November 24, 2013

How To Find and Use Tweets as Reading Material

From http://martinabex.com

Here are instructions for finding, selecting, copying, and using tweets as authentic reading material in a language classroom: http://martinabex.com/2013/11/14/how-to-use-tweets-as-authentic-reading-material

The instructions are appropriate for people who are brand new to Twitter.

Wiktionary: Crowd-sourced Dictionaries in Many Languages

From http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktionary:Main_Page

Wiktionary is a collaborative project to produce a free-content multilingual dictionary in many languages. The project has grown beyond a standard dictionary and now includes a thesaurus, a rhyme guide, phrase books, language statistics and extensive appendices.

You can choose among quite a few languages for the interface, and within one language (such as English) you can search for a word in many languages. The word will be defined in the language that you have chosen as an interface.

Wiktionary is available at http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktionary:Main_Page

Gratitude Activities for the Classroom

Just in time for Thanksgiving, here is a collection of activities centered around gratitude that you can adapt for a class studying any language: http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/gratitude_activities_for_the_classroom

New Map of the US Shows Our Global Connections

From http://mappingthenation.net/about.html

Mapping the Nation is a new interactive map that pulls together demographic, economic, and education indicators—nearly one million data points—to show that the United States is a truly global nation. Data includes such information as the number of people born in another country, the number of people who work at import and export companies, and the number of students working to learn a foreign language.

Access the map at http://mappingthenation.net/map.html
Read an article about the map at http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2022288294_maplinksxml.html

How Monolingual Teachers Can Support Young Dual-Language Learners

From http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning-the-language/2013/11/how_monolingual_teachers_can_s.html

How Monolingual Teachers Can Support Young Dual-Language Learners
By Lesli A. Maxwell
November 22, 2013

There's an accruing pile of evidence that teaching in English and a child's home language in the preschool and early elementary years is best for young dual-language learners, both for academic achievement and for English proficiency later in their school careers.

But consider that dual-language learners now represent nearly one-third of all children under the age of 6 in the United States. And consider that the vast ranks of early-childhood teachers are monolingual English speakers.

What can be done about that mismatch between demand and supply?

A new report from early-childhood and dual-language expert Linda Espinosa tackles that challenge head on with a slew of practices that any teacher can use to support the development of students' home languages and English. The report—published by the Migration Policy Institute—also profiles the young dual-language-learner population in the United States, many of whom are the children of at least one immigrant parent.

Espinosa outlines a number of teaching practices that monolingual educators can use. Among them:

• Using parents and community volunteers who speak the home languages in their classrooms;

• Providing books and materials in the home languages;

• Working with parents so that they can build concept knowledge on various topics in the home language before children are exposed to them in English.

Go to http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning-the-language/2013/11/how_monolingual_teachers_can_s.html to access a link to the report.

Free Resources from Miraflores

From http://www.miraflores.org

Miraflores publishes cultural materials. In addition to their items for sale, their website also offers some free resources: thematically-organized photos dealing with the culture of Spanish-speaking places, an online art gallery, and units about the Aztecs and the Camino de Santiago. Explore the free resources by going to http://www.miraflores.org and looking for “Free Resources” and “More Free Resources” in the menu bar near the top of the page.

Thanksgiving Activities for Spanish Classes

FLTEACH listserv users are sharing their ideas for activities that can be done in a Spanish class. Go to http://listserv.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind1311&L=FLTEACH&P=R30339 for the first message in the thread, and then click on Next in Topic to read the responses.

Dr. Who Week on Zambombazo

Are you a Spanish teacher who likes to use authentic materials and who also is or has students who are Dr. Who fans? You’re in luck, because this week is Semana Whovian on the Zambombazo website. Go here to see all of the activities and resources tagged with “Doctor Who”: http://zachary-jones.com/zambombazo/tag/doctor-who

15 Driving Questions for Novice Spanish

Are you looking for driving, essential, or guiding questions as you create your curriculum? Finding questions that are appropriate for beginners is a challenge. Here is a nice blog post discussion some of the challenges and suggesting some culturally relevant driving questions for your beginning Spanish students: http://sraspanglish.blogspot.com/2013/11/15-driving-questions-for-novice-spanish.html

French Civilization and Society Links

On this French-language metasite you will find a large collection of links to resources dealing with French civilization and society: http://platea.pntic.mec.es/cvera/ressources/recurfr12.htm

Ancient Graffiti Project

From http://ancientgraffiti.wlu.edu

The Ancient Graffiti Project is a website that provides a search engine for locating and studying graffiti of the early Roman empire from the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

The search engine allows three different types of searches:
 You can search for graffiti by location, selecting either the pull-down menu, or by clicking on the map, or
 You can search specifically for graffiti drawings by choosing the class of drawing that interests you, or
 You can search for a specific word or phrase and find where it occurs within the ancient city.

Explore this resource at http://ancientgraffiti.wlu.edu

Latin Reading Classes Now Available Via the Web from CSULB

From http://apaclassics.org/apa-blog/latin-reading-classes-now-available-web-csulb

California State University Long Beach’s Classics program would like to announce that we are making our upper division Latin reading classes available to students via the web. These are not “online” classes; they are classes conducted with students in real time. People who are interested in joining our classes would attend class sessions virtually through a web interface, and thus anyone who wants to participate would have to be online during the specific class time.

For Spring semester 2014, we are offering two reading courses, Cicero and Caesar. The semester begins on Tuesday, January 21, and concludes on Friday, May 23, with Spring Break during the week of March 21. Each class meets three hours per week and earns a student 3 semester units. The prerequisite for each class is intermediate Latin; i.e., students will be expected to have facility with noun and verb morphology and an introductory knowledge of Latin grammatical constructions.

For more details and instructors’ contact information go to http://apaclassics.org/apa-blog/latin-reading-classes-now-available-web-csulb

Classics Day Is December 6th in Boston

From http://www.massjcl.org/classics_day.html

The Massachusetts Junior Classical League (MassJCL) is organizing Classics Day, to be held December 6th at the George Sherman Union, Boston University. For more details about this event as well as registration information, go to http://www.massjcl.org/classics_day.html

Catholic Church Resumes Publication of Latinitas

From http://www.news.va/en/news/presentation-of-the-new-journal-latinitas

On November 8 a press conference was held in the Holy See Press Office to present the first issue of the new series of the journal “Latinitas,” published by the Pontifical Academy Latinitas, instituted by Pope Benedict XVI in November 2012.

The first issue will include an article responding to the questions, “Latin for whom? Why Latin?” by the new director Ivano Dionigi, following an epigraph dedicated to Pope Francis.

The journal is divided into three sections: scientific (“Historica et philologica”); “Humaniora”, dedicated to contemporary literature in Latin, and “Ars docendi”, which considers didactic issues related to classical languages and cultures, ranging from antiquity to the present day.

The volume is completed by an appendix in Latin with “Breves de Academiae vita notitiae”, a brief summary of the main activities of the academy, the “Argumenta” or abstracts of the contributions to the journal in accordance with current international norms for scientific publications, and a useful “Index universus”. The new “Latinitas” will publish articles in Latin and, for the first time, in Italian and other languages.

View the press release at http://www.news.va/en/news/presentation-of-the-new-journal-latinitas

Latin Immersion: Rusticationes 2014

From http://latin.org/programs/rusticatio

Rusticatio is a full-immersion Latin workshop offering high-energy conversation exercises and readings from Latin literature. In a supportive, intimidation-free environment, Rusticatio participants live together for seven days while they speak, read, write, cook and relax—all while communicating entirely in Latin. Through a variety of exchanges, including instructional sessions, a common kitchen, daily shared tasks, down-time, and excellent food. Rusticatio participants enjoy a feeling of camaraderie while they experience first-hand various teaching methods that are directly applicable to teaching Latin in the classroom.

Program Dates:
 Week 1: July 2–9, 2014
 Week 2: July 17–24, 2014

Location: Claymont Estate, Delaware

For full details go to http://latin.org/programs/rusticatio

Educational German Internet Sites

Here is an annotated list of “Die 55 besten Internetseiten für Kinder und Eltern”: http://www.computerbild.de/fotos/Die-55-besten-Internetseiten-fuer-Kinder-und-Eltern-3108415.html

2013-2014 Carnival Season Kicks Off in Germany

From http://www.germany.info

Carnival season has begun in Germany. Here is an article and photos explaining this tradition: http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/bg/GIC/Carnival2013.html

NEH Summer Seminar for School Teachers in Berlin, Germany

From https://www2.lawrence.edu/fast/petersob/NEH

Five-Week-Long NEH Summer Seminar for School Teachers in Berlin, Germany
June 22-July 25, 2014
Migration and German Culture: Berlin's Cultural Diversity Across Two Centuries

The premise behind this seminar is that Berlin (and, for that matter, Germany) is not now and has never been a city composed exclusively of ethnic Germans. In other words, Germany does not correspond to the stereotype that might still exist among your prospective students and their parents. In fact, in ways that Germans themselves are sometimes reluctant to admit, German-speaking central Europe has long been home to French Huguenots, Poles, Western- and Eastern-European Jews, as well as more recent migrants from Italy, the former Yugoslavia, Russia and Turkey, to mention but a few examples of Berlin's cosmopolitan heritage. If we think of Berlin not just as Germany’s capital city, but also as its cosmopolitan capital, we would take into account both the rich cultural life of this multi-national city and the multi-faceted human capital that enabled the growth and development of the German economy.

