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Guatemala

Daniel Ward is struck by the natural beauty
and Mayan culture of the country of Eternal Spring

Guatemala, located just south of Mexico in Central America, offers a unique blend of manmade and natural wonders. Visitors can experience glorious ancient Mayan sites nestled within beautiful, lush jungles filled with an extraordinary array of wildlife. Mayan history has been etched into the country, but theirs is a living culture which is developing and driving the economic growth of the country.

Guatemala’s documented history dates back to 10,000 B.C., and some evidence suggests even further. Today, Guatemala has 13 million inhabitants and, while the official language is Spanish, 21 recognized Mayan languages are spoken amongst its people. One of those, Quiché (K’iche’), is the second most spoken language after Spanish and some Spanish language schools offer Quiché language courses for those who want to really delve into Guatemala’s language and culture.
Guatemala is also the perfect place for anyone looking to integrate some adventure into their language studies. Whether it be climbing the ancient Mayan ruins, traversing through its jungles or national forest, exploring its mysterious volcanoes, or lazing on its Caribbean and Pacific beaches, there is something for everyone.

Antigua

Antigua, which is one of the world’s best preserved colonial cities, with its beautiful architecture, cobbled streets, and stunning setting amongst three volcanoes, is renowned for the friendliness of its people. Academia de Espanol Guatemala is endorsed by the Guatemalan Ministry of Education and the Guatemalan Tourism Commission. It offers programs for U.S. university credits and the DELE Spanish diploma. The school features a structured program, designed for each individual student. The teachers at AEG have experience working with diverse students such as families on their way to missions in Latin America, pilots, professional business people, or medical doctors and nurses. Family homestays are reliable as the school has maintained an exclusive, exceptional group of families over the years due to consistent enrollment. Immersion study with experienced families allows students at any level to speak Spanish from the very first day.

Academia de Español Sevilla offers private lessons with professional, qualified and experienced teachers. Students can study from four to eight hours daily, start any day of the year, and have their classes tailored to their own specific needs. Sevilla is authorized by the Guatemalan Ministry of Education, and is also certified by various local universities, and recommended by the Tourism Institute of Guatemala.

Sevilla offers the choice between homestay or student house accommodation where all rooms are private. Students can also participate in cultural activities, including salsa and meringue classes, volcano hikes, and horseback or bicycle tours of the city. The school also encourages students to offer their help to the community through various volunteer projects.

Also located in Antigua is Antiguena Spanish Academy which has been established for 23 years. Authorized by the Ministry of Education of Guatemala and the Tourism Institute of Guatemala, the academy offers Spanish courses for all levels or professions. Stu­dents can also combine Spanish courses with volunteer programs at hospitals, schools, or farms. The school provides all study materials as well as activities in the afternoon, such as Guatemalan cooking classes, biking, coffee and macadamia nut farm tours.

ENFOREX has schools throughout Guatemala, each with its own unique charm. The school in Antigua is housed in a renovated colonial building, with a capacity of 80 students. All schools offer private courses, intensive courses, and super-intensive courses for students of varying levels of Spanish.
The Spanish Academy Probigua offers a total immersion experience consisting of private and group courses of three or four students. The program is based on conversation, grammar review, reading analysis, and activities beyond the classroom. As a non-profit organization, the school donates its profits to establish and maintain libraries in the many rural villages with few children’s books.
Quetzaltenango, the second largest city in Guatemala, was founded in 1524 by the Spanish conquistadors. It is an active city with a population made up of 50 percent Mestizo and 50 percent indigenous Mayan. Located here is Celas Maya, a private institution with an intercultural vision, remaining ever-conscious of the economic, social, and political oppression of the Mayan population within Guatemala. It offers intensive, one-on-one Spanish or K’iche’ language classes with a member of staff certified with diplomas in the teaching of Spanish as a second language. By living with a Guatemalan family, students immerse themselves not only in Spanish language but also in cultural experiences that enrich their understanding of the country and culture. With a wide variety of cultural and educational activities, students have the opportunity to learn about Guatemalan culture and society, visit areas outside of Quetzaltenango, practice their language skills, and get to know other students, teachers, and local people. The school also offers the DELE-exam. Students can even learn Spanish through the body with the Spanish and Salsa dancing program. The academy also employs a volunteer coordinator who can advise the student in finding the best possible volunteer placements in the surrounding area.

Quetzaltenango

Also in the Mayan highland city of Quetzaltenango (or Xela “shay-la”), Miguel Angel Asturias Spanish School offers 25 hours of intensive individual Spanish instruction, numerous activities, and homestay with all meals for $150 per week, surrounded by volcanoes, with amazing scenery and hiking opportunities, as well as access to all parts of Guatemala by bus.

