Polyglot Press
Messages for the World Language Teacher
August 22, 2011
The Polyglot Press aims to inform the UCPS World Language teachers and keep them abreast of valuable links, news, professional developments, accomplishment, etc. This information is housed on www.polyglotpress.blogspot.com Feel free to access it there in the future. You can also add comments. No personal news or names will be included in the blog version.
Professional Development
· October 19-20, 2011 World View Peace and Conflict: Years after 9-11 Fall Symposium 10 Registration for the K-12 Symposium is $175 per NC educator.* Reduced registration fees are available for schools registering 4 or more persons. A team of 4 is $600 for the symposium. Only $150 for each additional team member..http://www.unc.edu/world/2011K12Symposium.htm
· October 14-15, 2011 FLANC 2011 Conference - 45th Annual Fall Conference is in nearby Winston-Salem, NC As usual, Pre- and Post-Conference workshops will be offered as well Pre-Conference Workshops Oct. 13 / Post-Conference Workshops Oct. 15. Dr. Charles Moore (Program Chair) has lined up over 80 concurrent sessions Friday and Saturday A great opportunity to earn yourself CEUs for renewal With 16 additional workshops planned Pre- and Post-Conference, you have an incredible opportunity to earn over 20 hours of CEU eligible credits all focused on foreign languages Early Bird Discount!! Save $40 on a full registration before Sept 16th Hotel Room Block will be held until September 16th If you have any questions, please contact FLANC Executive Director- Kc. Kasserman Phone: 336-705-6278 Email: kc.kasserman@flanc.org
ACTFL Fall Webinars
ACTFL Fall Webinars
· Wednesday, September 7, 2011; 3:30-4:30 pm ET Designing Lessons to Engage Learners Building on her publication Keys to the Classroom, Paula Patrick outlines effective structures for creating an effective flow in a lesson, planning for warm-ups, guided practice, independent practice, and closing strategies. Learn a variety of ways to incorporate all three modes of communication in a lesson. Learn to apply techniques to improve class management while also increasing student engagement. $75 / $99
· Wednesday, September 21, 2011; 3:30-4:30 pm ET Differentiating to Support Each Learner Acquire instructional strategies that support each learner. This webinar establishes a rationale and provides specific ideas for differentiating within daily lessons as well as through assignments and assessments. Participants also learn effective class management techniques to conduct a differentiated classroom. . $75 / $99
· Wednesday, October 5, 2011; 3:30-4:30 pm ET Communicating Students’ Learning In communicative classrooms, students demonstrate their learning through real performances with language. Learn to plan for and use this assessment as stronger evidence of student learning, reframing accountability. Take away ideas for communicating with parents, demonstrating achievement of learning targets for administrators and the next year’s teacher, and showcasing learning for the community. . $75 / $99
· October 6-November 16 World View Fall 2011 Online Globalization Course
Registration for the fall Online Globalization Course for K-12 teachers and administrators is $275 per NC educator, but only $225 for World View Partners. Partner team of 4 is $800.
Registration for the fall Online Globalization Course for K-12 teachers and administrators is $275 per NC educator, but only $225 for World View Partners. Partner team of 4 is $800.
· Wednesday, October 12, 2011; 3:30-4:30 pm ET Creating Content: Teaching Strategies for the Presentational Mode This webinar will consider the types of tasks that students are typically given to develop their ability to present in written and oral formats. Easy-to-implement strategies designed to help students articulate their ideas effectively while advancing a student’s proficiency level will be shared. Strategies for providing effective feedback while minimizing the paperwork often associated with the presentational mode will also be considered. . $75 / $99
· Wednesday, December 7, 2011; 3:30-4:30 pm ET Discussing Content: Teaching Strategies for the Interpersonal Mode This webinar will present ways teachers can create lessons that build toward real-life, unrehearsed communication so that students at all levels are prepared to communicate in meaningful ways. Participants will consider strategies designed to maximize use of the target language and learn effective classroom management strategies essential for interactive classrooms. Easily adapted activities for working with language learners at novice, intermediate and advanced levels will be shared. . $75 / $99
Chinese Guest Teacher Training 176 Chinese guest teachers arrived in the US this summer to work in US schools. 17 will work in North Carolina. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2011/07/study_older_students_may_learn.html
Events of Interest
· August 1 - 30, 2011 Ramadan. Ramadan is a month of fasting for many Muslims in the United States. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars (fundamental religious duties) of Islam. It is a time of self-examination and increased religious devotion.
