Polyglot Press
Messages for the World Language Teacher
January 31, 2012
I hope your new semester is off to a great start!
The Polyglot Press aims to inform the UCPS World Language teachers and keep them abreast of valuable events, links, news, professional developments, accomplishment, etc. This information is housed on www.polyglotpress.blogspot.com Please feel free to share ideas for this digital newsletter.
BRAVO
· East Union Middle School focused on Globalization for their January 23 workday. The first topic was ‘Cultivating Global Citizens’. During the break out sessions, EUMS Spanish teacher Francy Zolke co-lead a session on wikis. Focus was on how to use wikis to collaborate professionally and how to use wikis in instruction with students.
o The session leaders focuses on the book Teaching the iGeneration: Five Easy Ways to Introduce Essential Skills With Web 2.0 Tools one author being Bill Ferriter who is a NC middle school teacher. The igeneration is sold by Solution Tree and Amazon.You can follow Bill Ferriter on his web page http://billferriter.org/ or on Twitter.
o Bill Ferriter keeps a wiki with ideas on using wikis http://digitallyspeaking.pbworks.com/w/page/17791586/Wikis
o Francy Zolke and the co-presenter shared ideas on using wikis for: virtual field trips, classroom exploratory projects, timelines, organize groups, classroom encyclopedia, exam review, peer review, creative writing with multiple authors, classroom scrapbooks, classroom newspapers
· Welcome to CHS student teacher Kokougan Avos. Mr. Avos is from Togo. He is a graduate student from UNCC who will be working with Lisa Helms as his master teacher. What a great opportunity for all of us, especially the French teachers to learn about Togo.
· Weddington High hosts Shanxi University Music and Dance Troupe for 500 middle schoolers http://polyglotpress.blogspot.com/2012/01/ej-union-students-experience-chinese.html The Confucius Institute has photos of the event at http://www.cipfeiffer.org/en/news/ci-celebrates-chinese-new-years-2012/ New Enquirer Journal writer, Carolyn Steeves, covers the event in the EJ - http://tinyurl.com/7kb4cg6 .
· Piedmont High Spanish teacher, Michael Giglio, teaches students about the Caribbean Baseball playoffs that parallel the World Series in the US. Another great idea is the encouragement for Spanish language students to visit the Saturday Flea Market on Highway 74 in Indian Trail / Monroe. One other engaging idea was the activity compare and contrast the same song when song by Enrique Iglesias vs. Jose Feliciano. Very engaging projects!
· UCPS teachers who taught English in China at the MRHS partner school appeared in a group photo in the travel section of the Charlotte Observer, Sunday, January 29, 2012. Cathy Eisner, Spanish teacher, MRHS, organized the submission.
· Thanks to everyone for all they do every day!
Events
· January 23 – February 7, 2012 - Chinese Spring Festival (aka Chinese New Year) http://english.cntv.cn/program/cultureexpress/20120123/116283.shtml
· Feb 1, 2012 Digital Learning Day - Teachers may want to sign up to take part in Digital Learning Day on Feb. 1. Your students can join 350,000 other students from 33 states to see the use of technology, the kick-off of project-based learning, a focus on how digital tools can help improve student outcomes. You can add your class to the event by going online to www.digitallearningday.org and also get information via Twitter @DLDay2012 and Facebook (www.facebook.com/NationalDigitalLearningDay). Mooresville Graded School District is one of two NC school districts nationwide to be featured on National Digital Learning Day.
o Feb 1, 1:00 – 2:30 EST There is a National Digital Learning Day “Town Hall”. Arne Duncan, US Secretary of Education will speak.
· March 1, 2012 The World Affairs Council of Charlotte together with our co-sponsors, AREVA Inc., Consulate General of France in Atlanta, Hon. Laura Meyer Wellman, Honorary Consul of France to North Carolina and the French American Chamber of Commerce (North Carolina) are proud to host His Excellency Mr. François Delattre, Ambassador of France to the United States as part of the WACC's Ambassadors Circle Series.
