[lg policy] Edling Digest, Vol 22, Issue 6
Harold Schiffman
haroldfs at GMAIL.COM
Mon Jul 13 20:57:19 UTC 2009
Forwarded From: edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu
Today's Topics:
1. US: Why Language Matters (Francis Hult)
2. Software aids with brain's processes to boost reading skills
(Francis Hult)
3. Canada: UWO Setting benchmarks for language proficiency
(Francis Hult)
4. Poor English language skills, teaching hinder Vietnamese
(Francis Hult)
5. Bilingual infants more flexible in language learning
(Francis Hult)
6. German MEP slams Slovak language law (Francis Hult)
7. Re: Edling Digest, Language Assessment in Korea (Grace Wang)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:01:24 -0500
From: Francis Hult <francis.hult at utsa.edu>
Subject: [Edling] US: Why Language Matters
To: <edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu>
Message-ID:
<A9B2E1D7E2CAE34FB088BEFC63241A4B60BE76 at diamonddt.UTSARR.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Via lgpolicy...
Friday, July 10, 2009
Why Language Matters
Why should American military officers learn foreign languages? For
that matter, why should Foreign Service Officers or any other
representatives of the American government? The answer is more complex
than I used to think. Conventional wisdom, especially in the wake of
September 11th, points to the appalling rates of foreign language
acquisition among Americans and warns that we're facing a crisis. We
consistently seem to be behind the power curve training up speakers
for the current war (let alone the next war). Congress, the military
services, the intelligence agencies, and the State Department are
constantly cooking up new ideas to improve our country's foreign
language capacity.
Full story:
http://www.buildingpeace.net/2009/07/why-language-matters.html
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:09:54 -0500
From: Francis Hult <francis.hult at utsa.edu>
Subject: [Edling] Software aids with brain's processes to boost
reading skills
To: <edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu>
Message-ID:
<A9B2E1D7E2CAE34FB088BEFC63241A4B60BE77 at diamonddt.UTSARR.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
The Arizona Republic
Software aids with brain's processes to boost reading skills
Why are some kids better readers than others? Brain research is being
used to not only answer that question but to help students learn to
read faster.
"The last decade has been marked by tremendous research and innovation
in the science of how our brains work," said Heather Wilson, Phoenix
Union High School District's curriculum specialist for language
acquisition. "Research tells us that the brain is plastic and can
adapt and change at any age."
Full story:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2009/07/12/20090712edpeck0712.html
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:19:08 -0500
From: Francis Hult <francis.hult at utsa.edu>
Subject: [Edling] Canada: UWO Setting benchmarks for language
proficiency
To: <edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu>
Message-ID:
<A9B2E1D7E2CAE34FB088BEFC63241A4B60BE78 at diamonddt.UTSARR.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Western News
Setting benchmarks for language proficiency
French Studies students at The University of Western Ontario will have
a new method for gauging their language proficiency with the Common
European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) being introduced
in the department.
The system employs nationally and internationally accepted standards
for grading an individual's language know-how.
Full story:
http://communications.uwo.ca/com/western_news/stories/setting_benchmarks_for_language_proficiency_20090710444587/
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:21:15 -0500
From: Francis Hult <francis.hult at utsa.edu>
Subject: [Edling] Poor English language skills, teaching hinder
Vietnamese
To: <edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu>
Message-ID:
<A9B2E1D7E2CAE34FB088BEFC63241A4B60BE79 at diamonddt.UTSARR.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Vietnam Net
Poor English language skills, teaching hinder Vietnamese
Nguyen Thi Le, 30, wants her husband and 8-month-old child to
accompany her to the
US, where she wants to get her doctorate degree, but her husband's
English is still weak.
"If my husband's English was better he could find a job or take some
courses while I study in the US," she says.
