September 29, 2013

Ohio Foreign Language Association Website Regarding Student Learning Objectives

From http://oflaslo.weebly.com/index.html#.UkheCySE6C8

The Ohio Foreign Language Association has put together a website to help teachers with all aspects of the state world language standards. Learn about SLO’s, access rubrics and Linguafolio, access resources on integrated performance assessment, find authentic resources organized by language, participate in discussion forums, and more.

Visit the site at http://oflaslo.weebly.com/index.html#.UkhgoiSE6C8

States Backslide in Achievement for English-Learners, Report Finds

From http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning-the-language/2013/09/states_backslide_in_achievemen.html

States Backslide in Achievement for English-Learners, Report Finds
By Lesli A. Maxwell
September 24, 2013

Just nine states met all of their federal goals for English-language learners in making progress in learning the language and reaching academic targets in math and reading in the two school years spanning 2008-10, according to a recently released report from the U.S. Department of Education.

That's a drop from 11 states that met all their goals for ELLs in the 2007-08 school year, and an even bigger slide backward from 2006-07 when 17 states (a record high) reached all three academic benchmarks they set for English-learners, which include progress in learning English, attainment of fluency, and demonstration of proficiency on state content tests in reading and math.

Read the full article at http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning-the-language/2013/09/states_backslide_in_achievemen.html

Spanish Immersion Weekend in Ohio

From http://aatspbuckeye.yolasite.com/upcoming-events.php

Second Annual Immersion Weekend
October 25-27
Logan, Ohio

¡Únete a nosotros para un fin de semana espectacular! Pasa el fin de semana entero practicando y mejorando tu español. Participa en una variedad de actividades para maestros y estudiantes. ¡Conoce a otros aficionados de la lengua y la cultura hispanohablante y aprende algo nuevo!

For more information go to http://aatspbuckeye.yolasite.com/upcoming-events.php

Resources for a Unit on Animals

From http://spanishplans.org

Here is a collection of ideas and online resources for teaching a unit on animals: http://spanishplans.org/2013/09/24/animalresources

Classroom Expressions Vocabulary Activity: Mind Mapping

From http://www.thefrenchcorner.net

Here is a simple sorting activity that will get students using higher-level thinking skills as they become familiar with classroom management expressions: http://www.thefrenchcorner.net/2013/09/move-step-up-blooms-taxonomy-with-this.html

Kent State University to Present French Film Series

On October 11-12 and 25- 26, 2013, Kent State University will present the Tournées Festival, a series of five recent French films. The films will be shown in the auditorium in the Michael Schwartz Center (room 177) and will be in French with English subtitles. A discussion will follow each film. Admission is free and free parking is available at Michael Schwartz Center.

The films featured in the event include:

Friday, October 11, 7:30 pm
Bellamy
(Inspector Bellamy) ( Claude Chabrol)

Saturday, October 12, 7:30 pm
Les Femmes Du 6ème Étage
(The Women On The 6th Floor) (Philippe Le Guay)

Friday, October 25, 7:30 pm
Le Gamin Au Vélo
(The Kid With A Bike) (Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne)

Saturday, October 26, 2:00 pm
Le Bonheur d’Elza
(Elza) (Mariette Monpierre) With presentation/discussion by the director.

Saturday, October 26, 5:00 pm
Les Hommes Libres
(Free Men) (Ismaël Ferroukhi)

The KSU French film festival provides students, teachers, and the broader community with the opportunity to see and discuss recent films rarely available in the U.S.

The Tournées Festival, organized in collaboration with the Department of History and the Institute for Applied Linguistics, is made possible with the support of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and the French Ministry of Culture (FNC). Sponsors of the festival include the Florence Gould Foundation, the Grand Marnier Foundation, highbrow entertainment, agnès b., and the Franco-American Cultural Fund.

All films are in French with English subtitles and are FREE and open to the public.

For directions to campus and a campus map, please see: http://kentstate.kent.edu/directions/kent/travel.asp

Parking is available in the Michael Schwartz parking lot and the Kent State Student Center parking lot. The Schwartz center is located at the corner of East Summit Street and Morris road.

For details, please contact: Françoise Massardier-Kenney, at fkenney at kent dot edu, or Rebecca Pulju at rpulju at kent dot edu.

Minick, T. [OFLA] Kent State University to Present French Film Series. OFLA listserv (OFLA@LISTSERV.KENT.EDU, 27 Sep 2013).

Exhibit at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia: One Day in Pompeii

From http://www.fi.edu/Pompeii

Exhibit: One Day in Pompeii
November 9, 2013 - April 27, 2014

In the year 79, Pompeii vanished beneath thick layers of volcanic ash left by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. But what nature destroyed, it also preserved.

Hundreds of exceptional artifacts offer an insider's glimpse into the daily life—and tragic end—of this Ancient Roman city. From garden frescoes and marble statues to helmets and shin guards of the day's Gladiators, coins and currency to religious altars and shrines—all set in their original surroundings—you will experience Pompeii. Then, as the floors shake and the walls rumble, relive the volcano's catastrophic eruption through an immersive CGI experience, and witness the devastation left in its path.

Learn more about the exhibit at http://www.fi.edu/Pompeii

Pompeiiinpictures: Online Resource for Exploring Pompeii

From http://pompeiiinpictures.com/pompeiiinpictures/index.htm

The main feature of the Pompeiinpictures website is a clickable map of Pompeii that leads to a large collection of photographs. The photographs are well-organized and accessible through several different search methods. Also on the website are a glossary of useful terms and an explanation of personal names.

Explore the website at http://pompeiiinpictures.com/pompeiiinpictures/index.htm

7th Annual Festival of German Film Los Angeles

From http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/los/prj/ger/enindex.htm

The Goethe-Institut Los Angeles and the American Cinematheque present
German Currents 2013
7th Annual Festival of German Film Los Angeles
October 4-7

German Currents opens with the U.S. Premiere of Detlev Buck's visually stunning historical epic Measuring the World. The line-up continues with Jan Ole-Gerster’s Oh Boy, which swept the 2013 German film Awards. The North American premiere of Pia Marais’ thriller Layla Fourie, (Honorable Mention Berlinale 2013) is paired with the U.S. premiere of Thomas Arslan’s Germano-Western Gold, starring Nina Hoss. Two documentaries focus on other types of gold: The U.S. premiere of American born Matt Sweetwood’s Beerland looks at Germany’s beer culture, one glass at a time, while Oscar winning Markus Imhoof’s More than Honey is a study of bees in crisis. The L.A. premiere of Rainer Frimmel and Tizza Covi’s The Shine of Day, offers an improvisational character study of two entertainers. The U.S. premiere of Hermine Huntgeburth’s lively adaptation of Mark Twain’s classic The Adventures of Huck Finn is part of a family matinee with two all-ages film workshops conducted by the Echo Park Film Center.

Learn more about the film festival at http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/los/prj/ger/enindex.htm

Film|Neu: German, Austrian, and Swiss Film Festival in Washington, D.C.

From http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/was/prj/flm/enindex.htm

From rousing widescreen historical epics to wryly comic black-and-white slacker meditations, the 21st annual edition of Film|Neu, taking place at Landmark's E Street Cinema October 4 - 10, 2013, has something for every filmgoer’s taste.

Learn more and see the schedule of films at http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/was/prj/flm/enindex.htm

Symposium/Workshop on Teaching Italian: Current Approaches to Film in the Classroom

From http://www.montclair.edu/chss/spanish-italian/teachingitalian/ti6cinelezione

CineLezione: Current Approaches to Film in the Classroom
Teaching Italian Symposium/Workshop for Instructional Materials
Meeting VI
October 18, 2013
Montclair State University, New Jersey

Learn more and register at http://www.montclair.edu/chss/spanish-italian/teachingitalian/ti6cinelezione

American Association of Teachers of Slavic and East European Languages Awards

AATSEEL invites nominations in the following five categories:
1. Excellence in Teaching (Secondary);
2. Excellence in Teaching (Post-Secondary);
3. Distinguished Service to AATSEEL;
4. Outstanding Contribution to the Profession;
5. Outstanding Contribution to Scholarship.

If you would like to nominate someone, please take the following three steps by 15 October:
1. Check at http://www.aatseel.org/about/awards_2005167/ to determine whether your candidate has already won an award *in that category*;
2. Send the name, affiliation, email, and prize nomination;
3. Include a short paragraph (a testimonial or rationale) to condee at pitt dot edu by 15 October.

AATSEEL welcomes nominations in smaller fields, international nominations, and other perceived professional lacunae.

Condee, N. [SEELANGS] AATSEEL Awards - Nominations. SEELANGS listserv (SEELANGS@LISTSERV.UA.EDU, 25 Sep 2013).