The teachers at Miguel Angel Asturias Spanish School have up to 20 years experience teaching one-on-one immersion Spanish, with rigorous training and certification. From absolute beginner to highly advanced, each lesson is customized precisely to the student’s needs. There’s also an extensive library of books, videos, and multimedia that students can use in the school or check out and take home.

A founding principle of their school is to give back to the community, and both of the directors have degrees in economics with a wide variety of experience working with rural communities. They offer the opportunity to share skills, interests, and enthusiasm to helping the people of Guatemala, while practicing and improving Spanish, including sustainable agriculture, photography, teaching, healthcare, agro-industrial co-operatives, rural development, and counseling.

The school also offers a Medical Spanish program which combines intensive general Spanish instruction with specialized instruction focused on medical terminology and situations and is ideal for doctors, nurses, medical school students, pre-med students, emergency medical technicians, and others in the health care fields.

Daily and weekend activities, such as visits to markets and villages, Salsa dancing, conferences and discussions with experts, cultural activities are included. There’s Internet access and Skype in the school, for keeping in touch. Students can also receive university credit for attendance.

Escuela Juan Sisay, surrounded by mountains and volcanoes, offers courses which enable students to speak, read, write, and participate in conversations in Spanish with an emphasis in oral proficiency supported by a strong grammatical foundation. At the same time, students will also be introduced to the social, cultural, historical, and political realities of the country. Students participate in private courses for five hours a day, five days a week. This method of instruction allows each teacher to focus all energies on one students creating a program specifically tailored toward the needs of that students as opposed to a general curriculum for a class.

Each week, a different teacher is in charge of running the week’s extracurricular activities. Activities take place in the afternoons after classes and lunch with host families. These activities are designed to compliment the classes and include conferences, discussions, movies, hikes, and excursions.
With locations in Quetzaltenango, Jutiapa, Huehuetenango, Retal­huleu, and Guatemala City, Instituto Guatemalteco Americano has had 62 years of experience in offering English and Spanish language learning programs. IGA offers programs for children, teens, and adults, with a wide variety of programs and schedules, including daily and weekend sessions. It is also a major teacher training center offering a Teacher’s Training Course and an annual National Teacher’s Conference with the approval of Guatemala’s Department of Education.

Daniel Ward is publisher of Language Magazine.

September 2010

Loading the Dice

September 2010 Cover

Teachers are facing unprecedented demands as they start this new academic year. Falling state tax revenues have led to education budget cuts that state legislators feel can only be eased by federal funding and compliance with Washington’s demands for testing and accountability that receipt of the money entails.
However, there is little evidence to support the premise that testing actually improves educational outcomes, although it is clear that federal policies, particularly No Child Left Behind, have done next to nothing to narrow linguistic, racial and income-based achievement gaps. If funds fail to reach the minority groups most in need, as seems to be the case, not only does the whole notion of testing and accountability become nonsense, we are also abusing the civil rights of our schoolchildren.
Eight civil rights organizations including the NAACP signed a letter last month stating that the U.S. Department of Education is promoting ineffective approaches for failing schools. According to the signatories, the $4.35 billion Race to the Top competition leaves out many minority students. Citing federal data, the groups find just three percent of the nation’s black students and less than one percent of Latino students are impacted by round one of the Race to the Top, which awarded $500 million and $100 million to Tennessee and Delaware, respectively, for undertaking reforms. The letter also proposes standards for equal access to early childhood education, effective teachers, a college preparatory curriculum, quality resources, and takes a critical view of the administration’s approach to turning around failing schools.
Last month, California released the results of its Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program which revealed little progress in closing the achievement gap. In response to the results, Californians Together and the California Association for Bilingual Education proposed a remodeling of the educational system for English learners including the development of grade level English Language Development Standards; revision of the statewide accountability system to more accurately reflect what English learners know; promoting the use of research-based approaches for educating English learners, and holding charter schools accountable for providing a quality education to English learners.
Average ACT and SAT scores for the high school class of 2010 will be released over the next month, and attention will be focused on small year-to-year changes, either marginally higher or lower, many of which have little practical meaning. Students in the high school class of 2010 were in fourth grade when the federal testing mandate became law. Proponents promised significant gains in educational performance as a result of NCLB so we should now expect results. However, whatever the results are, how much can we really deduce from them?
Since 2005, more than 65 colleges and universities, including dozens of nationally competitive schools, have adopted “test-optional” policies. That brings the total number of accredited, bachelor-degree granting institutions which do not require all or many applicants to submit test scores for admissions to more than 840. These institutions recognize that external factors like income, language, and race skew test scores to the extent that they become irrelevant while other examples of student achievement and creativity (like poetry, see page 24) offer a much better barometer of future success.
Even if all tests were taken on a level playing field, they would not prove sufficient. We owe it to our students to look beyond test results and recognize the whole body of their achievements.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Lifelong Learning

