Polyglot Press
Messages for the World Language Teacher
November 28, 2011
Here is hoping your Thanksgiving was restful with happy times for friends or families!
The Polyglot Press aims to inform the UCPS World Language teachers and keep them abreast of valuable events, links, news, professional developments, accomplishments, etc. This information is housed on www.polyglotpress.blogspot.com You can also add comments. Sharing ideas and resources is very appreciated.
The Polyglot Press aims to inform the UCPS World Language teachers and keep them abreast of valuable events, links, news, professional developments, accomplishments, etc. This information is housed on www.polyglotpress.blogspot.com You can also add comments. Sharing ideas and resources is very appreciated.
BRAVO
· Welcome to Paul Cummings who has joined the Union County Early College as their Spanish 1 and 2 teacher. Paul student taught at Sun Valley HS with Charlotte Hancock as his master teacher and was a long term sub at PRHS last spring.
· Janeva Bailey joins the ranks of Nationally Board Certified Teachers!!! Congratulations to Janeva, Spanish teacher at Cuthbertson High on completing this challenging task to document that she is current in second language acquisition theory and application. This lengthy process requires teachers to film their classes, create a portfolio, reflect on their teaching and pass in-depth testing. http://www.nbpts.org/
o National Board Certification Teachers become certified in “World Languages/Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood” http://www.nbpts.org/for_candidates/certificate_areas1?ID=16&x=17&y=8 “This certificate is appropriate for teachers who teach Spanish or French to students ages 11-18+ and whose functional ability in the language they teach is at an advanced level.”
o The NCBT process sets high standards that assess language proficiency and knowledge of current views on second language learning and teaching. Teachers must:
§ 1) use the target language to : Describe what you think the role of the World Languages teacher should be today. Describe what you think the role of the World Languages teacher has been in the past. Describe how you think the role of the World Languages teacher has changed from the past to today.
§ 2) explain three terms from current literature on language acquisition, methodology and approaches, and instructional techniques. In your response, you will give examples appropriate to your target language context and instructional level; for example - explain: Monitor Hypothesis; Negotiation of Meaning; TPR Storytelling
o Nationally Board Certified Teachers must address nine standards: Knowledge of students, Knowledge of language, Knowledge of culture, Knowledge of language acquisition, Fair and equitable learning environment, Designing curriculum and planning instruction, Reflection and Professionalism http://www.nbpts.org/userfiles/file/WorldLanguages_standards.pdf
o North Carolina ranks as the #1 State in the Nation for the overall number of National Board Certified Teachers - Over 17,957 NBCTs!
· To celebrate National Francophone Week last week, Parkwood High involved the principal, cafeteria, faculty, French students and French teacher, Jean Patterson. In French class, students watched a French film, LES CHORISTES, made croque monsieurs and chocolate fondue. They even had a speaker from French Africa (Mali). Principal Jan Hollis bought croissants and French jam for the teachers, and the cafeteria made quiche, French onion soup, and ham and cheese croissants for lunch. They even made a large cake which looked like the French flag and had French slogans on it for Jean Patterson’s French classes! French students researched fun facts from Francophone countries and broadcast those on our daily television announcements. They researched French artwork and drew posters advertising this week in the style of their choice.
· Three student teams and one adult team from UCPS battled in the November 17 World Quest sponsored by the Charlotte World Affairs Council. The student teams were from Marvin Ridge HS, Sun Valley HS and Weddington HS. The adult team was in first place ‘at the half’ based on their knowledge of: world flags, Geography of South America, Spotlight on China and History of Ireland. Adult members included; Michael Boyes, Marr Carr, Rachel Clarke, Sandra Conner, April Dawlkins, Stacy Moore, Donna Podgorny and Garret Williams.
Events
· December 16 - Las Posadas celebrations begin in Mexico http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Posadas and http://www.sanmiguelguide.com/posadas-esp.htm and as a play http://www.plsal.org/PDF-PLS/letra-canciondeposada.pdf between the groups indoor and the group seeking lodging.
· December 21-28, 2011 Hannukah – How to celebrate Hannukah in Argentina http://www.ehow.com/how_2065020_celebrate-hanukkah-argentina.html
· January 23, 2012 – Chinese Spring Festival (aka Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year) welcomes in the Year of the Dragon http://chinesenewyear2012.net/ and the festival will usually last for as long as 15 days, until the 6 February 2012. The day is an official holiday in: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, China, South Korea, Vietnam and Taiwan .
