5 Things Successful Language Learners Do Differently Posted by kheudorfer on Jun 28, 2011 in Archived Posts
So you’re interested in learning a new language? Congratulations! Learning a new language can be exciting but, often times, daunting. Never fear (and we mean that!); here’s a list of five things successful language learners do differently. Read on to find some useful tips to help you reach your language potential. 1.Set goals: Successful language…
Don’t Fight Facebook in the Classroom: Use It! Posted by kheudorfer on Apr 4, 2011 in Archived Posts
This weekend, Transparent Language attended NECTFL–the Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages in Baltimore. It was a great show, and we talked to hundreds of language instructors from across the country. One of the most commonly asked questions was “How can I get my students as jazzed about language learning as they are…
How to Help Teachers and Schools? Posted by kheudorfer on Jan 7, 2011 in Archived Posts
New NYC Chancellor of schools, Cathleen Black, has already shown herself to be passionate about languages. During her first few days on the job, she articulated a desire for more language instruction, especially Chinese Mandarin. Black sees Mandarin proficiency as a critical skill in our increasingly global economy and wants New York City students to…
Less Commonly Taught Languages Gaining Attention Posted by kheudorfer on Dec 14, 2010 in Archived Posts
When thinking of foreign language learning, most people think of the FIGS categories: French, Italian, German, and Spanish. And with good reason: these are the languages most commonly offered at the high school level, and therefore, they’re the most popular within higher education as well. Yet these are not necessarily the languages most critical to…
Training Students to be Global Citizens Posted by kheudorfer on Nov 1, 2010 in Archived Posts
How do we train our country’s children to be global citizens–knowledgeable about the world and in possession of the skills to succeed in it? An Education Week article has three suggestions for moving the needle in this direction, all of which focus on large-scale systemic changes: The U.S. should make a commitment to developing globally-focused…
Joint Commission Focuses on Language Skills in Hospitals Posted by kheudorfer on Oct 13, 2010 in Archived Posts
Given that over 20% of our population speaks a language other than English, bilingualism is increasingly important for some medical professionals. The Joint Commission’s new initiative seeks to increase hospitals’ focus on language skills and cultural awareness: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/louis-provenzano/hospitals-must-overcome-l_b_749321.html The Joint Commission has set ambitious goals for the future, but they are critical to the health…
Preserving endangered languages Posted by Transparent Language on Aug 17, 2010 in Archived Posts
This week, Professor Stephen Pax Leonard of Cambridge University embarks on a quest. He will spend a year in the remote Inuit town of Qaanaaq, Greenland, recording the language and culture of the endangered Inuktun dialect spoken there. According to linguist Michael E. Krauss, a language is considered to be endangered when children will probably not be speaking it…