January 8, 2012
Chinese New Year
An article and links to more resources about the Chinese New Year are available at http://chineseculture.about.com/od/chinesefestivals/tp/Chinese-New-Year-Guide-Prepare-And-Celebrate-Chinese-New-Year.htm?nl=1
Following the Arab Spring, Reservations about Studying Abroad in Egypt
From http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/fashion/some-reservations-about-study-abroad-programs-in-egypt-after-curfew.html?_r=1
Reservations on Studying in Egypt
By JENNIFER CONLIN
December 30, 2011
IN recent years, the Middle East has become an increasingly popular spot for American college students on study-abroad programs, choosing Arab over French or German and the dusty capitals of Damascus and Cairo over Berlin or Madrid.
But in the last few months, as the Arab spring has given way to heightened violence and political instability (not to mention the arrest and detention in November of three American students in Egypt), many students, parents and college administrators are thinking twice about these programs.
Read the full article at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/fashion/some-reservations-about-study-abroad-programs-in-egypt-after-curfew.html?_r=1
Reservations on Studying in Egypt
By JENNIFER CONLIN
December 30, 2011
IN recent years, the Middle East has become an increasingly popular spot for American college students on study-abroad programs, choosing Arab over French or German and the dusty capitals of Damascus and Cairo over Berlin or Madrid.
But in the last few months, as the Arab spring has given way to heightened violence and political instability (not to mention the arrest and detention in November of three American students in Egypt), many students, parents and college administrators are thinking twice about these programs.
Read the full article at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/fashion/some-reservations-about-study-abroad-programs-in-egypt-after-curfew.html?_r=1
Aboriginal Languages Virtual Library Updated
The Aboriginal Languages of Australia WWW Virtual Library (http://www.dnathan.com/VL ) has been updated.
This long-awaited update includes:
- 90 new resources listed
- links checked and updated, "lost" resources relocated where possible
- language search: you can search for a language name (or part of its name), or an ISO 639-3 code
- pages predictably accessible via ISO codes where applicable
- feedback: users can easily suggest new resources or send comments about existing listings
- an entirely new MySQL/PHP/Javascript-based interface
The site now has annotated links to 267 resources for over 80 languages. Over 35% of these resources are produced or published by Indigenous people.
Note that the address has now slightly changed to http://www.dnathan.com/VL - please update any bookmarks or links you may have.
Nathan, D. Aboriginal Languages Virtual Library updated. ENDANGERED-LANGUAGES-L listserv (ENDANGERED-LANGUAGES-L@LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG, 1 Jan 2012).
This long-awaited update includes:
- 90 new resources listed
- links checked and updated, "lost" resources relocated where possible
- language search: you can search for a language name (or part of its name), or an ISO 639-3 code
- pages predictably accessible via ISO codes where applicable
- feedback: users can easily suggest new resources or send comments about existing listings
- an entirely new MySQL/PHP/Javascript-based interface
The site now has annotated links to 267 resources for over 80 languages. Over 35% of these resources are produced or published by Indigenous people.
Note that the address has now slightly changed to http://www.dnathan.com/VL - please update any bookmarks or links you may have.
Nathan, D. Aboriginal Languages Virtual Library updated. ENDANGERED-LANGUAGES-L listserv (ENDANGERED-LANGUAGES-L@LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG, 1 Jan 2012).
Project Helps Digitize and Post Language Videos
From http://falmouthinstitute.com/language/2011/12/project-helps-digitize-and-post-language-videos
With the popularity of You Tube and sites like it, language activists are finding that posting language videos online can be a great way to engage learners. The ability to share these videos over the internet provides access to a much larger pool of learners, from potential speakers who are geographically separated to those who are too shy to practice speaking in social settings. A problem that many communities are facing, though, is that some of their best language material comes from video or audio recordings that may be decades old and isn’t formatted properly to post online. A project sponsored by Canada’s Department of Canadian Heritage is stepping in to help indigenous communities across the globe work around that problem. Digitizing the Inuit and Aboriginal Media Archive (DIAMA) offers to digitize up to five videos for free, and will co-sponsor a search for funds for archives interested in digitizing their complete collections.
In addition to helping communities clean, reformat and digitize their treasured footage, DIAMA has created its own You Tube-esque site where people can upload learning materials, including videos, audio files, images or text files, for their own culture education area. The site, located at http://www.isuma.tv , currently has over 2600 films in 46 languages.
Learn more about IsumaTV’s free digitization program at http://www.isuma.tv/hi/en/isumatv/diama-call-fro-submissions
With the popularity of You Tube and sites like it, language activists are finding that posting language videos online can be a great way to engage learners. The ability to share these videos over the internet provides access to a much larger pool of learners, from potential speakers who are geographically separated to those who are too shy to practice speaking in social settings. A problem that many communities are facing, though, is that some of their best language material comes from video or audio recordings that may be decades old and isn’t formatted properly to post online. A project sponsored by Canada’s Department of Canadian Heritage is stepping in to help indigenous communities across the globe work around that problem. Digitizing the Inuit and Aboriginal Media Archive (DIAMA) offers to digitize up to five videos for free, and will co-sponsor a search for funds for archives interested in digitizing their complete collections.