· March 2, 2012 Discover China Day – hosted by Cuthbertson a.m. HS visits; p.m. MS visits
· March 5 – 10, 2012 National Foreign Language Week - Begin planning now: school parades, song fests, food fests, info fests, international festivals, trivia questions on the daily announcements; special food in the cafeteria; guest speakers; guest performers, field trips; poster competition; etc. 2012 Theme – “You’re Connected – Now Communicate”
o Every year a NFLW poster with a new theme is printed. It is distributed free to all AMG chapters and is available for sale to the public. Normally the posters’ size is 24”x19” and they are printed in two versions - one with the official date for the Week and one without. The cost, at present, per poster is $6 and shipping & handling is $6 (for 1-5 posters). Shipping is free for orders of 25 posters and above. They are mailed out in solid mailing tube by US Priority Mail. http://www.lacitycollege.edu/academic/honor/amg/nflw.html
o For sale: French guard, German guard, Spanish guard, ILoveForLangs license plate http://www.lacitycollege.edu/academic/honor/amg/accessories.html
· March 8, 2012 UCPS Chinese Language and Culture Festival Weddington HS, on-site calligraphy competition, oral competency judging; Chinese culture quiz bowl (Social studies teachers can contact Stacy.Moore@ucps.k12.nc.us for details)
Professional Development
· Tuesday, February 7 – Feb 28, 2012 3:35 – 4:45 Book Study: China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Should Know by Jeffrey Wasserman - 4 week face-to-face book study lead by Marie Brickman, held at Central Academy of Technology and the Arts– Option for CEUs. Book is free and included with the book study. Funding comes from the county’s Confucius Classroom membership funded by the Asia Society and Hanban. Email your interest to mariebrickman@gmail.com
· March 22 – 24 2012 SCOLT Conference (Southeast Conference on Language Teaching). Atlanta. http://scolt.webnode.com/a2012-conference-information/ Rooms $99 each. March 7 room reservation rate deadline.
· March 27 – 28 Latin America and North Carolina, This World View seminar offers insights into Latin America and support for all K-12 and community college educators facing the challenges and opportunities of our growing Latino student population. Help your Latino students succeed in school by learning about Latin America, critical issues facing Latino students, and new teaching strategies to support students and their families. Registration: $175 per seminar, reduced to $325 for both (save $25) Four-person team: $600 per seminar (save $100) Program and hotel information: http://worldview.unc.edu/programs/spring-seminar Register Online: http://worldview.unc.edu/registration
· March 28 – 29 Complexity and Vibrancy of Africa This day-and-a-half program will engage K-16 educators from all grade levels and disciplines in learning about an important world region. With over 45 countries, several independent island nations, and more than 1 billion people, Africa is a continent rich in diversity. The program will explore historical and contemporary issues related to this continent and strategies for integrating African themes into teaching. Registration: $175 per seminar, reduced to $325 for both (save $25) Four-person team: $600 per seminar (save $100) Program and hotel information: http://worldview.unc.edu/programs/spring-seminars Register Online: http://worldview.unc.edu/registration
· TPRS Methodology and Training
o Saturday, March 3, 8am-4pm TPRS Methods Workshop for World Language Teachers. Colorado Springs, CO
o March 11, 2012. $50.00 1/2 Day TPRS Workshop / 1/2 Day Realidades workshop, Colorado Springs School District 11. Karen Rowan, author of the TPRS Supplement for the Pearson / Prentice Hall textbook series Realidades will present a 1/2 day TPRS workshop and a 1/2 day workshop on how to use Realidades within the current curriculum. $50.00.During Realidades segment in afternoon, non-Spanish teachers will develop and practice TPRS lesson from their own unit materials. Please bring your textbook or unit materials. Questions mcneitk@d11.org (Teri McNeil, 719-520-2418)
o June 24 - July 1, 2012 Summer TPRS Conference Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Presenters - Carol Gaab, Jason Fritze, Susan Gross, Kristy Placido, Donna Tatum-Johns and Katya Paukova.http://www.tprstorytelling.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59&Itemid=300039
o July 23 – 27, 2012 National TPR Storytelling® Conference. Las Vegas, Nevada. Early Bird Rate $390 until Feb. 29 $440 until May 31 $470 until July 18. Hotel rates of $85 are available at the Tropicana.
o You can get on the email list serv for International Journal of Foreign Language Teaching (I think it is all TPRS research, papers, results, ideas, etc. ) http://www.ijflt.com/
o There are some workshops advertised through Fluency Fast www.FluencyFast.com 1-866-WWW-FLUE. You can get on their list serv. Many workshops are in Colorado. I have a German Fluency First DVD if you want to watch it.
o Surprisingly, just googling TPRS wikipedia has an excellent explanation of TPRS. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TPR_Storytelling
· April 5 - May 16 Online Globalization Course for K-12 Teachers and Administrators This six-week online course immerses educators from all disciplines and roles in an exploration of the rapid global changes in government, economics, environment and health, culture and technology. Participants are required to read, discuss and reflect on the most important issues facing America and the world today. Registration: $275 ($225 for World View Partners)
To find out if your school or LEA is a World View Partner, Register Online: http://worldview.unc.edu/registration
To find out if your school or LEA is a World View Partner, Register Online: http://worldview.unc.edu/registration
· April 20 – 21, 2012 Northeast Conference on Foreign Language Teaching Baltimore, MD http://www.nectfl.org/ $200 - $250 registration.
