| NCLRC Arabic K-12 Bulletin - February 3, 2014 Ahlan ya colleagues, Welcome to the Arabic K-12 Bulletin, a biweekly resource for elementary, middle, 
| | Ahlan ya colleagues, Welcome to the Arabic K-12 Bulletin, a biweekly resource for elementary, middle, and high school Arabic teachers, administrators, and researchers. As we enter the second half of winter, it's a great time to consider online professional development opportunities. Apologies for the missing link in the previous edition regarding the upcoming NECTFL conference in Boston. As always, if you would like to reach us please send a message to arabick12@gmail.com. Lucy Thiboutot, Editor |
▪ The Arabic K-12 Teachers Network consists of more than 1,000 educators, administrators, and researchers interested in the Arabic K-12 field in the U.S. It is a free membership provided by the National Capital Language Resource Center's Arabic K-12 Project.
▪ Recent issues of the Bulletin are archived here: http://bit.ly/10KRZi3 .
▪ All members are welcome to submit posts in English or Arabic and may do so by e-mailing their content to arabick12@gmail.com specifying their content for the listserv.
▪ This listserv is focused on elementary, middle, and high school Arabic teaching. Job openings at the university level can be found on the AATA's website .
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1. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
2. NEW RESOURCES FOR YOUR STUDENTS AND CLASSROOM
3. GRANT OPPORTUNITIES AND JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS
4. NADA'S WEBSITES: "Wallwisher"
5. BELAL'S ACTIVITIES: "Slapping Game"
6. MEOC BOOK RECOMMENDATION: "The Arab World Thought of It: Inventions, Innovations, and Amazing Facts"
7. CURRENT RESEARCH: "How to Cultivate 'Grit'"
8. FOCUS ON LEARNING: "Self-taught American teen speaks over 20 languages"
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Workshops and Webinars CLASSRoad is offering "Teaching Languages Using Technology," a 4-week online professional development workshop for teachers of Arabic and other less commonly taught languages. The course features video lectures, quizzes, discussion with peers, and tutorials for assignments involving online tools. Learn how to integrate blogs, podcasts, digital storytelling, Google Drive, Twitter, and other tools to design lessons and engage students . The course will run from February 15-March 15, and the early registration cost is $99 by Feb. 7. To learn more about the course and enroll: http://bit.ly/KujB7p Aldeen Foundation will be offering another six-week online course March 3-April 14, 2014: The 5 Cs in Action and Best Practices in the Arabic language classroom. All sessions are held in the Arabic language and no homework is required. Registration starts February 18, 2014 and closes on March 1, 2014. Space is limited to 40 teachers, so make sure to sign up when registration opens. The online course costs $75 per teacher, and $300 per school (up to six teachers). Learn more at http://bit.ly/1dCmu1l](http://bit.ly/1dCmu1l) and email Mrs. Thouraya Boubetra with any questions at aldeenarabiconlineeducation@aldeenfoundation.org Professional Conferences The National Council of Area Studies Associations is conducting a survey that will produce a picture of the present and future of language and area studies in the United States. The data collected will represent area studies experts from different world regions with diverse disciplinary specialties. As U.S. federal funding for area and language studies has dramatically decreased in the last few years, it has become increasingly important for our profession to show reliable data on the state of the field. We request 10-20 minutes of your time in filling out this important survey by Saturday, February 8. The data gathered by this survey will be presented at a policy research conference in April 11-13, 2014, "Internationalization of U.S. Education in the 21st Century: The Future of International and Foreign Language Studies." Link to the survey: http://svy.mk/MOjxS5 The 61st annual NECTFL (Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) will take place March 27-29, 2014 in Boston, MA at the Marriott Copley Place Hotel. This year's theme is Sustaining Communities through World Languages. This conference offers outstanding professional development opportunities and the ability to network with other teachers of foreign languages, and is sure to include special panels for Arabic teachers. Read more here: http://bit.ly/1e7ZtoM The Second International Conference on Heritage/Community Languages will take place March 7-8, 2014 at Covel Commons at UCLA. Early registration runs through February 7, 2014: $180 for registrants other than graduate students; $100 for graduate students. Contact: Gerda Lobo gerdalobo@gmail.com or Claire Chik
