June 30, 2013

Creative Presentation Ideas

From http://martinabex.com

Here is a chart with twelve different ideas for presentations: martinabex.com/2013/06/21/creative-presentation-ideas

From the blog’s author: “These presentations could be used at any point during the year as a way for students to present on any topic, book, or story from class. Most of the ideas could be modified to be used with an entire book or a single character or scene. Each one could be used as a prop for an oral presentation (done formally to the class or to the teacher or informally as a simultaneous presentation), and many could be simply on display in the classroom or at a special event, like Open House or Conferences.”

Supermoon Photos from Around the World

Here’s a nice Monday opener: share these photos of last week’s “supermoon” from all around the world with your students. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/super-moon-212765871.html

Summer School Ideas

From http://evasimkesyan.com

Here is a collection of ideas that can come in handy in summer schools. Although written for teachers of English language learners, the ideas are adaptable to any language: http://evasimkesyan.com/2013/06/30/some-cool-summer-school-ideas

List of Free Online Language Lessons

Here is a list of links to lessons in over 40 languages available for free online: http://www.openculture.com/freelanguagelessons

Ideas for Reviewing Vocabulary

Here are a few ideas that teachers have shared with each other on the Latinteach listserv for reviewing vocabulary:

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Around The World is a favorite review activity, everywhere I've taught.

Have a student stand behind the chair of another. Say a vocab in word in either English or Latin. The first student to give you the definition in the other language moves to stand behind the chair of the next student, and the lose stays (or sits) in that chair. The first child to make it back to his own desk is the winner. Everyone gets to hear all of the vocabulary, you can use difficult words over and over, and the kids have a lot of fun sometimes shouting words at you until they get the correct one.

McCormick-Lane, S. Re: [Latinteach] vocabulary review activity. Latinteach listserv (latinteach@nxport.com, 9 Jan 2013).

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Some possibilities which enhance student enthusiasm for knowing forms, translations, history, mythology, etc. are board races, Jeopardy, letter scramble, team competition, quiz bowl, or whatever your imagination dreams of doing.

Colás, L. Re: [Latinteach] Vocabulary Review Activity. Latinteach listserv (latinteach@nxport.com, 9 Jan 2013).

Two Websites Offer News Articles at Different Levels of Difficulty

Here are two different websites that offer the same news articles at different levels of difficulty:

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The Newsela website provides different versions of the same news articles at different levels of text complexity. It includes comprehension quizzes for each article.

The Newsela website is available at http://newsela.com

Read reviews of this resource at http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2013/06/18/newsela-provides-leveled-news-articles-quizzes and at http://cristinaskybox.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-relevance-of-reading-skills.html

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The News in Levels website writes summaries of the same news articles at three different levels of difficulty. Students can stick with one level that matches their proficiency, or they can read increasingly more difficult versions of the same article as they become more familiar with its content.

The website is available at http://www.newsinlevels.com

Read some suggestions for use by teachers at http://www.newsinlevels.com/for-teachers2

ELL Assessment Groups Move Ahead on Standards, New Tests

From http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning-the-language/2013/06/ell_assessment_groups_move_ahe.html

ELL Assessment Groups Move Ahead on Standards, New Tests
By Lesli A. Maxwell
June 20, 2013

For teachers who work with English-language learners, there's more to grasp than the new common standards in English/language arts and mathematics and the coming assessments that go with them. Also coming are new and revamped English-language-proficiency standards connected to the language demands in the common core, and soon, a new set of assessments to measure the progress that ELLs make toward becoming proficient in their new language.

It's a major shakeup that will play out over the next few years.

So it helps to have those who are most intimately involved with these new standards/testing efforts take the time to step out of the weeds of their work and explain—in a big picture way—what they are doing.

Thanks to the Washington-based Alliance for Education, some of the top experts working on ELP standards and tests appeared in a webinar on June 19th to explain the work they are doing and how it will connect to teachers and students in the classroom.

Read on for highlights from the webinar: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning-the-language/2013/06/ell_assessment_groups_move_ahe.html

ESL Volunteer Materials

From http://www.athenslibrary.org/support-the-library/volunteer-opportunities/esl-volunteer-materials

Are you teaching adult learners of English in the United States? Here are some useful materials available from the Athens Regional Library System, including a newcomers’ curriculum, and training manual for volunteer instructors, and volunteer training videos: http://www.athenslibrary.org/support-the-library/volunteer-opportunities/esl-volunteer-materials

Summer 2013 Issue of American Educator Focuses on English Language Learners

From http://www.aft.org/newspubs/periodicals/ae/index.cfm

The summer 2013 issue of the American Federation of Teachers’ magazine focuses on English language learners. Among the articles:

Unlocking the Research on English Learners
What We Know—and Don't Yet Know—about Effective Instruction
By Claude Goldenberg

English Language Development
Guidelines for Instruction
By William Saunders, Claude Goldenberg, and David Marcelletti

Dual Language Learners
Effective Instruction in Early Childhood
By Claude Goldenberg, Judy Hicks, and Ira Lit

Access these articles and more at http://www.aft.org/newspubs/periodicals/ae/index.cfm

News in Slow Latin American Spanish

In a past InterCom article (http://casls.uoregon.edu/intercom/site/view-article.php?ArticleID=9993 ) we described News in Slow Spanish, a podcast of the news in Spanish aimed at language learners.

Now there’s a new addition: News in Slow Latin Spanish. These are also podcasts, but in Spanish as it is spoken in Latin America rather than in Spain.

Access the new site at http://www.newsinslowspanish.com/latino
Read a review of this resource at http://teachinglearningspanish.blogspot.com/2013/06/news-in-slow-latin-american-spanish.html

Road Map to Create a French-English Dual-Language Program in New York City

From http://frenchlanguage.frenchculture.org

As the fourth most spoken language in New York City, with 116,000 speakers citywide, French is deeply entwined in New York's linguistic fabric. New York City is at the center of this bilingual revolution, with eight public schools offering dual language programs from grade K-6, and plans to extend those programs all the way to college. These programs were largely created as a result of the efforts of parents who put up websites, canvassed the neighborhood and worked with Principals to get the project off the ground.

If you are considering the creation of a dual-language program in a NYC school, an available Road Map can become a very useful tool to organize your next steps. The Road Map was prepared by the Downtown/Midtown parent groups and is available for download from http://api.ning.com/files/uGug8jV2T3g0iF3pHeV2SfsfvpWCQZvGLW0W-BYVzklE1rmlyGu50ZJaTNX5Bq*C3kYjSE2IJp*zD20k2mEArN*RtqnGfurX/RoadMaptoCreateaFrenchDLP.pdf

French Lesson with Mr. Bean Clip Reinforces Past Tense

Here is a cute language-free clip of Mr. Bean making a sandwich, with suggestions for making a lesson of it and a worksheet to accompany it: http://mmeperkins.typepad.com/my_weblog/2013/06/le-sandwich-de-monsieur-bean.html

Insuf-FLE: Resources for French Teachers

From http://insuf-fle.hautetfort.com/about.html

Insuf-FLE is the blog of an experienced French teacher and teacher trainer. Resources include activity ideas, comprehension exercises, songs, poems, grammar and vocabulary lessons and exercises, and articles about teaching French.

Browse this French-language blog at http://insuf-fle.hautetfort.com

French Sentence Starter Dice

Here is a printable template for making a die with a French sentence starter on each side: http://swanwickhallis.weebly.com/32/post/2013/06/sentence-starter-dice.html

Exhibit: BERLINS-MADE IN USA at German-American Heritage Museum of the USA

From http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/__events/Wash/2013/06/27-Kennedy-Berlin-Exhibition.html

Exhibit: BERLINS-MADE IN USA at German-American Heritage Museum of the USA
Jun 27, 2013 - Dec 20, 2013 | Washington, DC

From the exhibit’s description:

“BERLINS-MADE IN USA tells the story of the many towns, villages, and communities throughout the United States named Berlin, after the German capital. By telling their stories, we will highlight the many achievements and contributions of German-Americans to the development and growth of the United States of America.

“In conjunction with our Berlin Exhibit, we will also display a smaller exhibit in honor of President John F Kennedy as a celebration of his electrifying speech to the citizens of West Berlin.”

For more information go to http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/__events/Wash/2013/06/27-Kennedy-Berlin-Exhibition.html

App Teaches German Workplace Language While User Solves a Detective Mystery

Lernabenteuer Deutsch – Ein rätselhafter Auftrag is an app from the Goethe Institut. Users solve a detective mystery while learning workplace-specific German.

Learn more about the app at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QNILkB5wYE , https://itunes.apple.com/de/app/lernabenteuer-deutsch-ein/id651590533 , or http://www.appszoom.com/ipad-games/adventure/adventure-german-a-mysterious-mission-hd-for-ipad_gtfxl.html

Funding Opportunity: Performing Arts Japan

From http://www.jfny.org/arts_and_culture/paj.html

The Japan Foundation is now accepting proposals for projects to receive PAJ touring and collaboration grants for fiscal 2014 - 2015.

