July 2008 Edition of the NCLRC Language Resource Newsletter

Harold Schiffman hfsclpp at gmail.com
Thu Jul 17 17:38:53 UTC 2008


Forwarded From: edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu


Via ILR-INFO...

The NCLRC Language Resource
VOL. 12, NO. 5   Comparisons     June/July 2008
Visit our website at: http://www.nclrc.org <http://www.nclrc.org/>
Summer institutes are over, but we're still smiling from meeting so
many of our readers! Here is a happy team of teachers who learned to
play on Daisy Rock Girl Guitars, in pink and purple. See our Staff
notes <http://nclrc.org/newsletter.html#staff>  for details. In this
issue we focus on the national standard of Communities. Our feature
stories look at the ways that teachers link their classes to
communities of target language speakers
<http://nclrc.org/newsletter.html#feature> , and how volunteering
abroad can teach students about culture as well as language.
<http://nclrc.org/newsletter.html#feature2>  Going on a job interview
this summer? Sheila Cockey advises teachers on how to prepare for that
interview in Classroom Solutions
<http://nclrc.org/newsletter.html#yana> . The community comes into the
school in For Your Classroom, which visits an elementary school's
Culture Fair <http://nclrc.org/newsletter.html#classroom> . Dora gives
advice on introducing Spanish to primary students
<http://nclrc.org/newsletter.html#dora>  and Meg Malone points out
resources for testing in Testing Tips
<http://nclrc.org/newsletter.html#testing> . Be sure to check Critical
Languages <http://nclrc.org/newsletter.html#critical>  and the
Teachers' Calendar <http://nclrc.org/newsletter.html#profdev>  for
many professional opportunities. Who says Washington shuts down in the
summer?
Pink Guitars
redstar_white_bg Announcements:

*       ACTFL's 2008 Conference will be in Orlando, Florida, November
21-23, 2008. http://actfl.org/i4a/pages/Index.cfm?pageID=4730

*       The East Coast Organization of Language Testers announces
ECOLT 2008: Bridging the Divide: Language testing theory in practice;
November 7 - 8, 2008 2008 http://www.cal.org/ecolt/index.html
<http://www.cal.org/ecolt/index.html>

*       Spaces are still available for students and teachers in the
Summer 2008 Startalk Programs for Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Persian, and
Urdu. See the listing at http://startalk.umd.edu/program-info/2008/

*       Immersion Education: Pathways to Bilingualism and Beyond -
Third international conference on bilingual education for language
educators: October 16-18, 2008 in St. Paul, Minnesota.
http://carla.umn.edu/conferences/immersion2008/index.html

*       U.S. Department of Education has announced the recipients of
the International Research and Studies (IRS) grants which include a
number of exciting foreign language programs. See Word document
<http://nclrc.org/newsletter/FY08%20IRS%20Summary%20and%20Abstracts.doc>

*       Teachers who would like to conduct research in the humanities
next summer can apply for summer stipends (2009) from the National
Endowment for the Humanties (NEH). Deadline October 1, 2008.
http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/stipends.html#program

*       College and university teachers who would like to to develop
new courses in the humanities can apply to the National Endowment for
the Humanities Teaching Development Fellowships. Deadline October 1,
2008. http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/TD_Fellowships.html#program
*       ..