Paul García hopes the seven lessons that language teaching taught him during his career as an educator, supervisor, and leader will help teachers to succeed in the new academic year

Teen Poetry to Angeleno Ears
Kate Sommers-Dawes checks out the spoken word scene

Telling Tales
Nile Stanley and Brett Dillingham explain the benefits of teaching performance literacy through storytelling

Turning the TIDES
Audrey Cohan and Andrea Honigsfeld suggest best practices for teaching English learners who may have learning difficulties

Spanish Al-Andalus
Kate Sommers-Dawes explores southern Spain’s sultry cities of Seville and Granada in search of the ultimate Andalusian immersion experience

 

 

Last Writes
Richard Lederer has more on real teacher lives

Plus all the latest news in language learning technology, book reviews, and source information on language funding

Pura Vida Española

Kate Sommers-Dawes marvels at Costa Rica as a Spanish immersion destination

Visit Costa Rica’s official tourism site and read its official slogan; “No Artificial Ingredients,” — a mantra of which you will not need reminding from the first moment you step foot in one of the country’s myriad waterfalls or stumble upon one of its one hundred plus species of brightly colored frogs. The country is of a manageable size and the bus network is extensive if somewhat slow due to rainy weather and less than perfect roads. Its two airports allow visitors to crisscross the country with speed but at greater expense (if you’ve got the time, a two peso, six-hour bus ride is hard to turn down — as is the quality time you’ll get to spend with the locals).

The country, a veritable natural amusement park, offers active volcanoes, stunning beaches (both Caribbean and Pacific), and intoxicating rain forests full of exotic flora and fauna. In the country’s center is the famed Arenal volcano, which is a hefty but picturesque hike from the small town over which it looms. The landmark also overlooks a waterfall and swimming hole as well as a luxury resort based around natural hot springs. Tortuguero National Park, on the Caribbean coast, is an epicenter for ecotourism and a hot spot for sea turtle watching and caring. For monkeys, iguanas, and sloths galore, head to Manuel Antonio National Park, clear on the other side of the country, to hike in a stunning evergreen forest that grows right up to the shoreline of the Pacific Ocean. Mountainous Monteverde also offers cloud forests, canopy tours, and ziplining for the ultra-adventurous. Additionally, for the surfer-expat types, no shortage of laid back, tiny beach towns dot Costa Rica’s shores, offering prime, picturesque, beach-bumming locales.

With its diverse array of landscapes, climates, and activities on offer, Costa Rica, as a nation, could not disappoint visitors even if it tried. The main difficulty facing the language traveler with limited time will be deciding which places to visit first. Occupying a small strip of land between Panama and Nicaragua, Costa Rica is home to fifty plus Spanish schools, including:

Common Ground
Common Ground International’s Spanish Immersion programs in Costa Rica are specifically designed by Spanish teachers and continually tweaked year after year to ensure that you meet the main objective for Spanish immersion travel — improving  oral Spanish skills.

One of the biggest roadblocks students encounter while on an immersion program are other English speakers traveling with them who want to speak English. Programs are chaperoned by Spanish teachers and participants maximize their immersion experience by committing to speak Spanish at all times. “We intentionally weave Spanish classes, host families, service learning, and adventure travel together to help you gain cultural understanding, earn a minimum of 20 community service hours, experience the beauty of Costa Rica, and return home with the ability to communicate in Spanish comfortably.”

Common Ground International currently offers these high-touch Spanish immersion programs for 3 broad audiences: middle & high school students, healthcare students and professionals, and educators. The outcomes for each program are slightly different:

Middle/High School students convert their academic knowledge into the practical oral ability to communicate in Spanish in culturally appropriate ways.

Healthcare students & professionals gain oral proficiency in Spanish (conversational and medical terminology) while understanding the nuances of health and healthcare in Latino populations.

Educators get a Spanish tune-up (much needed after teaching basic tenses all year long) or gain enough Spanish proficiency to interact with their Spanish-only students and parents.

If you’re serious about Spanish immersion, their programs are a great option.