These projects are designed principally for full-time and part-time classroom teachers and
librarians in public, charter, independent, and religiously affiliated schools, as well as homeschooling parents. Other K-12 school personnel, including administrators, substitute teachers, and classroom professionals, are also eligible to participate.

Applications are due March 4, 2014.

For full details go to https://www2.lawrence.edu/fast/petersob/NEH

Study Abroad Opportunity for Russian Teachers

APPLY FOR A STUDY-ABROAD OPPORTUNITY FOR TEACHERS OF RUSSIAN
(Travel in summer 2014: June 6th – July 3rd )
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT APPLICATION: DECEMBER 1, 2013
Russian Teachers for the 21st Century: Maximizing Teaching Effectiveness by Immersing into Language, Culture and Standard-Based Teaching

The main goal of our project is to provide intensive professional development to current and emerging U.S. teachers of Russian Language from multiple institutions across the country at the K-12 and college level. The corresponding objectives are: (1) to improve their language proficiency as well as their expertise with standard-based teaching and testing used in the U.S. and Russia, and (2) to immerse them into contemporary Russian life.

A group of 12 educators will travel to Moscow, Russia for four weeks to participate in intensive workshops focused on language training (43 hours), tester training (43 hours) and culture (60 hours). Based on each participant’s tested language level, each member will be placed into one of two groups (Intensive Language Learning or TORFL Tester Training). Additionally, an extensive online pre-departure training seminar (20 hours) will help participants leverage the program in Russia. Also, follow-up webinars and a final online conference (6 hours) after they return from Russian will guide participants in transforming their experiences into multimedia teaching materials. The culture module of our program includes various unique features to maximize the participants’ professional development (Lectures delivered by professionals from various geographical regions in Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhniy Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Tyumen, Omsk and Vladivostok) to provide an in-depth look into contemporary Russia; cultural visits, individual culture projects).

The program will cover the following expenses: travel to and from Moscow, lodging, tuition, culture tour fees, fees for visa invitations, foreign registration fee, fees for certification, and partial per diem for meal and transportation expenses.

The participants will cover the following expenses: visa fees, program fee of $220 (non-refundable) and due to uncertainties involving travel in Russia, participants will be asked to pay a $500 Refundable Emergency Fee to cover unexpected costs such emergency departures, flight changes, property damage to the dorm room, etc.

Eligibility to apply:
- A citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States.
- Currently employed full-time in a U.S. school system or institution of higher education as a teacher of faculty member in Russian OR currently studying full-time at a U.S. institution of higher education to become a Russian teacher.

Application materials: For the first round of selection, please submit 1) your current CV and 2) a statement of purpose (in Russian, 1 page maximum, focus on why you need this professional development opportunity) to Program Director Dr. Irina Kostina at irina-kostina at uiowa dot edu

Kostina, I. [SEELANGS] Summer Opportunity for teachers of Russian, Deadline - December 1, 2013. SEELANGS listserv (SEELANGS@LISTSERV.UA.EDU, 24 Nov 2013).

Grants from the Institute of Turkish Studies

From http://turkishstudies.org/grants/grants_competition.shtml

The Institute of Turkish Studies (ITS) is pleased to announce its 2014-2015 grant competition in the field of Turkish Studies. The grant opportunities are available only for United States citizens (or those who have acquired permanent resident status in the U.S.) who are currently affiliated with a university in the U.S. The institutional grants are available only for educational institutions located in the United States.

Application deadlines are all due by March 7, 2014.

See a list of the available grants at http://turkishstudies.org/grants/grants_competition.shtml

Apply Now for Funding for a South Asia Summer Language Institute

Apply for FLAS funding to learn a South Asian language this summer!

The South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI) based at the University of Wisconsin – Madison is offering intensive summer courses in the following South Asian languages: Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi, Pashto, Sanskrit, Sinhala, Tamil, Telugu, Tibetan, and Urdu. Applications for Summer 2014 are now being accepted.

FLAS (Foreign Language Area Studies) Fellowships are available for qualified candidates. Please visit this website for more information and the FLAS application: http://sasli.wisc.edu/funding.html

Information on how to apply to SASLI can be found here: http://sasli.wisc.edu/apply.html
Any questions can be addressed to Anne Naparstek, by phone at (608) 261-1194 or by e-mail at sasli at southasia dot wisc dot edu

[LCTL-T] Fwd: SASLI FLAS Funding Application Now Online. LCTL-T listserv (LCTL-T@LISTS.UMN.EDU, 22 Nov 2013).

Language for Specific Purposes Summer Institute

From https://sites.google.com/a/hawaii.edu/lsp-summer-institute/home

Language for Specific Purposes Summer Institute
July 7-11, 2014 • University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

Language for specific purposes (LSP) courses and programs focus on developing learner communicative competence in a particular professional or academic field (e.g., Korean for business, Japanese for health care providers, etc.).

This summer institute will provide accepted participants with training and experience in developing LSP courses (including doing needs analysis, setting goals and objectives, assessing, developing materials, teaching, and evaluating LSP) for their home institution. Participants are expected to develop some aspect of a real LSP course as part of this institute. Selected projects will be published by the NFLRC as a Network (available online for teachers around the world).

The institute will be held at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa in Honolulu, Hawai‘i and is co-sponsored by the UHM National Foreign Language Resource Center (NFLRC) and the National Resource Center - East Asia (NRCEA). Partial travel funding is available for eligible accepted applicants.

The application deadline is March 31, 2014.

Go to https://sites.google.com/a/hawaii.edu/lsp-summer-institute/home for relevant links.

13th Annual Southwest Graduate Conference in Middle Eastern and North African Studies

From http://menas.arizona.edu/mena-conference

The Middle East and North Africa Graduate Student Organization (MENA), the Center for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES), and the School of Middle Eastern and North African Studies (MENAS) at the University of Arizona cordially invite you to participate in the 13th Annual Southwest Graduate Conference in Middle Eastern and North African Studies to be held from Wednesday, April 3, 2013 to Friday, April 5, 2013 in Tucson, Arizona.

Paper abstract submissions are due Thursday, December 13, 2012 for international students and Thursday, January 17, 2012 for domestic students.

View the full call for papers at http://menas.arizona.edu/mena-conference

Book: Exploring Intercultural Communication

From http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415585514

Exploring Intercultural Communication
By Zhu Hua
Published by Routledge

Exploring Intercultural Communication investigates the role of language in intercultural communication, paying particular attention to the interplay between cultural diversity and language practice.

This book brings together current or emerging strands and themes in the field by examining how intercultural communication permeates our everyday life, what we can do to achieve effective and appropriate intercultural communication, and why we study language, culture and identity together. The focus is on interactions between people from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and regards intercultural communication as a process of negotiating meaning, cultural identities, and – above all – differences between ourselves and others.

Including global examples from a range of genres, this book is an essential read for students taking language and intercultural communication modules within Applied Linguistics, TESOL, Education or Communication Studies courses.

Visit the publisher’s website at http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415585514

Book: Exploring Language Pedagogy through Second Language Acquisition Research

From http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415519731

This book takes problematic issues in language pedagogy as its starting points. These are then examined in terms of second language acquisition. Each chapter begins with a look at the pedagogical proposals found in teacher guides and then asks ‘Do these proposals accord with what we know about how languages are acquired?’ Pedagogical topics covered include teaching methods, syllabus design, explicit instruction, comprehension versus production-based instruction, task-based instruction, authentic materials, the role of the learners’ first language in the classroom, error correction and catering for individual differences.

Including a glossary of key terms and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter, and assuming no prior knowledge of second language acquisition, this is the ideal text for all students studying language teaching methods, language teacher education, English teaching methodology and second language acquisition modules in advanced undergraduate and postgraduate/graduate TESOL and Applied Linguistics courses.

Visit the publisher’s website at http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415519731

Book: Enhancing self-directed Vocabulary Learning: Research and Practice

From http://www.peterlang.com/index.cfm?event=cmp.ccc.seitenstruktur.detailseiten&seitentyp=produkt&pk=68758&concordeid=431216

Enhancing self-directed Vocabulary Learning: Research and Practice
By Jing Wu
Published by Peter Lang

Vocabulary usually presents one of the biggest challenges in FL learning. This book explores a new approach called the Strategy-based Constructivist Approach (SBCA) to enhance self-directed vocabulary learning. It assumes that learners should discover and construct new word knowledge actively in an authentic environment based upon their existing mental lexicon, working either by individual or through collaboration. The utilization of processing-involved and interactive vocabulary learning strategies is highlighted as a crucial component in this approach. Diversified and meaningful tasks are expected to stimulate that utilization to realize the SBCA in a basic way; and learning medium, learning processes and learning paths are the additional factors for improving that utilization to realize the SBCA effectively. For the development of a courseware package to achieve the effective realization of the SBCA, a new framework for language courseware engineering is formulated with explicitness, systematicity and practicability; new vocabulary learning processes are proposed to facilitate students’ utilization of vocabulary learning strategies in a rational way; and learning paths addressing students’ different learning styles are designed to achieve individualized learning. A vocabulary learning courseware prototype called Learning Vocabulary In Domain is ultimately developed. This book illuminates the direction of future research on vocabulary learning in FL learning.