Building Global Leaders: An Education Delegation to China for Administrators

From http://primarysource.org/chinatour2014

Building Global Leaders: An Education Delegation to China

Dates: July 15-24, 2014
Cities: Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai
Cost: $2,400
Open to district and school administrators nationwide

Travel to China as part of a team of influential educators to examine the triumphs and challenges of the Chinese school system. Comprised of superintendents, school leaders, and global education experts, this professional delegation will consider the similarities and differences between the Chinese and U.S. educational systems, while exchanging ideas about how to bring a global perspective home to U.S. classrooms. Learn how Shanghai has both achieved remarkable PISA scores and addressed its achievement gap. Compare and contrast educational services in urban and rural settings. Explore the iconic sites that make China's history unique and its modern achievements unparalleled. Together with academic lead Shiping Zheng of Bentley University and educational leaders from Primary Source, this 10-day tour will offer ample opportunities to network with other educational experts from around the country and to share best practices.

Apply by December 6, 2013.

For full details go to http://primarysource.org/chinatour2014

Arabic Reading Group in New York City

From http://arablit.wordpress.com/2013/08/27/crowdsourcing-translation-decisions-get-involved-in-nyc-cairo-online

The London-based publisher And Other Stories (AOS) will be running Arabic-English reading groups this fall: In Cairo, in NYC, and online. Participating readers will peruse three novels — the full novels in Arabic or excerpts in English — and talk through their opinions. Should one (or all?) of them be published in translation?

For a reading group this fall, AOS has chosen books from Finnegan’s List, a list of under-recognized works suggested by prominent writers and compiled by the European Society of Authors. In 2012, Syrian author Samar Yazbek suggested three Syrian novels for the list: The Epidemic by Hani al-Rahib, The Shell by Mustafa Khalifa, and Ascension to Death by Mamdouh Azzam. The group is open to those who read in Arabic and those who don’t: Excerpts from the three novels will be translated and posted on the AOS website.

Learn more about this opportunity at http://www.andotherstories.org/arabic-reading-group-autumn-2013

Foreigny: Read News Articles in Arabic and Hebrew

From http://foreigncy.org

Foreigncy is a service for intermediate to advanced Arabic and Hebrew students. It is a collection of news articles with a progression of pre-reading activities: an English-language summary, presentation of core vocabulary, and finally a link to the article itself.

The website is available at http://foreigncy.org

Webinar: Preparing Native Language Teachers: Strategies for Success

Preparing Native Language Teachers: Strategies for Success
Thursday, October 17, 2013 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT

Cultivating and increasing the number of Native American language teachers is essential to keeping our languages alive and flourishing. Please join the Administration for Native Americans at the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA)and Office of Indian Education (OIE) at the Department of Education for a webinar to learn how their programs are assisting that effort. Successful grantees will share stories about their efforts to train the next generation of Native American Language teachers.

Register at https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/171144271

Tlingit Language Recordings Available on the Web

From http://linguistlist.org/issues/24/24-3782.html

The first of the Tlingit Conversation Documentation project materials are now available on the website http://www.uas.alaska.edu/tlingit-talk. At this site users will find streamed video recordings of unscripted Tlingit conversation with time-aligned Tlingit transcription (common orthography, nearly phonemic) and broad English translation.

From 2007-20013, the project team recorded 40+ hours of spontaneous conversation among 60 Tlingit speakers (not all at the same time). The .wav, .mov and .eaf (ELAN annotation) files will be available for research by linguists and others.

View the full announcement at http://linguistlist.org/issues/24/24-3782.html

More Colleges Opt for Classes Targeting Heritage Learners

From http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/forget-foreign-languages-more-colleges-opt-for-classes-targeting-heritage-learners/2013/09/25/1bea09d0-25ed-11e3-9372-92606241ae9c_story.html

Forget ‘foreign’ languages; More colleges opt for classes targeting heritage learners
September 25, 2013

Children in multi-lingual homes grow up a step ahead of other would-be language learners. They can easily engage in small talk or follow the latest soap opera in their families’ native language. Yet when it comes to meatier topics, or reading and writing, they are stuck.

The linguistic gaps become apparent in high school, where these students can snooze through basic language classes but often drown in more advanced ones — if their heritage language is even offered. After all, how many American high schools offer Arabic or Korean?

Heritage language programs have existed in the U.S. in some form for more than a century as a way to retain both language and culture — even as English-only movements waxed and waned. German schools were common in the late 1800s. Youth in California have long attended weekend Chinese and Japanese programs. Bilingual Spanish classes have been around for decades.

Yet the development of separate heritage language university instruction is relatively new. The University of Texas-Pan American received funding from the Department of Education in 2007 to create a minor in medical Spanish for heritage speakers, and other schools are beginning to replicate the program.

Read the full article at http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/forget-foreign-languages-more-colleges-opt-for-classes-targeting-heritage-learners/2013/09/25/1bea09d0-25ed-11e3-9372-92606241ae9c_story.html

Scholarships for American High School Students to Study Abroad

U.S. Department of State Announces Scholarships for American High School Students to Study Abroad

The National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) offers merit-based scholarships to U. S. high-school aged students for overseas study of seven critical foreign languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Korean, Persian (Tajiki), Russian and Turkish. The NSLI-Y program is designed to immerse participants in the cultural life of the host country, giving them invaluable formal and informal language practice and sparking a lifetime interest in foreign languages and cultures. Applications for summer 2014 and academic year 2014-2015 programs are due November 5, 2013. Visit http://www.nsliforyouth.org for more information.

The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad Program offers scholarships to American high school students to spend the 2014-15 academic year in countries that may include Bosnia & Herzegovina, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mali (semester), Morocco, Oman, South Africa, Thailand, Tunisia, and Turkey. This post 9/11 program focuses on increasing understanding between people in the U.S. and countries with significant Muslim populations. Visit http://www.yes-abroad.org for more information.

The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program (CBYX) was established in 1983 to celebrate German-American friendship based on common values of democracy. Secondary school students, ages 15-18, live with host families, attend local schools, and participate in community life in Germany. Young professionals (undergraduates) and high school graduates of vocational studies, ages 18-24, study and participate in practical training. Scholarships are now available for academic year 2014-15. For more information and application deadlines, visit the organization in charge of recruitment for your state at http://www.usagermanyscholarship.org

The American Youth Leadership Program offers opportunities for American high students and educators to travel abroad on a three- to four-week-long exchange program to gain first-hand knowledge of foreign cultures and to collaborate on solving global issues. Several different organizations implement this program, and each has organized an academic and experiential educational exchange focused on dialogue and debate, leadership development, and community service. Recruitment areas and application deadlines vary, so please check the http://exchanges.state.gov/us/program/youth-leadership-programs website for more information.

For more information on exchanges sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, please visit http://www.exchanges.state.gov

Radomski, C. [ILR-INFO] Department of State - Scholarships for High School Study Abroad. ILR-INFO listserv (ILR-INFO@FSILIST2.FSI.STATE.GOV, 24 Sep 2013).

Council on Thai Studies Annual Meeting

From http://www.cseas.niu.edu/cseas/conferences/cots_2013/index.shtml

Council on Thai Studies
Annual Meeting
October 18-19, 2013

In Celebration of the 180th Anniversary of Thai-U.S. Diplomatic Relations

The Council on Thai Studies or COTS, which was founded at Northern Illinois University in 1972, is an informal organization of scholars interested in all aspects of Thai studies. COTS annually provides scholars and students with a venue for reporting preliminary findings, opportunities to receive prepublication feedback and a forum to discuss field and archive challenges.

The conference will lead off with a lecture Oct. 18 by NIU alumnus Srisompob Jitpiromsri, director of the Center for Conflict Studies and Cultural Diversity at Prince of Songkla University in Pattani, Thailand. His talk will be “The Formation of Peace Discourse and the Politics of Recognition in the Patani Peace Process.” While at NIU for the conference, Jitpiromsri is also accepting a Distinguished Alumni award from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The keynote speaker Oct. 19 will be University of Leeds professor of Southeast Asian politics Duncan McCargo. His talk will be “Dispensing Justice? The Work of Thai Police Investigators.”

Visit the conference website at http://www.cseas.niu.edu/cseas/conferences/cots_2013/index.shtml

New Hampshire Association of World Language Teachers Annual Conference

From http://www.nhawlt.org

New Hampshire Association of World Language Teachers Annual Conference
Radisson Hotel, Manchester, NH
October 25-26, 2013

Visit the conference web page at http://www.nhawlt.org/conference

Stabilizing Indigenous Languages Symposium

From http://sils2014.hawaii-conference.com

The 21st Stabilizing Indigenous Languages Symposium will be hosted Wednesday, January 15th to Sunday, January 19th, 2014, by the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo in its newly completed Hawaiian language building, Hale ʻŌlelo.

Hawaiʻi State, and the district of Hilo in particular on Hawaiʻi island, has one of the highest concentrations of young Native American language speakers anywhere. Yet, fifty years ago no children spoke Hawaiian in Hilo. The change is the result of aligning school programming with an official language status.

Visits to language immersion programs from preschool to the doctorate will be central to SILS 2014, as will be post-visitation discussion groups.

Challenges such as government testing, developing curricula, and parent involvement will receive special attention.

Visit the conference website at http://sils2014.hawaii-conference.com

World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) Consortium Conference

From http://www.widaconference.us

The WIDA 2013 national conference will take place October 17-19 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The conference will provide PreK through grade 12 educators of language learners opportunities for professional development, idea sharing, relationship building, and strategic collaboration.

Registration is now closed, but you can add your name to a wait list.