Learn more: www.commongroundinternational.com/spanish-immersion/

The Centro Panamericano de Idiomas CPI
CPI Spanish Immersion School has been offering quality Spanish immersion courses since 1991 at the best locations in Costa Rica: Heredia Central Valley, Monteverde Cloud Forest and Flamingo Beach. Students may divide their time between three distinct campuses without sacrificing quality nor continuity. A variety of programs, each with small class size, have been designed for all ages and all levels. The arrangement of accommodations (homestays, apartments and student residencies), the availability of academic university credits, along with bilingual staff providing personalized service to students through the organization of volunteer programs and excursions makes CPI one of the best study abroad options in Costa Rica.

CPI has designed a variety of professional seminars, of which one of the most popular is the workshop for teachers of Spanish as a foreign language. Seminar participants are taught various techniques created, developed, and successfully applied during many years of experience as an institution that specializes in Spanish as a second language. The teachers who participate in this seminar leave prepared to step into the classroom with various instructional techniques that can easily be modified to meet the needs of any type of student.

Another important service that you´ll find at CPI is the Groups Division which has been custom creating itineraries and hosting groups of up to 70 students for over 10 years. Groups range from primary school children to senior citizens, and they host several high school and university groups, most of which return on an annual basis.

For further information, visit www.cpi-edu.com

COINED where their priority is to make sure their programs meet your expectations because they understand that your choice to pursue an experiential education entails risk and some degree of adventure. They have a wide variety of courses so that you can choose the one that suits you the best with the advantages of experience-based learning in small groups. Also they offer a minimum of two recreational activities per week so you can submerge in the local culture. You will get qualified and professional teaching. COINED offers you the possibility of obtaining credits in cooperation with various international colleges and universities. Their goal is to help you develop the skills and concepts necessary to feel comfortable in any speaking situation.

For further information visit www.coined-costarica.org

Centro de Idiomas Intercultura is a lively language school with 15 years of experience teaching Spanish and immersing students into Costa Rican culture. Located in the peaceful and biologically rich country of Costa Rica, two campuses are offered–one in the colonial and university town of Heredia (20 minutes from the capital city of San José) and another in the beautiful beach town of Sámara (located on the Pacific coast in the culturally rich region of Guanacaste).

The Small Group Spanish Intensive program includes a series of 18 courses designed by curriculum specialists, using small, interactive groups in a total immersion environment. All professors are university trained and credentialed to teach Spanish as a second language, and college credit is available. In addition to the Small Group Spanish Intensive, advanced language special topics courses, customized group itineraries, and semester programs are available.

Intercultura offers exceptional teachers, provides dynamic, fun, and educational classes, and integrates activities and culture into their programs. Their motto is Learn the Language, Live the Culture, and in addition to an excellent academic record and commitment to the environment and sustainable development (they recently became the first private language school to receive recognition by the United Nations as a partner in the UN Global compact), a wealth of free cultural and extra-curricular activities are available for all local and international students. Latin dance, cooking class, movie nights, and conversational exchanges with Costa Rican students of English are a few examples which encourage cultural participation, exchange, and friendship.

For further information visit www.interculturacostarica.com

Amigos de las Américas (AMIGOS) offers the exciting opportunity for high school and college students to experience the beauty of Costa Rica while working on meaningful environmental and educational projects.

AMIGOS volunteers live and work in rural and semi-rural communities in Costa Rica. Unlike many other volunteer programs, volunteers get a full immersion experience because they are placed in a community with only one or two other English-speaking AMIGOS volunteers and they stay with Spanish-speaking host families. Participants facilitate camps for local children ages 5-12 that focus on creative expression, conservation, trash collection and nutrition. Additionally, volunteers work on community improvement projects like making trash and recycle bins, building bus stops, repairing playgrounds and forming sports teams.

AMIGOS works in the Brunca region of Costa Rica in the district of Perez Zeledon, located in the southern part of the country. This area is dominated by coffee, pineapple and banana plantations, and the climate in this region ranges from cool in mountainous areas to hot, humid sections near the Pacific coast. AMIGOS also offers 5-8 week summer programs in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Founded in 1965 in Houston, AMIGOS is an international, non-profit organization that provides unparalleled leadership and community service opportunities for young people while concurrently contributing to the well-being of hundreds of communities throughout the Americas. During its 43-year history, more than 20,000 AMIGOS Volunteers have gained a life-long commitment to community service, while strengthening multicultural understanding and friendships in the Americas.

For more information, please visit www.amigoslink.org.

Volunteering is a great way to kick start your Spanish conversation skills, learning on the go as you create trails in the cloud forest; teach English in Monteverde or patrol protected sea turtle beaches. United Planet offers a wide range of different volunteer experiences in Costa Rica. All of United Planet’s programs offer the chance to be fully immersed in the Tico lifestyle, for which Costa Rica is famous.