This program is designed to provide financial assistance for non-profit organizations in the US and Canada that aim to introduce Japanese performing arts to local audiences. PAJ Touring Grants help present Japanese performing arts at multiple locations in the United States and Canada, with an emphasis on locations outside major metropolitan areas. PAJ Collaboration Grants help Japanese and American/Canadian artists develop a new work, which will further an appreciation of Japanese culture when presented to American/Canadian audiences. The grants are made to nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and Canada only.

Deadline for applications is October 21, 2013.

For full details go to http://www.jfny.org/arts_and_culture/paj.html

Scholarship for Studying Arabic Online

From http://nmelrc.org

The National Middle East Language Resource Center (NMELRC) in cooperation with Qatar Foundation International and Brigham Young University Independent Study is offering an award-winning hybrid online course for high school students. The high school implementation of Arabic without Walls, winner of the 2010 Distance Education Course Award and the 2012 K-12 Distance Learning Course Award, covers the basics of both spoken and written Arabic and enables students to acquire real-world communication skills. This process is facilitated by their working with an online tutor and a cohort of students who form an online learning community.

For full details go to http://nmelrc.org/scholarship-studying-arabic-online

New Language Lobby: American Language Enterprise Advocacy

From http://www.politico.com/politicoinfluence/0613/politicoinfluence10987.html

Introducing the language lobby - Cowan launches new consulting firm - Trevor Thomas joins Giffords gun group
By BYRON TAU & ANNA PALMER
June 21, 2013

INTRODUCING THE LANGUAGE LOBBY: Two language industry groups have launched a new advocacy push with a lobbying component. The American Language Enterprise Advocacy is the brainchild of the Globalization and Localization Association and the National Council for Languages and International Studies. It’s not a separate new organization, the founders tell PI — just the advocacy face of the two groups, which together represent a broad coalition of educators, companies and other stakeholders. The new coalition will call for increased federal funding for language education, improvements in the immigration bill and federal language training appropriations, among other issues.

"What we're doing is really trying to get a unified voice for language in Washington, D.C.," said Bill Rivers, the executive director of NCLIS who will actually lobby for ALEA. Hans Fenstermacher, CEO of GALA, said it’s also about modernizing the image of the industry. "People tend to think of the language industry as a bunch of monks sitting in a corner," Fenstermacher said. "We're trying to modernize the view of the whole enterprise."

STARTALK Teaches Science by Way of Language

From http://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/education/education_topics/learning/article_8b0e75b9-97b8-5188-b4d2-37b3b2defe60.html

Startalk teaches science by way of language
By Kelsi Loos
June 24, 2013

The scene could have been just another day in Shanghai: Students ate their breakfast while watching a brightly colored Chinese cartoon. Chinese characters adorned the walls. A teacher gave a lesson on buoyancy in Chinese.

But this wasn't China. This was the New Life Christian School in Frederick.

Students in the Startalk program, hosted locally by the Asian American Center of Frederick, learned Chinese while taking lessons in science, technology, engineering and math.

Startalk is a federally funded program started by the Department of Defense in 2006 to help get Americans speaking critical world languages such as Chinese, Arabic, Hindi and others.

Read the full article at http://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/education/education_topics/learning/article_8b0e75b9-97b8-5188-b4d2-37b3b2defe60.html

Job: Global Village Fort Collins French Teachers Needed

Job description for French Teacher:

POSITION SUMMARY
As a French immersion teacher you must possess native or near native fluency in French; teach elementary grade language, literature, writing and other core subjects to French immersion students; established individual performance goals; have good student management skills; work with other Immersion team members and administration.

Education:
Must possess a Bachelor's Degree or higher and have passed the PLACE or PRAXIS exam in Elementary Education or content area, or take either of the exams and pass within 90 days of hire.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Teach elementary grade level or in Content area standards-based curriculum in reading, writing, math, science, social studies and personal development.
• Maintain good classroom management.
• Follow school approved curriculums.
• Utilize knowledge of developmentally appropriate practices including small group instruction to teach content.
• Create a positive and effective school and classroom environment that supports the School's philosophy and goals and meets students' individual needs, supporting differentiated learning.
• Expose students to and promote French culture including music, calligraphy, dancing and art, history, food and clothing.
• Demonstrate familiarity and adherence to the School's mission and goals.
• Administer, score, interpret and apply required testing instruments, including state required tests.
• Complete, maintain, and submit accurate records, forms and reports.
• Maintain strict confidentiality.
• Supervise the work of the classroom paraprofessional.
• Work with diverse student population and staff.
• Conduct daily planning and evaluation of student's needs and progress.
• Attend and participate in required pre-service and staff development meetings to coordinate teaching plans.
• Conduct required parent-teacher meetings.
• Perform other duties as requested.

This is a summary of the job description and should not be construed as a complete description. Contact school directly if interested. http://globalvillageacademy.org

Grim, F. [CCFLT] Global Village Fort Collins French teachers needed. CCFLT listserv (CCFLT@yahoogroups.com, 23 Jun 2013).

Job: Five College Arabic Language Initiative Seeks Lecturer

The Five College Arabic Language Initiative and the Program in Middle East Studies at Smith College invite applications for a one-year (with possible renewal) Lecturer position in Arabic Language, which will be based at Smith College beginning Fall 2013. Master’s degree in Arabic Language, Literature, Linguistics, Culture, Arabic Studies, or relevant fields required. Ph.D. preferred. We seek candidates with demonstrated experience and excellence in teaching Arabic language with the proficiency-communicative approach at all levels of proficiency at the college level. The position involves teaching five courses each academic year. Ability to teach advanced content courses preferred. Native or near-native fluency in English, Modern Standard Arabic, and at least one Arabic dialect is necessary.

Submit applications electronically at https://secure.interfolio.com/apply/21818 with a cover letter, CV, statement of teaching philosophy, and three confidential recommendation letters. Further assessments of teaching will be requested from selected candidates. For information about this position, contact the program director Mohamed El-Sawi Hassan at melsawihassan at amherst dot edu. Review of applications begins July 5, 2013.

Five Colleges, Incorporated, and its member campuses are equal opportunity employers. Information about the Five Colleges, Incorporated (the consortium of Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Arabic-L:PEDA:JOB:Five College Initiative. Arabic-L listserv (ARABIC-L@LISTSERV.BYU.EDU, 26 Jun 2013).

See this job posting online at http://linguistlist.org/issues/24/24-2559.html

Job: Professional Development Specialist at the Center for Applied Linguistics

Professional Development Specialist

CAL Classification: Senior Technical Specialist
Program Area: K-12 ELLs and Content Area Instruction
Salary: $53,760 - $68,000
Hours Per Week: 100% FTE
Position Available: Immediately

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:
This position involves creating and delivering professional development services (face to face and online) on a variety of topics including sheltered instruction (using the CAL SIOP Model), literacy instruction in English for students learning to read in a second language, and literacy instruction in Spanish for students in transitional, developmental, and dual language bilingual programs. The position also entails assisting the professional development team in enhancing the content of CAL’s professional development materials to work with various types of professionals who teach linguistically and culturally diverse students. Ability to travel approximately 50% of the year is a requirement.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
 Plan and facilitate face-to-face and online professional development tailored to the specific needs of schools and districts
 Create, edit, and proofread materials for use in professional development
 Work with the PreK-12 ELL Professional Development Director and Associate Director to update and enhance professional development content
 Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:
 Master’s degree and four years of relevant experience, or a Bachelor’s degree and eight years of relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications:
Education: Master’s degree in linguistics, language, education, or related discipline
Experience: Minimum of four years of teaching experience using sheltered instruction principles (ideally using the SIOP model), as well as knowledge and experience in literacy instruction in English and in Spanish. A demonstrated commitment to working with underserved students is critical. Minimum of two years of experience in developing and providing professional development to teachers also required.

Successful candidates will have experience in one or more of the following areas:
 Teaching subject areas other than language development courses (e.g., elementary or secondary general education)
 Teaching in bilingual or dual language instructional settings

Language Proficiency: Ability to develop and deliver professional development in both English and Spanish.

Skills: Candidates should have advanced proficiency with Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, and should have familiarity with creating and delivering professional development courses for an online platform. A successful candidate must have excellent oral and written communication skills in English and in Spanish.

Other Qualifications: The preferred candidate will be flexible, well-organized, and attentive to detail. Must have strong interpersonal skills and be able to work both collaboratively and independently in a fast-paced team environment.

IF INTERESTED, SEND RESUME AND COVER LETTER:

Mail:
Center for Applied Linguistics
4646 40th Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20016-1859
ATTN: Human Resources Coordinator, Recruitment 13-19

Electronically:
jobs at cal dot org
Attn: Recruitment 13-19

Jobs@CAL: Professional Development Specialist. Job@CAL listserv (jobs@cal.org, 24 Jun 2013).

Job: Instructor Position in Polish, University of Virginia

The University of Virginia Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures seeks applications to fill non-tenure track Instructional positions during the 2013-2014 academic year. Subject areas of need include, but are not limited to, Slavic language, literature, folklore, and/or linguistics. Our top priority is a teacher for one course in Elementary Polish each semester. A terminal degree is expected but not required. Candidates must have a strong commitment to teaching. Compensation will take the form of wages without benefits. Past teachers have earned $6000 per course. Applications will be considered immediately.
To apply, please complete a Candidate Profile online through Jobs@UVa (https://jobs.virginia.edu), and electronically attach the following: a current CV, cover letter, and complete contact information for three professional references. Search on posting 0612387.