Visit the conference website at http://www.widaconference.us

Call for Proposals: 3rd International Conference on Chinese as a Second Language Research

From http://linguistlist.org/issues/24/24-3715.html

3rd International Conference on Chinese as a Second Language Research
28-Aug-2014 - 30-Aug-2014
Parma, Italy

CASLAR is a biennial conference with the goal to bring together scholars from all over the world whose research focuses on the acquisition, development and use of Chinese as a second language to survey available knowledge in the field, exchange ideas and initiate research projects. The conference is a part of the CASLAR movement that aims to transform a field from a primarily experienced-and practice-based discipline into a discipline based on and supported by research and theory. The first CASLAR conference was held at Zhejiang University, Hangzhou in 2010, the second one was in Taipei, Taiwan in 2012.

CASLAR 2014 invites proposals for presentations that are related to research, and theory in any area of Chinese as a Second Language (CSL).

Suggested Topic Areas:
- Acquisition and development of CSL (Chinese as a Second Language)
- Role of culture in the acquisition of CSL
- Language Teaching Methodology for Chinese as a second / foreign language
- Pragmatics of using Chinese as a second language
- Cognitive aspects of CSL acquisition
- Distance Learning in CSL
- Technology and CSL
- Computer-mediated communication in CSL
- Acquisition of Chinese grammar, vocabulary
- Chinese character acquisition and recognition
- Discourse in CSL
- Designing materials for CSL instruction
- Conceptual socialization in the process of developing CSL
- Application of linguistic theories to Chinese L2 data
- Motivation to learn Chinese
- Effect of CSL on L1
- Assessment of proficiency in CSL

Call Deadline: 01-Mar-2014

View the full call for proposals at http://linguistlist.org/issues/24/24-3715.html

Call for Papers: Alabama Modern Language Conference

From http://linguistlist.org/issues/24/24-3744.html

Alabama Modern Language Conference
07-Feb-2014 - 08-Feb-2014
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

When cultures engage, inevitably altering experiences, practices, and worldviews, new identities emerge. Multilingual and multicultural studies are vital to a fully informed approach to an array of disciplines. They affect our pedagogical approaches, our understanding of discourse, our interpretations of classic and modern literatures, and our appraisal of the evolution of culture, language, and interpersonal interaction.

As critical participants in this process, you are invited to showcase your insights concerning converging cultures. The organizers encourage graduate students in Spanish, French, and German to present examples of how the domains of language, literature and identity interact and create new common ground.

Submissions are welcome in the following categories pertaining to the theme of converging cultures:
- Comparative literature, world literatures, emergent literatures
- Linguistics and language, hybrid speech
- Second language acquisition, applied linguistics, and culture in the classroom
- Post-Colonial and identity studies, multiculturalism, deconstructionist ideology
- Cultural studies, gender studies, topics on race, ethnicity, and class
- Multi-disciplinary approaches in fields such as sociology, psychology, anthropology, and history

Call Deadline: 15-Nov-2013

View the full call for papers at http://linguistlist.org/issues/24/24-3744.html

Call for Papers: Inaugural AZCALL Conference

From http://silc-lss-dev.asu.edu/azcall2014/?q=azcall_14_cfp

Inaugural AZCALL Conference
Saturday, February 15th, 2014
Arizona State University, Tempe

AZCALL is a one-day conference held each year that brings together computer-assisted language learning enthusiasts from around the state and region to share ideas, network, and receive valuable feedback on scholarly research, academic papers, and major conference presentations which are in progress or preparation.

The organizers seek presentation proposals from academic faculty and students who are working in any area of computer-assisted language learning and teaching. Faculty/student joint projects are highly encouraged.

Submissions are due by December 31, 2013.

View the full call for papers at http://silc-lss-dev.asu.edu/azcall2014/?q=azcall_14_cfp

Book: Case Studies of Openness in the Language Classroom

From https://blog.coerll.utexas.edu/language-classrooms-are-opening-up

Case Studies of Openness in the Language Classroom
Edited by Ana Beaven, Anna Comas-Quinn, and Barbara Sawhill
Published by the Center for Open Educational Resources and Language Learning

Case Studies of Openness in the Language Classroom is a compilation of case studies written by practitioners in different educational settings who are exploring the concept of openness in language teaching and learning.

The book is structured in five sections, covering open tools for collaboration, sharing resources, sharing practices, collaborative learning and student-generated content, and learner autonomy.

The book is available for free download at http://research-publishing.net/publications/2013-beaven-comas-quinn-sawhill

September 20, 2013

Quick Activity: Shared Likes or Dislikes

Here is a quick and easy small-group activity dealing with likes or dislikes: http://marishawkins.wordpress.com/2013/09/18/likesdislikes-warm-up-or-end-of-class-activity

Seven Good Sources of Writing Prompts

From http://www.freetech4teachers.com

What does teacher and blogger Richard Byrne recommend as far as on-line resources for writing prompts? Find out here: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/09/seven-good-sources-of-writing-prompts.html#.UjpHW7yE6C8

Tips for Teaching a Conversation Class

From http://languagemagazine.com/?page_id=11283

Making Conversation Stick
by Laurie A. Massery

This article offers some pointers for conversation instructors who are either new to the job or just looking for ideas. In the paragraphs that follow, I look at the use of textbooks, group work, peer evaluations, and new technologies that encourage conversation among language learners.

Read on at http://languagemagazine.com/?page_id=11283

Practicing the Imperfect

FLTEACH listserv users have been sharing ideas for projects and activities in which students make use of the imperfect. Storybooks, presentations, retellings, photo essays, then and now displays, and even a Lady Gaga parody with Spanish endings are described in the FLTEACH archives: http://listserv.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S2=FLTEACH&q=imperfect&s=&f=&a=1+September+2013&b=

Getting to Know Your ELLs: Six Steps for Success

From http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/59117

Getting to Know Your ELLs: Six Steps for Success
By Lydia Breiseth
2013

When asking veteran teachers of English language learners (ELLs) to share the secret of their success, I usually hear the same answer. It is not the name of a particular language instruction model, learning strategy, or new district-wide curriculum. It is, instead, this: getting to know their students.

…This article provides some guidance on what information will be helpful to gather about your students, ideas on how to gather what you need and who will be able to help, and recommendations for useful resources.

Read the article at http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/59117

Hispanic Heritage Month Resources

Here is a short listening passage about Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15) with an accompanying cloze exercise from Zambombazo: http://zachary-jones.com/zambombazo/clozeline-mes-de-la-herencia-hispana

Visit the Hispanic Heritage Month website for more resources: http://hispanicheritagemonth.gov

Check out blog entries having to do with Hispanic Heritage Month at http://multiculturalkidblogs.com/2013/09/15/hispanic-heritage-month-blog-hop

Here is a Hispanic Heritage booklist from Colorín Colorado: http://www.colorincolorado.org/read/forkids/hhm

Costa Rica Summer Teacher Institute

From http://www2.cortland.edu/studyabroad/study-abroad/programs/costa-rica-summer-teacher-institute.dot

SUNY Cortland, in affiliation with the Universidad VERITAS, is pleased to offer its summer institute for teachers of Spanish in San Jose, Costa Rica. Participants will spend two weeks living with Costa Rican families, attending classes and visiting sites of cultural and historic significance.

Participants have the option to earn three or six credits at the graduate level from SUNY Cortland. Three credits are earned during the component of the course that takes place in San Jose. Students earn an additional three credits after returning to the U.S. upon satisfactory completion of the second half of the course, conducted via the internet using Blackboard.

2014 Dates: July 12th - July 26th
2014 Application Preference Date: March 15th, 2014

For full details go to http://www2.cortland.edu/studyabroad/study-abroad/programs/costa-rica-summer-teacher-institute.dot

Fútbol Lesson Ideas for the World Cup

The World Cup will happen next summer. Here are some great ideas for incorporating soccer into your Spanish class: http://spanishplans.org/2013/09/16/futbol

PBS Series on Latinos in the United States

From http://www.pbs.org/latino-americans/en/about

LATINO AMERICANS is a landmark three-part, six-hour documentary series that is set to air nationally on PBS in the fall of 2013.

It is the first major documentary series for television to chronicle the rich and varied history and experiences of Latinos, who have helped shape the United States over the last 500-plus years and have become, with more than 50 million people, the largest minority group in the U.S.

The films chronicle Latinos in the United States from the sixteenth century to present day. It is a story of people, politics, and culture, large in scale and deep in its reach. The changing and yet repeating context of American history provides a backdrop for the drama of individual lives. It is a story of immigration and redemption, of anguish and celebration, of the gradual construction of a new American identity that connects and empowers millions of people today.

The first episode aired on September 17th. Watch it at http://video.pbs.org/video/2365075996

Read a New York Times article about this series at http://tv.nytimes.com/2013/09/17/arts/television/latino-americans-a-six-hour-pbs-documentary.html?_r=0

Students Use Mind Map Poster To Introduce Themselves in French

From http://www.thefrenchcorner.net

Here is a blog post with a description of a “mind map” type poster in which students can write some basic information about themselves in French. The poster template is available as a downloadable graphic.

http://www.thefrenchcorner.net/2013/09/introducing-yourself-to-classmates.html

Taste of France in Bryant Park

From http://www.france-amerique.com/vie_franco-americaine/agenda/new_york_city/taste_of_france_in_bryant_park.html

Taste of France is a 2-day event which will showcase the most renowned aspects of French technology, cuisine, lifestyle, tourism, beauty, culture, and fun!

