NNELL believes that all elementary school students should have access to high quality, ongoing and systematic world language instruction. This belief is based on research that indicates:

• The period of early childhood is considered an optimal time to begin learning a second language.
• Children in effective early second language programs show overall gains on standardized tests of basic skills, and derive additional cognitive, social, and affective benefits.
• The integration of content and language learning occurs easily when long, articulated sequences of second language instruction begin in early childhood and become an integral part of early schooling.
• The development of positive attitudes towards people who speak other languages and represent other cultures occurs more easily when long, articulated sequences of second language instruction begin in early childhood and become an integral part of school learning.
• Early second language learning may result in improved native literacy skill development. Although there are differences in reading and writing skill development between first and second languages many skills and strategies are transferable from first to second language and vice-versa. Well-constructed elementary world languages curriculum will positively influence literacy skills in both first and second language learning.
• Improved second language learning capability for elementary students can best be obtained with uninterrupted, long sequences of well-articulated second language instruction.

NNELL holds an annual meeting at the fall conference of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages and an annual Summer Institute for state and regional representatives at the National K-12 Foreign Language Resource Center at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.