Questions regarding this position should be directed to:
David Herman
herman at virginia dot edu

Questions regarding the online application process should be directed to:
Anne Zook
434-924-6683
rz at virginia dot edu

Clowes, E. [SEELANGS] Instructor position in Polish--University of Virginia. SEELANGS listserv (SEELANGS@LISTSERV.UA.EDU, 24 Jun 2013).

Workshop: Using Simulated OPIs for In-Class Assessment

From http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/tlc/events/27172

Even Better Than The Real Thing: Using Simulated OPIs for In-Class Assessment
Thu, July 18, 2013
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
CLA 1.302B, Glickman Conference Center
UT-Austin

This half-day workshop will present and demonstrate the techniques and results of SOPIs as an integral part of student assessment. SOPIs provide an effective alternative to the time-consuming and expensive OPI, while maintaining the benefits of an accurate and nuanced assessment of spoken competence in the language.

For more information and to register go to http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/tlc/events/27172

Massachusetts Foreign Language Association Annual Fall Conference

From http://mafla.org

The 46th annual MaFLA Conference
Collaborate To Promote Languages with a Collective Voice
October 17-19, 2013
Sturbridge Host Hotel

Keynote Speaker: Helena Curtain

See the schedule and register at http://mafla.org/events-2/annual-fall-conference/current-year

2013 Alaskans for Language Acquisition State Language Conference

From http://www.afla-ak.org/2013-conference

Language for Everyone: Come On Board!
2013 AFLA State Language Conference
September 27-29, 2013 ~ Whittier, Alaska

Featuring...
 Keynote speakers Judith Liskin-Gasparro, Michael Miller, and Ashley Hastings
 A 3.5 hour Sunday morning 'Glacier Quest' Cruise (included in conference registration!)
 Presentations by teachers from across the state
 Breakout sessions on TPRS, ESL, CCSS, Culture, Technology, MovieTalk, ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, and more!
 No-cost lodging for anyone that wishes to 'camp out' at the local school

For more details and to register go to http://www.afla-ak.org/2013-conference

Call for Papers: Association for Asian Studies Annual Conference

From http://www.asian-studies.org/Conference/index.htm

Each spring, the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) holds a four-day conference devoted to planned programs of scholarly papers, roundtable discussions, workshops, and panel sessions on a wide range of issues in research and teaching, and on Asian affairs in general.

Connect with your colleagues at next year's largest gathering of Asianists, March 27-30, 2014, in Philadelphia, PA.

The Program Committee for the Association for Asian Studies 2014 Conference invites colleagues in Asian studies to submit proposals for Organized Panels, Roundtables, Workshops, and Individual Papers for sessions to be created by the Committee.

The Committee seeks sessions that will engage panelists and audiences in the consideration of ideas, information, and interpretations that will advance knowledge about Asian regions and, by extension, will enrich teaching about Asia at all levels.

The deadline for submission of proposals is Thursday, August 8, 2013 at 5pm EST.

View the full call for papers at http://www.asian-studies.org/Conference/Call-for-Papers.htm

June 21, 2013

Review: Websites for Creating Online Magazines, and Other Suggestions

Spanish teacher Sara-Elizabeth Cottrell has been writing an article reviewing different websites for creating digital magazines and newspapers for the last year and a half. Finally her collection of reviews is finished, and you can read it, along with her conclusion that website publication is probably a better life skill than magazine publication, here: http://musicuentos.com/2013/06/magazines

New CAL-WIDA Website Launched

The Center for Applied Linguistics announces a new website in collaboration with the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) consortium.

This new website provides information about CAL-WIDA collaborative activities and provides links to useful information from both organizations. Much of the focus of the website is in the assessment arena, where CAL combines its applied linguistics knowledge, commitment to linguistically diverse students, long and rich experience in language testing, and computerized testing expertise to help WIDA produce exceptional assessments of English language proficiency for national and international use. Browse the new website at http://www.cal.org/wida

Learn more about WIDA at http://www.wida.us

Invitation to Participate in a New Proficiency Assessment for Less Commonly Taught Languages (Field Test)

The American Councils for International Education is inviting language professors and their students to participate in the online field testing of reading and listening comprehension in one of these languages:

• Modern Standard Arabic
• Mandarin Chinese
• Hindi
• Korean
• Tajik Persian
• Portuguese
• Russian
• Swahili
• Turkish
• Urdu

Participant Eligibility
• US-based university undergraduate or graduate (not currently enrolled in a Flagship program)
• Enrolled in second year of college level target language or higher OR Elementary-level proficiency equivalent to Level 1 on the ILR scale OR Intermediate low level or above on the ACTFL scale

Professors will receive acknowledgement on the American Councils website and project-related technical reports, and an honorarium $100 for proctoring the assessment. The first 100 student participants per target language will each receive a $20 Amazon.com e-gift card after assessment completion

Assessment Window
Tests will be scheduled online between September 16, 2013 and October 14, 2013.

Exam Format
The tests will be administered online and will consist of one reading comprehension and one listening sections that may be taken at separate sittings. Each section contains 44 items and will take up to 90 minutes to complete.

Contact
For participation or more information, please contact Ms. Ola Mahmoud, Field Test Coordinator at fieldtesting at americancouncils dot org by July 19, 2013.

Mahmoud, O. [LTEST-L] Invitation to Participate in a New Proficiency Assessment for Less Commonly Taught Languages (Field Test). LTEST-L listserv (LTEST-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU, 21 Jun 2013).

Activities for Speaking in the Classroom

From http://goldlanguage.wikispaces.com

Here is a language teacher’s wonderful list of quite a few activities that you can use in your classroom to get students speaking. The activities are very adaptable to different topics, and the descriptions are clear: http://goldlanguage.wikispaces.com/Speaking+In+The+Classroom

Example Grade 4 English Language Learner Common Core Lesson Plan

Katie Kurjakovic, one of the NYSUT ELL Committee members, designed an ELL/Social Studies Common Core lesson that is featured on the NYSUT Common Core lesson site.

Katie's lesson and the video that explain her lesson can be found at:
http://www.nysut.org/resources/all-listing/2013/may/common-core-grade-4-paul-reveres-ride

The main page for the NYSUT Common Core web page is:
http://www.nysut.org/resources/special-resources-sites/common-core

Pores, M. [nystesol-l] NYSUT Common Core Web Site. NYS TESOL listserv (nystesol-l@yahoogroups.com, 17 Jun 2013).

Book: Innovations in Learning Technologies for English Language Teaching

From http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/publications/innovations-learning-technologies-english-language-teaching

Innovations in learning technologies for English language teaching
Edited by Gary Motteram
Published by Bournemouth English Book Centre

Description: This publication offers a different approach to the uses of learning technologies in the language classroom. It starts by considering the following contexts of language learning: primary, secondary and adult learners, then different specialist areas: Business English, English for Specific Purposes and English for Academic Purposes, and finally the assessment of language using technology. Each chapter embeds a number of real-life case studies into a framework of research. The chapters show some of the development of the field, and a wide range of technologies is covered. As a regular classroom teacher you will be able to find lesson ideas to adapt to your own contexts; as a teacher trainer, there is a useful overview of the current state of the art in each of the contexts and a range of practical examples.

Download a free PDF version at http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/publications/innovations-learning-technologies-english-language-teaching, or visit the publisher’s website to order a copy at https://www.bebc.co.uk/innovations-in-learning-technologies-for-english-language-teaching-paperback/9780863557132

New Series of Song-Based Lessons for English Learners

From http://evasimkesyan.com

English teacher Eva Buyuksimkesyan has started posting a new weekly series of song-based lessons on her blog. Her inaugural lesson is based on “Boat on the River,” by Styx. Access it here: http://evasimkesyan.com/2013/06/19/boat-on-the-river

Project to Research How English is Learned

From http://languagemagazine.com/?p=6584

Project to Research How English is Learned
June 18, 2013

Why do students from certain countries learn English more easily than students in other places? Why do the most effective strategies for teaching English to Russian and Chinese students differ greatly from those used to teach native speakers? Could a better understanding of what influences the mastery of core English skills help educators design more effective ways to teach? EF Education First (EF) and faculty from the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) will attempt to answer questions central to English language acquisition through an examination of language learning methodologies.

Read the full article at http://languagemagazine.com/?p=6584

Riddles, Sayings, and Tongue-Twisters in Spanish

Here is a nice website with collections of riddles (adivinanzas), sayings (dichos), and tongue-twisters (trabalenguas) in Spanish: http://www.bienvenidosaplacitas.com/trabalenguas.html

Free Teaching Materials for Young Children Learning Spanish

The Vecinitos website includes some nice free resources for elementary-age children learning Spanish, including audio books, flashcards, and worksheets. Browse the resources at http://www.vecinitos.org/free-materials

Spanish Immigration Unit Based on Understanding by Design

From http://reflecciones-kj.blogspot.com

Here is a thematic unit called Perspectivas de la Inmigración, by Spanish teacher Kara Jacobs. The unit follow the principles outlined in Understanding by Design, centered around essential questions having to do with immigration.