Held under the high patronage and in the presence of Mr. Laurent Fabius, French Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Guillaume Garot, French Minister for food industry, and in the presence of Mr. François Delattre, French Ambassador to the United States, Taste of France is a 2-day event which will showcase the most renowned aspects of French Technology, Cuisine, Lifestyle, Tourism, Beauty, Culture, and Fun.

Taste of France is a non-for-profit organization managed by the entire New York French community and whose mission is to promote the image of France and to offer New Yorkers the ability to experience France in a brand new way, through events and programs which explore the diversity of the French world.

The event will benefit Action Against Hunger.

September 28 - September 29, 2013
Saturday: 11am - 11pm / Sunday: 11am - 7pm
Bryant Park
New York, NY
Admission: Free
For more information: http://frenchlanguage.frenchculture.org

Texas Classical Association Fall 2013 Scholarships

From http://www.txclassics.org

The Texas Classical Association wants to remind members that applications for two of its scholarships are due in October:

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The TCA Gareth Morgan Student Teacher Scholarships

Student teachers enrolled in a Latin certification program in Texas are encouraged to apply for one of two $250 TCA Gareth Morgan Student Teacher Scholarships. Undergraduate advisors should inform all student teachers of this scholarship.

Applicants must be student teaching in Latin and must be maintaining a 3.00 GPA in Latin or classics, with a 2.85 GPA overall.

The monies received will be used during the semester the recipient is student teaching.

Deadline: Friday, October 11, 2013

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The Reuben Shannon Lovinggood Scholarship for Teaching Materials

The TCA is proud to offer a $500 scholarship for new teachers or teachers in new programs to assist in the purchase of books and classroom materials.

Deadline: Friday, October 11, 2013

For full details go to http://www.txclassics.org/?page=scholarships

Modern Greek Studies Association Symposium

From http://apaclassics.org/index.php/apa_blog/apa_blog_entry/conf_mgsa_symposium_2013

MGSA Symposium 2013, organized by the Modern Greek Studies Association and hosted by the Modern Greek Program and West European Studies at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, is accepting registrations for the event on November 14, 15, and 16.

The Symposium is a biennial academic conference representing all the disciplines in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts on Greek, Greeks, Greece, Cyprus and ideas of Greece in modern times.

To view the Symposium program, register, and arrange your stay, please visit the Symposium website: http://mgsasymposium.org

Forms, Posters, and the Start of the Year in a Latin Classroom

Read a Latin teacher’s description of the forms that she uses with her students at the beginning of the school year and how she uses them: http://caneweb.net/canens/?p=762

NEH Summer Seminar on Socrates

From http://apaclassics.org/index.php/apa_blog/apa_blog_entry/neh_summer_seminar_on_socrates

NEH Summer Seminar on Socrates

The seminar will run from June 22-July 25, 2014, and will begin with “the Socrates Problem,” which concerns the difficulty in discerning what the historical Socrates was like from inconsistent ancient sources. The remaining four weeks will focus on the main areas that philosophers and scholars generally agree are the most interesting ones from the point of view of contemporary philosophy: Socrates’ doctrine of obedience to civil law, which seems to oppose modern liberalism and its conception of individual autonomy; Socrates’ profession of ignorance and its implications for human inquiry and for what human knowledge would be, if someone were to achieve it; Socrates’ eudaimonism—the doctrine that value is to be understood in terms of human happiness or flourishing; and Socrates’ commitment to intellectualism, both in the explanation of human motivation and also in terms of how virtue is to be understood, so that in either case, cognition, rather than emotion or some other desiderative element, will be central to explanation.

All pertinent information on the seminar may be found at its website: https://sites.google.com/a/lclark.edu/ndsmith/neh-summer-seminar-on-socrates Inquiries may be addressed to Nicholas D. Smith, Department of Philosophy & Classics Program, Lewis & Clark University, Portland, Oregon. Applications are due by March 4, 2014.

International German Olympics

From http://cms.goethe.de/ins/us/chi/lhr/ver/en11555192.htm?code=bos1309

The International Association of Teachers of German (IDV), the Goethe-Institut USA and the AATG invite US students (middle/high school) to participate in the International German Olympics (Internationale Deutscholympiade).

Application form and agreement must be received by the Goethe-Institut Chicago no later than October 1, 2013.

On October 2, the Goethe-Institut Chicago will send short written assignments to the teachers for their students to complete under teacher supervision.

On November 12, the selected candidates will be informed that they have been invited to the national preliminary round in Chicago. Travel and accommodation expenses will be paid for by the Goethe-Institut.

The National Preliminary Round for the International German Olympics will be held on December 11 and 12, 2013 in Chicago. The two day competition includes oral and written assignments, after which the two American participants will be chosen to represent the USA at the International Finals in Germany.

The two American candidates meet the international competitors from August 3-16, 2014 in Frankfurt/Main. Travel and accommodation expenses will be fully covered for each candidate and one teacher (that will accompany both students).

For full details and application forms go to http://cms.goethe.de/ins/us/chi/lhr/ver/en11555192.htm?code=bos1309

All Students Benefit from Bilingual Education

From http://languagemagazine.com/?p=11479

Bilingual education programs have a very positive effect on the native English speakers attending schools with such programs even though they do not take part in them, according to a groundbreaking study published in the Journal of Public Economics.

Texas elementary students who speak English as their home language and were enrolled in schools with bilingual education programs performed much better on state math and reading tests than native English-speaking students at schools without bilingual education programs.

Read the full article at http://languagemagazine.com/?p=11479

Language Advocacy: Are We Ready for a Language Shift

From http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/global_learning/2013/09/the_language_shift.html

The Language Shift
by Marty Abbott
September 18, 2013

What is it about the United States that we remain the only developed country that routinely graduates students from high school with the knowledge of only one language? … Most students have viewed language learning as a requirement, sometimes for graduation from high school, sometimes for admission to college or as a college requirement for a certain major. This leads to an attitude that several years of language study is something that you tick off your list of accomplishments. In addition, with the focus on study and not on communication, we have generations of Americans who feel that their investment in language study did not pay off in significant dividends.

However, with our changing demographics, our emphasis on global competitiveness, and our increased use of the Internet and social media to stay connected—we are beginning to see a shift in attitude mainly among our young people. This shift involves viewing language learning and cultural understanding as a critical necessity for success in today's global environment. As young learners interact on a daily basis via the internet, they are increasingly engaging with those who do not necessarily speak English. While historically American citizens had little need to know other languages, the interconnectivity of today's society guarantees that most U.S. citizens will encounter someone whose native language is not English—for most on a daily basis. And it is this interconnectivity that is forcing the shift in interest in language learning across the United States.

Read on at http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/global_learning/2013/09/the_language_shift.html to learn about an upcoming advocacy effort from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

Critical Languages Scholarship Program 2013

From http://www.clscholarship.org

The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program offers fully-funded summer language institutes for U.S. university students and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. The application for the 2014 summer program is now open. The application is due on Friday, November 15th.

The CLS Program is part of a U.S. government effort to expand dramatically the number of Americans studying and mastering critical foreign languages. Students of diverse disciplines and majors are encouraged to apply. Participants are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship period, and later apply their critical language skills in their future professional careers. Please visit the CLS Institutes page for more information.

Languages offered:
Azerbaijani, Bangla/Bengali, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Punjabi, Turkish, and Urdu: Beginning, advanced beginning, intermediate and advanced levels;
Arabic and Persian: Advanced beginning, intermediate and advanced levels;
Chinese, Japanese, and Russian: Intermediate and advanced levels.

For full details go to http://www.clscholarship.org

NYSAFLT Professional Webinars for Educators, 2013-2014

From http://www.nysaflt.org/webinars

NYSAFLT will offer a series of webinars throughout the 2013-2014 school year that will address multiple facets of foreign language education. You are encouraged to register at your earliest convenience for any of the webinars below.

October 22 - "Mobile Learning for Improved Modern Language Communication"

November 12 - "Fiction & Nonfiction Reading Strategies in the Checkpoint C Classroom"

December 10 - "Engaging Students in Culture Study with Authentic Resources"

January 16 - "Interpersonal Communication: Refresh Your Teacher Toolbox"

February 11 - "Using Comprehensible Input Teaching Strategies to Remain in the Target Language"

April 15 - "FLES Success in the 21st Century"

Learn more about each webinar and how to register at http://www.nysaflt.org/webinars

Massive Open Online Course for Educators around Common Core State Standards and ELLs

Understanding Language will be offering a short Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) for educators this fall. Below are some relevant details about the course. We hope that many of you can join so we can learn from your rich experiences in classrooms, schools, districts, and networks!