· April 21, 2012, Saturday FLANC Spring Fling Workshops Asheville, NC With five concurrent sessions in a single (1) day format, FLANC offers the ‘Best Of FLANC” sessions that scored the highest ratings at the annual Conference (Winston-Salem 2011). You will need to arrive Friday night or leave very early Saturday to take in all the workshops in this one-day event.
· The Ethical Teachers Ethical Schools Project is a national campaign to safeguard our schools through ethics training in partnership with school districts and universities across America. The project’s flagship course, “Ethics and Safety for Our Schools,” is designed to help teachers and administrators lower their risk for committing a violation or being falsely accused of a transgression. By identifying risk factors that may contribute to ethical misjudgment, this continuing education course creates a personalized, confidential Ethics Protection Plan to safeguard the individual teacher. 0.6 CE credits to participants for successfully completing this interactive online course. The School of Education at UNC-Chapel Hill is the university sponsor for the Ethical Teachers Ethical Schools Project for the state of North Carolina and the CCEE was selected to partner with the project based on our commitment and leadership to improve teachers’ professional development and to safeguard North Carolina’s students.Registration now only costs $40. Please register online at: http://www.unc.edu/ccee/pd/ethics.html
· July 10-19 or July 20-29 Study Trip to Costa Rica with World View - Cost: $2000 includes round-trip airfare, 9-night home stay accommodations, meals in Costa Rica, all ground transfers and transportation in Costa Rica, entrance fees to cultural and historical sites, ecological excursions, and more! Deadline to apply February 17 Learn more about Costa Rican life and culture while participating in community-based projects and ecological excursions. Spanish lessons and home stays provide unique cultural exchanges. Participate in service projects, collaborate with rural schools and colleges, and gain confidence to add global content to your teaching and help make your school or college more international! http://worldview.unc.edu/programs-2/international-study-visits/2012-costa-rica-study-visits/
DPI
· DPI releases ‘Graphic Organizers’ to support new Essential Standards for multiple disciplines http://www.ncpublicschools.org/acre/standards/support-tools/#organizers and to support Math and English languages arts and the Common Core standards. World Language graphic organizers cover the following topics and proficiency levels. The DPI Graphic Organizers are in draft form and are undergoing review for feedback. Send your feedback to feedback@dpi.nc.gov. Novice Low—Greetings; Novice Mid—Technology; Novice High—Family; Intermediate Low—Travel; Intermediate Mid—Literature; Intermediate High—Family; Advanced Low—Current Events; Advanced Mid—Family
· DPI Online Training Modules Feedback Survey – “Provide feedback to DPI about their training modules thus far in an online survey Your feedback will remain anonymous, and any information identifying individuals, schools, or LEAs will be kept strictly confidential. While your participation is, of course, voluntary, we hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity to help inform North Carolina education policy makers about your experiences with RttT funded professional development. If you would like to continue to the questionnaire, please click on the link http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/U2MCCUK7VMUX or copy and paste the URL into your browser. If you have any questions or concern regarding this study, please feel free to contact Dr. Jeni Corn, Director of Evaluation Programs, at jocorn@ncsu.edu.
