Aishah Allah speaks about her involvement with Get Lit, a nonprofit based in Los Angeles that fosters literacy through poetry. Students interpret and perform classic poetry and write their own response poems and original poetry. Language Magazine‘s upcoming February issue takes an in-depth look at non-state organizations that engage young readers and writers with literature outside of class.
To get involved with Get Lit, click here.
Shh… Don’t Mention Education
As we’re entering a Presidential election year, we thought it would be interesting to compare the prospective candidates’ positions on language education. Despite several requests, none of the candidates were prepared to spell out their position on the political hot potato of bilingual education, or even the less contentious subject of funding world language education. It’s hardly surprising, seeing as education has been largely ignored by most of the frontrunners.
However, much can be gleaned from past positions and current manifestos: More.
An Act to Follow
Language Magazine asks the experts what legislation they would like to see enacted during the New Year
Lessons in Quality
Adam Cooke and Nick Sacco explain how the accreditation process is impacting their private language school
Mother Tongue Key to World Education Growth
A bilingual approach not only improves educational outcomes in developing countries but could help close achievement gaps in the U.S.
Taking Teaching to Task
Juan José Vázquez-Caballero on how to create curricula to allow language students to be more engaged, motivated, and prepared for the real world
California Dreaming
Kristal Bivona swoons over San Diego as a study abroad destination
Celebrating Costa Rica’s Customs
Romy Morales suggests the inclusion of festivals to your itinerary or Spanish culture class
Census Shows Native Languages Count
Last Writes
Richard Lederer and Metaphors Be With You
Assimilate and Thrive
As we continue to struggle with our economy, it’s hardly surprising that the traditional scapegoats – immigrants – are being targeted as contributors to economic decline. However, international diasporas may hold the key to recovery and their assimilation, despite the critics, is following the same pattern of every immigrant influx.
U.S. exports to Spanish-speaking countries far exceed those to China which must be attributable in part to the cultural and linguistic bonds between Hispanic Americans and their trading partners. With the latest increase in Asian immigration (see page 11), we can also expect that the accompanying cultural knowledge will boost exports to that continent. It may even be argued that this nation owes its history of economic success to the international perspectives afforded by continuous immigration flows. More.
Basa Bali
Laetitia Chanèac-Knight and Alissa Stern outline their plan to preserve Balinese with the help of modern technology
Reading for Pleasure
Stephen Krashen explains why we should stop scolding teenagers and their schools
Ludicrous Learning
Just in time for the holidays, Language Magazine presents a showcase of gift ideas for the ludic learners in your lives
2012 Year Planner
Follow language-related events, observances, conferences, workshops, award and grant deadlines all year long
Despite Economy, Study Abroad is on the Rise
Kristal Bivona unwraps the latest report on Americans studying abroad
Last Writes Richard Lederer and sesquipedalian English
United Indignation
It is about 75 years since the likes of Ernest Hemingway and George Orwell risked everything to fight against fascism in the Spanish Civil War. Over two thousand Americans joined volunteers from all over the world to form the 35,000 strong international brigades that fought alongside Spanish socialists, communists, anarchists, and libertarians to try to prevent the imposition of a dictatorship by General Francisco Franco. Although Franco prevailed in Spain, largely as a result of the in-fighting between factions of their opposition, nations across the world awoke to the threat and allied to beat fascism in the Second World War.
In Spain, the 15M Movement (from May 15, the first day of occupation of Madrid’s Puerta del Sol), characterized by mass sit-ins in public squares, signaled the beginning of the grassroots protests now worldwide.
Before the summer, 15M activists announced plans for coordinated international protests in the fall. They looked for a month when the 15th fell on a weekend and chose October 15: 15-O. Despite a virtual blackout of news coverage by the major television networks, sympathizers in more than 950 cities in 85 countries followed Spain’s lead by taking part in last month’s global occupation against the ills of the political and economic system, and to “demand a true democracy.” The event spread over half the world, and into all of its major languages — from Mexico City to Seoul, Athens to Anchorage, Johannesburg to San Juan.
The aim of the movement is to send an emphatic message to politicians and the financial elite: “The ruling powers work for the benefit of just a few, ignoring the will of the vast majority and the human and environmental price we all have to pay. This intolerable situation must end,” explains the manifesto at http://15october.net, which has been translated into 18 languages.
Whether or not you agree that the Occupy Movement is an offshoot of Spain’s indignados, there are other parallels between the current movement and the fight against fascism in the 1930s — both were born in times of severe economic hardship and are characterized by the fact that they are loose coalitions of groups with very different interests — middle and working classes, tea baggers and liberals, communists and anarchists — uniting in opposition against a seemingly all-powerful foe.