Read about the unit and access resources that go with it at http://reflecciones-kj.blogspot.com/2013/06/unidad-didactica-perspectivas-de-la.html

Perseus Digital Catalog Released

From http://sites.tufts.edu/perseuscatalog/2013/05/10/release

The Perseus Digital Library is pleased to announce the 1.0 Release of the Perseus Catalog.

The Perseus Catalog is an attempt to provide systematic catalog access to at least one online edition of every major Greek and Latin author (both surviving and fragmentary) from antiquity to 600 CE. Still a work in progress, the catalog currently includes 3,679 individual works (2,522 Greek and 1,247 Latin), with over 11,000 links to online versions of these works (6,419 in Google Books, 5,098 to the Internet Archive, 593 to the Hathi Trust). The Perseus interface now includes links to the Perseus Catalog from the main navigation bar, and also from within the majority of texts in the Greco-Roman collection.

Read more about the release of this new resource at http://sites.tufts.edu/perseuscatalog/2013/05/10/release

The Perseus Catalog is available at http://catalog.perseus.org

Learn more about the Perseus Digital Library at http://casls.uoregon.edu/intercom/site/view-article.php?ArticleID=10512

Online German Course for Advanced Beginners

From http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/was/lrn/all/fer/enindex.htm

The Goethe-Institut is offering a new online group course for advanced beginners from the USA and Canada from July 8 – November 8, 2013. The course will be tutored by the Goethe-Institut Chicago.

The “Online Group Course A2” uses real life situations to provide an authentic context in which to learn the German language. The goal of the program is to further develop the following essential skills needed to communicate: oral and written comprehension, oral and written expression, vocabulary, and grammar. The learning program consists of

 exercises that you complete on your own at your own pace and
 exercises in which you work together with the other course participants in your group.
 virtual classroom sessions with your tutor to discuss the exercises and practice communication skills.

As you progress through the course, your tutors will provide you with regular feedback about your work and will be able to offer you additional exercises to enhance your learning progress. The learning program uses Windows and will not run on a Mac.

For full details go to http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/was/lrn/all/fer/enindex.htm

Exhibition in San Francisco: Italy of the Future

Do your Italian students wonder about job prospects? The exhibition ‘Italy of the Future’ aims to display Italy’s cutting-edge contributions to international cultural, scientific and technological developments, thereby promoting an international understanding of contemporary Italy, emphasizing strategically important facets thereof – such as research, industry and medicine – which have traditionally been less known to the greater public.

The exhibition will take place July 12th to August 23rd at the Italian Cultural Institute San Francisco.

For full details go to http://www.sfyic.org/italy-of-the-future

Chinese Publishing Group Teams Up with Yale in US$5.5m Language Drama

From http://www.asianewsnet.net/Chinese-publishing-group-teams-up-with-Yale-in-US$-47978.html

Chinese publishing group teams up with Yale in US$5.5m language drama
by Cheng Yingq
June 15, 2013

China International Publishing Group and Yale University have launched what they claim is the world's first drama series aimed at helping to teach Mandarin to beginners.

The two sides held a launch event for the new integrated multimedia program, Encounters: Chinese Language and Culture, in Beijing on Friday.

The 20-episode series tells the story of several US citizens during their stay in China, and the stories of their Chinese friends.

Based around the video series, they have created accompanying textbooks for teachers and students, and developed other products, including DVDs, audio and a rap song.

Read the full article at http://www.asianewsnet.net/Chinese-publishing-group-teams-up-with-Yale-in-US$-47978.html
Learn more about the program on the Encounters website: http://encounterschinese.com

Professional Success Stories of Students of Middle Eastern Languages

From http://nmelrc.org

The National Middle East Language Resource Center is collecting success stories of professionals who acquired significant language and cultural proficiency as students and have become outstanding individuals in their field of expertise.

Access Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, and Turkish success stories here: http://nmelrc.org/professional-success-stories-students-middle-eastern-languages

For more resources that encourage student perseverance towards high levels of proficiency, check out NMELRC’s Project Perseverance at http://nmelrc.org/Pathways

Article: Going Global Would Assure Kiswahili’s Eminent Status

From http://www.nation.co.ke/Features/lifestyle/Going-global-would-assure-Kiswahilis-eminent-status/-/1214/1759636/-/vbs6vs/-/index.html

Going global would assure Kiswahili’s eminent status
By KIRIMI MITAMBO
April 28, 2013

In 2004, Kiswahili made history by becoming the first African language to be recognized as an official African Union (AU) language.

The then AU chairman and Mozambique President, Mr. Joaquim Chissano delivered more than a third of his speech in Kiswahili. Spoken by slightly over 120 million people across the world, and with over 150 universities teaching it in USA alone, Kiswahili has proven to be one of the golden languages of Africa whose reach extends both to the West and the East.

Since the 1980s, many popular titles have been translated in an attempt to capture the Kiswahili market. However, the marketing carried out by publishing houses is not enough. Instead, the solution to popularizing these many translated versions will rely heavily on the adoption of an eMarket.

The eMarket provides an unlimited audience forum that if utilized for Kiswahili literary and academic materials would open them up to many eager readers across the globe.

Read the full article at http://www.nation.co.ke/Features/lifestyle/Going-global-would-assure-Kiswahilis-eminent-status/-/1214/1759636/-/vbs6vs/-/index.html

Reviews of Indigenous Language Mobile Apps

Rachael Peterson has put together a list of all of the mobile apps for learning indigenous languages that she could find, along with reviews of her favorites. Read her blog post at http://globalnativenetworks.com/2013/06/18/idecolonize-indigenous-language-learning-mobile-apps

Comanche Nation College Tries to Rescue a Lost Tribal Language

From http://chronicle.com/article/Comanche-Nation-College-Tries/139631

Comanche Nation College Tries to Rescue a Lost Tribal Language
By Katherine Mangan
June 9, 2013

A two-year tribal college in Lawton, Okla., is using technology to reinvigorate the Comanche language before it dies out.

Two faculty members from Comanche Nation College and Texas Tech University worked with tribal elders to create a digital archive of what's left of the language. Only about 25 people nationwide speak Comanche, down from about 15,000 in the late 1800s, they estimate.

The recording project was supported by $198,000 in grants from the Administration for Native Americans, a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Each of three Comanche speakers—all women in their 60s and 70s—was handed a script in English, which she translated into spoken Comanche as the project director recorded her. The resulting 42 modules require students to match the audio of a sentence spoken in Comanche with a corresponding picture or photograph.

For more advanced students, the sentences became more elaborate. A sentence might describe a boy ducking under a fence and running across the prairie to find his older brother fishing and tell him his mother said that supper was ready.

Read the full article at http://chronicle.com/article/Comanche-Nation-College-Tries/139631

Seeing Images of Home Can Make Speaking a Foreign Language More Difficult

From http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2013/06/seeing-pictures-of-home-can-make-it-harder-to-speak-a-foreign-language

Seeing Pictures of Home Can Make It Harder To Speak a Foreign Language
Posted by Joseph Stromberg
June 17, 2013

If you’ve ever attempted to move to a foreign country and learn to speak the local language, you’re aware that successfully doing so is an enormous challenge.

But in our age of widely distributed Wi-Fi hotspots, free Skype video calls from one hemisphere to another and favorite TV shows available anywhere in the world over the web, speaking a foreign language may be more difficult than ever.

That’s because, as new research shows, merely seeing faces and images that you associate with home could make speaking in a foreign tongue more difficult. In a study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from Columbia University and Singapore Management University found that for Chinese students who’d recently moved to the U.S., seeing several different types of China-related visual cues measurably reduced their fluency in English.

Read more: http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2013/06/seeing-pictures-of-home-can-make-it-harder-to-speak-a-foreign-language/#ixzz2WdGSgqOX

Article: Rosetta Stone Is No Replacement for In-Class Learning, Study Finds

From http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/rosetta-stone-is-no-replacement-for-in-class-learning-study-finds/44269

Rosetta Stone Is No Replacement for In-Class Learning, Study Finds
By Sara Grossman
June 19, 2013

Rosetta Stone, the popular commercial language-instruction system, is no replacement for trained teachers and in-class learning, a new study has found. The company that makes the system says it has no interest in replacing teachers, though it has recently made deals with colleges to use its product as a teaching tool.

The study found that the Rosetta Stone “software package is not a viable option for foreign-language learning” because of shaky theoretical foundations, mechanical inflexibility, and “cultural inauthenticity,” among other things. The author of the report, Lisa K. DeWaard, an assistant professor of Spanish and second-language acquisition at Clemson University, also took issue with what she described as misleading marketing claims by the company, Rosetta Stone Ltd.

A representative of Rosetta Stone, however, disputed Ms. DeWaard’s assertions, saying that her findings were based on her personal view of language learning.

“Her conclusions are very much her opinion,” said Jean Ku, director of industry marketing at Rosetta Stone. “We take the immersion approach. It’s very much to get people started in thinking in the language they’re learning. What she’s talking about is a critique of one particular approach.”

