement and other letters of support from Iowa leaders in education and business. Please address your letter of support to Sara Blanco, President, Iowa World Language Association.

Sara Blanco President, Iowa World Language Association c/o Carrie Mulvihill 1323 Victoria Circle Norwalk, IA 50211

We thank you for your support in this important matter.

Sincerely,

Name

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