Visit the publisher’s website at http://www.peterlang.com/index.cfm?event=cmp.ccc.seitenstruktur.detailseiten&seitentyp=produkt&pk=68758&concordeid=431216

November 14, 2013

Using Mastery Learning for Success with Difficult Students

Blogger and middle school Spanish teacher Ben Johnson was struggling to manage his middle school class. Read how he used the concept of mastery learning to pair heritage speakers in his class with students who needed to master grammatical concepts in this post: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/mastery-learning-success-difficult-students-ben-johnson

Using Google Apps to Make Interactive Stories

From http://mmeduckworth.blogspot.com

Here is a recent blog post about how to create an online “choose your own adventure story,” with clear step-by-step instructions: http://mmeduckworth.blogspot.com/2013/11/using-google-apps-to-make-interactive.html

10 Online Activities and Resources for Geography Awareness Week

From http://www.freetech4teachers.com

This coming week is Geography Awareness Week. Here are teacher Richard Byrne’s top ten recommended online geography resources: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/11/10-online-activities-and-resources-for.html#.UoQIso0jjpE

Mr. Byrne also reviews and describes how to use Tour Builder, a new tool from Google that you can use with Google Earth: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/11/tour-builder-makes-it-easier-than-ever.html and http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/11/video-how-to-create-tours-with-google.html

Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments Internship Program for English Language Teachers

From http://casls.uoregon.edu/intercom/admin/search-article.php

The CaMLA internship program provides professional training and research opportunities for English language teaching professionals and graduate students. Successful applicants will work closely with CaMLA teams on English language assessment tasks and projects that are appropriate to their interests and skills.

There are two internship strands:

Assessment Internships
Interns will be involved in activities relating to the design and construction of language assessments. These can include item writing and review, quality assurance activities, and test development projects.

Research Internships
Interns will work with CaMLA researchers and will contribute to a variety of test review and research activities. They will have an opportunity to learn about research design, data collection and analysis, and the documentation of results.

Internships will take place from May through August. The length of each internship will be dependent upon its content and goals, but internships are typically 8 to 12 weeks of work. CaMLA will provide a salary of up to $1500 per month, pro-rated for the length of the internship.

The deadline for applications is January 31, 2014.

Applications are welcome from English language teaching professionals with an interest in second or foreign language assessment and graduate students who are studying linguistics, foreign language assessment, education, psychology, psychometrics, or related fields.

For full details about this program go to http://www.cambridgemichigan.org/about-us/working-with-us/internships

Ideas for a Legends Unit in Spanish

This last week FLTEACH listserv users have been sharing ideas and resources for teaching about legends of Spanish-speaking countries.  Locate sources of legends and read ideas for how to teach them by going to http://listserv.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind1311&L=FLTEACH&P=R12163 to read the original query. Then click on Next in Topic to see the responses.

For Your Advanced Spanish Students: Debate Topics

Here is a list of debate prompts that you can use with your advanced Spanish students: http://www.lavanguardia.com/opinion/temas-de-debate/index.html

La Pomme Verte: French Educational Site for Children and Their Teachers

The French-language La Pomme Verte website is full of educational resources for children and their teachers. Find articles, games, printables, and activity ideas at http://www.pomverte.com/home.html

Indiana Classical Conference

From http://www.indiana.edu/~iccforum/icc.html

If you teach a classical language in Indiana, consider joining the Indiana Classical Conference. The ICC is the official state-wide organization for teachers, scholars and laypersons interested in the classical civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome. The ICC was incorporated to promote the appreciation, study, and teaching of the classics in Indiana and to solicit and distribute funds for scholarships, fellowships, grants-in-aid, and other financial assistance to students in the classics.

Benefits of Membership in the ICC:

    eligibility to nominate and vote for the Latin Teacher of the Year
    scholarships available to your students
    electronic mailing lists, increasing your ability to communicate effectively and quickly with your colleagues
    a support network of dedicated teachers on all levels
    advance information on upcoming lectures
    yearly meetings to increase your professional knowledge and to strengthen your professional relationships with your colleagues

Membership in the ICC is open to all who have share our enthusiasm about studying the ancient world.

Visit the ICC website at http://www.indiana.edu/~iccforum/index.html to learn more about recent initiatives and events, and to join.

Using Highlighters for Translation

High school Latin teacher Emily Lewis shares the top four ideas that she and her students came up with for using highlighters as an aid for translation in this blog post: http://caneweb.net/canens/?p=885

Rome Reborn: Digital Model of Ancient Rome

From http://romereborn.frischerconsulting.com/about.php

Rome Reborn is an international initiative whose goal is the creation of 3D digital models illustrating the urban development of ancient Rome from the first settlement in the late Bronze Age (ca. 1000 B.C.) to the depopulation of the city in the early Middle Ages (ca. A.D. 550).

See the latest version at http://romereborn.frischerconsulting.com/about-current.php

German-Language History Site

An AATG listserv user recently recommended this German-language website dedicated to German history: http://www.zeitklicks.de

Lists of Frequently-Used German Words

Here are several online sources for lists of frequently-used German words:

http://german.about.com/library/weekly/aa041601a.htm
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktionary:Frequency_lists/top_2000_German_Wikipedia_words
http://wortschatz.uni-leipzig.de/html/wliste.html
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktionary:Frequency_lists/German_subtitles_1000

History and Culture Resources for Russia and Central Asia

From http://www.sras.org

The School of Russian and Asian Studies has recently updated its website. Among the resources on the re-designed site is an area showcasing resources that SRAS has come across over the years. Go to http://www.sras.org/library_history to browse this organized and annotated collection of resources.

Google Expands Street View of Venice

From http://www.freetech4teachers.com

Google has expanded its street view of Venice – read this blog post for a description of what you and your students can experience virtually: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/11/explore-venice-in-street-view-and-learn.html#.UoV2_40jjpE

Japanese Jazz Tour: ai kurabawa trio

From http://www.jflalc.org/ai-kuwabara-trio-project-US-Tour.html

Born in 1991, pianist Ai Kuwabara has previously been introduced in the media as “Genius Girl.” With skill and sensitivity that are sure to amaze, she has shot to the top with her music. While her music calls to mind Michel Petrucciani and Esbjörn Svensson, she expresses her creative world with the backing of her lush sensitivity and precise technique. Every original composition that Kuwabara writes down is free and emotional, occasionally avant-garde, and lies beyond the frame of jazz pianists that have existed thus far.

Adding his name as co-producer, bassist Yusuke Morita plays everything from transcendent solos like Jaco and Hadrien Feraud to aggressive phrases that make for a luminary and magnificent backing sound. Drummer Shintaro Imamura, with his active career and experience studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston, calls to mind his favorites Chris Dave and Steve Gadd, adding an essential element to the trio.

The transcendental Piano Trio Project that swooped down on the world of Japanese jazz is finally making their American debut.  Here are the dates:

Berkeley, CA
November 14, 7:30PM

Los Angeles, CA
November 16, 7:30PM

Denver, CO
November 18, 7:30PM

Anchorage, AK
November 20, 7:30PM

Learn more at http://www.jflalc.org/ai-kuwabara-trio-project-US-Tour.html

Chinese Learning Tools

From http://eastasiastudent.net

Here is a list of software, dictionaries, example sentences, audio sources, and grammar explanations for learning Chinese, with descriptions of each: http://eastasiastudent.net/china/mandarin/chinese-learning-tools

Curriculum Guide: Women's Voices in the Modern Middle East

From http://resources.primarysource.org

Here is a curriculum guide featuring talks by three different Muslim women who are activists in the Middle East, along with supporting resources. From the Primary Source website:

“In media representations of Muslim women in the Middle East, images of veils, exoticism and oppressive silence are often standard fare. However, if we explore individual experiences and perspectives, it becomes clear that Muslim women defy one-dimensional stereotypes and that no single image can adequately represent such a diverse population. By examining the lives and work of three Muslim activists living in the Middle East, we uncover stories that are rarely told in history books: stories that Muslim women tell, rather than the stories that are told about them. We see that instead of silently observing the world around them, these women use music, literature, and the city square to discuss politics and affect social change both locally and internationally. The song, speeches, and poem featured in these activities challenge long-held stereotypes of Muslim women. These primary sources provide us with an inside look into the complex lives of Muslim women in the Middle East, and showcase their efforts to carve out spaces in which their unique voices can be heard.”