Read the full article and the thought-provoking comments at http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/rosetta-stone-is-no-replacement-for-in-class-learning-study-finds/44269

Job: Assistant Professor of Arabic, Carnegie Mellon University

From https://secure.interfolio.com/apply/21745

The Department of Modern Languages at Carnegie Mellon University invites applications for a tenure track position in Arabic beginning in August 2014. Of particular interest are candidates at the rank of assistant professor whose research focuses on one or more of following areas: literary and cultural studies, second language acquisition and literacy, bilingual studies, technology enhanced learning.

Applications should arrive not later than October, 31, 2013.

View the full job posting at https://secure.interfolio.com/apply/21745

Jobs at the Center for Applied Linguistics

The Center for Applied Linguistics advertised several new positions this week. Here are short descriptions and links:

The language Test Development Manager manages all aspects of the development activities of PODER, a Spanish academic language proficiency test for students in grades K through 5.
http://linguistlist.org/issues/24/24-2514.html

The Research Assistant I (PreK-12 ELL Assessment) provides research and development support for project-specific tasks and activities, and is responsible for carrying out project activities as assigned, contributing to the completion of project tasks and deliverables.
http://linguistlist.org/issues/24/24-2515.html

Assist with research and test development for large-scale, computer-delivered Spanish academic language assessment for Spanish language speakers and learners in Kindergarten, first grade and second grade.
http://linguistlist.org/issues/24/24-2516.html

This position involves creating and delivering professional development services (face to face and online) on a variety of topics including sheltered instruction (using the CAL SIOP Model), literacy instruction in English for students learning to read in a second language, and literacy instruction in Spanish for students in transitional, developmental, and dual language bilingual programs. The position also entails assisting the professional development team in enhancing the content of CAL’s professional development materials to work with various types of professionals who teach linguistically and culturally diverse students.
http://linguistlist.org/issues/24/24-2517.html

Develop test items for a large-scale academic English language proficiency assessment for kindergarten and first grade ELLs, with a special focus on innovative computer-based test development.
http://linguistlist.org/issues/24/24-2518.html

2013-2014 Foreign Language Technology Workshops at Colorado University Boulder

The Anderson Language Technology Center (http://altec.colorado.edu ) is planning on re-offering the K12 Language Technology Program next year. We're looking for input on the technologies, tools and pedagogies you would like to learn about in our Saturday workshops. We would also welcome suggestions for local speakers to invite. Just email your suggestions to edwige.simon at Colorado dot edu.

The K-12 Foreign Language Technology Program is a series of Saturday workshops dedicated to technology integration in the secondary foreign language classroom. All workshops are held on the CU Boulder campus (3 in fall, 3 in spring + portfolio intensive in April). You maybe obtain re-certification or graduate credit for attending.

Want to learn more? Check out the program page:
http://altec.colorado.edu/fltp/K12.shtml

Simon, E. [CCFLT] 2013-2014 FL tech workshops at CU Boulder. CCFLT listserv (CCFLT@yahoogroups.com, 17 Jun 2013).

Conference: Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching

From http://pslltconference.com

Fifth Annual Conference: Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching
Iowa State University
Pronunciation in the Language Teaching Curriculum
September 20-21, 2013
Plenary Speaker: Lynda Yates, Macquarie University

Visit the conference website at http://pslltconference.com

Call for Papers: Second International Conference on Heritage/Community Languages

From http://nhlrc.ucla.edu/events/conference/2nd

Second International Conference on Heritage/Community Languages
March 7-8, 2014
Covel Commons @ UCLA

The conference will focus on heritage/community language studies as a multidisciplinary field. The call for proposals seeks proposals for papers, posters, and panels relevant to heritage language studies, from disciplines including:

 anthropology
 demographics
 linguistics
 sociology
 applied linguistics
 policy
 psychology
 bilingualism
 education
 assessment

Submission Deadline: August 31, 2013

View the full call for proposals at http://www.nhlrc.ucla.edu/events/conference/2nd/call-for-proposals.asp

Call for CALICO Book Proposals for 2015

CALICO is now soliciting proposals for the next volume in its series to be published in spring 2015. The volume may be a single-authored monograph or edited volume and may treat any topic related to the field of CALL.

Proposals should include the following information:
1. name of the author(s)/editor(s) with CV or short bio;
2. tentative title;
3. description of how the book will contribute to the discipline;
4. outline of the scope and sequence of the book, including the number of chapters, their titles, and a brief synopsis of each;
5. if an edited volume, description of the procedures for soliciting and refereeing manuscripts for the chapters; and
6. if the book lends itself to multimedia inclusion, please describe what might be incorporated if the book were to be published in an e-book version as opposed to print.

Proposals should be submitted as a Word document attached to an email message sent toec06 at txstate dot edu or info at calico dot org no later than December 1, 2013.

Final decision will be made by the end of February 2014.

Recent volumes in this series:
2006 Calling on CALL: From theory and research to new directions in foreign language teaching, eds. Lara Ducate and Nike Arnold.
2007 Preparing and Developing Technology-proficient L2 Teachers, eds. Margaret Ann Kassen, Roberta Lavine, Kathryn Murphy-Judy, and Martine Peters
2008 Opening Doors through Distance Language Education: Principles, Perspectives, and Practices, eds. Senta Goertler and Paula Winke
2009 Next Generation: Social Networking and Online Collaboration in Foreign Language Teaching, eds. Lara Lomicka and Gillian Lord
2010 CALL in Limited Technology Contexts, ed. Joy Egbert
2011 Present and Future Promises of CALL (2nd edition of 2006), eds. Nike Arnold and Lara Ducate
2012 Technology Across Writing Contexts and Tasks, eds. Greg Kessler, Ana Oskoz, and Idoia Elola
2013 Design-Based Research in CALL, eds. Julio Rodríguez and Cristina Pardo-Ballester

Horn, E. Call for CALICO Book Proposals for 2015. CALICO-L listserv (CALICO-L@LISTSERV.CALICO.ORG, 19 Jun 2013).

Call for Proposals: 43rd Annual National Association for Bilingual Education Conference

From http://www.nabe.org/Conference

Join the National Association for Bilingual Education for its 43rd annual conference, to be held February 13-14, 2014 in San Diego, California. The 42nd annual conference featured more than 2,000 attendees, internationally renowned keynote and featured speakers, more than 200 featured and concurrent sessions, and a major product exhibition and job fair.

Submit proposals by June 30, 2013.

View the full call for proposals at https://www.xcdsystem.com/nabe/abstract/index.cfm?ID=V8D1Ykw

Call for Papers: AATSEEL-Wisconsin Conference

Call for papers for the 2013 AATSEEL-WI Conference

Abstracts for 20-minute papers on any aspect of Slavic literatures and cultures (including film, music, the visual arts, and language pedagogy) are invited for the annual conference of the Wisconsin chapter of AATSEEL (The American Association of Teachers of Slavic and East European Languages).

Comparative topics and interdisciplinary approaches are welcome. The conference will be held at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Friday and Saturday, October 18-19, 2013.

Recent conference programs are posted on the AATSEEL-WI website at
http://slavic.lss.wisc.edu/new_web/?q=node/7

To present a paper at the AATSEEL-WI conference, please submit a proposal by August 31, 2013. A complete proposal consists of:

1. Author's contact information (name, affiliation, postal address, telephone and email).
2. Paper title
3. 300-500 word abstract
4. Equipment request (if necessary)

Please send proposals by email to:
Thomas Tabatowski
tabatowski at wisc dot edu

Please include “AATSEEL-WI” in the subject line of your email. All submissions will be acknowledged.

Tabatowski, T. [SEELANGS] CFP: 2013 AATSEEL-WI Conference. SEELANGS listserv (SEELANGS@LISTSERV.UA.EDU, 21 Jun 2013).

Book: Multilingualism and Language Diversity in Urban Areas

From http://benjamins.com/#catalog/books/hsld.1/main

Multilingualism and Language Diversity in Urban Areas: Acquisition, identities, space, education
Edited by Peter Siemund, Ingrid Gogolin, Monika Edith Schulz and Julia Davydova
Published by the John Benjamins Publishing Company

Description: This state-of-the-art volume provides an interdisciplinary overview of current topics and research foci in the areas of linguistic diversity and migration-induced multilingualism and aims to lay the foundations for interdisciplinary work and the development of a common methodological framework for the field. Linguistic diversity and migration-induced multilingualism are complex, mufti-faceted phenomena that need to be studied from different, complementary perspectives. The volume comprises a total of fourteen contributions from linguistic, educationist, and urban sociological perspectives and highlights the areas of language acquisition, contact and change, multilingual identities, urban spaces, and education. Linguistic diversity can be framed as a result of current processes of migration and globalization. As such the topic of the present volume addresses both a general audience interested in migration and globalization on a more general level, and a more specialized audience interested in the linguistic repercussions of these large-scale societal developments.

Visit the publisher’s website at http://benjamins.com/#catalog/books/hsld.1/main

June 15, 2013

50 Ways To Use Music and Song in the Classroom

From http://community.eflclassroom.com

Here is a list of fifty different ways to use music in your language classroom. Although the examples are specifically for teachers of English, the ideas could be used for teaching any language: http://community.eflclassroom.com/profiles/blogs/50-ways-to-use-music-and-song-in-the-classroom

L.A. Unified Improves English-Learner Outcomes, Superintendent Says

From http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning-the-language/2013/06/la_unified_improves_english-le.html

L.A. Unified Improves English-Learner Outcomes, Superintendent Says
By Lesli A. Maxwell
June 10, 2013

English-learners in Los Angeles Unified posted important academic gains in 2012-13 that Superintendent John Deasy said point to an upward trajectory for a huge group of students that have had a history of languishing in the nation's second largest school system.