Volunteer stints are available from one to 12 weeks and include accommodation with host families and at dorm-style cabins. Participants receive a formal three to four day orientation in San Jose including a visit to the Manuel Antonio National Park and the Metropolitan Opera.

Volunteer for the Environment
Costa Rica is an eco-tourism hotspot, well-known for its amazing natural beauty and biodiversity. Through eco-tourism, Costa Rica has been able to prosper while still protecting the country’s vast natural resources and ensuring its economic future.

United Planet volunteers work at eco-lodges, endangered sea turtle beaches and wildlife rehabilitation centers at various locations to help raise the local standard of living and quality of life while also protecting the environment.

Community Development
Various opportunities to volunteer in San Jose are also available. United Planet offers a wide range of experiences from assisting with cultural activities to teaching English to school children and organizing activities for at risk children.

For additional information on United Planet’s environmental projects in Costa Rica, visit: http://www.unitedplanet.org/environmental-volunteer-abroad/

For those students, who want to gain a unique and valuable working experience in a foreign country, improve the situation of children and young people in Costa Rica, contribute to the protection of the abundant nature or get in touch with a completely different “pura vida” life style and learn Spanish at the same time, Wayra Spanish Institute offers a volunteer work program. WAYRA Spanish Institute offers a wide range of different programs and combines learning Spanish with working as a volunteer. From teaching English at local schools, social work at nonprofit human rights organizations, beach cleaning, turtle rescue in national parks, shadowing at a local clinic to working at a natural farm.

Students work together with locals and other volunteers while applying their Spanish knowledge and they help to change the situation of Costa Rican people for the better. It is a unique possibility to get to know the beautiful and stunning country Costa Rica. Volunteering with the Spanish Institute WAYRA in Costa Rica will definitely be a wonderful and unforgettable experience.

For further information, visit www.spanish-wayra.co.cr

Escuela Latina de Lenguas is located in Barva, a lively colonial town in the foothills of the Central Valley in Costa Rica. Their approach to learning employs an intense immersion experience which includes small classes taught entirely in Spanish and homestays with hospitable Costa Rican families. The classroom extends beyond the school to local traditional markets, parks, and museums. Class assignments range from the traditional to the exploratory to truly challenge students’ communication abilities and survival skills. The program is open to anyone from high school or college students to retirees or anyone in between who is interested in exploring a new culture and gaining skills in a new language.

Kate Sommers-Dawes is assistant editor at Language Magazine.

August 2010

Keeping Up With Styles

August 2010 Cover

As educational spending budgets are squeezed, the return on investment in educational technology is also coming under increased scrutiny. We cut such spending at our peril. Of course, we must invest in books and teachers but technology offers students more opportunity to learn according to their own style. Since the earliest language labs with reel-to-reel tape recorders, technology has been an integral part of language education.

For good reason. Language, both first and second, acquisition in particular is accelerated by the multimedia channels made available through new technology. Now, we are also starting to appreciate the opportunities it offers for differentiated instruction to cater not only to multi-level classes but also to individual learning styles.In his 1983 book Frames of Mind, Harvard professor Howard Gardner originally identified seven intelligences (or learning styles) that we all possess, to which three new intelligences have recently been added. Because our understanding of the brain and human behavior is constantly evolving, the number of intelligences is expanding. Gardner claims that we all have all the intelligences, but that no two people are exactly alike and by understanding a student’s strengths and weaknesses in each intelligence, we can help students become more successful. He adds that integrating multiple intelligences into the classroom requires addressing individual differences and providing a range of activities and experiences to facilitate learning. Technology can be used to facilitate learning in each intelligence area. The key is to provide the most suitable learning environment for students according to their particular  balance of intelligences or styles.

A couple of years ago, Gardner clarified his position on technology’s effect on literacy, “At the start of the 21st century, there’s a dizzying set of literacies available — written languages, graphic displays and notations. And there’s an even broader array of media — analog, digital, electronic, hand-held, tangible and virtual — from which to pick and choose… I don’t worry for a nanosecond that reading and writing will disappear. Even in the new digital media, it’s essential to be able to read and write fluently… I also question the predicted disappearance of the material book… The convenience and portability of the book aren’t easily replaced.” (“The End of Literacy? Don’t Stop Reading” printed in the Washington Post, February 17, 2008.)

Investing in technology does not preclude support for more traditional means of education like books, libraries, and librarians. Gardner’s position and research by other pioneers like Dr. Rita Dunn shows us that the wider the range of teaching methods and materials available the more likely students are to find the methodology that suits their particular style or intelligence. To best serve the array of learners in our schools we must retain the tools which work while embracing and experimenting with new teaching formats that reflect our society’s development.