Full story:
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/social/2009/07/857575/
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:25:34 -0500
From: Francis Hult <francis.hult at utsa.edu>
Subject: [Edling] Bilingual infants more flexible in language learning
To: <edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu>
Message-ID:
<A9B2E1D7E2CAE34FB088BEFC63241A4B60BE7A at diamonddt.UTSARR.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Cordis
Bilingual infants more flexible in language learning
Do children benefit from learning two languages instead of just one? A
team of EU-funded researchers say they do. Published in the journal
Science, the EU-funded study's findings demonstrate that infants
exposed to two languages develop more flexible learning strategies
when dealing with linguistic stimuli.
The study is an outcome of the CALACEI ('Universal and specific
properties of a uniquely human competence: tools to study language
acquisition in early infancy: brain and behavioural studies') project,
funded with EUR 1.5 million through the 'New and emerging science and
technologies (NEST)' Thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme
(FP6), and was also part of the FP6 DISCOS ('Disorders and coherence
of the embodied self') project, funded with EUR 3 million under the
'Human resources and mobility' Thematic area. One of the researchers
was also supported by an FP6 Marie Curie grant.
Full story:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fetch?CALLER=EN_NEWS&ACTION=D&SESSION=&RCN=31014
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:29:36 -0500
From: Francis Hult <francis.hult at utsa.edu>
Subject: [Edling] German MEP slams Slovak language law
To: <edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu>
Message-ID:
<A9B2E1D7E2CAE34FB088BEFC63241A4B60BE7B at diamonddt.UTSARR.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
EurActiv.com
German MEP slams Slovak language law
A new state language law passed by the Slovak parliament does not
conform to EU standards as it discriminates against minority
languages, the vice-chair of the European Parliament's foreign affairs
committee said yesterday (9 July).
German centre-right MEP Michael Gahler (EPP) fears that Slovakia's
Language Act, passed on 30 June, will criminalise the use of ethnic
minority languages in the country.
The amended law, tabled by Culture Minister Marek Mad'aric, will
introduce fines of up to EUR5,000 for using 'incorrect' Slovak as of
September. It also enforces stricter official regulation of 'correct'
Slovak.
Full story:
http://www.euractiv.com/en/culture/german-mep-slams-slovak-language-law/article-183982
------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:26:31 -0700 (PDT)
From: Grace Wang <ghwang97 at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Edling] Edling Digest, Language Assessment in Korea
To: edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu
Message-ID: <502792.37557.qm at web32401.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
--- On Wed, 7/1/09, edling-request at lists.sis.utsa.edu
<edling-request at lists.sis.utsa.edu> wrote:
From: edling-request at lists.sis.utsa.edu <edling-request at lists.sis.utsa.edu>
Subject: Edling Digest, Vol 21, Issue 11
To: edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu
Date: Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 1:55 AM
Send Edling mailing list submissions to
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To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of Edling digest..."
Today's Topics:
???1. Australia: Language fund risks being lip service (Francis Hult)
???2. Australia: Report blasts bilingual policy changes (Francis Hult)
???3. CFP: Access and Fairness in Education Through Dynamic
? ? ? Assessment (Francis Hult)
???4. Language Assessment in Korea (Francis Hult)
???5. CRAL 2009: Figurative Language Learning and Use [CFP]
? ? ? (Almudena Fern?ndez)
???6. Botswana: French Embassy Donates Teaching Aids (Francis Hult)
???7. Teachers in the StarTalk Program create Chinese language
? ? ? games that engage students (Francis Hult)
???8. Sri Lanka: English as a lifeline skill (Francis Hult)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:52:30 -0500
From: Francis Hult <francis.hult at utsa.edu>
Subject: [Edling] Australia: Language fund risks being lip service
To: <edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu>
Message-ID:
??? <A9B2E1D7E2CAE34FB088BEFC63241A4B60BDC7 at diamonddt.UTSARR.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
The Australian
Language fund risks being lip service
Australian Council of State School Organisations president Steve
Carter said the centres would be of great benefit as long as past
failures to promote languages were turned around.
"There's not much point in putting money into infrastructure if it's
not accompanied by the human resources to actually maximise those
centres," Mr Carter said.