· June 18 – July 1, 2011 Travel to Senegal with World View http://worldview.unc.edu/programs-2/international-study-visits/2012-senegal-study-visit/
· July 10-19 and July 20-29 Travel to Costa Rica with World View http://worldview.unc.edu/programs-2/international-study-visits/2012-costa-rica-study-visits/
· July 20-28, 2012 Summer Travel Study course - Hands-on Amazon This on-site course, based in the Upper Amazon near Iquitos, Peru, is available for graduate, undergraduate, or continuing education credit for educators or students in all disciplines. It is particularly well suited for social studies, science, or Spanish language specialists. In the course, participants get first-hand experience with rainforest culture, flora and fauna, and bring the experience home and to the classroom. Participants are also encouraged to volunteer in a service component helping the local community or reforesting lands wasted by “slash and burn” farming. The first offering is in July 2012 and is limited to 15 participants. For more information and to see if this course is right for you, please visit: Project Amazonas Reforestation and Environmental Education http://ptonline.org/hol/amazon/
Professional Development
· March 22 – 24, 2012 Southwest Conference on Language Teaching Conference (SCOLT) – Atlanta http://scolt.webnode.com/a2012-conference-information/
· March 27-28, 2012 Latin America and North Carolina by World View in Chapel Hill http://worldview.unc.edu/2012-spring-seminar-latin-america-and-north-carolina-seminar/
· March 28-29, 2012 Complexity and Vibrancy of Africa Seminar by World View in Chapel Hill http://worldview.unc.edu/2012-spring-seminar-understanding-africa-seminar/
· April 20-23, 2012 Northeast Conference on Language Teaching – Baltimore, Maryland http://www.nectfl.org/
Teaching World Languages
· DPI Updates - Follow webinar notes and download available resources from the DPI World Languages Essential Standards wiki http://wlnces.ncdpi.wikispaces.net
o Notes from the November 10 webinar are posted now at http://wlnces.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/file/view/NCWLES.2011-2012PDSeries.WebinarDPIUpdate.11.10.11.FINAL.pdf
o The Measures of Student Learning Working Groups – World Languages met on October 24-25 in Chapel Hill to launch the process of developing measures for traditionally non-tested areas. The World Language Groups had representatives from all three language programs (Classical, Dual & Heritage, and Modern) and analyzed the proficiency-based World Language Essential Standards to provide feedback about types of test items needed. If you would like to see the information shared with the MSL Working Groups, go to the WLES Wiki page “Content Sessions-MSL” at https://webmail.ucps.k12.nc.us/owa/redir.aspx?C=6a7a545f7ada433495c61ac6d60bd4f2&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwlnces.ncdpi.wikispaces.net%2fContent%2bSessions-MSL . (Donna Podgorny is a member of this group.)
o The Proficiency 101 Team met face-to-face on November 7-8 with Paul Sandrock from ACTFL, who is the author of “The Keys to Assessing Language Performance” that we discussed during the Summer Institutes. The team is starting their work with a virtual book study on this book and several other resources. To learn about this ongoing work, check to see what’s been posted on the WLES Wiki page “Proficiency 101 Team” at http://wlnces.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/Proficiency+101+Team .
· Pedagogy - Here is an “Educator Check-In on Culture “How am I doing?”” http://www.tolerance.org/sites/tolerance.org.tdsi/files/assets/general/Educator_Check-In_on_Culture.pdf There are a series of videos on: culturally relevant pedagogy, Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Adapting Instruction to Students' Cultures http://www.tolerance.org/tdsi/cb_adapting_instruction
· The International Journal on the Teaching of Foreign Languages is available for free online at http://www.tprstories.com/ijflt/index-issues.htm There is a wonderful and simple explanation of the sequences of instruction for introducing vocabulary in context, establishing meaning, scaffolding appropriate personalized questions and answers, etc. See pages 1 – 8 “Multistory Construction”
Tech Tools
· Yodio is a free tech tool that permits you to record to a toll free number using your cellphone and combine one or multiple recordings with one or multiple photos http://www.yodio.com/ This is a simple tool for students and /or teachers to create audio projects
o Teachers can create an account for themselves and can list student phone numbers in their account so that they know who has called in a recording without listening to it. Teachers could grade individual student recordings or use them in a class project. This could be classwork or homework.
o Topics could be: introductions; phone messages; online ordering of clothing; online ordering of hotel rooms; contest entries; requests for medical attention; weather reports, news announcements, etc.
o Be sure to get parental permission for students to use cellphones for homework or class work.
o Images can be uploaded from online jpgs or photos.
o Yodios can be activities for formative or summative assessment. Audio recordings can be used in portfolios and address NC World Languages Essential Standards 3: Presentational Communication.
o Thanks to Jessica Garner for contributing this tool to the recent DPI webinar.