However, there is a major difference between the two uprisings that is even more interesting from a communications perspective. The current protests were organized through web-based social media without the involvement of any major unions or political parties. This movement breaks language barriers at will as activists translate pages and post in multiple tongues, passing messages seamlessly back and forth between sites like tomalaplaza.com, Facebook’s bilingual Spanish Revolution page, and occupywallst.org. Organizing such a mass movement without the support and agreement of trade unions or political parties would have been impossible until very recently.
Language is more important than ever. The ability to communicate clearly and concisely to an ever wider international audience is probably the single most valuable skill that anyone can possess in the 21st century. Our new communication tools give nearly everyone the opportunity to become a broadcaster which in turn makes it so much more important for messages to be clear, relevant, and well-directed if they are to stand out from the morass of information.
To get things done, you need acute communication skills which can only be improved by the study and practice of language. But we are devastating language programs with cuts. Which begs the question, “Do we really want to empower our children?” The Millennials at the forefront of these protests have shown they will not be suppressed, and we should do all we can to make sure that they are joined by peers who are educated, informed, and open to the myriad of cultural influences abounding in our ever smaller world.
My Home es su Casa
Francisco Ramos turns the table on the argument against second language learners using their mother tongue at home
Making Every Word Count
Warren Merkel suggests overcoming student reluctance to composition writing by asking for just 55 words
The Web is Your Oyster
Toni Theisen unlocks the treasure chest of free web-based tools for the ingenious language educator
Spanish with Mother
Victoria Charles and her daughter, Valentina, revel in the Guatemalan Spanish immersion experience
Exploring Learner Language
Jason Martel on how a new manual enables educators to better understand students’ processes of language learning
Fun and Free World Language Learning
Traci Andrighetti suggests five fun ways to improve language skills without spending a centavo
Have Certificate, Will Travel
Now, more than ever, investing in a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) Certificate makes perfect sense
Last Writes Richard Lederer and why teachers matter
Yesterday, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law sent a formal letter to US Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor and Pensions Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) calling for additional improvements and amended language to the proposed reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). “We firmly believe education is a civil right – not a privilege afforded to few,” Public Policy Director Tanya Clay House stressed. “Hence, equal access to quality education must be available to all students and we will continue to ensure this right through our public policy advocacy and in the courts.” more
Real World Education
The decade since the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001 has been dominated by the continuing “war on terror” and, more recently, persistent, economic recession. There may be a relationship between these two conditions but the reasons for them are less important than the measures we can take to mitigate their negative consequences. Remarkably, educators and educational activists, especially those in the language and literacy field, should feel empowered by the realization that their work can help to counteract the damage of these seemingly unsolvable problems. more
Survival Speech
Brian Lamar finds out first hand from Fort Carson troops how language training saves lives
Generational Divide
Lois Spitzer argues that teachers of all disciplines need to adapt to the needs of differing groups of non-native English learners
Need Children Read ‘Proficiently’ by Grade 3?
Stephen Krashen presents some possible misinterpretations of the ‘Double Jeopardy’ study
The Digital N8ives are Restless
Alan Rudi of Thesys International explains how hybrid education can help to include all learners whatever their language background
Learning in the Active Voice
It’s hardly surprising that combining language study with a worthwhile activity has become more popular than ever — luckily, the array of options is increasing to meet the demand
Kickstart Your TESOL Career
Here’s a cross section of TESOL Master’s Programs on offer
English, Chinese, French Most Useful for Business
Last Writes Richard Lederer and attracting opposites
Measures for Measures
When the consequences of test failure are school closures or firings, and schools are denied the tools to give them a chance of success, it is hardly surprising to discover widespread abuse of the testing system.