As John Dewey, the 20th century philosopher and educational reformer said “If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.”

IN THIS ISSUE:

Insuring Adventure

Harnessing Technology
Lance Knowles recommends educators train to use technology to improve language learning efficacy

Weaving Culture into the Web
Fred Dervin explores how teachers can use the Living Web (Web 2.0) for intercultural education in language learning and teaching

Video Gaming: The New Free Voluntary Reading?
Kenneth S. Horowitz finds a parallel between the use of video games and Krashen’s theories of Free Voluntary Reading and Free Voluntary Surfing

Experimenting with Technology
Language Magazine Product Review of Language Labs

Pura Vida Española

Kate Sommers-Dawes marvels at Costa Rica as a Spanish immersion destination

Last Writes
Richard Lederer has a dictionary for teachers

Plus all the latest news in language learning technology, book reviews, and source information on language funding

Bon Voyage

woman tourist on the street traveling in FranceFrom Paris’ urban chic through its majestic provincial cities and cherished countryside to the towering Alps and Pyrénées without forgetting the sophisticated beaches of the South, France has so much to offer students in pursuit of acquiring the language of Rimbaud and Rousseau. It is hardly surprising that France attracts more tourists (about 75 million in 2009) than any other country in the world. Paris teems with a multitude of museums, cathedrals, and galleries. The illustrious Louvre houses a trove of historical artifacts and artistic triumphs; enough to keep its visitors busy for weeks. The city’s circuitous streets lend themselves to informal walking tours through jardins and monuments in which getting lost is recommended.

Portuguese

Portuguese ( português (help·info) or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated from a fusion of the dialect spoken in what is now Galicia and northern Portugal with closely related dialects spoken in territories to the south which had not yet been reconquered by the Christians to the Arabs by the time Portugal was born as a Christian kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula (first half of the 12th century). It is derived from the Latin spoken by the romanized pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula (namely the Gallaeci, the Lusitanians, the Celtici and the Conii) around 2000 years ago. It spread worldwide in the 15th and 16th centuries as Portugal established a colonial and commercial empire (1415–1999) that reached from Brazil in the Americas to Goa and other parts of India, Macau in China, Timor (north of Australia) and the five African countries that make up the PALOP lusophone space (Cape Verde, Guiné-Bissau, São Tomé e Príncipe, Angola and Mozambique).

It was used as the exclusive lingua franca on the island of Sri Lanka for almost 350 years. During that time, many creole languages based on Portuguese also appeared around the world, especially in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean.

Today it is one of the world’s major languages, ranked seventh according to number of native speakers (between 205 and 230 million). It is the language of about half of South America’s population, even though Brazil is the only Portuguese-speaking nation in the Americas. It is also a major lingua franca in Portugal’s former colonial possessions in Africa. It is an official language in nine countries (see the table on the right), also being co-official with Cantonese Chinese in Macau and Tetum in East Timor. There are sizeable communities of Portuguese speakers in various regions of North America, notably in the United States (New Jersey, New England, California and south Florida) and in Ontario, Canada (especially Toronto).

In various aspects, the system of sounds in Portuguese is more similar to the phonologies of Catalan or French than, say, those of Spanish or Italian. Nevertheless, the grammar, structure and vocabulary of the Portuguese and Spanish languages are so similar that phonetic differences do not impede intelligibility between them any significant way. Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes once called Portuguese “the sweet language”,[6] Lope de Vega referred to it as “sweet” [7] while Brazilian writer Olavo Bilac poetically described it as a última flor do Lácio, inculta e bela: “the last flower of Latium, wild and beautiful”. Portuguese is also termed “the language of Camões”, after one of Portugal’s best known literary figures, Luís Vaz de Camões.

Portuguese is also the fourth most learned language in the world, since approximately 28 million students study this language. The obligatory learning of Portuguese is observed in Uruguay, Argentina, Venezuela, Zambia, Congo, Senegal, Namibia, Swaziland, Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa.

July 2010

Cutting to the Core

July 2010 Cover

When lawmakers dictate curricula, the natural reaction from educators is to reject this top down approach which seeks to homogenize the lives of children without possibly taking into account the individual gifts and foibles that teachers recognize as indicators of learning style. When a nationwide blueprint for educational standards is unveiled, reaction within the states of our union is likely to be hostile as it can only be seen as further erosion of state constitutional power. However, the publication of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English and Mathematics has been met with surprisingly little hostility.