In addition to helping communities clean, reformat and digitize their treasured footage, DIAMA has created its own You Tube-esque site where people can upload learning materials, including videos, audio files, images or text files, for their own culture education area. The site, located at http://www.isuma.tv , currently has over 2600 films in 46 languages.
Learn more about IsumaTV’s free digitization program at http://www.isuma.tv/hi/en/isumatv/diama-call-fro-submissions
Article: Spanish Unlocks Doors to Other Languages in Cal State Program
From http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-french-spanish-20111231,0,3944823.story
Spanish unlocks doors to other languages in Cal State program
Linguistics educators around the country are gaining interest in nontraditional programs at Long Beach campus that focus on similarities in grammar and vocabulary.
By Carla Rivera
December 31, 2011
Priscilla Castro grew up enthralled with French culture despite understanding few words of the movies and music in which she delighted.
Now Castro's facility with Spanish, which her family spoke at home, is serving as an unlikely bridge to mastering le Français in a unique Cal State Long Beach program designed to exploit Spanish speakers' existing language skills.
The French for Hispanophones program was developed more than five years ago but recently surged in popularity at the Long Beach campus, where more than 30% of students are Latino.
About 80 students were enrolled this fall in the French program, which has been such a success that a course in Italian for Spanish speakers was added this year. The university may double the number of class sections for each course next fall because of the demand, officials said.
The program has attracted the interest of linguistics educators from around the nation, including the Air Force Academy, which last year established a Portuguese course for Spanish speakers that is modeled on the Long Beach initiative.
Read the full article at http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-french-spanish-20111231,0,3944823.story
Spanish unlocks doors to other languages in Cal State program
Linguistics educators around the country are gaining interest in nontraditional programs at Long Beach campus that focus on similarities in grammar and vocabulary.
By Carla Rivera
December 31, 2011
Priscilla Castro grew up enthralled with French culture despite understanding few words of the movies and music in which she delighted.
Now Castro's facility with Spanish, which her family spoke at home, is serving as an unlikely bridge to mastering le Français in a unique Cal State Long Beach program designed to exploit Spanish speakers' existing language skills.
The French for Hispanophones program was developed more than five years ago but recently surged in popularity at the Long Beach campus, where more than 30% of students are Latino.
About 80 students were enrolled this fall in the French program, which has been such a success that a course in Italian for Spanish speakers was added this year. The university may double the number of class sections for each course next fall because of the demand, officials said.
The program has attracted the interest of linguistics educators from around the nation, including the Air Force Academy, which last year established a Portuguese course for Spanish speakers that is modeled on the Long Beach initiative.
Read the full article at http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-french-spanish-20111231,0,3944823.story
CARLA Summer Institutes 2012
From http://www.carla.umn.edu/institutes
The Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) at the University of Minnesota has offered a summer institute program for second language teachers since 1996. Linking research and theory with practical applications for the classroom, each institute includes discussion, theory-building, hands-on activities, and networking with colleagues.
View the lineup of 2012 institutes at http://www.carla.umn.edu/institutes/2012/schedule.html . The institutes include a special series for immersion teachers.
Learn more and register at http://www.carla.umn.edu/institutes/index.html
The Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) at the University of Minnesota has offered a summer institute program for second language teachers since 1996. Linking research and theory with practical applications for the classroom, each institute includes discussion, theory-building, hands-on activities, and networking with colleagues.
View the lineup of 2012 institutes at http://www.carla.umn.edu/institutes/2012/schedule.html . The institutes include a special series for immersion teachers.
Learn more and register at http://www.carla.umn.edu/institutes/index.html
Language Testing Research Colloquium
From http://www.iltaonline.com
34th Language Testing Research Colloquium
Assessment and Learning: Bridging Diverse Disciplines and Domains
April 3rd – 5th, 2012 (preconference workshops April 1st & 2nd)
Princeton, New Jersey, USA
Early registration deadline: Feb 28th, 2012
Learn more about this conference at http://www.ets.org/c/16734 and register at http://ilta.memberlodge.com/Registration
34th Language Testing Research Colloquium
Assessment and Learning: Bridging Diverse Disciplines and Domains
April 3rd – 5th, 2012 (preconference workshops April 1st & 2nd)
Princeton, New Jersey, USA
Early registration deadline: Feb 28th, 2012
Learn more about this conference at http://www.ets.org/c/16734 and register at http://ilta.memberlodge.com/Registration
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