Course Title: Constructive Classroom Conversations: Mastering the Language of the Common Core State Standards
Dates: Oct 21, 2013- Dec 09, 2013

Description: The Common Core State Standards for English ELA and Mathematics emphasize improving the quality of student-to-student discourse as a major feature of instruction. The new standards specifically describe the importance of students understanding the reasoning of others and engaging in meaningful conversations using evidence for claims. Yet this type of student-to-student discourse tends to be rare in classrooms. Common classroom activities such as whole class discussions, jigsaws, and think-pair-shares, can have the appearance of constructive interactions, but they often do not provide adequate opportunities for all students to engage in academically rich, back-and-forth dialogs.

This short course for educators looks closely at student-to-student discourse and addresses how to facilitate student engagement in the types of interactions required by the new standards. It organizes a massive collaboration of educators who wish to support students, particularly English Language Learners, to co-create and build upon each other’s ideas as they interact with the content. Starting with the notion that in order to improve the quality of student discourse, educators need to listen closely to existing talk, the course asks participants to gather, analyze, and share examples of student conversations from their classrooms. The overall goal is for participating educators to better understand student-student classroom discourse and use what they learn to facilitate higher quality interactions that build disciplinary knowledge and skills.

For full details go to https://novoed.com/common-core

East Coast Organization of Language Testers 2013 Conference

From http://www.cal.org/ecolt/index.html

With the support of the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL), Second Language Testing, Inc. (SLTI), Georgetown University, and the National Capital Language Resource Center (NCLRC), the East Coast Organization of Language Testers (ECOLT) will hold its twelfth annual conference this fall, October 25, 2013, at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.

Visit the conference website for full details and to register: http://www.cal.org/ecolt/index.html

Minnesota Council on the Teaching of Languages and Cultures Fall Conference

From http://www.mctlc.org

Minnesota Council on the Teaching of Languages and Cultures Conference 2013
October 17/18
Minneapolis

The 21st Century Classroom: Communication, Collaboration, & Technology

This year's theme of the 21st Century Classroom highlights innovation happening across classrooms and their platforms, from fully face-to-face to fully virtual. Workshops and sessions will support three areas in which language educators excel and explore: communication, collaboration, and technology.

For full details go to http://www.mctlc.org/conference_2013

Call for Papers: Workshop on L2 & L3 Acquisition of Vocabulary in the Germanic Languages

From http://linguistlist.org/issues/24/24-3641.html

A special workshop on the acquisition of L2 and L3 vocabulary will be held at the Germanic Linguistics Annual Conference (GLAC-20), May 2-3, 2014 at Purdue University (West Lafayette, Indiana).

The focus of this workshop will be on the acquisition of vocabulary by second (L2) and third (L3) language learners of the Germanic languages. The workshop has the following main objectives:
- to enhance cross-linguistic research on L2/L3 vocabulary acquisition within the Germanic language family
- to investigate specific phenomena in the area of lexical acquisition from a variety of theoretical perspectives
- to compare aspects of lexical acquisition among L2 learners with that of L3 learners

The research topics to be treated in the workshop may include the following:
- The acquisition of collocations and lexical chunks
- The use of learner corpora in the investigation of L2 or L3 acquisition
- The role of polysemy in vocabulary acquisition
- Differences in acquisition in reading, writing, listening, or speaking
- The role of instruction and materials
- New technologies
- Barriers to vocabulary acquisition

Abstract submission deadline: January 15, 2014

View the full call for proposals at http://linguistlist.org/issues/24/24-3641.html

Call for Papers: 4th Annual Jil Jadid Conference in Arabic Literature & Linguistics

From http://www.utexas.edu/cola/depts/mes/events/conferences/jiljadid2014/home.php

The Department of and Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas at Austin are happy to announce the 4th Annual Jil Jadid Conference in Arabic Literature and Linguistics, a graduate student conference to be held at the University of Texas at Austin, February 21-22, 2014.

Jil Jadid is a graduate student conference that aims to provide a forum for young scholars spread across a variety of disciplines to come together, share ideas and research, and discuss the future of their respective fields as they move forward in their careers and come to represent the eponymous new generation of scholars engaging with the Arabic-speaking world and its cultures.

All papers treating topics in Arabic literature (both classical and modern) and Arabic linguistics (of all subfields, including applied linguistics) will gladly be considered, in either English or Arabic (with the request that an English summary be prepared for any papers to be presented in Arabic). In addition to original research, the organizers also encourage state of the field papers that provide a focused overview of specific subfields of Arabic studies and propose new avenues of research in that area.

The deadline for abstracts is November 15, 2013.

View the full call for papers at http://www.utexas.edu/cola/depts/mes/events/conferences/jiljadid2014/home.php

Call for Papers: Research Challenges in CALL

From https://www.uantwerp.be/en/seminars/antwerp-call

ANTWERP CALL 2014: Research Challenges in CALL
7-9 July 2014
University of Antwerp

The editor, associate editors and editorial board of the CALL Journal (Taylor & Francis) extend a cordial invitation to attend the Antwerp CALL 2014, the XVIth International CALL Research Conference.

Deadline for submissions: November 30, 2103.

View the full call for papers at https://www.uantwerp.be/en/seminars/antwerp-call

Book: Developing Critical Languaculture Pedagogies in Higher Education

From http://www.multilingual-matters.com/display.asp?isb=9781783090341

Developing Critical Languaculture Pedagogies in Higher Education: Theory and Practice
By Adriana Raquel Díaz
Published by Multilingual Matters

Despite widespread agreement about the need to develop interculturally competent graduates, there is a lack of agreement about how this goal may be achieved in practice. This is significant as universities around the world, particularly in English-speaking countries, have espoused an interculturally-aware vision for their future graduates and turned to language education, as an inherently intercultural activity, to expose students to a world which is linguistically and culturally different from their own. This book focuses on narrowing the gap between the often conflicting theoretical and practical imperatives faced by language teachers in an internationalized higher education context. It does so by providing comprehensive conceptual discussions of emerging critical intercultural language pedagogies as well as empirical accounts and case studies from the frontline.

Visit the publisher’s website at http://www.multilingual-matters.com/display.asp?isb=9781783090341

Book: Lexical Availability in English and Spanish as a Second Language

From http://www.springer.com/education+%26+language/book/978-94-007-7157-4

Lexical Availability in English and Spanish as a Second Language
Edited by Rosa Maria Jimenez Catalan
Published by Springer

This volume contributes to the research in two different research areas: lexical availability studies and vocabulary research in second or foreign languages. Lexical availability is defined as the words that immediately come to mind as a response to a stimulus provided by topics related to domains closely connected to daily life: for instance animals, food and drink, daily activities, politics, or poverty. Lexical availability is a dimension of learners’ receptive and productive lexical competence, and, consequently, an important variable of learners’ communicative competence. Written by leading researchers in Spanish and English applied linguistics, the studies presented in this volume offer the reader findings and insights from studies conducted in learners with different mother tongues, who learn English or Spanish as their second or third language.

Visit the publisher’s website at http://www.springer.com/education+%26+language/book/978-94-007-7157-4

September 14, 2013

Games To Teach: Using Digital Gaming for Language Learning

From http://games2teach.wordpress.com/about

Digital games are socio-cultural practices and products, and gaming has become a mainstream, global cultural force. Applied linguists and FL educators have noted that gameplay is mediated by language use and social interaction, thereby also making it a potentially rich context for language acquisition. Vernacular games, or off-the-shelf, non-educational digital games, are produced by a diversity of countries in a variety of languages. Despite the interest in and availability of these games, ways in which their benefits can be harnessed to enhance FL learning have yet to be fully explored.

In response, the Games To Teach: Developing Digital Game-Mediated Foreign Language Literacies project will provide FL educators the resources (both material and pedagogical) needed to design, implement, and assess digital game-mediated learning activities that have the potential to develop FL multiliteracies. The project is being undertaken from 2010 to 2014 at the University of Arizona‘s Center for Educational Resources in Culture, Language and Literacy, a Title VI Language Resource Center funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The project is co-directed by Jonathon Reinhardt, U of Arizona, and Julie Sykes, U of Oregon.

Access game reviews, classroom materials for L2 learning activities, white papers and working papers related to digital games and L2 teaching and learning, and a blog with the latest news about the project at http://games2teach.wordpress.com

More Classroom Decoration and Bulletin Board Ideas

Last week we shared teachers’ ideas for decorating their classrooms. Here are more:

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I always had one bulletin board with the title 'Was ich im Sommer gemacht habe". I would put up one sheet of paper with my summer activities - including pictures. Then the students had to do one as their first homework assignment, which was put up on the board. Much more interesting than the usual "interview" type activity.

Gronlund, P. Re: [AATG-L] Does anyone have any bulletin board ideas? AATG-L listserv (aatg@iulist.iupui.edu, 1 Aug 2012).

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When we start learning verbs, I put up a bulletin board titled "Do it in German". I put various pictures of activities labeled with the German infinitive. Then we practice using these verbs in the different persons. If a verb is irregular, I avoid the du and er, sie, es forms. Now it's easy to put up activities with clip art. I used to scour magazines, which is another great source.

Gronlund, P. Re: [AATG-L] Bulleltin Board Ideas. AATG-L listserv (aatg@iulist.iupui.edu, 4 Aug 2012).