Although the Obama administration is strongly encouraging the standards, they are not a federal initiative. Sponsors are the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers. States which opt to implement the standards will be better positioned to win grant money in the Race to the Top Program, which awards its second round of federal funds in September. An open letter supporting adoption of the standards was signed by over 50 superintendents and school chancellors from diverse cities such as Anchorage, Memphis and Omaha. In the missive, city leaders underscored the importance of a framework to which all states will be held accountable; “These standards will give us, for once, a common definition of what academic proficiency means and what it doesn’t mean, rather than having 50 different definitions,” they wrote.

Within the standards are relatively detailed guidelines (see News, page 10) on their application to English language learners (ELLs) which recognize from the outset that “ELLs are a heterogeneous group with differences in ethnic background, first language, socioeconomic status, quality of prior schooling, and levels of English language proficiency.” It is such recognition of the diversity of our schoolchildren that prevents the CCSS from being objectionable. As long as they are used as a structure and do not become a law of their own, they are a very useful tool for states to adapt.
But, we cannot expect these standards to suddenly improve our schools. Without equal distribution of resources to ensure that teachers are paid and trained sufficiently to be able to make a difference to the children who need it most, and schools that have equal resources to make sure that underprivileged kids have the environment and resources required to succeed, common standards have little bearing.

Per pupil funding varies enormously not only from state to state, but from school to school, and this problem is being made worse by the Race to the Top initiative. Deep budget crises in many states are threatening thousands of teachers’ jobs and creating problems for schools and their students that no standards can hope to overcome.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Insuring Adventure

Not According to the Script
Mira Teymurova questions the benefits of scripts in listening comprehension

Preparing Teachers for the Modern World
Lorraine D’Ambruoso and Duarte Silva argue that we need to transform our World Language teacher supply system and infuse it with 21st century innovation

Guatemala A Spanish Immersion Adventure
Daniel Ward is struck by the natural beauty and Mayan culture of the country of Eternal Spring

Le Français au Canada
Gonzalo Peralta explains how Languages Canada is making the country an even more attractive destination for French immersion

Bel Voyage
Kate Sommers-Dawes suggests some of France’s most alluring French immersion destinations

Reinforcing French in the Americas

Last Writes
Richard Lederer on facts about teachers

Plus all the latest news in language learning technology, book reviews, and source information on language funding

Greetings from Granada

Assistant Editor Kate Sommers-Dawes continues her reports from Spain:

Had the most thrilling day today (my first day alone, as the journalist group left this morning). I awoke with no plan except to find a hostel to stay in the city center for tomorrow night and ended up with all kinds of new friends and plans for tomorrow – this may be the best city I’ve ever been in as a solo traveler…
On the bus into the city center, I ran into the director of the school where I will be going tomorrow night to watch the world cup game who gave me all kinds of tips on places to eat, parks to sit in, and even pointed me toward a place to buy a Real Madrid t-shirt for my brother. He will also be teaching me to make his world famous sangria tomorrow evening. After parting ways and procuring a delicious falafel sandwich and smoothie, I wandered into a store full of Moroccan wares and struck up a conversation with the man behind the counter, who happened to be from Baghdad, had been in Granada only five years, and spoke very good English. Naturally, we began to talk about the war and he gave me his perspective on life in Baghdad during the American invasion. He had been present for the Nisoor square massacre and told me of his interactions with American soldiers searching his home time and time again, looking for terrorists. In fearing for his life, he came to Spain, where he had relatives but knew no Spanish. Having worked as a software engineer in Iraq, he is now working toward his PhD in Granada so he may someday return to that work.

After our lengthy discussion, I wandered over to a little bar in the Albaicin (a historical barrio in Granada with Romani/Gypsy roots) and struck up a conversation with a Canadian couple from Vancouver. They had moved to Cairo so that the husband could work as an art teacher in the international school there, teaching the children of diplomats and high level American military. They both volunteer after hours in a small, struggling school teaching English to Sudanese refugees who, apparently, receive little to no help from the Egyptian government. I am meeting with them again tomorrow afternoon so that we can discuss their work more. The three of us later began speaking with an Australian woman who lives in Bali and runs a free school for the Balinese children there who need the language as the country relies more and more on English speaking tourists…In short, an inspiring afternoon!

