SiS Newsletter - March 2010
Article Index
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• Is it enough to speak english?
Not anymore. That is the response received by American students. Read more...
• Use new tecnologies to improve your language skills.
Learning new languages is not always an easy task, especially in adulthood. Read more...
• Conecting foreign language students with the world.
Connecting students and teachers from different countries can be much easier using new technologies. Read more...
SiS Student Ambassadors
• John Watson, Student Ambassador at Georgia Institute of Technology.
SiS on the road
• Study in Spain will be traveling throughout the US again this academic year.
Amigos del español
• Zoe Saldana
Institution Profile
• Academia Mester
Interview Lounge
• M. Karen Jogan
IS IT ENOUGH TO SPEAK ENGLISH?
3/17/2010
Not anymore. That is the response received by American students. Today, the consequences of globalization, internationalization and the constant movement and exchange of people (and therefore cultures) around the globe have prompted awareness of the need to speak other languages. This is what is been called “World-languages”. Minor languages in the US such as Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, Korean or Turkish are becoming more and more important. The scenario has changed dramatically. As the economy grows in China, India and Middle East, studying languages becomes a priority.
Of course, European languages are still valued, especially Spanish, which is increasingly being used domestically, but also French, German and Italian.
Programs and classroom innovations emphasize immersion in culture. It is important to reward students for being able to function in a language. National standards and state frameworks have all grown out in the idea of encouraging conversation.
Use new technologies to improve your language skills
3/17/2010
Learning new languages is not always an easy task, especially in adulthood. Increasingly, new technologies make learning methods more accessible. They are also very supportive when teaching, as they help this task to be more dynamic and fun.
The latest innovations try to entertain us making learning as close as a game. This is how Lyrics Training works, a free Internet platform. Users must select a video and the job is to fill in the missing words as they are sung. There are three levels of difficulty: Beginner, Intermediate and Expert. This platform offers songs in Spanish, English, French, Italian, German, and Netherlands.
This internet platform aims on improving the language skills that the users already own. Internet is becoming a very demanded in the educational area. As educators become aware of this situation, facilities like this become more numerous.
More information at: http://www.lyricstraining.com/
Connecting foreign language students with the world
Connecting students and teachers from different countries can be much easier using new technologies. These are some of the possibilities available on internet to find native speakers:
- The ACTFL Online Community: among many other tools it has a networking hub that allows teachers to connect with each other.
- American Association of Teachers of Any Language: allows colleagues to connect through forums and conferences.
- The national K-12 Foreign Language Resource Center: a place to connect with other teachers.
- World Language Teachers Collaborative Sites: a social networking site for groups with common interests.
- Twitter: a quick way to connect with teachers across the globe.
- Pen Pals Without the Pen: a networking site aiming to connect students all around the world.
- Form a Sister-School Partnership: Once you have found the appropriate people you just have to contact them and one of the best ways to do it is Skype, which is cheap and simple. Another useful tool is Voxopop, which is essentially a message board with voices. Another choice to facilitate communication with students around the world is a wikispace.
John Watson, Student Ambassador at Georgia Institute of Technology
John Watson is SIS Student Ambassador at Georgia Institute of Technology. Here is his experience in his own words:
In high school, I was fortunate to spend three months in Valencia, Spain, as part of an international study program. I lived with a family and attended a public high school. Ever since, I have been in love with Spanish language and culture. Entering college, I knew that I wanted to return to Spain. I have completed several terms abroad in Mexico and Spain, studying language, culture, business and electrical engineering. These experiences have led me to become involved in several globally-oriented activities: an employee of the Office of International Education, an assistant instructor of English for Spanish-speakers, and a teaching assistant for a summer study program in Madrid, Spain. My nomination as the Study in Spain Student Ambassador to Georgia Tech has furthered my desire to share Spain with fellow students and has provided me with the structure and resources necessary to do so. Through the SiS program, I have been able to integrate many of my activities into a coherent mission: sharing my passion for Spain with others.
Georgia Tech has an extremely diverse, international campus atmosphere, due in part to the large number of foreign students and visiting faculty. Thanks to the resources provided by the Work Abroad office, Office of International Education, and School of Modern Languages, students are aware of the importance of a global education. Each of these departments sponsors a variety of events: information sessions, film festivals, and other assorted gatherings. As an Ambassador, I work to ensure that Spain is well represented at these events and that students are aware of the resources available through the Study in Spain program. Thus far, I co-hosted a dinner/discussion for students interested in GT’s summer study program in Madrid, have spoken to freshmen and prospective students at various engagements, and I am in the process of organizing a film screening, “Tapas y Cine.”
I am honored to serve the Spanish Government and Georgia Tech in my capacity as Student Ambassador.
Study in Spain will be traveling throughout the US again this academic year
The 2009-10 academic year will once more have the Study in Spain program participating in the most important education fairs and events.
Since its opening, the Embassy of Spain-Trade Commission Miami, with the support of ICEX (Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade) and EDUESPAÑA have carried Study in Spain all across the US in an effort to promote international education in Spain.
The rewards have been undeniable, as Spain is the third preferred destination for American students worldwide.
This is a brief preview of the projected participation of Study in Spain. The dates and/or events may be subject to changes.