Technology
· Skype Classroom Follow them on Twitter at @SkypeClassroom . Skype in the classroom is a free global community of teachers who are working together on classroom exchanges and projects: connect your students to the world. http://education.skype.com
· Piclits – permits you to label graphic images online. Instructional tool as well as student activity (i.e. digital poster) See sample at http://www.piclits.com/viewpoem.aspx?PoemId=121434
· Add audio clips to your emails. Quotes you value, how to pronounce your last name, etc. Do international friends, co-workers, and students have trouble pronouncing your name? Add a sound file to your email signature, your online profile, or your website so they can listen and practice. http://www.audioname.com
· Yodio – A great tool for audio recordings and cellphones. Check out Jessica Garner’s explanation on how to use it. Jessica has shared various tech tools in the NC DP WL webinars. This is one. It's a large file on her wiki in her “Technology Tools” section of the wiki http://region6pd.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/Technology+Tools
· Wiki spaces – one of various wiki sites. This is the one DPI is using for unrolling the standards this year. Wikis are great sites for online collaboration or merely for posting information like one does on a webpage. http://www.wikispaces.com
Global Awareness Resources
· World Views’ Foreign Currency Kit contains currency, both bills and coins, from over 35 countries and may be borrowed by educators in North Carolina. It is designed for K-12 educators as a learning tool, using tangible items to teach about people and places, as well as a means for integrating global content across multiple subject areas. Interested higher education educators may also borrow the Kit. How can I borrow a Kit? Any North Carolina educator may borrow an available Kit for up to three weeks. To borrow a Kit, please download and read the lending policies and complete a "Lending Agreement". What's in the Box? Money! In each Currency Kit there are coins and bills from over 35 countries or territories. The Foreign Currency Kit also contains useful reference books, a map, an inventory of coins and bills included and their country or territory of origin, as well as suggested educator activities. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: worldview.unc.edu/global-resources/foreign-currency-kits
· World View's 2012 Book of the Year: That Used To Be Us By Thomas Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum World View considers That Used to be Us an essential book for educators to read and incorporate into classroom discussion, as teachers help students understand global issues and define the challenges America faces. The title is taken from a 2010 quote by President Obama: "It makes no sense for China to have better rail systems than us, and Singapore to have better airports than us. And we just learned that China now has the fastest supercomputer on Earth-that used to be us." The book's thesis is that America is in slow-motion decline because it has forgotten what made it great and has failed to maintain, when compared to its competitors, the following five pillars of American greatness. They are:
· 1. Education.
Historically, each generation of Americans achieved a level of education that greatly exceeded that of the previous one, and our mass education created the largest productive middle class in the world. Today the U.S. "sits at the bottom of the industrialized world by most measures of educational achievement." Shockingly, Fareed Zakaria reports that today 75 percent of young Americans are unable to enlist in the military "because they have failed to graduate from high school, have a criminal record, or are physically unfit." [1]
Historically, each generation of Americans achieved a level of education that greatly exceeded that of the previous one, and our mass education created the largest productive middle class in the world. Today the U.S. "sits at the bottom of the industrialized world by most measures of educational achievement." Shockingly, Fareed Zakaria reports that today 75 percent of young Americans are unable to enlist in the military "because they have failed to graduate from high school, have a criminal record, or are physically unfit." [1]
· 2. Infrastructure.
After World War II America developed the best infrastructure in the world-school buildings, roads, airports, water systems, etc. Today the American Society of Civil Engineers gives America's infrastructure a grade of D. It says decades of underfunding have left America's infrastructure with $2.2 trillion critically needed repairs.
After World War II America developed the best infrastructure in the world-school buildings, roads, airports, water systems, etc. Today the American Society of Civil Engineers gives America's infrastructure a grade of D. It says decades of underfunding have left America's infrastructure with $2.2 trillion critically needed repairs.
· 3. Immigration.
America is a land of immigrants. Today foreign-born citizens represent just 12% of the U.S. population but have started 52% of Silicon Valley's tech companies and contributed to more than 25% of U.S. global patents. Friedman and Mandelbaum say our immigration system is broken and must be fixed. Peter Schuck, Yale Law professor, and John Tyler, general counsel of the Kauffman Foundation that studies innovation, more bluntly assert that America's immigration policy is just "plain stupid." I discovered this myself when trying to get a student visa and later a Green Card for a remarkable foreign student (valedictorian of a top Moscow high school and later Phi Beta Kappa at Davidson College). Today, 17 years after coming to America, she is a teacher of the year at one of America's best preparatory schools and still awaiting citizenship.
America is a land of immigrants. Today foreign-born citizens represent just 12% of the U.S. population but have started 52% of Silicon Valley's tech companies and contributed to more than 25% of U.S. global patents. Friedman and Mandelbaum say our immigration system is broken and must be fixed. Peter Schuck, Yale Law professor, and John Tyler, general counsel of the Kauffman Foundation that studies innovation, more bluntly assert that America's immigration policy is just "plain stupid." I discovered this myself when trying to get a student visa and later a Green Card for a remarkable foreign student (valedictorian of a top Moscow high school and later Phi Beta Kappa at Davidson College). Today, 17 years after coming to America, she is a teacher of the year at one of America's best preparatory schools and still awaiting citizenship.
· 4. Government Support for Research and Development.
For the American economy to grow, particularly in an information age, research in every field is vital. We have failed to fund research as we did during WW II with the Manhattan Project and in the 50s with the space program after the Soviets launched Sputnik.