· September 3 - 4 , 2011 Indian Festival of Charlotte - Performing arts, films, food, vendors, Knight Theater, 430 South Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 12 - 7 PM on Saturday, 12 - 6 PM on Sunday http://indiafestival.iacofcarolinas.org/
· September 15–October 15 Hispanic Heritage Month in the United States is the period when people recognize the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the US. http://hispanicheritagemonth.gov/
o Latin America’s Independence Dates - http://latinostories.com/Latin_America_Resources/Latin_American_Independence_Days.htm
o September 15 - Celebration of Guatemala’s Independence from Spain in 1821
o September 15 – Celebration of Honduras’ Independence from Spain in 1821
o September 15 – Celebration of Nicaragua’s Independence from Spain 1821
o September 16 - Celebration of Mexico’s Independence from Spain 1810
o September 18 - Celebration of Chile’s Independence from Spain 1810
· September 22, 2011 Peace Corps 50th Anniversary - the Peace Corps Act in Congress was signed by John F. Kennedy.
· September 29-30, 2011 Rosh Hashanah Jewish holiday in which Jews embark upon the serious task of examining their lives and repenting for any wrongs they have committed during the previous year. Rosh Hashanah is all about making peace in the community and striving to be a better person.
· 0ctober 8, 2011 Yom Kippur - Jewish holiday. The purpose of Yom Kippur is to bring about reconciliation between people and between individuals and God. According to Jewish tradition, it is also the day when God decides the fate of each human being.
· October 12 “Columbus Day”, “Día de la raza”
· November 18 – 20, 2011 ACTFL Convention Denver, Colorado http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1
Advocacy
· Join FLANC ($25.00) and support your state foreign language association. Receive access to online materials. Apply for mini-grants up to $500. http://www.flanc.org/?sec=membership
· Join ACTFL ($75.00) and support your national foreign language association. Receive FREE subscription to The Language Educator (6 issues), FREE subscription to Foreign Language Annals (4 issues), FREE subscription to ACTFL SmartBrief (weekly e-newsletter), FREE subscription to ACTFL Connection (periodic e-mail), http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3303
· Join NNELL ($30.00) and support the National Network for Early Language Learners for K – 8 students. Receive the professional journal Learning Languages twice a year. http://www.nnell.org/default.asp
· Join AATF ($55.00) and support the American Association of Teachers of French http://www.frenchteachers.org/
· Join AATG ($25.00 / $80.00) and support the American Association of Teachers of German. Get access to The German Quarterly or Die Unterrichtspraxis/Teaching German, online resources, scholarships, etc. http://www.aatg.org/
· Join AATSP ($65.00) and support the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. Get access to online resources, Hispania journal, scholarships, trips, National Spanish Exam resources, http://www.aatsp.org/
· Join ACL ($55.00) and support the American Classical Society for teachers of Latin and Greek http://www.aclclassics.org/
· Join CLTA ($30.00++) and support the Chinese Language Teachers’ Association Receive their journal, newsletter, conference information, list-serv info, etc. http://clta-us.org/
· Business needs for language skills “Breaking down worker and employer survey responses demonstrates how businesses’ perceived language needs vary by industry. In the UPRI study, workers from all sectors reported low fluency in Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish. However, employers in different industries had varying requirements for these languages. For example, corporate and manufacturing employers reported the highest current demand for Russian proficiency, whereas future demand for Russian was highest in the corporate and health care sectors. Current and future worker Spanish fluency, by contrast, was most sought by health care and education managers; Arabic was most desirable for corporate and education employers, and Chinese was most important to corporate and manufacturing companies. http://clomedia.com/articles/view/do-you-speak-the-language-of-business/2
Research
UPRI Study – “The UPRI study offers several recommendations for CLOs addressing language shortages:
· Explain the value of language skills. The low rates of worker fluency and interest in learning new languages reported in the survey may indicate that workers are unaware of the benefits of knowing a second language. To counter this deficit, launch an awareness program.