MARCH
EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP (1) FOR US INSTITUTIONS
MARCH 22-28
MADRID
FORUM ON EDUCATION ABROAD CONFERENCE
MAR 24-26
CHARLOTTE, NC
NECTFL, Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
MAR 25-27
NEW YORK, NY
APRIL
SWCOLT, Southwest Conference on Language Teaching
ABR 08-10
ALBURQUERQUE, NM
Read more at: http://www.spainedu.org/index.php/meet-us.html
Read more...
Zoe Saldana
Actress
Zoe Saldana, whose parents are of Dominican and Puerto Rican descents, has been given the nickname “queen of science fiction” because of her roles in two upcoming movies: as Lt. Uhura in the new version of Star Trek and as an alien in James Cameron’s Avatar. She likes the moniker but this 30-year-old New Yorker born Zoe Yadira Zaldaña Nazario says her interests go beyond fantasy and that she remains true to her Hispanic roots.
What are you reading at the moment?
I’m a geek and I’m drawn to science fiction, but as far as comics go my sister tops me.
But when it comes to choosing a book?
As an American with Dominican and Puerto Rican origins, there’s no one like Junot Díaz and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. He’s a writer I’m crazy about and he’s been a friend for 10 years.
Do you read in English or Spanish?
I read everything, but I can only read works by writers like Gabriel García Márquez in Spanish.
And what films do you watch?
I’m a big fan of films from Mexico, Argentina and Spain. I knew who Javier Bardem was before Before Night Falls. I saw Jamón, jamón when I was 13.
Did you give a Hispanic twist to your portrayal of Uhura?
For me it’s not Star Trek. It’s Viaje a las estrellas. But (director and producer) J.J. Abrams didn’t know I was Hispanic until he heard me talking in Spanish. Everyone was surprised.
What book would you recommend for space travel?
I’d love to go to outer space but I’m one of those people who get scared on an airplane. So instead of a book, for me it’s one pill and the problem’s solved.
Academia Mester
We at MESTER have been providing Spanish Language Courses since 1991. We have some 4.000 students yearly in our schools, and we may say that we provide a true Spanish and international atmosphere since our students come from more than 50 different countries in the world.
We combine modern teaching methodologies with attractive cultural and social activities so our students have the opportunity to interact with their international classmates in the classroom and also with the local community while living in a home stay, participating in planned conversation sessions with Spaniards, tasting local cuisines in our ruta de tapas, visiting the most relevant monuments and museums...
Along the years we have created different programs and courses related to the teaching of Spanish:
- Regular Spanish Courses for students, different lengths
- Superior Course for Spanish Teachers
- Preparatory Course for the DELE (Official Spanish Diploma of Foreign Language)
- Special arrangements for Group trips
- Others, at demand
In addition, we provide Study Abroad Programs for North American students in our two academic centers in Salamanca and Seville.
In all our programs we always include experiential learning components since we consider that our students must experience first-hand what they are studying in the country and city where their courses take place. The country, the city, and the people become essential parts of the academic component of our Study Abroad programs. Our students learn and live the courses they study, incorporating different elements from outside the classroom to the core of the courses they take.
M. Karen Jogan
Karen Jogan is a professor of undergraduate Spanish and of graduate ESL teacher education at Albright College in Reading Pennsylvania. She especially enjoys working with EFL programs in schools and universities abroad, and she is a frequent presenter for conferences for EFL teachers in Mexico, Peru, and Chile. Albright College students have accompanied her to study, work on research projects, and to tour in Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, and Chile.
Her areas of special interest are integrating technology in foreign language instruction, and assessment of student learning at the course and program levels. She also enjoys learning about and sharing cultural perspectives with her students -- in the US she teaches cultures of Spain and Latin America, and abroad she helps teachers integrate US culture into their instructional programs.
When was the last time you have been to Spain?
The last time I was in Spain was in June 2009 as part of the Eduespana tour of institutions in Madrid and Castilla. Prior to that I was in Spain in 2007 for a long Easter weekend. I visited Madrid and Toledo.
What do you enjoy most about Spain?
I mostly enjoy the people - Spaniards I have as friends for many years, new people I meet in a professional setting, but also people on the street. Spain is especially well known for its friendly and outgoing people, always helpful and eager to share their culture.
What do you think are the advantages of Spain as a destination for American students?
In addition to the world-class hospitality of the Spanish people, Spain offers an unmatched cultural context which immerses students in two thousand years of history, art, literature tradition, music, architecture, while they interact with the Spanish language. Spain is "user-friendly" for US students - anything from metros in Madrid to educational institutions outside of the capital are easily understood by the non-Spaniard.
Could you describe the Study Abroad programs your university has with Spain?
My college has sent students to several different programs in Spain, ranging from summer to semester programs. Our students have studied in Santiago, Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, Alicante and Valencia. Currently we are organizing a summer study program to Salamanca.
How satisfied are, in general, American students going to Spain?
Our students are always highly satisfied with their programs in Spain! Many have returned again and again, the ultimate expression of student satisfaction. As professors, we are proud that our students have felt successful in their learning experiences abroad and that their positive experiences abroad have prompted them to become lifelong learners of Spanish language and culture.
