Several weeks ago, the headmaster of my school charged teachers with choosing subject-specific quotes that would be inscribed above the classroom doors of our new middle school building. What a great idea, I thought, until the moment arrived when I had to locate those inspirational words that would embody the essence of what it means to learn and know other … [Read more...] about Thirteen Noteworthy World Language Quotes
WL Advocacy
Book Review: Babel No More: The Search For The World’s Most Extraordinary Language Learners
If you are a world language educator, a language aficionado or if you simply enjoy dabbling in neurolinguistics, then Michael Erard's latest book will definitely satisfy your hunger for the latest approaches to foreign language acquisition. In his quest to find the world's most extraordinary language-learners, Erard unfolds the strange and yet fascinating … [Read more...] about Book Review: Babel No More: The Search For The World’s Most Extraordinary Language Learners
Webinar Review: Michael Erard Talks About Hyperpolyglots on LiveMocha
Roughly two weeks ago, after a particularly exhausting day of teaching, I returned to my cubicle and collapsed into my desk chair. Too tired to do anything active, I decided to plug my Earbuds into my MacBook and passively earn some professional development time for the remaining hour of the work day. I tuned into the replay of a webinar that I had missed … [Read more...] about Webinar Review: Michael Erard Talks About Hyperpolyglots on LiveMocha
Tips To Prepare Students For National Foreign Language Exams
I think it’s safe to say that most of us in the U.S. have heard the expression March Madness, but if you haven’t, then imagine a month of utter craziness as sixteen NCAA basketball teams and their rowdy fans battle one another in order to clinch the championship title. It is truly a time of unnerving, exasperating and exhausting excitement. … [Read more...] about Tips To Prepare Students For National Foreign Language Exams
Ten Great Ideas To Celebrate National Foreign Language Week In The Twenty-First Century
In the nineties, when I began my teaching career, I worked in a public high school whose World Language department celebrated National Foreign Language Week each year. As the newbie in the department, I didn't really know what to expect during my first year celebration. I imagined that the kids would spruce up our painfully drab building with bright, … [Read more...] about Ten Great Ideas To Celebrate National Foreign Language Week In The Twenty-First Century
An Argument For World Language Education In The Twenty-First Century
When I decided to move from Connecticut to Tennessee nearly five years ago, I had already spent a little more than a decade as a public school Spanish teacher. During the first several years, I taught in secondary school, while the remaining years I worked in two other school districts where I designed and implemented Spanish language programs for their … [Read more...] about An Argument For World Language Education In The Twenty-First Century