Choosing the Best Second Language for You Posted by Keith Frankel on Jul 20, 2011 in Archived Posts
If you’re reading this, you most likely have already made the decision to learn a second language. Perhaps, though, you haven’t decided exactly which language it is that you want to learn. If this sounds like you, the question you need to ask yourself is: “Why do I want to learn another language?” Establishing the…
Bilinguals Do It Better Posted by Keith Frankel on Jul 18, 2011 in Archived Posts
Dr. Ellen Bialystok, a cognitive neuroscientist and professor at York University in Toronto, has spent nearly 40 years studying bilingualism and its effects. Bialystok presented her findings at the AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Annual Meeting in D.C. and, more recently, spoke with NY Times journalist, Claudia Dreifus, on the benefits of…
Language Facts for You to Brag About Posted by kheudorfer on Jul 12, 2011 in Archived Posts
Transparent Connect is passionate about languages, and to showcase our love, we’re giving you some language “fun facts” to share with others throughout your day! Fact: There was no standardized punctuation until the 15th century. Fact: The word taxi is spelled the same in English, German, French, Swedish, Spanish and Portuguese. Fact: At least half…
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…