chik@international.ucla.edu Call For Proposals and Papers The Foreign Language Association of Virginia provides an opportunity to share innovative teaching, technology, research and student success strategies. Send in your proposal by April 18, 2014. The Conference Committee invites proposals for active and engaging presentations on topics related, but not limited to: Supporting beginning teachers; Promoting active use of the target language; Making the most of classroom time; Supporting student learning; Active and engaging instructional strategies; Innovative instructional methodology; Innovative assessment strategies; Unique uses of technology; Technology strategies for all students including those with disabilities. To learn more and submit a proposal: http://bit.ly/1kk31CJ |
The Lingaga: Oxford Peace Project has free video conferencing and networking for language learners and speakers, including Arabic. On the free site, teachers and students may meet native speakers, make contacts in other countries, open their own and enter virtual classrooms, post videos on their country, discuss literature and culture, and swap language learning. With students and teachers in over 25 countries registering, it is a terrific place to actually speak the language and put into practice your learning. www.lingaga.com You may be interested in this simple Arabic typing tutor to help your students learn to type in Arabic: http://www.studyarabic.com/arabic-typing-tutor The Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) now offers the Computerized Oral Proficiency Instrument (COPI), a computer-based, semi-adaptive test of Modern Standard Arabic or Spanish oral proficiency intended for use with native-English-speaking students in later years of high school, college students, and professionals. It provides language educators with a computerized, time-efficient assessment of their students' oral language proficiency in Arabic or Spanish. Performance on the COPI is rated according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines. For more information: http://bit.ly/Iw45aE The Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) has produced an Arabic Oral Proficiency Guide for Students. This free online tutorial helps high school and university-level students of Arabic understand and improve their oral proficiency. It teaches students how oral proficiency is rated according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines so that they can self-assess and set language learning goals. The tutorial features authentic examples of students speaking Arabic at different levels, tips and resources to improve oral proficiency, and student descriptions of their experiences being assessed and then using their Arabic to communicate abroad. View the site at http://www.cal.org/aop/index.php The Qatar Foundation International (QFI) is launching a new website for Arabic K-12 teachers Al-Masdar (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 it and offer your feedback by completing this survey: http://bit.ly/1gvdkWS Your advanced students may enjoy this new simplified version of Lebanese author Hoda Barakat's novel, Sayyidi wa Habibi, which comes with a set of pedagogical activities and a companion website: http://bit.ly/16vBpEc Al-Jazeera news is currently developing a special news site for Arabic language learners. Although some of the features are still in progress, it may be worth keeping an eye on as a resource for your classes: http://learning.aljazeera.net/arabic The National Middle East Language Resource Center (NMELRC), in cooperation with Qatar Foundation International and Brigham Young University Independent Study, is offering a hybrid online course for high school students. The high school implementation of Arabic Without Walls, winner of the 2010 Distance Education Course Award, covers the basics of both spoken and written Arabic and enables students to acquire real-world communication skills. This process starts with students attending a one-day course in their region and continues as they work online with a tutor and a cohort of students who form a tight-knit learning community. Students who have done so have gone on to win NSLI-Youth Scholarships to study in the Arab world. For more information on registration, cost and credit please visit: http://bit.ly/1bfmfcG . The Institute for Middle East Studies (IMES) Title VI Outreach Program at The George Washington University (Washington, DC) maintains a film and book library and Skype-a-Scholar program that is free and available to area educators. You can view a list of all of the library resources and find out more about the films using our new Film Guide which contains synopses of the films and classroom usage ideas for educators. The Skype-A-Scholar program brings university experts to your classroom through Skype, to converse with students for an in-depth, innovative learning experience. Contact imesnrc@gwu.edu for more information on these programs. American Councils for International Education coordinates the U.S. Department of State's FLEX, YES, and A-SMYLE programs, where students from the Middle East and other areas of the world have competed against their peers and earned a scholarship to come to the U.S. for a full academic year. The students