Greetings!
Today's technology has transformed language learning. Interactive, multimedia lessons are a much more effective means of acquiring a new language. Listening and speaking should take the lead in language learning, building the foundation for reading and writing.
A language lab allows students to repeat and practice oral language similar to the way they acquired their first language, with little or no text support at first, making the most of the brain's natural learning mechanism.
U.S. schools have tried for far too long to teach languages using the reading first approach. If we truly want our children to acquire second and third languages we need to evaluate the way they are taught. With proper use of the technology available our students can succeed and speak a second language fluently!
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"Charting the Path from Engagement to Achievement:
A Report on the 2009 High School Survey of
Student Engagement."
Are your high school students bored? Many factors that contribute to students boredom are tied to the students' perception of effective or ineffective instruction. Of the students that have been bored in class in high school, 81% stated the reason for their boredom was the material wasn't interesting, 42% cited the lack of relevance of the material, and 35% reported that the source of their boredom was that they have no interaction with their teacher. Finding and engaging an interactive pedagogical approach to learning will play a critical role in addressing the issues raised by the students in this survey.
On the High School Survey of Student Engagement, students were asked to rate the degree to which various types of work in class-instructional methods excite and /or engage them. Students rated most highly those methods that involve work and learning with their peers. "Discussion and Debate" was rated as to some degree or very exciting/engaging by about three out of five students (61%) and similarly "Group Projects" were also rated by three out of five students to be some degree or a very exciting/engaging pedagogical method. An additional choice added for 2009 "Projects and Lessons Involving Technology" was chosen by 55% of students as an instructional method that was exciting/engaging either to some degree or very much.
To read the report in its entirety "Click Here".
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H.R.6036:
Excellence and Innovation in Language Learning Act
Official Summary:
7/30/2010 Introduced:Excellence and Innovation in Language Learning
Act.
Directs the Secretary of Education to undertake certain national
activities at the elementary and secondary school level that include:
- (1) expanding the collection and dissemination of information on effective foreign language education;
- (2)
encouraging states to adopt nationally recognized standards for foreign
language education and effective assessments that are aligned to such
standards; and
- (3) providing scholarships to
students and their teachers for study-abroad opportunities.
Directs the
Secretary to award competitive grants to states to improve their
elementary and secondary school foreign language programs. Requires each
state grantee to use its grant to:
(1) develop foreign language and international education policy and programs;
- (2) appoint a state foreign language and international education advisory council to assist it in doing so;
(3) designate a state language and international education coordinator or coordinators;
(4)
adopt nationally recognized standards for foreign language education
and effective assessments that are aligned to such standards;
(5) implement in- and pre-service foreign language teacher training programs;
(6) provide scholarships and incentives to recruit new teachers and encourage existing teachers to receive training; and
(7)
provide technical assistance to elementary and secondary schools
Directs the Secretary to award competitive matching grants to
partnerships between state or local educational agencies and
institutions of higher education to develop and maintain, or improve and
expand, model programs that ensure the continuity of student progress
in foreign language proficiency from kindergarten through grade 12.
Requires each model program to include a research and evaluation
component
Watch this bills progress at: "Click Here"
Want to help this bill get passed, "Click Here" for a sample letter of support and instructions on how to get your Congressman to sign on.
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