· Publicize industry-sector language needs. Job seekers also may not recognize that a specific industry needs speakers of particular languages. Current and future worker Spanish fluency, by contrast, was most sought by health care and education managers; Arabic was most desirable for corporate and education employers, and Chinese was most important to corporate and manufacturing companies. http://clomedia.com/articles/view/do-you-speak-the-language-of-business/3
· Engage workers with military backgrounds. Responses from employees who were active-duty or reserve uniformed personnel, or who had been honorably discharged, revealed that these workers were more likely to acquire business-level skill in languages of interest. The UPRI study states that the U.S. Department of Defense has been investing in language learning, including Arabic and Chinese, via its Defense Language Institute.
· The Modern Language Association’s 2009 survey of non-English higher education language enrollment lists Spanish, French, German, Italian and Japanese as the top five spoken languages being studied. Pertinent to the UPRI study, combined enrollment in Chinese, Arabic and Russian courses was about one seventh that of Spanish. http://clomedia.com/articles/view/do-you-speak-the-language-of-business/4
Collaborate
· Join the American Association of Teachers of French on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/AATFrench?sk=wall
· Join the American Association of Teachers of German on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Association-of-Teachers-of-German/53662852206?sk=wall
Global Connections
· Uruguay Educational Seminar - Bring the World to Your School with Educational Seminars! edseminars@americancouncils.org The Educational Seminars program is fully funded by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and is implemented by American Councils for International Education. U.S. school teachers and administrators are invited to apply for short-term exchanges in Argentina, Brazil, Greece, India, Italy, Thailand, and Uruguay. The program funding covers all costs and international travel takes place in the summer. While in the host country (for 3 to 8 weeks), you will shadow your international peer(s), network with educational leaders, and/or develop joint classroom projects and school partnerships. To apply and learn about the unique programs offered in each country, visit: www.americancouncils.org/es The deadline for the Uruguay program is September 12, 2011. Other program deadlines will be Winter/Spring, 2012. For more information contact us at: edseminars@americancouncils.org. Questions contact Kyler Randall T: 202-833-7522/F: 202-833-7523
Global Efforts in UCPS
· Global Schools Network (GSN), Union County Public Schools recognized 21 new VIF (visiting international faculty) teachers during a kick-off reception of the school system’s participation in the Global Schools Network (GSN), Tuesday (Aug.16, 2011). UCPS has a total of 28 VIF teachers, coming from Ecuador, Colombia, Philippines, Peru, United Kingdom, Ireland, Brazil, Finland, Canada, New Zealand and England. The school system joined the state's pilot GSN program back in June. Twenty-one UCPS elementary schools will launch the Global Gateway Program on Oct. 19, 2011. This is one level of participation in GSN, which is an alliance of schools, organizations and businesses committed to creating collaborative and multi-faceted approaches to international education. The gateway program is a grade-level program that provides teachers and their principals professional development that aims at helping the schools build “meaningful global classroom experiences and prepare students for success in a global society. VIF will provide a district-wide orientation to launch the Gateway Program on Oct. 19. http://www.ucps.k12.nc.us/news/jump.php?news_id=11191
Research
· Older Students May Learn Language Rules Faster http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2011/07/study_older_students_may_learn.html
Technology
· Cool Tools for School – organizes online tools by use – presentation, collaborative, research, video, slideshow, audio, image, drawaing, sriting, music, organizing, converting, mapping, quiz and poll, graphing, creativity, widgets, file storage and web pages. MANY useful resources. Bookmark this tool and use it frequently to find what you need or to grow in ability http://colltoolforschools.wikispace.com
· Edutopia’s 80 Online Tools – Edutopia was founded by the George Lucas Foundation and has been instrumental in transforming education in the US. Try this link: http://www.edutopia.org/groups/technology-integration-high-school/57108
· Saving You Tube videos - "saveyoutube.com" - you can either copy and paste the link to the youtube video into the box on the website, or, depending on your browser, you can just type the word "save" in front of youtube in the url itself. You then download it onto your computer in the format of your choosing and save it to your flash drive. There are other websites and free software packages that are out there which will do the same thing.