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OK, in order to compete with Spanish who had put printouts/pictures of some Latino hotties on their hallway bulletin board, I decided to print out some of the Classic Ryan Gosling Memes that Prof Angeline Chiu of U of Vermont has been posting on Facebook for a while. Here's where the archives are:

http://classicsryangosling.tumblr.com/archive

Lots of Vergil, Catullus, even some Caesar. They all start, "salve, puella..."

So much fun. My hallway bulletin board says, "HEY GIRL... true romance begins with the ROMANS!" and have printouts intermixed. I also printed a few on 11X17 photo paper which are now on the wall behind my desk.

Lindzey, G. [Latinteach] Classic Ryan Gosling Memes Classroom Decorations. Latinteach listserv (latinteach@nxport.com, 24 Aug 2013).

Visit Ms. Lindzey’s blog at http://ginlindzey.livejournal.com and her website at http://www.ginnylindzey.com

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I have articles from National Geographic related to things/places Hispanic*hung up. If a student finishes an assignment or quiz, it is fun to get one down to read. Also, I change my boards *frequently* so I can display my students' work (good for them, good for administrators, parents and other visitors to see, etc. … Just be sure to explain to students that you don't have room to display everyone's work at once, but that you will try to get to each student's work sometime during the theme/grading period/year. …

It's also nice to display things related to your theme(s) of study. (Body parts? How about a skeleton with the body parts labeled? Environment--how about a folded construction paper display of parrots, ferns, etc.?), you name it! You can even buy trims (relatively inexpensively) with sayings, chiles, foods, etc. If your school doesn't want to pay for the large colored paper to cover the boards (a new cost saver at my school), large, colorful, thin plastic table cloths can be found at the dollar type stores for about a $1. …

You might even be lucky enough to have some student(s) staying after school for some reason or another (waiting for a game?)/or arriving early and willing to do this for you! It gives them some ownership and pride in decorating *their* room.

Hedin, N. Re: [FLTEACH] Spanish bulletin board ideas??? FLTEACH listserv (FLTEACH@LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU, 10 Aug 2012).

A Strategy for Multi-Level Classes

From http://martinabex.com

What do you do if you have students at different levels all in the same classroom? Spanish teacher Martina Bex has seven different levels in one! Read how she is reaching all of her students, including her most advanced, at http://martinabex.com/2013/09/12/multi-level-classes

Ms. Bex uses the TPRS method; learn more about this method at http://benslavic.wordpress.com/2008/01/09/the-three-steps-of-tprs

Education Department Seeks English-Learner Research Priorities

From http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2013/09/education_department_seeks_eng.html

Education Department Seeks English-Learner Research Priorities
by Sarah D. Sparks
September 9, 2013

The Education Department is looking for guidance in how it should target research to improve the academic achievement of students learning English, in the midst of ongoing debate on the use and effectiveness of federal language-learning grants.

In today's Federal Register, the department calls for members of the public and research community to weigh in on which of the following ELL topic areas most need new study or reviews of literature.

The request comes on the heels of a similar call for guidance last week on technical assistance for schools working with English-language learners. Advocates for English-learners—the fastest-growing student group in public schools—have voiced concern that Title III, the federal grants intended to serve these students, are often improperly used and ineffective.

Read the full article at http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2013/09/education_department_seeks_eng.html

Leveling the Playing Field: The Digital Divide and English Language Learners

From http://languagemagazine.com/?page_id=9612

Leveling the Playing Field
by Tina Walker

President Obama’s ConnectED Initiative calls for 99% of America’s students to be connected to the internet through high-speed broadband and high-speed wireless within five years, and this fall, an increasing number of students are returning to schools taking large strides toward achieving that goal.

“In 2013 and going forward, digital literacy is an essential subject that must be taught,” says Leo Gómez, president of the National Association for Bilingual Education. “If we don’t start to recognize the true importance of digital literacy in the school setting, we’re setting up our kids for many problems and conflicts in their futures.” Preparing our students with the digital skills they need to compete for jobs globally and locally is essential.

But do English language learners (ELLs) and their native English-speaking counterparts approach technology on a level playing field? There are more than 4.5 million ELLs enrolled in public schools — roughly 10% of the student population in K-12 schools — and that percentage is increasing annually. The number of English learners has grown by 50% in the last decade. The notion of literacy has expanded beyond language proficiency to the digital world. Where does the “digital divide” lie between ELLs and native English-speaking students?

Read the full article at http://languagemagazine.com/?page_id=9612

Seminar: The Caribbean, Central America and the U.S.: Connections Past and Present

From http://primarysource.org/the-caribbean-central-america-and-the-u-s

The Caribbean, Central America and the U.S.: Connections Past and Present

Three-Day Seminar Series
Course Dates: Mar. 14, Apr. 4, May 2, 2014
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Half of the twelve top countries of origin for Massachusetts's immigrant families today are from the region of the Americas known as the Caribbean Basin. This interdisciplinary course explores the region and its long, complex, and sometimes troubled relationship to the U.S. While gaining deeper understanding of Caribbean Basin history, culture, and politics, participants will develop tools and knowledge to support culturally responsive teaching. The historical experience and cultural contributions of Dominican, Haitian, and Mexican migrants will receive special attention.

Open to all K-12 educators.

For more information go to http://primarysource.org/the-caribbean-central-america-and-the-u-s

Three Principles for Teaching Reading to English Language Learners

From http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/tesolc/issues/2013-09-01/2.html

3 Principles for Teaching Reading
by Joe McVeigh

When we think of teaching reading, we often concentrate on the actual act of reading. How long will it take students to read the assignment? How well are they comprehending what they read? This is what goes on during the reading process. But informed teachers think beyond the during stage to set their students up for success. They put together reading lessons in three parts so as to focus on pre-, during-, and postreading activities.

Read the full article at http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/tesolc/issues/2013-09-01/2.html

RutaEle: Digital Magazine and Website with Materials and Ideas for Teaching Spanish

From http://www.rutaele.es

RutaEle is both a digital magazine and a website with ideas and materials from teachers of Spanish as a foreign language. You can see past issues of the magazine at http://www.rutaele.es/revista and access activities at http://www.rutaele.es/unidades-didacticas (scroll over the word Actividades in the menu to select the topic or level you’re looking for).

Visit the home page at http://www.rutaele.es

Low-Preparation Activities for the Spanish Classroom

From http://senoritacreativa.blogspot.com

Here are several activities that you can do with your students at any level, at any time, when you have some extra time in class: http://senoritacreativa.blogspot.com/2013/09/great-time-fillers-for-classroom.html

How To Keep Your Students Speaking Only French in Class

From http://french.about.com

Read a collection of teachers’ tips for keeping their students speaking French in class at http://french.about.com/od/teachingresources/a/frenchonly.htm?nl=1

Two Writing Contests for Students of Classical Languages

Here are two upcoming writing contests for students of classical languages:

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Students are invited to participate in the annual writing contest of the Classical Association of New England. The topic this year is: “What Mighty Contests Rise from Trivial Things: Consequence in the Ancient World”. This contest, or written project on a classical subject, is open to all students taking Latin, Greek or Classics in New England middle and secondary schools. The project may be an essay, short story, poem, or drama. The three top winners in each state will receive certificates and prizes; the New-England-wide winner will receive a certificate and a gift card at the 108th Annual Meeting of CANE to be held on 7 and 8 March 2014 at St. Anselm’s College in Manchester, NH.

Teachers must submit their students’ three best projects by December 15, 2013.

For full details go to http://caneweb.org/CANEwp/?page_id=262

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SCRIBO is an international Latin composition contest, designed to:

 spur interest and excitement in using Latin for creative writing
 provide teachers with high quality materials in Latin to read in their classes
 honor and recognize top work in Latin creative writing

Students of Latin in any grade, from kindergarten through college, may participate. Entries will be sorted into the following levels, which are based on length of time studying Latin and content of the course: Exploratory, Lower, and Upper.

You must register your school and students by December 1, 2013. Essays must be submitted by December 15.

For full details go to http://www.ascaniusyci.org/scribo

Game Practices the Locations of the Provinces of the Roman Empire 116 AD

Here’s a simple online game to practice the locations of the provinces of the Roman Empire in 116 AD: http://www.purposegames.com/game/426

Europeana Network of Ancient Greek and Latin Epigraphy

From http://www.eagle-network.eu/about/who-we-are

EAGLE, The Europeana network of Ancient Greek and Latin Epigraphy is a best-practice network co-funded by the European Commission, under its Information and Communication Technologies Policy Support Programme. EAGLE will provide a single user-friendly portal to the inscriptions of the Ancient World, a massive resource for both the curious and for the scholarly.

EAGLE will collect, in a single readily-searchable database, more than 1.5 million items, currently scattered across 25 EU countries, as well as the east and south Mediterranean. The project will make available the vast majority of the surviving inscriptions of the Greco-Roman world, complete with the essential information about them and, for all the most important, a translation into English.

Visit the home page at http://www.eagle-network.eu for news about the project and to see inscriptions.