In a recent memo written to staff members that was published at LA School Report, Deasy wrote that the district's English-learners increased their proficiency rates on one of the district's English/language arts periodic assessments at a faster clip than all students. As a group, elementary ELLs posted a 13-point gain in ELA proficiency rates, up to 38 percent this year over 25 percent last year, according to the memo.

Read on at http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning-the-language/2013/06/la_unified_improves_english-le.html

Three-Part Series of Articles about Writing for English Language Learners and the Common Core

From http://blog.colorincolorado.org

Diane Staehr Fenner has recently finished a series of three articles about the Common Core State Standards and writing for English language learners. Here they are:

Writing with the Common Core: Considerations for ELLs
http://blog.colorincolorado.org/2013/05/17/writing-with-the-common-core-considerations-for-ells

Culture and Writing for ELLs in the CCSS
http://blog.colorincolorado.org/2013/05/21/culture-and-writing-for-ells-in-the-ccss

Writing “Just Right” Research Questions: Strategies for ELLs
http://blog.colorincolorado.org/2013/06/05/writing-just-right-research-questions-strategies-for-ells

182 Questions to Write or Talk About

Are you looking for writing or conversation prompts for your English language learners? Here are 182 of them, based on content from the New York Times: http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/13/182-questions-to-write-or-talk-about

Recent National Public Radio Feature on Musician Jose-Luis Orozco

From http://www.npr.org

Jose-Luis Orozco: Capturing Kids' Attention In Two Languages
by Mandalit del Barco
June 07, 2013

For the past 42 years, José-Luis Orozco has been entertaining children with songs he sings in English and Spanish. He's passionate about teaching children to be bilingual through music, and he's also written books for kids.

Orozco manages the near-impossible: getting hundreds of small children to pay attention. He entertains them the old-fashioned way — alone, with his guitar, asking them to sing, dance and clap along, and pretend to make hot chocolate with their hands. The kids count and do the ABCs and name the months of the year. They dance the Macarena and imitate farm animals.

Read the full article or listen to the feature at http://www.npr.org/2013/06/07/189254553/jose-luis-orozco-capturing-kids-attention-in-two-languages

Visit José-Luis Orozco’s website at http://joseluisorozco.com

French Summer Camps in New York City

From http://frenchlanguage.frenchculture.org

Summer is the perfect time for kids to continue their French studies outside of the classroom setting. For anyone looking for the perfect French summer camp in New York City, here is a comprehensive list of the many options: http://frenchlanguage.frenchculture.org/news/french-summer-camps-nyc

Free French Films in New York City Parks

From http://frenchculture.org

Films on the Green is a free outdoor French film festival produced annually in New York City parks by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and the City of New York Parks & Recreation. This year’s festival runs on Fridays from June 7 to August 2, with a special screening on September 5. For more details go to http://frenchculture.org/film-tv-and-new-media/festivals/films-green-2013

Chicago Course on the Iliad for Students 18 and Older

From https://www.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/education/sweet-homer-chicago-summer-reading-illiad

Sweet Homer, Chicago: A Summer Reading of the Iliad
July 13-August 24, 2013
National Hellenic Museum, Chicago

Homer’s Iliad has inspired audiences for nearly 3,000 years. This course will provide students with a rigorous, but relaxed opportunity to study this seminal epic through close reading and discussion. Students will better understand the work itself, the culture that produced it, and the Iliad’s role as the “starting point” for all that came after.

For full details go to https://www.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/education/sweet-homer-chicago-summer-reading-illiad

Explore the Ancient World through the Virtual World Project

From http://www.virtualworldproject.org

The Virtual World Project presents interactive virtual tours of the ancient world in order to aid in the teaching and study of antiquity.

The Virtual World Project has three primary goals:
Pedagogical: Provide a resource for scholars and teachers across a variety of disciplines related to the ancient world
Technological: Create interactive virtual tours of the ancient world using the best available computer technologies
Conservational: Provide a visual database of the material remains of the ancient world as they presently exist

The Virtual World Project is an ongoing project that is updated continuously. The primary focus of the project is the Levant. To date, many sites in Israel and Jordan have been photographed and implemented in the project. Sites in Syria are planned in the future. A few sites in Greece and Turkey were the first sites photographed for the project in 2002. These sites are included in the project as Legacy Sites, though the project’s focus is elsewhere.

Visit the Virtual World Project website at http://www.virtualworldproject.org

Host a German Soccer Camp for Students at Your School

Are you interested in hosting a German soccer camp for students between 10 and 18 this summer? Waldsee, the German Language Village of Concordia Language Villages and Auf Ballhöhe, a German youth soccer organization, are cooperating with partner schools across the United States to offer young Americans the opportunity to train and learn with German soccer coaches.

At German Soccer Adventure camps, German coaches will use soccer as a tool of language learning and cross-cultural communication. Kids between the ages of 10 and 18 who speak no German will focus on soccer skills as they begin exploring the German language and the role of soccer in Germany and Europe. Kids with more German knowledge will have the opportunity to apply and perfect their German skills on the soccer field. Participants get a chance to earn a “German Soccer Federation/McDonalds Soccer Badge” and will receive a certificate and insignia upon completion of the program.

Arrangements for German Soccer Adventure 2013

U.S. partner schools are asked to organize the soccer camps, provide appropriate personnel, materials and space for their program, and to integrate the German coaches into their program. They are asked to advertise the program as a partnership with Waldsee/Concordia Language Villages. They are asked to provide the coaches with local accommodation and meals—usually with host families—and local travel to and from the soccer camp location. U.S. partners are asked to document their program's activities and offer a blog during the session featuring participants and their experiences. They are asked to provide documentation of revenues/expenses as evidence of 'in-kind' support to the program. They are asked to designate an appropriate point of contact for the organization.

Waldsee/Concordia Language Villages, together with Auf Ballhöhe, interviews, screens and selects appropriate German coaches to participate in the program, and takes care of all visa issues. Depending on scheduling availability the German coaches have an opportunity for training with Concordia Language Villages, in terms of dealing with American kids, as well as counseling, teaching and safety issues, before coming to a U.S. partner school. Waldsee/Concordia Language Villages can cover travel costs for the coaches, and provides them with a daily stipend during the time they are in the United States. They provide authentic certificates, patches, and Tshirts for participants. The German coaches work with their local partners to put together the soccer adventure camp program.

To learn more about hosting a German soccer camp at your school, contact Dan Hamilton at dhamilton at jhu dot edu.

Pokorny, M. [AATG-L] Host a German soccer camp for students at your school! AATG Discusion Forum (aatg@list.iupui.edu, 10 Jun 2013).

Irish Immersion Week in New York

Daltaí na Gaeilge will hold their week-long Irish Language Immersion Program, from Sunday evening, August 25th through Saturday noon, August 31st, 2013 in Esopus, New York. All are welcome! This year Siún Ní Dhuinn will be with us to instruct the very fluent students. Siún is a lecturer in Modern Irish at University College Dublin, and she is an energetic and engaging teacher. There will be a pre-school program and separate classes for children as well.

General information, directions and a registration form are available at http://daltai.com/shop/products.php?product=Irish-Immersion-Week-%252d-August-25-to-August-31%2C-2013

lernu! Website Dedicated to Esperanto

lernu! is a multilingual website that provides free courses and information on the international language Esperanto. Explore the website at http://en.lernu.net

Hungarian Heritage Focus of Smithsonian Folklife Festival

From http://www.festival.si.edu/2013/Hungarian_Heritage

The Hungarian Heritage: Roots to Revival program at the 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival will highlight the vitality of Hungary’s cultural heritage. It will bring to the National Mall in Washington highly skilled masters and apprentices from rural Central Europe who maintain the traditional knowledge acquired in their native environments. The Festival program will also bring musicians, dancers, and artisans from more urban settings who have revived many of these older traditions to make them part of their daily lives.

The Folklife Festival takes place June 26-30 and July 3-7. Learn more about the Hungarian Heritage program at http://www.festival.si.edu/2013/Hungarian_Heritage

General information about the Folklife Festival is available at http://www.festival.si.edu/visitor/general.aspx

Los Angeles Lecture: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion

From http://www.jflalc.org/ac-lecture10.html

Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion
Lecture by Akiko Fukai, Director and Chief Curator, Kyoto Costume Institute
Moderated by Sharon S. Takeda, Senior Curator and Department Head, Costume and Textiles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Date: Friday, June 28th starts at 7pm
Venue: Goethe-Institut Los Angeles

Tracing thirty years of Japanese fashion, the exhibition Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion is finally arriving in Seattle here in the United States, having made its way through London, Munich, and Tokyo, and Akiko Fukai, its curator, heads to Los Angeles as soon as she ties up its Seattle opening. Join us as we investigate with her the soul of Japanese fashion.