"The two of them need to go hand in hand. So we would look forward to
an additional resourcing into the training of specialist language
teachers." Other education advocates said the language centres should
be interactive classrooms, where students could engage via the
internet with native speakers in other countries, rather than language
rooms of the past.
Full story:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25697076-12332,00.html
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:58:36 -0500
From: Francis Hult <francis.hult at utsa.edu>
Subject: [Edling] Australia: Report blasts bilingual policy changes
To: <edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu>
Message-ID:
??? <A9B2E1D7E2CAE34FB088BEFC63241A4B60BDC9 at diamonddt.UTSARR.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Via lgpolicy...
Report blasts bilingual policy changes
Posted Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:37pm AEST
Updated Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:56pm AEST
A new report says planned changes to bilingual education will not
improve grades. (ABC TV)
A new report on bilingual education for Indigenous students has
reignited debate on whether the Northern Territory should change its
policy. Under the Territory Government's controversial changes to
bilingual education, all students will learn in English only for the
first four hours of the day from next year.? A report released in
Canberra today by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Studies states there is no evidence to suggest the
policy will work.
It says research shows children will achieve better results learning
in their mother tongue in the early years of education.? "If children
are speaking another language when they come to school, they really
need to be taught in that language so that they can get up to the
level where they can absorb English and other lessons in English," the
author of the report, Patrick McConvell, said.
"If you just walk in and start speaking standard English to these
children, you're not going to get good results." But the Education
Department's chief executive, Gary Barnes, says he remains committed
to the new policy. "The earlier we can expose students to standard
English in oral and written form the better it will be," he said.
Indigenous leaders are calling for the policy to be immediately reversed.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/26/2609521.htm
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:08:39 -0500
From: Francis Hult <francis.hult at utsa.edu>
Subject: [Edling] CFP: Access and Fairness in Education Through
??? Dynamic??? Assessment
To: <edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu>
Message-ID:
??? <A9B2E1D7E2CAE34FB088BEFC63241A4B60BDCB at diamonddt.UTSARR.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Via AAAL...
CALL FOR PAPERS
Special Issue of:
Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy and Practice
Addressing Issues of Access and Fairness in Education Through Dynamic Assessment
Guest Editors: Matthew E. Poehner & Pauline Rea-Dickins
Assessment in Education is seeking submissions on the topic of Dynamic
Assessment for a special edition entitled: Addressing Issues of Access
and Fairness in Education Through Dynamic Assessment.?
Dynamic Assessment (DA) is rooted in the Sociocultural Theory of Mind
elaborated by the Russian psychologist L.S. Vygotsky more than eighty
years ago.? According to this view, human cognitive abilities emerge
through participation in activities mediated by cultural artefacts and
dialogic interaction with others.? A central tenet of this theory is
that independent performance reveals only abilities that have already
fully developed, and to understand abilities still in the process of
forming one must offer mediating support when problems arise and note
the individual's responsiveness.? This process affords the possibility
to diagnose the underlying causes of poor performance and to intervene
in the development of abilities.? From its inception, this interactive
approach to simultaneously assessing and promoting development has
held great potential for ameliorating the educational opportunity for
all learners and particularly for populations who may be
disadvantaged by more tra
ditional forms of assessment.? ???
This special edition invites high quality original submissions that
address theoretical or conceptual issues relevant to the use of DA in
educational contexts, that describe new approaches to DA, or that
report the application of DA procedures to new challenges and diverse
populations.? Possible topic areas include but are limited to the
following:
?? ? ? ???Standardized and open-ended or dialogic approaches to DA
?? ? ? ???Use of DA in formal as well as informal (including classroom) contexts
?? ? ? ???Applications of DA with special needs learners
?? ? ? ???Applications of DA with immigrant and minority learners
?? ? ? ???DA and the development of general cognitive abilities
?? ? ? ???DA and the development of abilities in particular content
domains (e.g., maths, reading, foreign and second language, etc.)