Access this resource at http://resources.primarysource.org/content.php?pid=515207&sid=4239277

Find Arabic Resources on the new Al-Masdar Website

The Qatar Foundation International (QFI) will be launching a new website for Arabic K-12 teachers at the upcoming ACTFL conference taking place from Nov. 22-24 in Orlando, FL called Al-Masdar (http://almasdar.oercommons.org ). Al-Masdar provides a platform for you to discover free resources through search strategies, to author or upload your own resources, to review resources, join groups and conversations, and collaborate with others. The site is intended to be a hub - the source - for language teaching materials, opportunities, news and events relevant to Arabic instructors.

You are invited to explore Al-Masdar and offer your feedback by completing this survey: http://bit.ly/1gvdkWS

QFI will be hosting a free Al-Masdar training workshop for Arabic teachers from 9am-12pm on Sunday, Nov. 24 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Orlando. Please RSVP for the workshop by replying to almasdar at classroad dot com

NCLRC Arabic K-12 Bulletin - November 11, 2013. (arabick12@gmail.com, 11 Nov 2013).

Abridged Version of Sayyidi wa Habibi for Arabic Learners

From http://press.georgetown.edu/book/languages/hoda-barakats-sayyidi-wa-habibi

Sayyidi wa Habibi (My Master and My Love) is a novel by acclaimed Lebanese author Hoda Barakat, abridged in this volume for learners of Arabic at the advanced low proficiency level. Designed as a supplementary text that adds variety and fun to a regular course on Arabic, it is complete with exercises that guide learners through the story and help them improve their Arabic skills, introducing learners of the language to the world of contemporary Arabic literature and improving their knowledge of Arabic culture.

Set against the backdrop of the Lebanese Civil War, this intriguing novel relates the struggles of Wadie, a young man who leaves school and becomes corrupted by crime, and his wife, Samia, who flees with him to Cyprus. Universal questions of existence are masterfully portrayed through eloquent prose that keeps readers engaged until the last line. Laila Familiar provides introductory materials, a short biography of the author, a personal dictionary, and exercises that develop linguistic and cultural competencies. Audio files of Barakat reading five passages from the work, along with a recorded interview, will be available free on the Press web site in order to help students improve their listening skills.

Visit the publisher’s website at http://press.georgetown.edu/book/languages/hoda-barakats-sayyidi-wa-habibi

New Sign Language Class in Washington School

From http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2013/nov/08/kids-learn-language-of-hands

Kids learn language of hands
by Rick Steigmeyer
November 8, 2013

You might hear the drone and clank of construction outside of Mimi Roe’s classroom at Eastmont High School. But inside, there’s nary a peep, hardly a whisper from students nor teacher during class.

Roe teaches a sign language class during two periods each day. The class fulfills student requirements for a foreign language just like Spanish, French or German. This is the first time the class has been offered at Eastmont. It’s the only school in the valley offering sign language in its foreign language curriculum.

Roe said administrators and teachers have been surprised at the popularity of the class. Nearly 20 students had to be turned away after the 58 seats in her two classes quickly filled during registration. Both of her classes have one deaf student who wear cochlear ear implants that give them a sense of sound similar to hearing.

Read the full article at http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2013/nov/08/kids-learn-language-of-hands

Scholarships for Primary Source Online Classes on China and Japan

From http://www.primarysource.org

Primary Source is pleased to be able to offer a limited number of scholarships for educators to participate in 2013-2014 online courses about China and Japan.

Japan and the World: Historical and Cultural Developments (5th Century – Present)
January 15 - March 25, 2014
*Open to all K-12 educators

Changing China: History and Culture Since 1644
January 15 - March 25, 2014
*Especially for educators of grades 6-12

The Enduring Legacy of Ancient China
June 11 - August 19, 2014
*Open to all K-12 educators

Applications are due by Friday, November 22, 2013.

Learn more about the courses and the scholarship criteria at http://www.primarysource.org/onlinecoursescholarships

Globalization and Localization in Computer-Assisted Language Learning (GLoCALL) Conference

From http://glocall.org

The Globalization and Localization in Computer-Assisted Language Learning (GLoCALL) Conference aims to share knowledge, research and experience on how to use computer technology to make language learning more effective and pleasant; to explore how the technology can be adapted to better meet the local needs of students and teachers, while at the same time providing global perspectives on computer-assisted language learning (CALL); and to bring the technology within the reach of local teachers who wish to develop their professionalism in CALL.

This year’s conference takes place November 28-30 at University of Danang, Da Nang, Vietnam.

For full details about the conference go to http://glocall.org

American Association of Teachers of Slavic and East European Languages 2014 Conference

From http://www.aatseel.org/program

Annual AATSEEL Conferences are energetic gatherings that focus on the aesthetic, creative, and communicative aspects of Slavic cultures —long considered to be among the world’s richest and most provocative.

The 2014 AATSEEL Conference will be held on January 9-12, 2014, at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, Illinois.

It will feature scores of scholarly panels, supplemented by advanced seminars, less formal roundtables, workshops, informal coffee conversations with leading scholars, and other special events such as poetry readings and receptions.

Visit the conference website at http://www.aatseel.org/program

Call for Proposals: ACTFL Annual Convention and World Language Expo, 2014

From http://www.actfl.org/2014convention-expo

The 2013 American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Annual Convention and World Language Expo is happening this week, and it is already time to put together a proposal for next year’s conference!

2014 Annual Convention and World Language Expo
November 21-23, 2014
San Antonio, Texas (Pre-convention workshops, November 20)
Theme: Reaching Global Competence

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Annual Convention and World Languages Expo features an amazing array of professional learning and collaborative networking opportunities. Join your colleagues from around the world for this incredible learning experience. You will have the option to choose from over 600 educational sessions in a variety of formats covering a wide spectrum of the language profession. Visit with over 250 exhibiting companies showcasing the latest products and services for you and your students.

Proposals for 2014 are must be submitted online by January 15, 2014.

Submit a proposal at http://ww5.aievolution.com/tfl1401

Call for Proposals: South Central Association for Language Learning Technology 2014 Conference

From http://www.socallt.org/conf/2014conference

SOCALLT 2014′s theme is Beyond the Classroom: Language Learning From Local To Global. It will be held on the campus of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, March 13-15, 2014. Please check this page regularly for conference information as it comes available: http://www.socallt.org/conf/2014conference

Conference proposals are due by December 15, 2013.  Submit them online at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1r2sOL7_M2pmCczmA7tMrqeDWjsdOFt7r95DBC4uB9V8/viewform

Call for Proposals: National Chinese Language Conference

From http://sites.asiasociety.org/nclc2014

The National Chinese Language Conference will take place May 8-10, 2014, in Los Angeles, California. The theme is Building Capacity, Coast to Coast. This conference provides a high-profile platform for sharing new ideas and best practices in the fields of Chinese language teaching and learning, Chinese arts and culture, and U.S.–China educational exchange.

You can submit a session proposal at http://sites.asiasociety.org/nclc2014/submit-a-session-proposal

Proposals are due by December 9, 2013.

Call for Proposals: 13th Symposium on Second Language Writing

From http://sslw.asu.edu/2014

The 13th Symposium on Second Language Writing
"Professionalizing Second Language Writing"
November 13-15, 2014
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

The 2013 Symposium Organizing Committee seeks proposals for 20-minute presentations that address various topics within the field of L2 writing—broadly defined.

Any topic related to second language writing theory, research, or teaching is welcome; we especially encourage proposals that seek to challenge the status quo in the field by introducing new topics as well as new theoretical and methodological approaches.

Proposals must be received by June 1, 2014.

View the full call for proposals at http://sslw.asu.edu/2014/proposal.html

Fall 2013 Issue of Heritage Language Journal

From http://www.heritagelanguages.org

Volume 10, Number 3 of the Heritage Language Journal is available at http://www.heritagelanguages.org/?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

In this special issue on Advancing Heritage Language Speakers’ Skills:

Advanced Proficiency: A Practitioner’s Perspective on this Special Issue
How “Native” Are Heritage Speakers?
Marking Topic or Marking Case: A Comparative Investigation of Heritage Japanese and Heritage Korean
A Psychometric Approach to Heritage Language Studies
Assessing the Oral Proficiency of Heritage Speakers According to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines 2012 – Speaking
The Heritage and Non-Heritage Learner in the Overseas Immersion Context: Comparing Learning Outcomes and Target-Language Utilization in the Russian Flagship
Expanding Language and Cultural Competence in Advanced Heritage- and Foreign-Language Learners through Community Engagement and Work with the Arts
The Administration of Heritage Language Programs: Challenges and Opportunities

Book: Silence in the Second Language Classroom

From http://www.palgrave.com/products/title.aspx?pid=652455

Silence in the Second Language Classroom
By Jim King
Published by Palgrave Macmillan

Why are second language learners in Japan's universities so silent? Using an innovative mixed-methods research approach, Jim King investigates the perplexing but intriguing phenomenon of classroom silence. With its exciting new conceptual framework of Dynamic Systems Theory, Silence in the Second Language Classroom offers a unique insight into the true complexity behind why some learners are either unable or unwilling to speak in a foreign language. This highly interdisciplinary book draws on ideas from fields such as psychology, sociolinguistics and anthropology, and delves deeply into themes relating to Japanese society and the country's education system. Written in an accessible and engaging style, this timely volume will be of interest to researchers, students of educational and applied linguistics, language education policy makers and, indeed, anyone who has ever taught.