For full details go to http://www.jflalc.org/ac-lecture10.html

Language Immersion Program Pushed for Vietnamese Youth in Orange County

From http://www.voiceofoc.org/oc_central/article_153bcd3c-cd21-11e2-8e02-001a4bcf887a.html

Language Immersion Program Pushed for Vietnamese Youth
By Thy Vo
June 4, 2013

While just a brief visit to Orange County's Little Saigon shows the deep connection the local Vietnamese community maintains with its homeland, there is growing concern that the community may be losing its most important cultural tie — its language.

“They don’t write well, they don’t read well and their pronunciation is Americanized. When they have children, many don’t know any Vietnamese,” said Vy Hoang, a high school math teacher and volunteer instructor at a Saturday Vietnamese school at St. Boniface Church in Anaheim. “We’re losing the language in one or two generations, and for me that’s a concern.”

With this reality as a backdrop, a group of Vietnamese parents and educators are asking the Garden Grove Unified School District to create the state’s first Vietnamese-English dual immersion program as soon as fall 2014.

There are more than 230 two-way immersion programs in California offered in languages such as Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and German. So far, the only programs offered in Orange County are in Spanish and Mandarin, with a Korean charter school set to open in the fall.

While the proposal is still in the early stages, the district has so far agreed to hire a consultant to study the feasibility and cost of such a program.

Read the full article at http://www.voiceofoc.org/oc_central/article_153bcd3c-cd21-11e2-8e02-001a4bcf887a.html

Jobs: District of Columbia Public Schools Seeking World Language Teachers

From http://flnews.cortland.edu/UseBB/topic.php?post=2754#post2754

We are looking for highly motivated and skilled talent to join our team at the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). We seek individuals who are passionate about transforming and improving educational outcomes for our students.

In DCPS, 4,000 teachers serve the needs of 46,000 students across 110 schools. As part of a comprehensive reform effort to become the best urban school system in America, DCPS intends to have the highest-performing, best paid, most satisfied, and most honored educator force in the nation whose work drives significant achievement gains for DCPS students.

We are actively looking for World Languages teachers for the following languages: Spanish, French, and Chinese.

View the full job posting at http://flnews.cortland.edu/UseBB/topic.php?post=2754#post2754

Deutsche Woche 2013

From https://sites.google.com/site/aatgmainechapter/home/deutsche-woche

Deutsche Woche 2013
This year's course will again be hosted by College of the Atlantic in beautiful Bar Harbor. The dates are August 4-10. The theme this year is Switzerland and Austria and we have invited guest lecturer Karin Baumgartner from the University of Utah. Graduate credits, lodging, food and fantastic company all for just under $1000. Preregistration ends July 1st.

For more details go to https://sites.google.com/site/aatgmainechapter/home/deutsche-woche

Workshop: Best Practices Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language

From http://www.utexas.edu/cola/progs/uteach/events/arabic-curriculum-workshop.php

Arabic Curriculum Workshop
Best Practices Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language
Using Thematic & Standards-Based Arabic Curriculum and Instructional Materials
Dr. Wafa Hassan, Arabic Flagship Program
August 12 & 13,
Hendrickson High School
Pflugerville, TX

This two-day workshop will discuss best practices teaching Arabic as a foreign language that include:

 Incorporating a thematic-based standards curriculum.
 Keeping all students engaged through learner-centered activities.
 Optimal use of Arabic in the classroom.
 Performance based assessment.

Teachers will receive FREE:

 A full curriculum of units and instructional materials, consisting of 32 thematic topics aligned with world language programs and developed with ACTFL proficiency guidelines in mind.
 A teacher’s guide to the objectives and activities for all units, ready for immediate use in their classrooms. These engaging, active learning activities support all skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and culture.
 Access to digital language drills that are aligned with the 32 topics and which students can access independently on their smart phones, computers, or iPads.

The presenter will provide examples of pedagogical strategies and performance assessment that ensure best practices in implementing the curriculum units. In this interactive workshop there will be ample time for exchanging ideas, asking questions, and sharing among all participants.

Limited to 30 participants; learn more and apply at http://www.utexas.edu/cola/progs/uteach/events/arabic-curriculum-workshop.php

Participate in the ACTFL Mentor Program

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages announces the 2013-2014 Mentor Program; designed to help early career language teachers succeed in their current assignments and learn the skills to be successful long-term in their careers. The mentoring will be conducted virtually. Mentors and mentees will be matched by needs, skills, and experiences.

 Mentees who successfully complete the program can earn 2 CEUs through George Mason University!
 Mentors will be entered into a raffle for a 1 year of free ACTFL Membership!

To be considered as a mentee you must be a new teacher within your first 5 years of teaching, to be considered as a mentor you must have completed at least 3 years of teaching. The program will run from September 2013 through May 2014. If you are considering participating, please read the Program Guidelines at http://www.actfl.org/professional-development/career-resources/mentoring-program . Applications must be submitted by August 19, 2013. For more information, contact Jaime Bernstein at jbernstein at actfl dot org.

Upcoming Professional Development Institutes from the Center for Applied Linguistics

From http://www.cal.org/solutions/institutes

Here are some upcoming professional development institutes from the Center for Applied Linguistics:

Hot Topics in ELL Education
June 24-26, 2013
http://www.cal.org/solutions/institutes/ht.html

Research-Based Vocabulary Instruction for English Learners -- Grades K-12
July 12, 2013
http://www.cal.org/solutions/institutes/vocabulary.html

What’s Different about Teaching Reading to Students Learning English? -- Direct Strategies
August 6-8, 2013
http://www.cal.org/solutions/institutes/wd/ds.html

Conference: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Multilingualism

Conference: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Multilingualism

University of Calgary

From http://www.ucalgary.ca/iam2013

Interdisciplinary Approaches to Multilingualism
The International Conference
August 15-17, 2013
Calgary, Alberta

This first-of-its-kind conference seeks to bring together innovative, cutting-edge research and practice around multilingualism in three key areas:

 second language pedagogy & literacy development
 adult second language acquisition, and
 developmental psycholinguistics

By creating a space where policy-makers, researchers, administrators, educators, and graduate students can engage in dialogue in these areas, we hope to spark the fire that will lead to participants to become agents of change in their respective areas.
In addition to the International Conference (August 15 -17, 2013), there will be additional opportunities for engagement:

 Pre-Conference with invited speakers (August 15, 2013)
 Post-Conference publications, multimedia online toolkit, Wikis, and other media/resources

Learn more and register at the conference website: http://www.ucalgary.ca/iam2013

Midwest Association of Language Testers Annual Conference

From http://sls.msu.edu/mwalt2013

The fifteenth annual MwALT conference will be held Saturday, September 21st, 2013 at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan.

This year's theme is "Authentic Materials, Authentic Tasks, and Authentic Assessments."

Learn more and register at the conference website: http://sls.msu.edu/mwalt2013

Indiana Foreign Language Teachers Association Creative Project Contest

From http://www.iflta.org/creativeproject/index.html

The "Creative Project Contest" allows world language instructors to showcase projects that support language learning. You may submit projects created by your student(s), projects that you created independently, or projects that you created in collaboration with multiple partners (other teachers or community groups, for example).

Projects must be brought to the judging area on October 18, 2013, during the fall IFLTA conference.

For more details about this contest go to http://www.iflta.org/creativeproject/index.html
For full details on the fall IFLTA conference go to http://www.iflta.org/conference/index.html

Call for Papers: Council on Thai Studies

Call for Papers
Council on Thai Studies
October 18-19, 2013
Northern Illinois University

The Council on Thai Studies (COTS) is an informal organization of scholars interested in all aspects of Thai studies. COTS annually provides scholars with a venue for reporting preliminary findings, opportunities to receive prepublication feedback and a forum to discuss field and archive challenges. Please consider giving a paper or gathering a small group for a roundtable discussion or panel. Graduate students are always encouraged to submit papers. Individual topics or groupings of papers are also welcome. An effort will be made to group individual papers into panel sessions around a common theme, issue, methodology or discipline. Each person will have a maximum of 15 minutes for an oral presentation and should be prepared to field questions after the talk. Since the agendas of COTS meetings have grown over the past several years, we will try to adhere to these time limits. Scholars are free to distribute copies of their papers.

Traditionally, COTS has subsisted without collecting registration fees. We have depended on the goodwill of our institutions and the generosity of the Thai government. If you are inclined to donate to Thai Studies at Northern Illinois University, however, we will not refuse your gift.

Deadline for abstracts: July 1, 2013

Please send brief abstracts (including contact information and institutional affiliation) to Grant Olson: golson at niu dot edu

Acceptance of paper proposals, information regarding scheduling of panels and assignment of panel moderators and discussants will be sent via email.

Please note, our COTS committee will be making a limited number of subsidies available to graduate students planning on attending COTS. If you are planning on attending and presenting a paper related to your dissertation work, please send us a one-page proposal. Include your institutional affiliation, travel plans and an abstract and title for your presentation. We will offer as many $200 - $300 subsidies as possible. (Students must be traveling from outside the Chicago area.)