Fall Meeting of the New Jersey Classical Association

From http://www.njclassics.org/programs.html

NJClassical’s fall meeting will be at the Atlantic Club in Manasquan on Saturday, October 5. The afternoon will be devoted Student Growth Objectives (SGO’s). In a workshop/brainstorming session, we will put our heads together and create a list of potential SGO’s that you can use (or adapt). NJClassical’s intention is to post this list on our website for future use.

In addition, Ronnie Ancona, professor of Classics at Hunter College and CUNY Graduate Center, will be giving a presentation on Catullus, focusing on the new poems that are included in the second edition of her book, Writing Passion: A Catullus Reader. Also, Dorothy Maxwell, the 2013 Edna White Rome Scholarship recipient will share her summer spent at the American Academy in Rome.

The registration deadline is September 28, 2013.

See the meeting agenda and registration information at http://www.njclassics.org/programs.html

Texas Classical Association 2013 Fall Conference

From http://www.txclassics.org

The Texas Classical Association is pleased to welcome its members back to the campus of the University of Texas at Austin for its annual fall conference, Friday November 8- Saturday November 9, 2013. The sessions will be held on the UT campus beginning Friday afternoon in Waggener Hall with a lecture by our keynote speaker, Dr. Christopher Francese, Professor of Classical Studies at Dickinson College and project director for Dickinson Classical Commentaries. His presentation entitled "Digital Commentary on Classical Texts: Problems and Prospects" will begin at 4:00 on Friday afternoon.

Saturday's sessions will be held at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center. The conference program includes a wide variety of talks of interest to Classicists in the areas of research, pedagogy and technology. Dr. Francese will again be addressing the group on Saturday afternoon with a presentation entitled "Digital Pedagogy for Latin and Greek".

For more information go to http://www.txclassics.org

Boylston Schul-Verein: Boston-area German-American Club

The Boylston Schul-Verein, located in Walpole, Massachusetts, is the largest German-American club in the greater Boston area. Visit their website to learn about upcoming events, German language classes, special groups, and more: http://www.germanclub.org

Game Show Video Series: Ticket Nach Berlin

From http://www.dw.de/game-show-for-german-learners-two-teams-one-goal-berlin/a-17067393

Starting Thursday, September 5, Deutsche Welle (DW) and the Goethe-Institut sent six German learners from around the world on a special journey through Germany with unique challenges. Their goal: a ticket to Berlin. The learners are divided into two teams who compete in this reality game show. The videos, released weekly, are paired with a free online package for learning German.

Learn more about the series and watch the two episodes that have already been aired at http://www.dw.de/game-show-for-german-learners-two-teams-one-goal-berlin/a-17067393 , http://www.goethe.de/lrn/prj/tnb/enindex.htm , or http://www.goethe.de/lrn/prj/tnb

Seminar: German for Professional Purposes

From http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/chi/lhr/wd/en11571448v.htm

From October 18 - 20, 2013, the Goethe-Institut Chicago will offer a training seminar entitled “German for Professional Purposes.”

The Goethe-Institut invites instructors who are experienced in this area, but also newcomers under the motto “tips for old hands and greenhorns”. Newcomers will learn how to start a program and/or learn ways to integrate Business German into existing programs. And of course, the instructors will also introduce a few new ideas for the classroom that even experienced teachers will like.

For more details go to http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/chi/lhr/wd/en11571448v.htm

Article: Teaching via Teleconference: Lessons Learned from an Experimental Course on Russian and American Youth Culture

From http://www.sras.org/teaching_via_teleconference

Teaching via Teleconference: Lessons Learned from an Experimental Course on Russian and American Youth Culture
by Andrea Lanoux

In fall 2011, a colleague at the Higher School of Economics (HSE) in St. Petersburg, Irina Shchemeleva, and I launched an experimental course, “The Net Generation: Contemporary Russian and American Youth Cultures,” to develop language and cultural competence in Russian and American students simultaneously via teleconference. The course was team-taught in real time and included thirteen students at HSE in St. Petersburg and eleven students at Connecticut College in New London, CT. The following is a summary of the challenges we faced teaching in a virtual classroom, as well as the successes of this format for those who are interested in forging similar partnerships with institutions abroad.

Read on at http://www.sras.org/teaching_via_teleconference

Online Course on Japan for High School Students: Reischauer Scholars Program

From http://spice.stanford.edu/docs/reischauer_scholars_program

The Reischauer Scholars Program (RSP) is an online course for high school students sponsored by the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education and the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI). Named in honor of former Ambassador to Japan Edwin O. Reischauer, the RSP annually selects 25–30 exceptional high school students from throughout the United States to engage in an intensive study of Japan. Selected students participate in the online course on Japan from February to June of each year.

Currently entering its eleventh year, the RSP provides students with a broad overview of Japanese history, literature, religion, art, politics, economics, and contemporary society, with a special focus on the U.S.–Japan relationship. Ambassadors, top scholars, and experts throughout the United States and Japan provide online lectures and engage students in live discussion sessions. Students also complete readings and weekly assignments, with the coursework culminating in an independent research project. Final research projects are printed in journal format, and students are also required to lead two presentations on Japan at their schools or in their local communities. Students who successfully complete the course will earn Stanford Continuing Studies Program (CSP) credit and a Certificate of Completion from SPICE, Stanford University.

Applications must be postmarked by October 18, 2013.

Learn more at http://spice.stanford.edu/docs/reischauer_scholars_program

Workshop: Japanese Life Through the Eyes of Children

From http://primarysource.org/japanese-life-through-the-eyes-of-children

Japanese Life Through the Eyes of Children

One-Day Workshop
In collaboration with the Boston Children's Museum
Course Date: Nov. 16, 2013
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location: Boston Children's Museum

From Hello Kitty to the Red Sox, children in the U.S. are exposed to many things Japanese. What role should elementary school teachers play in explaining Japanese culture to students? Like their U.S. counterparts, Japanese children attend school, play games, interact with pop culture and live in a variety of types of homes. How are their experiences similar and different? This workshop will look at how Japanese children experience the real and imagined world and explore ways for teachers to engage U.S. students in learning about Japanese culture.

Especially for educators of grades K-7.

The registration deadline is Wednesday, September 25, 2013.

For full details go to http://primarysource.org/japanese-life-through-the-eyes-of-children

Summer Study Abroad in Laos

From https://www.laostudies.org/sail/details

Do you want to learn the Lao language, Lao history, and Lao culture? What better way to do it than to spend your summer fully immersed in Lao society in Laos!

The Center for Lao Studies (CLS), dedicated to promoting and advancing the field of Lao Studies, is sponsoring its annual Summer Study Abroad in Laos program (SAIL) in the summer of 2014. During the five week‐long program, students will partake in language and cultural lessons at the Lao‐American College (LAC), with private instruction by professors from the National University of Laos. Participants will also have the opportunity to study Lao history and culture, augment their academics with cultural trips throughout the area, and experience volunteering with various organizations.

SAIL is open to both undergraduate and graduate students, educators, and education administrators as well as those interested in Lao, Lao American, Southeast Asian, and Asian cultures and society. Participants must be 18 years or older.

Application Deadline: April 1, 2014

For more details go to https://www.laostudies.org/sail/details

Sheng Language Is Gaining Prominence

From http://www.coastweek.com/3629-news-31.htm

Sheng language is gaining prominence
By Ronald Njoroge and Chris Mgidu
September 14, 2013

Kenya’s Sheng language, a mix of English, Swahili and other vernacular languages, is beginning to gain acceptance in the country.

Scholars are unanimous that the language, which was once confined to the lowest class of society, has now emerged as the Lingua Franca in Kenya.

United States International University Associate Professor Fredrick Iraki said that the role of Sheng can be seen in the mass media. “Both local and international companies now use Sheng when advertising their products and services,” Iraki said.

English is normally spoken while conducting international business, education and news. Swahili, on the other hand, is used for basic inter-ethnic communication, lower level commercial activity and interaction as well as to express nationalism.

“Sheng is now taking over some of the domains especially in news and entertainment,” he said.

Read the full article at http://www.coastweek.com/3629-news-31.htm

Wisconsin Students Offered New Global Studies Certificate

From http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/local_schools/wisconsin-students-offered-new-global-studies-certificate/article_45a1b34b-62b4-590f-a920-406ee55633ae.html

Wisconsin students offered new global studies certificate
by Andrea Anderson
September 5, 2013

High school students in Wisconsin will be eligible as early as this year to earn a new global studies certificate, the state Department of Public Instruction announced Wednesday.

The Global Scholars program can be voluntarily adopted by school districts across the state and will allow high schools to award the Global Education Achievement Certificate.

The certificate — which the state says is the first of its kind in the country — will be awarded to students who demonstrate their global competency through coursework and extracurricular activities, according to Gerhard Fischer, international and world languages education consultant for the DPI.

In order to receive the certificate a student must take at least eight credits with a global focus, with at least four credits or classes coming from a foreign language class. The students must also complete eight reviews or reflections on international or cultural media, at least four of them books, participate in four high school extracurricular or school-organized activities with a global theme, and complete 20 hours of community service tied to a global community or issue.