Visit the publisher’s website at http://www.palgrave.com/products/title.aspx?pid=652455

Book: Reflective Practice in ESL Teacher Development Groups

From http://www.palgrave.com/products/title.aspx?pid=491429

Reflective Practice in ESL Teacher Development Groups: From Practices to Principles
By Thomas S.C. Farrell
Published by  Palgrave Macmillan

Reflective Practice in ESL Teacher Development Groups discusses the concept of reflective practice in ESL teachers using data from a 3-year collaborative partnership in which three ESL teachers in Canada explored their professional development through reflective practice. The process involved regular group discussions, teacher journal writing, classroom observations and pre and post-interviews of each teacher. This fresh bottom-up approach to professional development will enhance knowledge on what counts for professional development of ESL teachers and can promote ESL teacher-initiated professional development that is more focused towards classroom realities, based on knowledge that is co-constructed through engagement with experience, and systematic reflections, and is grounded in real teaching situations.

Visit the publisher’s website at http://www.palgrave.com/products/title.aspx?pid=491429

Book: Exploring Language Assessment and Testing

From http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415597241

Exploring Language Assessment and Testing
By Anthony Green
Published by Routledge

Exploring Language Assessment and Testing is a straightforward introduction to the field that provides an inclusive and impartial survey of both classroom based assessment by teachers and larger scale testing, using concrete examples to guide students to the relevant literature.

Ranging from theory to classroom based scenarios, the author provides practical guidance on designing, developing and using assessments, with flexible, step by step processes for improving the quality of tests and assessment systems to make them fairer and more accurate.

This book is an indispensable introduction to the areas of language assessment and testing, and will be of interest to language teachers as well as postgraduate and advanced undergraduate students studying Language Education, Applied Linguistics and Language Assessment.

Visit the publisher’s website at http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415597241

November 10, 2013

Ideas for House/Home/Chores Unit

FLTEACH listserv users have been sharing ideas and perspectives on teaching a unit on house/home/chores. You can read what people are sharing in the FLTEACH archives. Go to http://listserv.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind1311&L=FLTEACH&P=R7662 to read the original request for ideas, and then click on Next in Topic to see the responses.

Drama Sites and Ideas for EFL, ESL Classrooms

Here is an annotated collection of online resources for using drama in an ELL classroom: http://evasimkesyan.com/2013/11/03/drama-sites-and-ideas-for-efl-esl-classrooms

43rd NYS TESOL Annual Conference

From http://nystesol.org/annualconf/2013

The New York State Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages conference will be held this coming weekend, November 15-16. You may register on-site. For full details go to http://nystesol.org/annualconf/2013

Social Studies Curriculum for Grades 6-12: Social Justice & Latinos in NYC

From http://gothamschools.org/2013/10/23/to-teach-latino-history-luperon-high-school-turns-to-el-diario

This curriculum, which is based in El Diario/La Prensa articles, was created in partnership with a graduate course on multicultural education at the City College of New York. The unit is intended for students of various ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. The unit plan is made up of nine lessons, many of which take 2-5 periods to complete. The unit begins with an introduction of Latinos in the United States and their representation across media outlets. The unit then moves into areas of social justice that include (im)migration, housing, workers rights, and ethnic parades, to name a few. The culminating activity is an electronic and multilingual newspaper that the class creates around current social justice issues.
The curriculum can be taught fully or partially. The first and last lessons are essential, but the seven lessons on different topics can be chosen based on connection to the course topic and time. Those lessons can stand alone, but also provide opportunities to build on each other. The unit plan and most accompanying documents are in English, whereas the El Diario/La Prensa articles - which serve as the foundation for each lesson - are in Spanish, with English-language summaries.

The curriculum is available at http://centenario.eldiariony.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/GuiaEducadores2013.pdf
Read an article about the development and use of this curriculum at http://gothamschools.org/2013/10/23/to-teach-latino-history-luperon-high-school-turns-to-el-diario

Registration for the 2014 National Spanish Examinations Is Open

From http://www.nationalspanishexam.org

The National Spanish Examinations are online, standardized assessment tools for Grades 6 -12, given voluntarily by over 3800 teachers throughout the United States to measure proficiency and achievement of students who are studying Spanish as a second language.

Regular registration for the 2014 National Spanish Examinations is now open and will continue until January 31st.

For more details go to http://www.nationalspanishexam.org

Classroom Activities for French Teachers

The American Association of Teachers of French has a collection of classroom activity ideas and resources on its website at http://www.frenchteachers.org/hq/activities.htm

Bellringer Idea: Dictum

From http://caneweb.net

Here is an idea for a beginning-of-class activity: starting the day by having students copy a Latin saying from the board into their notebooks. Read more about how to incorporate it into a class and how to adapt for different levels at http://caneweb.net/canens/?p=877

Biduum Latinum: Weekend Immersion Workshop

From http://latin.org/programs/biduum/WV

SALVI (Septentrionale Americanum Latinitatis Vivae Institutum, or North American Institute for Living Latin Studies) proudly presents the second annual Claymont Biduum Latinum—a full-immersion Latin weekend workshop. The Biduum Latinum will be a restorative weekend in which we experience a sort of “mini-Rusticatio.”

Program Dates: February 21–23, 2014
Location: Claymont Mansion, West Virginia

For full details go to http://latin.org/programs/biduum/WV

Joint National Committee for Languages and the National Council for Languages and International Studies Redesigns Website

From http://www.languagepolicy.org/about-us

JNCL-NCLIS has redesigned its website; explore the latest in language news, policy, and advocacy at http://www.languagepolicy.org

For those who aren’t familiar with JNCL-NCLIS, here is a description:

In 1976, the Joint National Committee for Languages began as an informal coalition of eight national language teaching associations, and now has grown to over 60 members, including national, regional, and state organizations. JNCL is an entirely member-funded nonprofit education policy association, and it represents more than 300,000 professionals under its three-tiered governance. The most widely known JNCL activity is its annual Delegate Assembly in Washington, DC where members promote public awareness of language issues.

Since its creation in 1988, the National Council for Languages and International Studies has engaged in public advocacy on behalf of languages and international education. NCLIS is a nonprofit trade association that serves as an “action arm” for the language and international education community by translating professional priorities into national policy.

JNCL-NCLIS represents over 60 national and regional organizations encompassing virtually all areas of the language field: the major and less-commonly taught languages, including English and English as a second language, bilingual education, the classics, linguistics, exchanges, research, technology, and translation.

Institute: Research-Based Vocabulary Instruction for English Learners – Grades K-12

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

Research-Based Vocabulary Instruction for English Learners – Grades K-12
December 13, 2013
9:00 am – 4:00 pm ET
Savoy Suites Hotel, Washington, D.C.

This engaging one-day institute is designed to increase understanding and provide practical resources regarding vocabulary instruction for educators working with English learners in their classrooms and schools. The institute will focus on techniques to foster the vocabulary acquisition needed to meet the Common Core State Standards.

The institute is designed for classroom teachers in elementary, middle and high schools (Grades K-12). Other educators (including ESL, reading and other school specialists who work with classroom teachers, and school administrators) will also find value in this professional development opportunity. Collaborative teaching teams are especially encouraged to attend.

For full details and to register go to http://www.cal.org/solutions/institutes/vocabulary.html

ACTFL Webinars, Winter 2013-2014

From https://live.blueskybroadcast.com/bsb/client/CL_DEFAULT.asp?Client=562094&title=Home

Here are the upcoming webinars from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages:

Free Webinar - Available after December 6th
 Overview

Wednesday, December 11, 2013 at 5:00 PM EST
 Guiding Language Performance through Novice into Intermediate

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 at 5:00 PM EST
 Guiding Language Performance through Intermediate into Advanced

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 at 5:00 PM EST
 Guiding Language Performance through Advanced into Superior

Learn more about each and how to sign up at https://live.blueskybroadcast.com/bsb/client/CL_DEFAULT.asp?Client=562094&PCAT=4797&CAT=4797

Russian/American Educators' Exchange for High School Teachers

Russian/American Educators' Exchange
Now accepting applications

The Russian/American Educators’ Exchange will send American teachers to rural Russian schools to meet their fellow teachers and to exchange curriculum materials based on folklore. Each American teacher will prepare a short lesson on some aspect of American folklore, to be presented to teachers in Russia.

In addition, the American teachers will work under the guidance of an experienced Russian folklorist, to record songs and stories, document traditional holiday customs, and photograph traditional handicrafts in the Russian host village. The American teachers will choose any aspect of the Russian folklore they have collected to incorporate into the curriculum of their home schools.

All expenses are paid, including round-trip airfare between New York and Moscow. (Separate funding from another source is available for travel between participants' homes and New York.)

Knowledge of Russian is helpful, but not required. Translators will be provided throughout.