Troubleshooting:
If your email client does not recognize the links in this webzine, or
the links do not work, you can go straight to the NCLRC newsletter
online page by clicking this link www.nclrc.org/newsletter.html or
copying and pasting the link into your browser address bar.
redstar_white_bg Presentation
<http://nclrc.org/about_teaching/inst_highlights.html#communities_connections>
Communities & Connections: Hardest Standards to Meet? Or Greatest
Opportunities? by Sheila Cockey
cineconclase Our June/July focus is on COMMUNITIES. At first glance
for many of us, this is a difficult standard to include in our daily
plans. Upon further reflection, with a bit of creative thinking,
Communities can be one of the more exciting standards to work with,
and it incorporates many of the other standards along the way. There
are two ways to approach communities: either by bringing the community
into your classroom, or by taking your students out into the
community. Read more...
<http://www.nclrc.org/about_teaching/inst_highlights.html>
redstar_white_bg Volunteers Abroad
<http://nclrc.org/about_teaching/topics/feature.html#new>
By Karelia Pallan Most students want to travel or study abroad at some
point during their study of a foreign language not only to practice
speaking but also to learn firsthand all the different aspects of a
culture. But have you ever thought your students could manage to do
all this'Äîand still help out the local community? Volunteering abroad
exposes students to the same daily interactions and also allows them
to give back to the community they are visiting. Organizations offer
anything from weeklong projects, like Alternative Spring Break trips,
to extended stays that last three or more months. . Read more...
<http://nclrc.org/about_teaching/topics/feature.html#2>
redstar_white_bg Readers' Corner
Here's where you, our dear readers, can TALK BACK! This month we ask
about connecting to the community in language teaching.

What cultural comparisons do you make in your language instruction?
Click here to answer our Poll <http:///nclrc.org/month_poll.html>

What activity works best for encouraging students to compare their own
culture and the target culture? Click here to answer the Question
<http://nclrc.org/month_question.html>

redstar_white_bg For your Classroom
<http://nclrc.org/teaching_materials/materials_by_language/universal.html#new>

Culture Fair: Bringing parents and community together in elementary school
The National Standards for Language Learning suggest that foreign
language teachers incorporate members of the target language community
to support their students' learning about culture in addition to
language. Laytonsville Elementary School in Maryland regularly hosts
an International Night at which over 30 countries (food and culture)
are represented at the school. Read more...
<http://nclrc.org/teaching_materials/materials_by_language/universal.html#culture_fair>
redstar_white_bgCritical Languages
<http://nclrc.org/about_teaching/critical_languages.html>
Certificate Program in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages
Co-sponsored by (1) the TESOL and Applied Linguistics Programs at
Teachers College, Columbia University, (2) the Chinese Language
Program in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at
Columbia University, and (3) Asia for Educators at Columbia
University, provides training in Chinese pedagogy. Read more...
<http://nclrc.org/about_teaching/critical_languages.html>

redstar_white_bgNCLRC Staff <http://nclrc.org/about/staff.html>
guitarsWe have been busy with this year's exciting round of summer
institutes. As we watch the dust settle, we realize how valuable it
has been to meet with all the participants and learn about new
practices and challenges in their classrooms. We especially want to
thank the amazingly generous sponsors of our guitar workshops, Guitars
in the Classroom <http://www.guitarsintheclassroom.com/> , Godin
Guitars <http://www.godinguitars.com/> , Daisy Rock Girl Guitar
<http://www.daisyrock.com/> , Dunlop Manufacturing
<http://www.jimdunlop.com/> , and The John and Joan D'Addario
Foundation <http://www.daddariofoundation.org/> . NCLRC thanks them
for their outstanding contribution to promoting the arts as an
integral part of foreign language study. Participants who took part in
these institutes were able to take a guitar to be used in the
classroom.
Candice <http://www.nclrc.org/about/images/staff/candice.jpg>
Additional thanks go out to our tireless team of interns and summer
institute staffers, led by Candice Michalowicz
<http://www.nclrc.org/about/staff.html> , whom we wish a very Happy
Birthday this month! Candice made all of the detailed planning,
organization, and implementation of the institutes seem easy,
maintaining a calm, cheerful attitude throughout even the toughest
week, when we had nine institutes. Where'd she get that "Easy Button?"

redstar_white_bg Culture Club <http://nclrc.org/cultureclub/index.html>
Edited by Christine Meloni

Check out the renovated rooms for June/July: A new Mystery Photo
Contest <http://nclrc.org/cultureclub/gallery.html>  has been
launched. The Internet Media Room has become the Bloggers Den
<http://nclrc.org/cultureclub/computer_lab.html> . Don't miss the
Banquet Hall <http://nclrc.org/cultureclub/banquet_hall.html> issue:
"Everything about Italian Gelato"
redstar_white_bg Classroom Solutions: YANA
<http://nclrc.org/teachers_corner/classroom_solutions_yana/current_entry.html#new>
SheilaEdited by Sheila Cockey. YANA stands for 'You are Not Alone."
Your questions on challenges in your classrooms are answered by an
expert on languages and culture teaching.
This month's question:

*       I am getting ready for an interview for a position in a high
school. What can I expect in the way of questions? What materials
should I bring with me? What questions should I be ready to ask?
Thanks for your help! Read YANA's answer...
<http://nclrc.org/teachers_corner/classroom_solutions_yana/current_entry.html>

redstar_white_bg Tech for Teachers
<http://nclrc.org/teachers_corner/tech_for_teachers/feature.html>
ACTFL announces "Not just a language class" Podcast Winners By Benjamin Redmond
MS Runners upAs part of the national public awareness campaign
Discover Languages... Discover the World ACTFL, in association with
CLEAR and MERLOT, sponsored a video podcast contest for K-16 language
students earlier this year. The contest theme Not just a language
class" encouraged students to share "personal motivations for studying
a language and to demonstrate the importance of language learning
beyond the classroom. See the winning podcasts and more details...
<http://nclrc.org/teachers_corner/tech_for_teachers/feature.html>
redstar_white_bg Professional Development, Conferences and Funding
Opportunities <http://nclrc.org/profdev/teachers_calendar.html>
We've compiled the conference announcements in one easy-to-access
place, the Teachers' Calendar
<http://nclrc.org/profdev/teachers_calendar.html>  where you can find
out what conferences are coming your way this fall.
<http://nclrc.org/profdev/teachers_calendar.html>

redstar_white_bg Ask Dora
<http://nclrc.org/teachers_corner/languages_dora/current_entry.html>
Dora Johnson is a Program Associate at Center for Applied Linguistics,
and answers readers questions related to languages.
This month question:

*       I need advice for introducing Spanish to primary students Read
Dora's answer...
<http://nclrc.org/teachers_corner/languages_dora/current_entry.html#new>

redstar_white_bg Testing Tips
<http://nclrc.org/teaching_materials/assessment/testing_tips.html>
By Margaret E. (Meg) Malone, Ph.D. - Center for Applied Linguistics
Welcome to the latest issue of Testing Tips! In addition to other
projects at CAL, I have spent much of the past couple of months
conducting face-to-face and online workshops on assessments for
language instructors. On issue that often emerges is what test (or
tests) to use and whether one test can be used for every need you
have. The more language teachers I meet, the more amazed I am by how
much teachers accomplish every day, and how scarce the assessment
resources are to help these teachers. Find out about more assessment
resources... <http://nclrc.org/teaching_materials/assessment/testing_tips.html>
The Language Resource is a monthly publication of the National Capital
Language Resource Center http://www.nclrc.org <http://www.nclrc.org/>
¬?to provide practical teaching strategies, share insights from
research, and announce professional development opportunities for all
foreign language educators.

Funded by the US Department of Education through Title VI, we are a
consortium of Georgetown University , The George Washington
University, and the Center for Applied Linguistics.

________________________________

Also available on our website
Culture Club <http://nclrc.org/cultureclub/index.html>  Elementary
Immersion Learning Strategies Resource Guide
<http://www.nclrc.org/eils/>
Arabic K-12 Teachers' newsletter
<http://nclrc.org/newsletter/arabic_k12.html>   The Essentials of
Language Teaching <http://www.nclrc.org/essentials/>
Sailing the 5 Cs with Learning Strategies
<http://www.nclrc.org/sailing/index.html> :
A Resource Guide for Secondary Foreign Language Educators
Developing Autonomy in Language Learners
<http://www.nclrc.org/guides/HED/index.html> : Learning Strategies
Instruction in Higher Education
<http://www.nclrc.org/guides/HED/index.html>
Portfolio Assessment in the Foreign Language Classroom
<http://www.nclrc.org/portfolio/>         Russian for Russians
<http://www.gwu.edu/~slavic/rdr/>
backtotop <http://nclrc.org/newsletter/english_newsletter.html>
website <http://nclrc.org/>   Unsubscribe to this newsletter
<http://nclrc.org/emailform.html>




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