For the American economy to grow, particularly in an information age, research in every field is vital. We have failed to fund research as we did during WW II with the Manhattan Project and in the 50s with the space program after the Soviets launched Sputnik.
· 5. Government regulation.
A government that works has been essential to America's success. Government regulation is needed to "safeguard against financial collapse and environmental destruction." Just as important are "regulations and incentives that encourage capital to flow to America, lead innovators to flock to the U.S. because their patents and intellectual property will be protected, and inspire small businesses and venture capitalists to start up in America."
A government that works has been essential to America's success. Government regulation is needed to "safeguard against financial collapse and environmental destruction." Just as important are "regulations and incentives that encourage capital to flow to America, lead innovators to flock to the U.S. because their patents and intellectual property will be protected, and inspire small businesses and venture capitalists to start up in America."
· The challenges America faces today, Friedman & Mandelbaum state, only can be met successfully if America returns to its five-part formula on which American greatness was achieved. They warn that the country faces a critical choice: we either face the challenges immediately and "have a hard decade, or America will have a bad century." Robert Phay, Director of World View
Chinese Resources
· TPRS for Chinese blog http://tprsforchinese.blogspot.com/ See posts on Ít’s communicative so why grammar sheets where the blogger mentions using “Vocaroo”, “”Photo Booth”, “Recorder” etc. for oral recorded homework assignments turned in to Edmodo.
French Resources
Recommended in Nandu
1. http://www.uni.edu/becker/french31.html
2. Another possibility is to hit websites used by Canadian teachers:http://www.caslt.org
http://aix1.uottawa.ca/~weinberg/french.html
http://canadianfrenchteacher.com
http://canadianheritage.gc.ca/progrs/lo-ol
http://cpf.ca/eng/resources_pubs.html
http://www/frenchforlife.ca/Teachers.htm
http://www.frenchforlife.ca/Teachers_ClassroomIdeas.htm
http://fslactivities.ca/teachers.html
http://r-go.ca/pges/french.htm
3. Here are some other general websites:http://www.angelfire.com/sc/mudpie/french/teach.html
http://lessonplanplace.com/foreignlanguage.cfm
http://ah-bon-french.wikispaces.com
http://www.frenchteacher.net
http://about.com/od/francophonie/u/teachfrench.htm
http://mllerobertson.vilmay.net/cteach.htm
http://www.fredriley.org.uk.call/langsite/french.html
http://www.parlez-vous.org
http://www.r-go.ca/pages/french.htm
1. http://www.uni.edu/becker/french31.html
2. Another possibility is to hit websites used by Canadian teachers:http://www.caslt.org
http://aix1.uottawa.ca/~weinberg/french.html
http://canadianfrenchteacher.com
http://canadianheritage.gc.ca/progrs/lo-ol
http://cpf.ca/eng/resources_pubs.html
http://www/frenchforlife.ca/Teachers.htm
http://www.frenchforlife.ca/Teachers_ClassroomIdeas.htm
http://fslactivities.ca/teachers.html
http://r-go.ca/pges/french.htm
3. Here are some other general websites:http://www.angelfire.com/sc/mudpie/french/teach.html
http://lessonplanplace.com/foreignlanguage.cfm
http://ah-bon-french.wikispaces.com
http://www.frenchteacher.net
http://about.com/od/francophonie/u/teachfrench.htm
http://mllerobertson.vilmay.net/cteach.htm
http://www.fredriley.org.uk.call/langsite/french.html
http://www.parlez-vous.org
http://www.r-go.ca/pages/french.htm
Spanish Resources
· Zachary Jones tweets useful resources, songs, activities, websites. Follow him on Twitter.
· Every February, the best professional winter baseball league team from the individual leagues in the La Republica Dominicana; South of the Border, Down Mexico Way; Viva Venezuela; and Puerto Rico: Isla De Encanto (The Enchanted Island) compete for the title of Caribbean Series champion, and it's a fun, fun, fun event! Who knows? Perhaps in the near future we could also see Nicaraguan Vulcans and Colombian Iguanas in the series! The site of the annual Latin baseball celebration rotates every year. The Dominican Republic has had the most success in the recent era of the series. Before Fidel Castro came to power and banned professional baseball, Castro's Cuba: The Forbidden Island had achieved the most success at the series while Panama's Passion was also displayed in the event long, long ago. http://www.modernerabaseball.com/id68.html
· Confederación De Béisbol Profesional Del Caribe – México, Puerto Rico, Rep. Dominicana, Venezuela http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X38uYImXNDA
· Serie del (béisbol) Caribe – México ganó en 2011 http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serie_del_Caribe_2011