The trips are timed to coincide with four Russian traditional holiday seasons:
• Maslenitsa/Shrovetide Traditions in Bryansk province, Pochepskii district (21 Feb - 5 March 2014)
• Easter Traditions in Volgograd province, Novoannenkii district (11-23 April 2014)
• Pentecost/Trinity Week in Smolensk province, Demidovkii district 30 May – 11 June 2014)
• Christmas/Holy Evening Traditions, Smolensk province, Glinka district (28 Dec 2014 - 10 Jan 2015)

Requirements:
• Participants must hold a valid US passport
• Participants may be employed at either a public or private school
• Participants must teach at the high-school level (grades 9-12)
• Participants must commit to creating, using and disseminating curriculum materials that incorporate Russian folklore. The curriculum materials can be in any subject.

Preference will be given to teachers employed in rural school districts with Census Bureau locale codes of 41, 42 or 43.

For details and application instructions, visit http://russianfolklorefriends.org or email at info at russianfolklorefriends dot org

This opportunity is presented by American Friends of Russian Folklore, a 501©3 public benefit corporation.
Funding comes from the US-Russia Peer-to-Peer Dialog Program.

Berman, A. [SEELANGS] Russian/American Educators' Exchange now accepting applications. SEELANGS listserv (SEELANGS@LISTSERV.UA.EDU, 4 Nov 2013).

Webinar: Finding a "Common" Tongue: Language Learning in the Common Core Era

Finding a "Common" Tongue: Language Learning in the Common Core Era
Monday, December 2, 2013

In our increasingly global 21st century society, world language acquisition is more important than ever. But in the age of the Common Core, how can schools and districts best teach world languages and leverage the benefits of language acquisition in core subjects? By attending this webinar, you’ll get expert advice and answers to your questions about digital world language acquisition in the age of the Common Core from Dr. Aline Germain-Rutherford, Chief Learning Officer for Middlebury Interactive Languages and Associate Vice-President for Middlebury College’s famed Language Schools.

By attending this free one-hour dialogue, you’ll learn:

• How world language language and cultural awareness positively contribute to students’ performance in core subjects
• How teachers have implemented world language courses in connection to the Common Core in blended learning environments, leading to greater student success
• How Common Core standards and the National Standards set forth by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) fit together

Learn more and register at https://eschoolmedia.webex.com/mw0307l/mywebex/default.do?siteurl=eschoolmedia

Seminar in Puebla, Mexico

Verano 2014: 26 días de cultura sin fronteras
July 3– July 29, 2014
Puebla, México

Here is a wonderful opportunity in Puebla, Mexico: the 17th year of the Seminar in Mexico for Teachers and Others. The seminar is intended for people who want to learn or improve their Spanish while getting a panorama of the Mexican culture. As in years past, Anne Mueller will direct the program that has its base in Puebla, Mexico along with tour guide Francisco “Paco” Grajales. The 26 days of adventure include

    Homestay with Mexican families including meals
    Spanish classes with a possible 7 levels and textbooks (4 hours a day)
    Methodology/Pedagogy class (2 hours a day)
    Field trips – Cholula, Tlaxcala, Tecali, Talavera factory,
    Airport service to and from Puebla
    Weekend tour of Puebla including Club Líbanés, Hotel Colonial, Cathedral, 5 de Mayo forts/museum
    July 4th Celebration, Mexican style
    Mexico City including Ballet Folclórico, Teotihuacán, Tenochitlán, Frida Kahlo , Anthropological Museum, Básilica de la Virgen de Guadalupe, Xochimilco
    Xalapa tour – museum, visiting the colonial town
    Oaxaca
    Other activities made on site as to availability such as concerts and movies
    Search for classroom materials and other realia
    Workshops on dance, crafts, and cooking as the interest warrants
    University credit pending

The organizers need at least 12 participants to offer the trip for $3990 plus airfare to and from Mexico City. Contact Anne Mueller at 503 492 8302 or amueller at pacifier dot com for additional information and to request an application. Deadline is April 1, 2014 with a refundable $300 deposit if there aren’t enough travelers to make the trip a go. Final payment by June 25, 2014. There is an option for a two-week stay for $2990

Study Abroad Opportunity for Teachers of Russian

From http://mblog.lib.umich.edu/CREES/archives/study_abroad

Study Abroad Opportunity for Teachers of Russian
Russian Teachers for the 21st Century: Maximizing Teaching Effectiveness by Immersing into Language, Culture and Standard-Based Teaching
Deadline to submit application: December 1, 2013

The main goal of our project is to provide intensive professional development to current and emerging U.S. teachers of Russian Language from multiple institutions across the country at the K-12 and college level. The corresponding objectives are: (1) to improve their language proficiency as well as their expertise with standard-based teaching and testing used in the U.S. and Russia, and (2) to immerse them into contemporary Russian life.

A group of 12 educators will travel to Moscow, Russia for four weeks to participate in intensive workshops focused on language training (43 hours), tester training (43 hours) and culture (60 hours). Based on each participant’s tested language level, each member will be placed into one of two groups (Intensive Language Learning or TORFL Tester Training). Additionally, an extensive online pre-departure training seminar (20 hours) will help participants leverage the program in Russia. Also, follow-up webinars and a final online conference (6 hours) after they return from Russian will guide participants in transforming their experiences into multimedia teaching materials. The culture module of our program includes various unique features to maximize the participants’ professional development (Lectures delivered by professionals from various geographical regions in Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhniy Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Tyumen, Omsk and Vladivostok) to provide an in-depth look into contemporary Russia; cultural visits, individual culture projects).

The program will cover the following expenses: travel to and from Moscow, lodging, tuition, culture tour fees, fees for visa invitations, foreign registration fee, fees for certification, and partial per diem for meal and transportation expenses.

The participants will cover the following expenses: visa fees, program fee of $220 (non-refundable) and due to uncertainties involving travel in Russia, participants will be asked to pay a $500 Refundable Emergency Fee to cover unexpected costs such emergency departures, flight changes, property damage to the dorm room, etc.

Eligibility to apply:
- A citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States.
- Currently employed full-time in a U.S. school system or institution of higher education as a teacher of faculty member in Russian OR currently studying full-time at a U.S. institution of higher education to become a Russian teacher.

For full details go to http://mblog.lib.umich.edu/CREES/archives/study_abroad and scroll down.

Professional Development Seminars for New Teachers

From http://www.aatg.org/content/professional-development-seminar-new-teachers

The Goethe-Institut USA would like to invite you to a professional development seminar that is specifically designed for members of the profession with less than 4 years of teaching experience at an elementary, middle or high school level, as well as for Graduate Teaching Assistants. Conducted by experienced members of the Goethe-Institut Trainer Networks, the seminar will focus on various aspects of lesson planning and language instruction in schools. It will be conducted in German. They currently offer three seminars.

December 13-15, 2013, at the Goethe-Institut San Francisco
Preparation for the AP German Language & Culture Exam and Beyond

January 17-19, 2014, at the Goethe-Institut New York
Hallo Deutschland! Anklicken, Uploaden, Anwenden? A collaborative workshop on the meaningful integration of authentic online materials and (new) media in the standards-based classroom

January 24-26, 2014, at the Goethe-Institut Chicago
Getting students to talk in the foreign language: Fostering communication in the German classroom

All seminars will start at 5 p.m. on Friday evening and conclude at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Goethe-Institut will provide participants with hotel accommodations for 2 nights in double rooms and reimburse them for travel expenses up to $500.00. The number of participants in each seminar is capped at 20.

Registration deadline is Sunday, November 17, 2013.

For full details go to http://www.aatg.org/content/professional-development-seminar-new-teachers

Penn Language Center Symposium: Fast Forward: Language Online

From http://plc.sas.upenn.edu/events/plcsymposium2013

Penn Language Center Symposium: Fast Forward: Language Online
December 14, 2013
Hilton Inn at Penn, 3600 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Each year, Penn Language Center at the University of Pennsylvania organizes a Language Educator Symposium. As the title for this year's symposium Fast Forward: Language Online reflects, the organizers seek to bring together researchers and practitioners, who are critically engaging with the teaching of languages in an online environment. Fast Forward will feature face-to-face and virtual presentations by leaders in the field. Please join Penn’s lively and innovative community of language educators for this stimulating event.

For full details and to register go to http://plc.sas.upenn.edu/events/plcsymposium2013

Sixth Annual Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa Conference

From https://asmea.nonprofitcms.org/conference/Conferences/1/Pages/Overview

Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa Conference
Sixth Annual Conference
“Tides of Change: Looking Back and Forging Ahead in the Middle East & Africa”
November 21-23, 2013
Washington, D.C.

Visit the conference website for more information: https://asmea.nonprofitcms.org/conference/Conferences/1/Pages/Overview

2013 ACTFL Convention & World Languages Expo

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language’s 2013 Convention & World Languages Expo is coming right up, November 22-24 in Orlando, Florida.

