Membership
Renewal Time!
Renew your membership by the end of May and your
May 2015 -
August 2016 membership will include a free webinar
from the archived webinars.
(Click here to renew in less
than 5 minutes.)
We have more exciting things planned for the 2015-2016
membership year. These include opportunities to:
- Engage in the new Fall webinars series.
- Write an article for the
upcoming issues of Learning Languages: Developing 21st
Century Leaders Through Language Instruction
(Spring/Summer 2015) or Exploring Creativity and
Innovation Through Language Learning (Fall/Winter 2015).
- Join us in person and virtually
for more opportunities to network.
NNELL is Seeking a Journal
Editor
Join the NNELL team! NNELL is seeking someone to fill the
position of Journal Editor of Learning Languages. Check out
this excellent opportunity to contribute to the field of
early language learning.
Join Us This
Summer!
NNELL Summer Institute
July 10-12, 2015
Glastonbury, CT
The 2015 NNELL Summer Institute will be
held July 10-12 in Glastonbury, Connecticut. The cost for
members is $200 including meals and space is limited, so register today! For
more information, including a tentative schedule and list of
speakers, please visit our
Summer Institute page.
ACTFL
releases Seal of Biliteracy Guidelines
Washington, DC—The American
Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL),
the National Association of Bilingual Education (NABE),
the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages
(NCSSFL), and TESOL International Association, have
officially drafted recommendations for the
implementation of the Seal of Biliteracy.
The Seal of Biliteracy is an award made by a state
department of education or local district to recognize a
student who has attained proficiency in English and one
or more other world languages by high school graduation.
The recognition of attaining biliteracy becomes part of
the high school transcript and diploma for these
students. "This is an unprecedented collaboration by
language educators to guide states in the implementation
of the Seal of Biliteracy to ensure that students in
each state are encouraged to demonstrate language
proficiency in both English and another language,"
Jacque Van Houten, ACTFL President, added. The Seal
serves to certify attainment of biliteracy for students,
employers, and universities. It is a statement of
accomplishment that helps to signal evidence of a
student's readiness for career and college, and for
engagement as a global citizen.
Bilinguals More Efficient at
Higher-Level Brain Functions, Study Says
A recent study conducted at Northwestern
University adds to the accumulating research regarding the
cognitive benefits of multilingualism. The remarkable use of
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to scan brains
showed differences in higher-level functioning between
bilinguals and monolinguals. This article mentions results from
another study involving bilingual children’s ability to
concentrate in the classroom.
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Penn study finds infants know
more than you think
How do you know if an infant understands
what you're saying? A new study from Penn State shows that
infants age 6-9 months old understand our words a lot sooner
than previously thought.
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The ABCs of Elementary
School Foreign Language Programs: A Guide for Parents (2003)
Here is a practical guide for
parents interested in early foreign and second language
program advocacy. It provides a strategic framework, an
overview of program models including brief descriptions, and
a starter list of additional, helpful print resources.
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Elementary World Language Instruction
A September 2014 eSchool News special report, entitled
Elementary World Language Instruction, informs that although
learning a second language at an early age offers many
benefits, only 25 percent of US elementary schools have
world language programs. Dual-language immersion and blended
programs are discussed drawing on the experience of urban
and suburban public schools
Classroom Posters
This link from Middlebury provides
teachers with free printable posters that can be displayed
in classrooms or school hallways to help advocate for
foreign language learning. There are 3 posters: one entitled
"5 reasons everyone should know two languages, 2) 5 ways
being bilingual makes you smarter, and 3) 5 reasons knowing
a world language makes you more creative."
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Telling Time in Mandarin
Chinese
(Learn Asking and Telling Time)
This web teaches how to ask and tell
time in Chinese which includes "what time is it?", "it
is...", "half hour", and "on the hour". English is used to
explain each sentence or phrase word for word.
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App Review: play2learn French HD
Learn vocabulary through the usual
themes and play games to test your learning! Good for
children 3-12, even young native speakers can enjoy it! -
$1.99
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