A block of rooms will be held at the Holmes Student Center at Northern Illinois University for conference participants to make their own reservations (815-753-1444). These rooms will be held until September 27; please visit http://www.niu.edu/hsc/hotelinfo/index.shtml

Please contact Julia Lamb, Center for SE Asian Studies, concerning logistical questions: jlamb at niu dot edu

[CSEAS-SOCAL] Southeast Asia Announcements 6/7/13. CSEAS-SOCAL listserv (CSEAS-SOCAL@NEWLISTS.SSCNET.UCLA.EDU, 7 Jun 2013).

Call for Papers: 12th International Conference on Thai Studies

From http://sydney.edu.au/southeast-asia-centre/thai-studies-2014/index.shtml

The 12th International Conference on Thai Studies (ICTS12) will be held at the University of Sydney, Australia, over three days 22-24 April 2014. The conference is held every three years, hosted alternately by Thai universities and universities outside of Thailand where there is an interest in Thai studies.

Presentations to the conference will cover a wide range of areas of study: the humanities; the social sciences including economic, social and political disciplines; developments in medicine, science and technology; the fine arts, design and architecture; education; environment. This is not an exhaustive list.

The overall theme of the conference is Thailand in the World. The conference organizers particularly encourage the offer of contributions on various sub-themes:

 the global spread of Thai culture: pan- Tai-ism
 the Thai diaspora especially in Europe, North America and Australasia
 the world in Thailand: the expatriate impact on Thailand; institutional change from outside
 Thailand in the coming Southeast Asian economic, social, strategic and cultural communities
 Thailand’s geo-political setting, with special reference to Myanmar, China and the Greater Mekong Sub-region
 Thailand within international communities of education, medicine and scientific and technological research.

Intending participants should not feel bound by this list of possible sub-themes, however, and should feel free to suggest other possibilities and to outline their corresponding offers.

Abstracts of papers due by 1 September 2013.

View the full call for panels and papers at http://sydney.edu.au/southeast-asia-centre/thai-studies-2014/call-for-panels-papers.shtml

Call for Papers: Fourth International Conference on the Development and Assessment of Intercultural Competence

2014 Intercultural Competence Conference
Submission Deadline: 6/17/13
Last week to submit your paper, symposium, workshop and/or poster proposals!

Organized by the Center for Educational Resources in Culture, Language and Literacy (CERCLL), the fourth international conference on the development and assessment of intercultural competence aims to bring researchers and practitioners across languages, levels, and settings to discuss and share research, theory, and best practices; to foster meaningful professional dialogue; and to enhance teacher effectiveness in teaching for intercultural competence in and beyond the classroom in order to support all students' development of intercultural competence.

CERCLL invites proposals for individual papers, symposia, posters, and workshops (half-day/full-day) with preference given to topics related to the conference theme of Preparing and Supporting Language Teachers to Teach for Intercultural Competence in and beyond the Classroom. Priority will be given to proposals addressing one of the strands below:

 Teacher pre- and in-service education
 Professional development
 Curriculum development
 Instructional approaches
 Materials development
 Study / Residency abroad
 Telecollaboration
 Assessment and evaluation

The conference takes place January 23-26, 2014, in Tucson, Arizona.

View the full call for proposals at http://cercll.arizona.edu/development/conferences/2014_icc

Book: Emotions from a Bilingual Point of View

From http://www.c-s-p.org/Flyers/Emotions-from-a-Bilingual-Point-of-View--Personality-and-Emotional-Intelligence-in-Relation-to-Perce1-4438-4532-9.htm

Emotions from a Bilingual Point of View: Personality and Emotional Intelligence in Relation to Perception and Expression of Emotions in the L1 and L2
By Katarzyna Ożańska-Ponikwia
Published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Description: This book explores the relationship between immersion in a foreign language and its culture, and perception and expression of emotions in both the first and a foreign language. It looks at the perception and expression of emotions from different angles, including personality traits and emotional intelligence as important variables that might have an influence not only on one’s ability to perceive and express emotions in a foreign language, but also on self-perceived L2 proficiency in that language. It is the first study, to the best of our knowledge, that investigates such notions as personality, sociocultural competence, and emotional intelligence, as well as perception and expression of emotions in the L1 (Polish) and L2 (English), in relation to the immigrant context by using both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The book will be of considerable interest to both students and scholars in the fields of second language acquisition, bilingualism, and applied linguistics.

Visit the publisher’s website at http://www.c-s-p.org/Flyers/Emotions-from-a-Bilingual-Point-of-View--Personality-and-Emotional-Intelligence-in-Relation-to-Perce1-4438-4532-9.htm

Book: Foreign Accent: The Phenomenon of Non-native Speech

From http://www.cambridge.org/us/knowledge/isbn/item7087123/?site_locale=en_US

Foreign Accent: The Phenomenon of Non-native Speech
By Alene Moyer
Published by Cambridge University Press

Description: To what extent do our accents determine the way we are perceived by others? Is foreign accent inevitably associated with social stigma? Accent is a matter of great public interest given the impact of migration on national and global affairs, but until now, applied linguistics research has treated accent largely as a theoretical puzzle. In this fascinating account, Alene Moyer examines the social, psychological, educational and legal ramifications of sounding 'foreign'. She explores how accent operates contextually through analysis of issues such as: the neuro-cognitive constraints on phonological acquisition, individual factors that contribute to the 'intractability' of accent, foreign accent as a criterion for workplace discrimination, and the efficacy of instruction for improving pronunciation. This holistic treatment of second language accent is an essential resource for graduate students and researchers interested in applied linguistics, bilingualism and foreign language education.

Visit the publisher’s website at http://www.cambridge.org/us/knowledge/isbn/item7087123/?site_locale=en_US

June 8, 2013

Indiana Foreign Language Teachers Association Poster Contest

From http://www.iflta.org/postercontest

IFLTA Student Poster Contest
Theme: Fuel their Future with Languages
Entry deadline: September 16, 2013
Divisions: elementary, middle school, high school

Prizes:
1st place in each division $ 75.00
2nd place in each division $ 50.00
3rd place in each division $ 35.00

For more information go to http://www.iflta.org/postercontest

Blog Post: Digital Storytelling for Younger and Older Learners

Why is storytelling an effective practice with language learners? What does digital storytelling look like with young learners? With adult learners? What are some tools you can use? Find out and get inspired in this blog post: http://marisaconstantinides.edublogs.org/2013/05/29/digital-storytelling-for-younger-older-learners/#.UapDOutAuVU

Best Free Online Language-specific Monolingual and Bilingual Dictionaries

What online language dictionaries does hyperpolyglot Benny Lewis find most useful? Read a language-by-language breakdown of his top picks at http://www.fluentin3months.com/free-dictionaries

Activity Idea: Trash or Treasure?

From http://changing-phase.blogspot.co.uk

Language teachers use a variety of sorting tasks with their students, as they allow students to demonstrate comprehension even if their production is at a low level. Here is a variation on the idea: http://changing-phase.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/trash-or-treasure.html

Capitalize on Cognates for English Language Learning

From http://www.ascd.org/publications/newsletters/education-update/may13/vol55/num05/In-the-Classroom-with-Liliana-Aguas@-Capitalize-on-Cognates.aspx

In the Classroom with Liliana Aguas: Capitalize on Cognates
Liliana Aguas
May 2013

In school, as an English language learner struggling to read in English, I discovered that many of the "tricky" words that puzzled me reminded me of words I already knew in Spanish. This was especially true when I read my science and math textbooks: I recognized the words pyramid (pirámide) and asteroids (asteroides). When I realized how many words I actually knew and understood even while reading English, I thought that I had some kind of "magical power." In fact, it felt like I was getting away with something, so I never told any of my teachers about my useful reading strategy.

To this day, I still use this strategy and credit this magical power as part of my decision to major in science in college. What I didn't know back in elementary school was that my magical power has a name and involves the recognition and use of cognates. Cognates are words that mean the same in English and Spanish and are often pronounced and spelled in a similar way. In fact, 30–40 percent of all words in English have a similar word in Spanish. As teachers, we can take advantage of the similarities between languages and capitalize on cognates.

Read on for Ms. Aguas’ top four classroom activities for teaching and reinforcing cognates: http://www.ascd.org/publications/newsletters/education-update/may13/vol55/num05/In-the-Classroom-with-Liliana-Aguas@-Capitalize-on-Cognates.aspx

22frames Aggregates Captioned Videos

From http://www.22frames.com/aboutus.aspx

The web offers a world of quality videos for our enjoyment and enlightenment. Captioned and subtitled videos, in particular, can be especially helpful in different ways for a large population of Internet users. A problem, however, is that such videos are generally scattered and/or mixed with all other videos across the Internet. Up until now, there was no central place to easily and reliably search for and discover such videos across multiple video hosts. 22frames was built, in part, to provide such a place. In turn, an additionally important goal is to drive significant traffic to caption/subtitle friendly video hosts and creators.

Besides providing a search interface, there are quite a few things we can do with an index of captioned videos. It turns out that watching captioned videos provides a way to learn phrases of a language by seeing real world scenarios.

Read a review of this resource by Richard Byrne with special reference to how EFL/ESL teachers can use it: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/05/22-frames-news-videos-for-esl-students.html#.UapHa-tAuVU

22frames is available at http://www.22frames.com