The cheating scandals which began in Atlanta and spread across the country are only the most blatant examples of what happens when testing goes too far. Strategies that boost scores without improving learning, like teaching to the test and encouraging low-scoring students to drop out, have become an entrenched part of educational administration. Such corruption, which undermines educational quality, is an inevitable consequence of the intense pressure that high-stakes testing puts on teachers and principals. The investigation into the Atlanta scandal found, “The targets set by the district were often unreasonable, especially given their cumulative effect over the years. Additionally, the administration put unreasonable pressure on teachers and principals to achieve targets… Ultimately, the data and meeting ‘targets’ by whatever means necessary, became more important than true academic progress.” more
Tests as Tools for Learning
Aned Muñiz Gracia offers examples to show how teachers can use simple tests to improve learning experiences
Using Tests to Target Learning
How Sweetwater Union High School District implemented CTB/McGraw-Hill’s LAS Links in its English Language Development
Overtaking Age with Desire
Clay Williams challenges the widely-accepted theory that the acquisition of second-language fluency is dependent on learning during the pre-adolescent “critical period”
Nashville Struggling to Educate Minorities
J’Nisha Towne on how demographics are shaping policy
Multiple Choices
Language Magazine’s look at the latest in testing
Talking In Your Sleep
William Stimson sees a role for dreams in second language acquisition
Europe’s Powerhaus
Daniel Ward thinks a German immersion program makes more than economic sense
Hotspots for Teaching English
Nicholas Ferdinandt provides a snapshot of the current job market for teachers of English as a Foreign Language
Funds to Document Endangered Languages
Opinion
Stephen Krashen on the bogus argument for testing
Last Writes
Richard Lederer with more Good Words
Joining the Digital Dots
Traditionally every August, we publish our annual focus on technology, hoping that many readers will have a little extra time over the summer to assess the latest developments and work out where they can find the means to finance them. However, technology has now become so much a part of not only the language education process but communication in general that we would find it difficult to publish any issue without covering technical innovations.
Because of this plethora of products and current budgetary woes, it is more important than ever to take the time to assess the value of new programs and devices before jumping on the speeding technology bus, so our August issue will continue to focus on technology with the emphasis on the practical — making technology work instead of getting carried away by the latest gadget. In this edition, there’s a feature on classroom tasks suited to interactive whiteboards, a round-up of the latest internet-based language programs, and an in-depth look at how Arabic designers have tackled the challenge of adapting their language to the Latin script bias of the digital age. More
Reach Out and Read (Aloud)
Stephen Krashen with an inexpensive, simple approach to closing the equity gap in literacy
Separado o Together?
Else Hamayan reflects on the separation of languages of instruction
Enlivening the Board
Sarah Withee offers advice on using interactive whiteboards for communicative language teaching
Web of World Languages
Language Magazine’s selection of the latest in online world language learning
Changing the Face of Arabic
Sandy Saghbini and Raisa Zaidi explain the complex, controversial, and creative impact of technology on Arabic typeface development
Staying True to Type
Sandy Saghbini asks Rana Abou Rjeily, creator of Mirsaal typeface, how type designers adapt to changing demands
Renaissance? What Renaissance?
Mourad Boutros shares his passion for creativity with Arabic design
Spanish from Cartagena to Patagonia
Language Magazine looks at study abroad options in Colombia and Argentina
Last Writes
Richard Lederer with Good Book words
Victorious Juarez
Evelyn Juárez, a seventh-grader from host-state New Mexico, made history by winning America’s first National Spanish Spelling Bee this weekend. She won by correctly spelling the word bizantinismo, which means excess luxury.
Juárez was locked in a mesmerizing, hour-long duel with runner-up, Germán Rojero, at the final stage of the competition before taking the title, when Rojero misspelled kanindeyuense, which refers to someone from the Canindeyú territory of Paraguay.
Thousands of kids across the nation have spent months burning the midnight oil, learning complex words in the hope of being crowned the 2011 Spelling Bee champion. But, for the first time ever, America’s most-beloved competition was in Spanish as well as English.
Despite many misconceptions, all of the eleven finalists were fluent in English as well as Spanish. The National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, hosted the inaugural National Spanish Spelling Bee on July 9th 2011.
Blurring Subject Borders
Most of us have a tendency to compartmentalize whatever we can — slotting information, knowledge, experiences into a defined category makes it easier for us to cope with new information. However, we learn that if we over-simplify we will eventually need to reassess our classifications.
In this issue, James J. Lyons argues that multilingualism should be at the core of federal education policy as domestic demographics and international realities make a coherent and thoughtful national policy on second language learners and multilingualism more important than ever before. More
Reaching for the Skype
Caroline Martin sees how internet-based communications are revolutionizing the language classroom
The Elephant in the Education Policy Boardroom
James J. Lyons argues that multilingualism should be the centerpiece of federal education policy
Thousands of Words
Kate Sommers-Dawes tells the truth about Mexico’s warm welcome in pictures
Spanish Immersion Ideas in Mexico
From Paris to Dakar
How will the Arab Spring and Africa’s development affect French’s position in the world?
French Immersion Options in France
Beat the Recession: Teach Abroad
Nicholas Ferdinandt suggests English teachers look abroad for short-term teaching employment that will not only be the experience of a lifetime but could also be just what your resume needs
Last Writes
Richard Lederer with a hidden Shakespeare
