March 15, 2013

Languages in the News

Report: More Pre-K Programs Needed for
Dual-Language Learners

The Center for American Progress urges policymakers to increase the amount of public dual language immersion preschool programs to meet the needs of the increasing number of English learners in our nation and to promote bilingualism. The report highlights the lack of school readiness programs for Latino children and the research that shows that literacy in one’s first language improves the learning of English. The state of Illinois is leading the nation with an increase in bilingual education services that fund preschool programs for their large population of English learners.

Click here to read Report: More Pre-K Programs Needed for Dual-Language Learners.

Speaking More Than One Language Could Prevent Alzheimer's

This article discusses a study conducted by Brian Gold, a neuroscientist from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in Lexington. His research shows that senior citizens who were bilingual since childhood were better at high-order thinking (executive function) than their monolingual senior citizen peers. He had bilinguals and monolinguals engage in an attention-switching task that involved categorizing and switching colors. Gold found that the bilingual senior citizens were better at the task as a whole and brain scanners indicated that they were more efficient and functioned similar to the brains of young adults. The scanner showed that the brains of the monolingual senior citizens were working harder to complete the task and therefore had less reserve brain power which is known to compensate for age-related losses in thinking and memory.

Click here to read Speaking More Than One Language Could Prevent Alzheimer's.

Editorial: Children Can, and Should, Learn More Than One Language

Only 30 percent of Houston Independent School District’s large population of English learners graduate from high school, because of the immense cultural and linguistic challenges they face during middle and high school where they are immersed in English. At the same time, the district is experiencing great success with their early dual language immersion programs. Of the children who participate in these bilingual programs, 79 percent graduate on time and do well in learning English and Spanish at the same time.

Native English-speaking parents are advocating for an increase in dual language immersion programs in the district (and across the country), because of the multitude of benefits for both English learners and native English learners who become bilingual and bicultural through these types of programs. In addition to increasing our nation’s need for multilingual and multicultural citizens, learning other languages increases an individual’s problem-solving abilities, heightens verbal skills, and promotes mental agility. The district is making an effort to hire teachers who are proficient English and/or Spanish and who have the skills and knowledge to teach academic content through the language of instruction rather than a focus solely on the language.

Click here to read Editorial: Children can, and Should, Learn More Than One Language.

Tips and Tools

Big Huge Labs

This website has resources for a variety of projects for all foreign languages. Visitors will find templates for motivational posters, pop art poster, calendars or training cards. There are over 20 different products that can be created from a photo or document uploaded to the site. It is free, with the possibility of printing larger sized products for a fee.

Click to access Big Huge Labs.

Tools for Educators

Visitors to this website will find a variety of free things, which include tools for making word searches, dice, board games, crossword puzzles, bingo boards, mazes, and dominoes. Resources are available to create spelling, reading, tracing, and writing worksheets as well as picture dictionaries. Print certificate templates

Click to access Tools for Educators.

Apps for iPads, iPods and iPhones

BitsBoard
Bitsboard is a free educational game app that provides access to hundreds of flashcard decks with visually engaging photos plus listening and reading practice. Within each vocabulary deck there are multiple options to pick from: Flashcards, Photo Touch, Reader, Match Up, and Word Builder. To begin personalizing an account, tap the catalog button within the app to search for a language and download any decks for free (accounts are created through email or Facebook). Create new decks to share with others as well. This is a top rated app and can be easily adapted for language learners of all levels.

Animals Guess Who? (Free)
Animals Guess Who? is a simple and fun app ideal for younger language learners. When an animal name is displayed tap the correct animal before it goes away. Change the speed, timer, and language options easily within the settings. There are sixteen different languages to choose from.

This issue of Newsworthy was compiled by Tammy Dann. Send any comments, questions or information for future issues to her at tdann@nnell.org

Thank you to Akiyo Yokoi, Shanon Shreffler, Josh Hem Lee, Andrea Suarez and Heather Hendry for providing links and Amy Murphy for providing apps used in this issue.

Thank you to Kennedy Schultz, Sally Hood, Veronica Guevara and Amy Murphy for their work writing summaries.