?? ? ? ???DA procedures with young children through adult learners
?? ? ? ???Theorizing knowledge and abilities in DA
?? ? ? ???Conceptualizing performance and contributions in DA
?? ? ? ???Addressing psychometric critiques of DA
?? ? ? ???Computer-administered DA
?? ? ? ???Feasibility of implementing DA in educational settings
?? ? ? ???DA for summative and formative purposes
?? ? ? ???DA and high-stakes testing
?? ? ? ???Scoring/rating and reporting performance in DA
?? ? ? ???Ethical issues concerning DA in educational settings
Please send proposals to Matthew E. Poehner (mep158 at psu.edu) and
Pauline Rea-Dickins (P.Rea-Dickins at bristol.ac.uk
<mailto:P.Rea-Dickins at bristol.ac.uk> ).? Informal inquiries may be
sent to the same addresses.?
Proposals should be approximately 1 page (A4 size) or roughly 500
words in length.? Please include the following information in your
proposal:
?? ? ? ???Title of article
?? ? ? ???Author name(s), affiliation(s), and contact information
?? ? ? ???A summary of the article
?? ? ? ???A statement explaining how the article extends or departs
from previous DA work (theoretical or empirical), including
contributions to a general understanding of the potential of DA to
address educational challenges, including issues of access and
fairness.
Note that if you have already prepared a longer version of your
manuscript, this may be submitted in addition to your proposal.
Successful authors will be invited to submit full papers for peer
review, following normal procedures.? The following timeline is
anticipated:
Abstract deadline? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ???30 Sept. 2009
Full paper submission deadline? ? ? ? ? ? ???1 March 2010
Comments from special issue editors? ? ? 1 April 2010
Revised draft submission deadline? ? ? ? ???15 May 2010
Comments from external reviewers? ? ? ? ? 30 June 2010
Final draft submission deadline? ? ? ? ? ? ???1 August 2010
Anticipated publication date? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? November 2010
Assessment in Education provides a focus for scholarly output in the
field of assessment.? The journal is explicitly international in focus
and encourages contributions from a wide range of assessment systems
and cultures.? The intention is to explore both commonalities and
differences in policy and practice.? Assessment in Education is the
official journal of the International Association for Educational
Assessment (IAEA).? http://www.informaworld.com/aie
<http://www.informaworld.com/aie>
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:12:04 -0500
From: Francis Hult <francis.hult at utsa.edu>
Subject: [Edling] Language Assessment in Korea
To: <edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu>
Message-ID:
??? <A9B2E1D7E2CAE34FB088BEFC63241A4B60BDCC at diamonddt.UTSARR.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
JoongAng Daily
Leave language education to teachers
The Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation recently completed
the pilot program for the new English proficiency tests, under the
guidelines announced earlier this year. No information is yet
available as to the outcome of the initial run, how big a budget has
been appropriated, and who will be held responsible if the
government's plan to launch a national English testing system in 2012
fails.
This plan should be reconsidered unless it proves impossible to find a
better solution to the present problems of English education in Korea.
No matter how valid, reliable and discriminating the national English
test may be, it would not be practical to invest time, energy, effort
and money to develop a completely new system.
Full story:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2906579
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:20:09 +0200
From: Almudena Fern?ndez <almudena.fernandez at unirioja.es>
Subject: [Edling] CRAL 2009: Figurative Language Learning and Use
??? [CFP]
To: <edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu>
Message-ID: <86740DEBB1C64DB49F65362851E5B280 at ur66c18d80f940>
Content-Type: text/plain;??? charset="iso-8859-1"
[We apologize for cross postings]
The Center for Research on the Applications of Language (CRAL), based
at the University of La Rioja, Spain, solicits papers for the
International Conference on Figurative Language Learning and
Figurative Language Use: Theory and Applications. An International
Conference in Honor of Professor Paul Meara, to be held on October
29-31, 2009, at the? University of La Rioja.