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We arrived in Granada and visited two language schools including Don Quixote and Escuela Montalban. Montalban, especially seemed like a lovely place to study, though both directors were wonderful and engaging. Later, we explored the Alhambra, which was nothing short of breathtaking. Prior to visiting, I hadn’t realized it was a citadel and therefore the size of a small city — days could be spent wandering within its walls. Flowers blossoms and myrtle were everywhere, causing wonderful scents to waft around us as we walked. The sound of running water and gorgeous views of the city below were around every corner. Though it gets chilly at night, the weather here is like a perfect fall day in far away Southern California… breezy, sunny, pleasant, invigorating. After visiting another school que se llama Castila (I liked it so much I’m going back to watch the Spain v Honduras Copa Mundial match with them), which was in a hundreds-of-years-old Spanish casa, we dined at an incredible restaurant in view of the Alhambra at night. The Tempranillo/Cabernet blend served with our colorful, myriad tapas was unforgettable. I could go on forever about Granada and its winding, cobblestone streets, the sounds of Flamenco from unseen places, and Moorish architectural influences, but I think I’ll get out there and explore so I’ll have more to report.

Greetings from Malaga

Assistant Editor Kate Sommers-Dawes is in Spain today (El Día del Español) and writes:

Had an outstanding tour of Malaga today after visiting Malaca Language School in the hills surrounding the city which were surprisingly similar in appearance to our rolling, casita-dotted Hollywood Hills. Combined with the weather, it almost felt like home.

Later visited the Picasso museum (as this city is the place of his birth) with its hundreds of sketches, paintings, and ceramics created over his lifetime. The maestro completed over 50,000 works of art in his lifetime and many were on display in the museum, which was originally the 15th century palace of a Duke who came to Malaga to aid in ending the Moorish occupation of the city. In the museum’s basement were Phoenician ruins from 7th century BCE; reminding of us of how far Malaga’s roots stretched into history.

In a late afternoon tour of the city, we visisted the place of Picasso’s birth and the church (originally a mosque, of course) in which he was baptized.

Currently, I am listening to Flamenco singing and guitar-strumming on Malaga’s local radio station and packing for our early morning journey by bus to Granada!

June 2010

Communicate Period

June 2010 Cover

The administration’s Race to the Top scheme is only the latest in a long line of attempts to “fix” our educational system — all of which have neglected the fundamental changes in our society that have occurred over the last 20 years and are likely to accelerate over the next decades.

Comm­unications have taken on a whole new meaning thanks to technological developments — our computers can teleconference for free with contacts on the other side of the world, and we can even game on our cell phones with intercontinental friends. Air travel is a fraction of its cost a generation ago and international calls are no longer a race against time. We refer to ours as the information age when we might be more accurate labeling it the communication age. However, our schools do not focus on communication as the valuable skill it has proved to be. Sure, we emphasize reading and literacy, pay lip service to geography and history, and dabble with languages and cultural studies, but we fail to integrate these skills into a practical foundation for effective communication — probably the most valuable skill you can give any child.

In our children’s world, the biggest neighborhood employer is as likely to be a Chinese conglomerate as the local Walmart, yet our children will have little chance of succeeding in a real global village without the linguistic and cultural training that will enable them to understand and communicate with the billions of potential clients all around the world.

At the same time, our own communities have rapidly changed as the world has experienced its largest waves of immigration in history, so even those who eschew the online world would be well-advised to add language and cultural expertise to their skill set in order to maximize their potential.

Very soon, it will no longer be enough to be a monolingual engineer. Employers will be able to choose from international pools of qualified, experienced, multilingual candidates whose cultural competency will make them difficult to reject.

We need to infuse the instruction of world languages and cultures throughout our educational system immediately. Ideally, every child would have the opportunity to experience cultural and linguistic immersion through a study abroad program but since budgets will not stretch that far, we must explore other opportunities for developing intercultural communication. The possibilities of online relationship building through mutual understanding of languages and culture are endless (and safe nowadays thanks to the advent of secure educational communities). And many of us are lucky enough to live in areas with large immigrant communities where a pseudo-immersion experience is only a bus ride away.

We can hardly imagine how technology will transform communications by 2050 but we do know that our children deserve the chance to benefit from the opportunities and excitement that our global village offers. It is our responsibility to give them the chance to participate in this new world. Only through learning about different cultures and languages can they acquire the tools they will need to build a new global society based on mutual respect and understanding. Con­tinuing to ignore the communication benefits offered by world language and culture programs will leave our next generation of Americans so far behind that history will be their only solace.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Maximizing Mother Tongues
Laetitia Chanéac-Knight suggests we build on the importance
of heritage languages

Avoiding Six Study Abroad Pitfalls
Fred Dervin explains how preparing students to go beyond stereotypes will help them make the most of international education

Academic Assimilation
Assunta Martin examines how culture affects the writing of academic English by international students

International Education News
The latest on global study

Spanish One Step at a Time
 Kate Sommers-Dawes follows a learning path that leads
to more than fluency

Last Writes
Richard Lederer on the real lives of teachers
Plus all the latest news in language learning technology, book reviews, and source information on language funding

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