· WordChamp – free: has audio vocab to listen to, tracks your studies, shows what you have mastered or not mastered; picture flashcards; personalize your learning by adding / subtracting your own flashcards and vocabulary; has web reader for translating online sites into other languages; has options of finding online tutors; demo on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0o1mYVfOs4k Site located on www.wordchamp.com
· Iphone apps - Free
o Bueno entonces – Spanish Tutor
o China Daily - news articles
o Chinese Dialogue Pro – phrases for travel with audio, pinyin and characters
o Essentials by AccelaStudy – Chinese, French, German, Spanish Essentials – personalized word bank, audio flashcards, audio quizzes, translation quizzes
o Google Goggles – reader identifies landmarks, books, art work, logos and languages; speech recognition Google search feature
o Latin Study Buddy
o PLECO – Chinese / English Dictionary
o Weather – follow cities around the world for the target country
Chinese Resources (thanks to Sharon Tian)
· Joe Biden delivers speech at Sichuan University, China about strength of the US economy http://english.cntv.cn/program/newsupdate/20110821/103431.shtml
· Summer Palace – CCTV Documentary
o Part 1- The garden of clear rippies http://english.cntv.cn/program/documentary/20110524/102342.shtml
o Part 2- Heaven and earth by Kunming Lake http://english.cntv.cn/program/documentary/20110525/100457.shtml
o Part 3- Unique architecture skills http://english.cntv.cn/program/documentary/20110526/100645.shtml
o Part 4- Tempest paradise http://english.cntv.cn/program/documentary/20110527/101003.shtml
o Part 5 - Diplomacy in the imperial garden http://english.cntv.cn/program/documentary/20110528/100540.shtml
o 6. Part 6- The survival and renewal http://english.cntv.cn/program/documentary/20110529/100107.shtml
French Resources
AP German
Spanish Resources
· Listening Practice
· Spanish Spelling Bee in July, 2011, 11 students competed in the national Spanish Spelling Bee organized by the New Mexico Association for Bilingual Education. Spellers had to correctly identify capitalization plus accent marks. The 13 year old winner emerged victorious after conquering the last two words in the competition: kanindeyuense, meaning a resident of a part of Uruguay, and bizantinismo, meaning Byzantinism. http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/education/article/San-Antonio-student-finishes-ninth-in-bee-1459287.php
· Exposicion virtual de la Biblioteca Luis Angel Arango de Colombia: Puede ser muy util para incorporar la historia latinoamericana en una clase de lengua espanola. Se llama Palabras que nos cambiaron y en ella se exploran los conceptos que guiaron el proceso independentista de Colombia. Lo interesante es que todo gira en torno a las palabras. Es decir, los estudiantes podan aprender nuevo vocabulario y relacionarlo con la historia. La Biblioteca Virtual Luis Angel Arango tiene muchisimos recursos que pueden ser muy utiles para nuestras clases: http://www.banrepcultural.org/palabras-que-nos-cambiaron/index.html and http://www.banrepcultural.org/blaavirtual/indice
· "Una lengua", escribio Jorge Luis Borges, "es una tradicion, un modo de sentir la realidad, no un arbitrario repertorio de simbolos".
AP Spanish
o Recommended AP reading from the AP List serv:
o "Ciudad de las Bestias", "El Reino del Dragon del Oro" and "La isla de los pigmeos" by Isabel Allende. "Ciudad de las Bestias", "El Reino del Dragon del Oro" are fantasy books, with themes that include ecology, coming of age and character growth.
o Laura Gallego and Ana Alonso/Javier Pelegrin.
o for 13-18 year olds:
§ Finis Mundi, Dos velas para el diablo, El coleccionista de relojes extraordinarios, La leyenda del rey errante, Las hijas de Tara, La emperatriz de los etereos, series Valle de los lobos/ La maldicion del maestro/La llamada de los muertos/ Fenris, el elfo
o Ana Alonso who writes with Javier Pelegrin: El secreto de IF and the 8 book series called La llave de tiempo. It includes: science fiction, time travel, fantasy, teenage characters (by end of series are adults), strong male and female characters, modern themes of globalization, war, mind control, space travel, religion, personal vs. societal responsibilities etc. ( order these books from Casa del libro)