Call Deadline: September 1, 2009
Acceptance notification: September 10
Registration deadline: October 15
Date: October, 29-31, 2009
Further information: http://cral09.cilap.es/en/call-for-papers
Submissions: http://cral09.cilap.es/en/dashboard
For technical questions: webmaster at cilap.es
The Organizing Committee
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:54:53 -0500
From: Francis Hult <francis.hult at utsa.edu>
Subject: [Edling] Botswana: French Embassy Donates Teaching Aids
To: <edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu>
Message-ID:
??? <A9B2E1D7E2CAE34FB088BEFC63241A4B60BDDD at diamonddt.UTSARR.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Universtiy of Botswana
French Embassy Donates Teaching Aids
The University of Botswana was among the recipient of French teaching
aids worth P150 000 presented at ceremony held at the University of
Botswana Library Auditorium on June 9.?
The teaching materials were donated to the University of Botswana and
secondary schools in Botswana who offer the French language by the
French Embassy in association with the French Biblionef in Gaborone.
Full story:
http://www.ub.bw/news.cfm?a=828
------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:56:43 -0500
From: Francis Hult <francis.hult at utsa.edu>
Subject: [Edling] Teachers in the StarTalk Program create Chinese
??? language??? games that engage students
To: <edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu>
Message-ID:
??? <A9B2E1D7E2CAE34FB088BEFC63241A4B60BDDE at diamonddt.UTSARR.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Examiner.com
Teachers in the StarTalk Program create Chinese language games that
engage students
Teachers participating in San Francisco State University's StarTalk
Program this summer create Chinese language games that engage even the
most reluctant student. StarTalk focuses on second language
acquisition and best practices in the teaching of Chinese.
Teachers attended two weeks of workshops on instructional strategies,
reading and literacy, storytelling, children's literature, Comic Life
and podcasting.? The result was two days of practicum where teams of
teachers presented their 50 minute lessons to a group of middle school
students.
Full story:
http://www.examiner.com/x-12206-SF-Education-Games-Examiner~y2009m6d29-Teachers-in-the-StarTalk-Program-create-Chinese-language-games-that-engage-students
------------------------------
Message: 8
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:59:31 -0500
From: Francis Hult <francis.hult at utsa.edu>
Subject: [Edling] Sri Lanka: English as a lifeline skill
To: <edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu>
Message-ID:
??? <A9B2E1D7E2CAE34FB088BEFC63241A4B60BDDF at diamonddt.UTSARR.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Sri Lanka Guardian
English as a lifeline skill
English has become the main E-Com, Commercial and link language of
many Nations due to availability, simplicity, clarity and sheer
necessity due to colonisation as a result of Navel Power of the west
and resulting exploration of the Globe. A Sinhala trader in Pettah is
compelled to have a working knowledge of Tamil for his survival.
Though originated in an Island the ownership is shared by the entire
world today. English should be used as a servant vehicle for survival,
propriety and education and business and not as a master or a social
symbol and status.
English teachers
Presidential Secretariat has continued initiative on the program
English as a lifeline, by taking steps to train 219,864 English
Teachers in 9472 schools with the help of Indian academics and the
Department of Education led by Mr Sunimal Fernando Advisor to the
President and Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha who has planned the English
education with his Oxford academic brilliance and practical experience
in Sri Lanka on the subject are pioneers of the project.
It is an ambitious program to train English teachers in 18 months and
provide English education equally to the entire country. The barriers
and obstructions were discussed openly and critically headed by the
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who gave clear and decisive directions to
the officers present and involved in the program.
Full story:
http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2009/06/english-as-lifeline-skill.html
------------------------------
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End of Edling Digest, Vol 21, Issue 11
**************************************
------------------------------
End of Edling Digest, Vol 22, Issue 6
*************************************
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Harold F. Schiffman
Professor Emeritus of
Dravidian Linguistics and Culture
Dept. of South Asia Studies
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305
Phone: (215) 898-7475
Fax: (215) 573-2138
Email: haroldfs at gmail.com
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/
-------------------------------------------------
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