· Ipadio is a free tech tool for students or teachers to record audio files. http://www.ipadio.com/ ipadio allows you to broadcast from any phone to the Internet. Phonecasts can be embedded and uploaded if desired. on any number of websites, or securely integrated with corporate databases and CRM systems. Phonecasts can be geo-located and put on a map. This tool also serves to support presentational speaking, homework or classwork portfolios, as well as formative and summative assessment. Kristen Mouritsen, French teacher at MRHS, is a strong proponent of ipadio. Dropbox is a free service that lets you archive your photos, docs, and videos for access from any computer. You can also share them easily with friends, family, students and colleagues. www.dropbox.com (Thanks to Kristen Mouritsen for sharing this). Try their video that helps you understand this product better.
· Compfight is an image search engine tailored to efficiently locate images for blogs, comps, inspiration, and research. They use of the flickr™, but aren't affiliated with it. http://compfight.com/ Search images (jpg) and copyright free.
· Twitter – Why Educators Should Use Twitter http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/finding_common_ground/2011/11/why_educators_should_join_twitter.html?cmp=ENL-EU-MOSTPOP
Global Ed Resources
· World View arranges "e-pal" connections between Rotary Scholars living and studying abroad and North Carolina classes and schools. Global WebFriend connections provide: first-hand accounts of life in another world region and culture, correspondence from every region of the globe, global content and context for any grade or discipline, increased global awareness for both teachers and students, concepts and curriculum supported by the North Carolina teaching standards To begin your new global connection, visit the program webpage at http://worldview.unc.edu/global-resources/rotary-webfriends Follow Global WebFriends on twitter @ twitter.com/GlobalWebFriend
· Globalization 101 Favorites - Global photo slide show http://www.flickr.com//photos/53165019@N07/favorites/show
· Trekking the Planet www.trekkingtheplanet.net will follow IT industry veterans Darren and Sandy Van Soye as they embark on a 400-day, 40-country journey in January to raise geo-literacy among K-12 students.
Chinese Resources
· With the lock out in the US’ National Basketball Association, some NBA players are signing to play in China. ChinaPod writer cooments on how that could change basketball in China. http://chinesepod.com/blog/Adventures+of+a+Newbie%3A+The+Strange+World+of+Chinese+Basketball/884
· 杨门女将 New Chinese Movie Legendary Amazons Celebrates Chinese Woman Warriors Latest Chinese movie “Legendary Amazons” (Chinese language: 杨门女将， pinyin: Yáng mén nǚjiāng) releases on November 18th. It re-unites wushu Chinese martial arts heroes on the big screen in the film debut of the classic story based on a famous Chinese opera. The Chinese movie, formerly title “Lady Generals of the Yang Family”, is a big screen adaptation of a famous Chinese opera set in the Song Dynasty The legendary story tells the tale of the widows and daughters of Yang Clan, who took to armor and fought off invaders after the men of the clan were massacred. http://paper.li/chinesepod/chinesepod-daily#!tag-chinese
· Slideshow of Chinese Language Teachers Association at the ACTFL conference in Denver November 2011 http://clta-us.org/meeting/meeting2011photos.htm
French Resources
· El ‘Book’- hilarious videoclip in Spanish with a Castilian accent and subtitles in French explains this revolutionary technology http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QH-MG6gw5A&feature=related
Spanish Resources
· Adidas commercial in bull fighting arena http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYCb2ZcGnIA showcases a new adiZero Rose 2 shoe on the feet of Derrick Rose as he takes on first two picadors and then three matadores, and finally dunks in the arena. Red rose petals cover the arena floor in honor of his victory.
· El ‘Book’- hilarious videoclip in Spanish with a Castilian accent explains this “revolucionaria ruptura tecnológica sin cables, sin circuitos eléctricos, … compacto y portatil” – with subtitles in Spanish at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atTsTXiFMWc&feature=related and subtitles in English at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aehOUcmui-w&feature=related
· AP List Serv – How to join; Direccion para acceder al sitio web de este grupo: http://it.stlawu.edu/~rgol/AP-Spanish
· South American Rivers and lakes quiz http://www.ilike2learn.com/ilike2learn/SouthAmerica/SouthAmericaWater.html
US Colleges and World Language Studies
· Did you ever wonder where you can recommend your high school students study the language you teacher at college? Visit http://www.uscollegesearch.org/north-carolina-foreign-language-colleges.html Choose the language you teach and find programs in the target language. There is also a useful ‘Occupational Guide’ per language.