The convention features over 600 educational sessions covering a wide spectrum of the language profession addressing the theme New Spaces, New Realities: Learning Any Time, Any Place. More than 250 exhibiting companies will be showcasing the latest products and services for you and your students. The ACTFL Convention is an international event bringing together over 6,000 language educators from all languages, levels and assignments within the profession.

Visit the convention website at http://www.actfl.org/convention-expo/2013-actfl-convention-world-languages-expo

If you are attending this year, you can earn a digital badge, “Convention Networker.” Learn more about this new initiative from ACTFL and what it can mean for your professional development at http://actflbadges.org/home

Call for Papers: Classical Association of New England Annual Meeting

From http://caneweb.org/CANEwp/?page_id=255

The Classical Association of New England’s 2014 Annual Meeting will take place March 7-8 at St. Anselm’s College in Manchester, NH.

CANE is accepting proposals for the 2014 Annual Meeting. Submission DEADLINE is December 1, 2013.

Guidelines for presenters are available at http://caneweb.org/CANEwp/?page_id=218
Submit a proposal at http://caneweb.org/CANEwp/?page_id=606

Call for Papers: Princeton Japanese Pedagogy Forum

From http://www.princeton.edu/pjpf/index.xml

The 21st Princeton Japanese Pedagogy Forum (PJPF) will take place on May 10-11, 2014, at Princeton University. The theme of the Forum is "Dialogue: Toward Creating Learning Communities of/for/by Learners and Teachers" Two keynote speakers, Dr. Yutaka Saeki (Professor Emeritus, University of Tokyo and Aoyama Gakuin University) and Dr. Seiichi Makino ( Professor Emeritus, Princeton University) have been invited to give talks on this theme.

The Forum invites papers related to the main theme for both pre-college and college level as well as heritage Japanese language and culture education. In addition, the organizers welcome any paper related to Japanese language education in general, including second language acquisition, linguistics, and technology in language learning and teaching, among others.

Deadline: January 20th, 2014

View the full call for papers at http://www.princeton.edu/pjpf/call-for-papers

Call for Papers: Texas Foreign Language Education Conference

From http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/tlc/texflec-2014/texFLEC-20142.php

Fifteenth Annual Texas Foreign Language Education Conference (TexFLEC)
February 14 and 15, 2014
College of Liberal Arts Building
The University of Texas at Austin

The Texas Foreign Language Education Conference (TexFLEC) at The University of Texas at Austin is an annual conference that brings together researchers, educators, and students in the fields of foreign language education, TEFL/TESL (Teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language), linguistics, and applied linguistics. TexFLEC provides conference participants with the opportunity to share diverse up-to-date ideas.

Given the diverse areas of language learning and teaching, please use these topics as guides in developing your proposals:

 Foreign/Second Language Acquisition
 Foreign/Second Language Pedagogy
 Psychology of Language Learning and Teaching
 Social and Cultural Contexts of Language Learning and Teaching
 Language and Technology
 Language Testing and Assessment
 Curriculum Design and Development
 Language Planning and Policy
 Bilingual, Multilingual, and Heritage Learner Communities
 Language, Culture, and Identity
 Intercultural Communication
 Language for Specific Purposes
 Psycholinguistics
 Sociolinguistics
 Educational and Corpus Linguistics
 Discourse/Conversation Analysis

Priority Deadline December 1, 2013; Final Deadline December 31, 2013.

View the full call for papers at http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/tlc/texflec-2014/Proposal%20Submission.php

FLTmag: Online Magazine on Technology Integration in the Foreign Language Classroom

From http://fltmag.com/about-us

The fltmag is a practice-oriented online publication dedicated to the field of foreign language technology. The magazine’s goal is to provide useful and practical information about technology integration in the classroom such as emerging technologies, interesting books, classroom projects, institutional initiatives, conferences and symposiums and language centers worldwide.

Among the latest articles and blog posts:

6 Web 2.0 Resources for Teaching Arabic
Finding your Professional Learning Network
Gamification: Sweetening the Work of Foreign Language Learning

FLTmag is available at http://fltmag.com

November Issue of Language Magazine

The November issue of Language Magazine is available online at http://languagemagazine.com/?p=14052

In this issue:

Infants, Words, and Income
Bjorn Carey reports on research showing that two-year-old children of lower-income families may already be six months behind in language development

Taking Europe to Task
Miriam Plieninger explains how the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages has influenced intermediate online learning

Cutting to the Common Core: Be the Change
Armando Zúñiga explains how we need to transform the ‘instructional core’ to meet the demands of English language learners in the 21st century

Anglophone Call to Action
Daniel Ward joins supporters of the Languages for All? initiative in their mission to change the dynamic of world language education

Aim to Please
Tania Ruiz overcomes the fear of change to adopt a new teaching methodology

Learning with Your Head in the Clouds
Nepal is the perfect place to brush up on several less commonly taught languages

Chinese at Home
As demand for Chinese soars, so do the opportunities to learn it in its homeland

Life-Changing Learning
Gayatri Surendranathan recounts scholarship success stories abroad

Last Writes
Richard Lederer gives us a sesquicentennial look back at the Gettysburg Address

Book: The Routledge Handbook of Language and Intercultural Communication

From http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415709828

The Routledge Handbook of Language and Intercultural Communication
Edited by Jane Jackson
Published by Routledge

The Routledge Handbook of Language and Intercultural Communication constitutes a comprehensive introduction to the multidisciplinary field of intercultural communication, drawing on the expertise of leading scholars from diverse backgrounds. The Handbook is structured in five sections and covers historical perspectives, core issues and topics, and new debates in the field, with a particular focus on the language dimension. Among the key themes addressed are: the foundation of intercultural communication; core themes and issues; putting intercultural communication theory into practice; new debates and future directions. The Handbook includes an introduction and overview by the editor, which provides readers with an indication of the focus of each section and chapter.

The Routledge Handbook of Language and Intercultural Communication is the ideal resource for advanced undergraduates and postgraduate students of applied linguistics, TESOL/TEFL and communication studies.

Visit the publisher’s website at http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415709828

Book: Language Teacher Education in a Multilingual Context

From http://www.springer.com/education+%26+language/learning+%26+instruction/book/978-94-007-7391-2

Language Teacher Education in a Multilingual Context
By John Trent, Xuesong Gao, and Mingyue Gu
Published by Springer

This book provides a multifaceted, multilayered examination of the processes and challenges language teachers face in constructing their professional identities in multilingual contexts such as Hong Kong. It focuses on how professional and personal identities are enacted as individuals cross geographic, educational, and socio-cultural boundaries to become English language teachers in Hong Kong. It explores the construction of language teachers’ professional identities from multiple perspectives in multiple settings, including pre-service and in-service teachers from Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Western countries. Understanding the difficulties and challenges these language teachers face in their identity and professional development is of relevance to teachers and teacher educators, as well as those interested in becoming language teachers in multilingual contexts.

Visit the publisher’s website at http://www.springer.com/education+%26+language/learning+%26+instruction/book/978-94-007-7391-2

Book: Bilingual and Multilingual Education in the 21st Century

From http://www.multilingual-matters.com/display.asp?isb=9781783090693

Bilingual and Multilingual Education in the 21st Century: Building on Experience
By Christian Abello-Contesse, Paul M. Chandler, María Dolores López-Jiménez, and Rubén Chacón-Beltrán
Published by Multilingual Matters

Bilingual education is one of the fastest growing disciplines within applied linguistics. This book includes the work of 20 specialists working in various educational contexts across Europe, Latin America and North America to create a volume which is both comprehensive in scope and multidimensional in its coverage of current bilingual initiatives. The central themes of this volume, which draws on past experiences of bilingual education, include issues in language use in classrooms at elementary, secondary and tertiary levels; participant perspectives on bilingual education experiences; and the language needs of bi- and multilingual students in monolingual schools. This collection will be of interest to teachers and administrators in bi- and multilingual education programs, as well as scholars working in the field of language education.

Visit the publisher’s website at http://www.multilingual-matters.com/display.asp?isb=9781783090693

November 2, 2013

Ideas for Using Improvisations in Class

From http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk

Role play involves giving students role cards, instructions and time to prepare. Improvisations are more spontaneous. The teacher does not give details or language phrases to use. Here are some suggestions for using improvisations in a language class: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/activities/improvisations

Video Assistance for Understanding Language Teaching Techniques

From http://clear.msu.edu/clear/newsletter/2013-Fall.pdf

VAULTT is a collection of original videos highlighting various aspects of language teaching in the classroom. Each short video is accompanied by supplementary information (in a PDF) explaining the techniques and relating them to best practices in language teaching. Some of these videos are real classes, and some are staged.

Although these materials are based on current research in second language acquisition, they are produced at a level accessible for teachers with little or no pedagogical training.