Read more: http://host.madison.com/news/local/education/local_schools/wisconsin-students-offered-new-global-studies-certificate/article_45a1b34b-62b4-590f-a920-406ee55633ae.html#ixzz2ehNSoGan

US Naval Academy Arabic Job

The Languages and Cultures Department of the United States Naval Academy invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position in Arabic at the rank of Assistant Professor, to begin August 2014. The candidate must have a Ph.D. in Arabic, native or near-native fluency, and a strong commitment to effective teaching on all levels of undergraduate courses in language and culture. The area of research specialization is open, but applicants must demonstrate strong research potential alongside a record of effective teaching. U.S. citizenship required.

Applications in the form of a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statement of teaching philosophy and research interests, and three letters of recommendation should be sent electronically with the subject line as Arabic Application with your last name to Dr. Clarissa Burt (burt at usna dot edu) and LT Ayman Mottaleb (mottaleb at usna dot edu) by 10 October 2013. Paper applications, to be received by 10 October 2013, should be mailed to: Chair, Arabic Search Committee, Languages and Cultures Department, United States Naval Academy, 589 McNair Road, MS 10C, Annapolis, MD 21402.

The U.S. Naval Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Burt, C. US Naval Academy Arabic job. Arabic-L listserv (ARABIC-L@LISTSERV.BYU.EDU, 9 Sep 2013).

Illinois Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Fall Conference Scholarship

From http://www.ictfl.org/content/2013/09/apply-ictfl-fall-conference-scholarship

To support our newest Illinois language educators, ICTFL annually sponsors "Fund for the Future" Scholarships for ICTFL events such as our Fall Conference and WinterFest events. These scholarships provide a 50% reimbursement of the event fee and are available to pre-service, first- and second-year language teachers in Illinois on a one-time basis. To qualify, the applicant must be an ICTFL member and submit the event registration form and full fees by the event registration deadline. Additionally, they must provide their supervisor's contact information (school administrator or university supervisor).

The conference will take place October 17-19, 2013.

Learn more at http://www.ictfl.org/content/2013/09/apply-ictfl-fall-conference-scholarship

World Languages Day at University of Wisconsin-Madison

From http://www.languageinstitute.wisc.edu/wld

World Languages Day is an educational outreach program of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Language Institute. At World Languages Day, high school students from throughout the state of Wisconsin gather on the UW-Madison campus for an inspiring college-for-a-day experience. Through workshops focusing on storytelling, cinema, skits, cuisine, dance, music, clothing and, of course, language!, students get a taste of language and cultural opportunities they might like to explore further. World Languages Day will take place in 2013 on Thursday, November 14.

Applying to participate in World Languages Day involves a two-part process. First, teachers submit a Statement of Interest by Friday, September 20, 2013. The Language Institute will inform teachers by Friday, September 27 whether or not there is a spot for their school at World Languages Day. Second, schools will then confirm their participation in World Languages Day by submitting a form that includes the principal's signature and a final count of participating students.

Learn more about World Languages Day and how to submit a Statement of Interest at http://www.languageinstitute.wisc.edu/wld

Upcoming Lectures at the Berkeley Language Center

From http://blc.berkeley.edu

Here are two upcoming lectures at the Berkeley Language Center:

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The Making of a Soap Opera to Develop Students’ Foreign Language Writing and Speaking Skills
by Thomas Simpson, Northwestern University

This seminar describes a third-year, quarter-long language course centered on the creation by students of a parody of an Italian television soap opera. Students are called upon to act as writers, actors, directors, videographers, and editors of three episodes of an original soap opera. Using a simple formula for composition and with the assistance of a media center technician, participants learn the basics of a user-friendly video editing software such as iMovie, which they use to compose filmed video into a narrative sequence. With the instructor functioning mostly as facilitator and delighted observer, the course calls upon students to work collaboratively to build writing and speaking skills. The process of observing their own performances on video compels students to analyze and correct their verbal production and that of classmates.

Friday, September 27, 2013
3:00 - 5:00 pm, 33 Dwinelle Hall

http://blc.berkeley.edu/index.php/blc/post/lecture_september_27_2013_thomas_simpson

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Piecemeal but Promising: Technology Integration in Secondary Language
by Paige Ware, Southern Methodist University

In the last ten years, the pace at which technology has been integrated into classroom instruction in US secondary educational institutions has quickened rapidly. Often invoking a discourse of “21st century learning,” vibrant calls abound for schools to focus on the importance of global education, leadership development, and international engagement. Given the global orientation of these overarching goals, language educators in middle and high schools might well hope for increased attention to the promotion of foreign and second languages through new technologies. However, surprisingly few studies in the last decade have examined how and if secondary teachers are using technology for language instruction. This talk will provide an overview of recent research in this area and will highlight several trends in both the rhetoric and the reality of CALL integration in language instruction in secondary schools. I will draw on illustrative examples from my own research on second language writing instruction that explores the impact of starkly different pedagogical approaches to using technology, from the use of automated writing evaluation software to the integration of an international multimedia blogging project. These studies offer insight into the unique challenges posed by secondary language learning contexts and point to possible paths for steering the discourse surrounding 21st century learning in secondary schools toward a more multilingual orientation.

Friday, October 18, 2013
3:00 - 5:00 pm, B-4 Dwinelle Hall

http://blc.berkeley.edu/index.php/blc/post/lecture_october_18_2013_paige_ware

Northern California World Language Symposium

From http://clta.net/symposium

The NorCal WL Symposium will take place on October 12 in Mountain View, California. Register at https://co.clickandpledge.com/advanced/default.aspx?wid=65560

Second Annual Conference of the New England Chinese Language Teachers' Association

From http://neclta.org/conference

The 2nd Annual Conference of the NECLTA (The New England Chinese Language Teachers' Association) - International Conference on Learning and Teaching Chinese Language and Culture will be hosted by the University of Rhode Island on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013. The organizers welcome K-12 and Chinese school teachers, college and university Chinese educators, graduate students, scholars and educational administrators in the world to attend the conference.

For more details about the conference go to http://neclta.org/conference

Texas Association for Bilingual Education Annual Conference

From http://www.tabe.org

41st Annual TABE Conference
October 9-12, 2013
Houston

TABE offers you an excellent opportunity to enhance your knowledge as a bilingual advocate. Bilingual education is facing numerous challenges, and it is critical that we be equipped with the tools to foster success for every language learner ELL.

TABE brings you nationally recognized researchers, university professors, experienced classroom educators, parents, school administrators, publishers, and public policy makers to address issues facing multilingual, bilingual, dual language programs. The TABE conference experience informs, engages, energizes, and mobilizes you for your students’ success.

Learn more and register at http://www.tabe.org/Conferences.cfm

Technology for Second Language Learning Conference

From http://apling.public.iastate.edu/TSLL/2013

Technology for Second Language Learning (TSLL)
11th Annual Conference
Technology and Teaching Writing for Academic Disciplines
Iowa State University
October 18-19, 2013

TSLL will bring together researchers and teachers who aim to better understand and use technological resources to improve the teaching of academic writing.

Visit the conference website at http://apling.public.iastate.edu/TSLL/2013

Ohio Foreign Language Association Annual Conference

From http://www.ofla-online.org/index.php/conference

2014 Ohio Foreign Language Association Annual Conference

April 10-12
Hilton Columbus/Polaris
Columbus, OH

Laura Terrill, as Keynote speaker

Propose a workshop or session at https://www.the-meeting-connection.com/ofla/presenter

Proposals are due by October 15, 2013.

Book: The Development of the Grammatical System in Early Second Language Acquisition

From http://benjamins.com/#catalog/books/palart.3/main

The Development of the Grammatical System in Early Second Language Acquisition: The Multiple Constraints Hypothesis
By Anke Lenzing
Published by the John Benjamins Publishing Company

The Development of the Grammatical System in Early Second Language Acquisition focuses on the acquisition process of early L2 learners. It is based on the following key hypothesis: the initial mental grammatical system of L2 learners is constrained semantically, syntactically and mnemonically. This hypothesis is formalized as the Multiple Constraints Hypothesis. The empirical test of the Multiple Constraints Hypothesis is based on a large database including cross-sectional and longitudinal data from square-one ESL beginners. The study demonstrates that the postulated constraints are relaxed successively as learning progresses. The book is intended for postgraduate students as well as SLA researchers.

Visit the publisher’s website at http://benjamins.com/#catalog/books/palart.3/main

Book: Innovative Research and Practices in Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism

From http://benjamins.com/#catalog/books/lllt.38/main

Innovative Research and Practices in Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism
Edited by John W. Schwieter
Published by John Benjamins Publishing Company

This volume brings together theoretical perspectives and empirical studies in second language (L2) acquisition and bilingualism and discusses their implications for L2 pedagogy. The book is organized into three sections that focus on prominent linguistic and cognitive theories and together provide a compelling set of state-of-the-art works. Part I consists of studies that give rise to innovative applications for second language teaching and learning and Part II discusses how findings from cognitive research can inform practices for L2 teaching and learning. Following these two sections, Part III provides a summative commentary of the theories explored in the volume along with suggestions for future research directions. The book is intended to act as a valuable reference for scholars, applied linguists, specialists in pedagogy, language educators, and anyone wishing to gain an overview of current issues in SLA and bilingualism.

Visit the publisher’s website at http://benjamins.com/#catalog/books/lllt.38/main