The VAULTT website has six main categories, each with a number of separate pages:
• Vocabulary & Grammar (8 pages/video clips)
• Corrective Feedback (8 pages/video clips)
• Four Skills (7 pages/video clips)
• Facilitating Learning (8 pages/video clips)
• Class Management (3 pages/video clips)
• For Teacher Trainers (10 pages/video clips)

VAULTT is available at http://clear.msu.edu/vault
Read more about the project at http://clear.msu.edu/clear/newsletter/2013-Fall.pdf

35th ELT Blog Carnival: Teaching and Learning with Video

The ELT Blog Carnival is an online collaboration among language teachers and bloggers who share their ideas around a particular topic. The latest is about teaching and learning with video, and many of the ideas are applicable to any language. Read bloggers’ ideas and resources at http://www.vickihollett.com/elt-blog-carnival-teaching-and-learning-with-video

For past ELT Blog Carnivals go to http://www.eflclassroom.com/eltblogcarnival

5 Key Strategies for ELL Instruction

From https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2013/10/25/strategies-for-ell-instruction

Working closely with Denver Public Schools teachers Ms. Emily Park-Friend (Bruce Randolph School) and Ms. Katie Langlois (Morey Middle School), Dr. Rebecca Greene shows through an article and video series ways that these 7th grade ELA teachers prepare their learners by activating prior knowledge, scaffolding meaning making with complex texts, and developing ELLs’ discipline and academic language practices in ELA classrooms.

Read the article and watch the videos at https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2013/10/25/strategies-for-ell-instruction

SIOP Training of Trainers Institute

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

SIOP Training of Trainers (TOT) Institute
December 9-12, 2013
9:00 am – 4:00 pm ET
Savoy Suites Hotel, Washington, D.C.

This institute is designed for those with a working knowledge of the SIOP Model through past SIOP Model workshop attendance or self-study. Past participants include district professional developers, district and school-based coaches, administrators, and teacher leaders.

Modeled after CAL SIOP workshops and based on the resource, Using the SIOP Model: Professional Development Manual for Sheltered Instruction, participants will acquire the knowledge and skills to help PreK-12 teachers better integrate content and language instruction for English learners.

Learn more and register at http://www.cal.org/solutions/institutes/siop-tot.html

Brief: Implementing the Common Core for English Learners: Responses to Common Questions

From http://www.cal.org/resources/briefs/index.html

CAL Practitioner Brief
Implementing the Common Core for English Learners: Responses to Common Questions

In the course of conducting professional development and other activities designed to improve outcomes for English learners, CAL staff have encountered questions from educators about integrating the Common Core State Standards into content area curricula for English learners.

This brief, designed for practitioners, provides information and answers based on CAL’s practical experience and academic expertise on language learning and English learners.

Read or download the brief at http://www.cal.org/resources/briefs/index.html

Grade Placement Affects Math Performance for Immigrant ELLs, Study Says

From http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning-the-language/2013/10/grade_placement_affects_math_p.html

Grade Placement Affects Math Performance for Immigrant ELLs, Study Says
By Sarah D. Sparks
October 24, 2013

Principals often have little time to decide what grade in which to place older immigrant English-language learners entering U.S. schools for the first time, but their choices can have long-term affects on students' academic achievement, according to a new study published in the October issue of the journal Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis.

While more states have standardized screening procedures for placing English-language learners, older, immigrant, so-called "newcomer" ELLs remain a challenge, as their language needs may be coupled with differences in international curriculums or even missed years of schooling.

Read the full article at http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning-the-language/2013/10/grade_placement_affects_math_p.html

New Video Series on Persuasive Language Unit for Middle School English Language Learners

From https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2013/10/25/video-playlist-ell-instruction

Here is a new six-part video series showcasing an exemplar unit focused on ELA instruction for middle school English Language Learners. These videos were produced in conjunction with Stanford University’s Understanding Language initiative and examine the key shifts found in the Common Core. The videos highlight opportunities to grow students’ disciplinary knowledge and English language skills in heterogeneous classrooms.

Access the videos and more supporting resources at https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2013/10/25/video-playlist-ell-instruction

Latin Summer in Rome for Grades 5-8

From http://www.ascaniusyci.org/latinsummer/LS2014/rome/rome.htm

Latin Summer in Rome
July 2-8, 2014

Participants will spend the bulk of their time journeying through the city of Rome, witnessing the monumental sites and museums firsthand. Accomplished instructors will provide commentary, guide discussion, and lead lessons and activities that engage participants in the culture at hand. Participants will receive myriad materials and activities on all topics studied.

Any student enrolled in grades 5-8 in this school year can come. At least one parent/guardian must accompany the student at all times. The target audience is students who do not have significant experience with Latin.

For full details go to http://www.ascaniusyci.org/latinsummer/LS2014/rome/rome.htm

Attalus: Links to Greek and Roman Authors on the Web

From http://www.attalus.org/index.html

This site contains detailed lists of events and sources for the history of the Hellenistic world and the Roman republic. It includes links to online translations of many of the sources, as well as new translations of some works which have not previously been easily available in English.

Explore the Attalus website at http://www.attalus.org/index.html

Mini-Lectures on Russian History Now Available Online

Yale University Press, the publisher of the textbook Advanced Russian through History, has put the mini-lectures, previously on CD-ROM sold with the textbook, on its website at this URL:

http://yalepress.yale.edu/yupbooks/advancedrussian/audio.html

You (and your students) can access the lectures directly from this site without cost or registration. The listing of the lectures features the topic of each lecture.

Each speaker is a Russian scholar, including:

Galina Aksenova, MKhAT, Film Studies (lecture on film)
Nikolai Borisov, MGU, History (lectures on early and medieval history)
Gleb Ershov, Smolny Institute and St. Petersburg University, Art History (lectures on art and culture)
Aleksandr Kobrinskii, St. Petersburg Pedagogical University and St. Petersburg Institute of Judaica, History (lectures on Jewish history)
Aleksandr Logunov, RGGU, History (lectures on imperial, Soviet, and post-Soviet history and politics)
Maria Tendriakova, RGGU, Anthropology (lectures on women's history)

Each lecture is written and read by the given scholar. Of course the lectures correspond with the texts and exercises in the textbook.

Rifkin, B. [SEELANGS] Mini-Lectures on Russian History On-Line. SEELANGS listserv (SEELANGS@LISTSERV.UA.EDU, 30 Oct 2013).

For more information about the textbook, by Benjamin Rifkin and Olga Kagan with Anna Yatsenko, go to http://yalepress.yale.edu/yupbooks/book.asp?isbn=9780300109474

Federal Cuts for Eurasian and Eastern European Studies

From http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2013/10/23/federal-cuts-eurasian-and-eastern-european-studies#.UmrRwQNr_Gw.email

Federal Cuts for Eurasian and Eastern European Studies
October 23, 2013

The Association for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES) has learned that the Title VIII program – a U.S. State Department program that funds language training and research in Eurasian and Eastern European studies – did not receive an appropriation for the federal fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. Because the money is typically allocated one year and spent the next, that means a significant reduction in the number of fellowships and grants available in 2013-14.

The budget for Title VIII had already sustained cuts: while the funding level averaged about $4.5 million per year throughout the early 2000s, it was cut to $3.3 million in fiscal year 2012, according to an analysis of the funding situation that ASEEES published in its newsletter earlier this year.

“Government seems to be shortsighted in cutting these small programs that have large outcomes," said Lynda Park, the association's executive director.

"I think just about every specialist in our field who was trained in the last 25 years was impacted by Title VIII in one form or another.”

ASEEES is maintaining a list on its website of programs that will be suspended for the 2013-14 year. The association is advocating for the restoration of funding for 2014-15.

For relevant links go to http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2013/10/23/federal-cuts-eurasian-and-eastern-european-studies#.UmrRwQNr_Gw.email

Read a related article at http://en.ria.ru/russia/20131023/184302924/US-Defunds-Venerable-Russian-Studies-Program.html

Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Abroad Program

From http://www.yes-abroad.org

The U.S. Department of State's Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Abroad (YES Abroad) program, provides competitive merit-based scholarships for U.S. secondary school students (age 15-18) to study for one academic year in select countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mali, Morocco, Oman, South Africa, Thailand, Tunisia, and Turkey.

Completed applications must be submitted by January 09, 2014.

For full details go to http://www.yes-abroad.org

Professional Development for Illinois Teachers: Making Standards-Based Grading Work in your World Language Classroom

From http://www.ictfl.org/content/winterfest-2014-making-standards-based-grading-work-your-world-language-classroom

WinterFest 2014 - "Making Standards-Based Grading Work in your World Language Classroom"
Brought to you by the Illinois Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

Participants will be given an overview of basic principles of Standards Based Grading and practical ideas about how to com­municate clearly with students about their strengths and weaknesses. We’ll discuss ideas from A Repair Kit for Grading; 15 Fixes for Broken Grades by Ken O’Connor. Discover practical strategies for dealing with potential pitfalls of Standards Based Grading. Examples of teacher-created standards-based scoring guides for speaking, writing, listening, reading, grammar, and vocabulary assessments will be shared. Explore how to make your class about learning and not just grades!

Three locations and dates:

Saturday, February 1, 2014
Lockport Township H.S.

Saturday, February 15, 2014
Newton Community HS

Saturday, February 22, 2014
Loyola Academy, Wilmette

For full details go to http://www.ictfl.org/content/winterfest-2014-making-standards-based-grading-work-your-world-language-classroom