live with an American host family, attend school and become a part of the family. Anyone interested in hosting an exchange student for a period of two months to a full academic year, and the ability to provide a safe, supportive, English-speaking environment is welcome to contact the programs for more information. For more information: http://inbound.americancouncils.org . The Peace Corps offers the World Wise Schools website, with cross-cultural learning resources including lesson plans, videos, publications, an online game, and more. Take advantage of these free resources to develop your students' global competencies and prepare them to be engaged, 21st century global citizens. Connecting With Teachers Connect with hundreds of Arabic teachers in America and from around the world on the Teachers of Arabic Language K-12 (TALK12) page on Facebook. Teachers can chat, swap ideas, and give each other advice: http://www.talk12.org . |
Grant Opportunities The Arab Academy Scholarship will be offered for three ACTFL members in 2014. The scholarship includes three months of access to the online Arabic program in addition to one weekly one-on-one speaking class. In addition, Arab Academy offers onsite scholarships for two ACTFL members for 8-week sessions at its Arabic language center in Cairo, Egypt. Deadline March 31, 2014. Additional details can be obtained by contacting the educational programs coordinator, Hanan Dawah, at info@arabacademy.org and http://www.arabacademy.com. ACTFL Members: If you have any questions about this scholarship, please contact Jaime Bernstein at 703-894-2900. Qatar Foundation International has announced Teacher Initiative Grants (maximum award: $1,000) to enhance Arabic programs and promote excellence in the classroom. Arabic teachers working in U.S. public or public charter schools may apply for funding to purchase books and materials; host cultural events or workshops; take students on field trips; or attend professional development conferences. Applications are due on the first of each month for awards to be announced by the end of that month, from Nov. 1 until April 1. To download the complete Request for Proposal, follow the link: http://bit.ly/17lD6I0 To apply, go through QFI's grants management portal: http://bit.ly/18XUpgj Job Openings The International High School of New Orleans is seeking an Arabic teacher to begin immediately and complete the 2013-2014 school year. The job description is to plan, organize, and implement an appropriate instructional program and assist the development office with planning and executing student recruitment related activities for the Arabic program, such as: open houses, feeder school visits, and community events. Eligibility for Louisana teaching certificate required. Competitive salary and reimbursement for relocation costs. Interested candidates should e-mail a cover letter and a resume to Nancy M. Ryan at nan.ryan@ihsnola.org with "Teacher: Your Name" in the subject line. E.L. Haynes Public Charter School is seeking a high school Arabic teacher for the 2014-2015 school year. The ideal candidate will have two or more years of teaching experience in an urban setting. To learn more: http://bit.ly/1grQXTE. The Dearborn Academy, a K-8 Charter School in Dearborn, MI, is seeking a certified Arabic Teacher. If no teaching certificate, an emergency certification may be possible. To learn more: http://bit.ly/1eXIUug |
Nada Shaath (Bell High School, CA) suggests: Wallwisher (http://www.wallwisher.com/) Create topic post it notes. Teachers can have one account for all students to post on the wall. Create a prompt and ask students to answer it in an interactive way. A great way to create a space for you and your students to share ideas and information. Do you have a favorite website to share? Send us a link and a short description, and don't forget to include the name and location of your school! |
Belal Joundeya (Renaissance Academy, UT) suggests: Slapping Game Students are in pairs and you give each pair 10 flashcards which they spread out on the table. All pairs have the same cards. The teacher calls out one of the cards and the pairs compete to slap it first. |
The Middle East Outreach Council (http://www.meoc.us) recommends the youth non-fiction book The Arab World Thought of It: Inventions, Innovations, and Amazing Facts by Saima Hussain (Annick Press). The Arab World Thought of It: Inventions, Innovations, and Amazing Facts is a wonderful, compelling book with "sufficient text to explain the beautiful photography." Middle school and high school students will love learning about developments in the medieval Islamic world that affect our lives today. They will be intrigued by stories – and photos – showing how soap was invented, how the scalpel was developed for use in surgery, how wind was first harnessed for power, and many others. Teachers will love the accompanying map, timeline, and index, which make the book useful and informative as well as fun. |
How to Cultivate "Grit"
By Kim Marshall | Marshall Memo #521, January 27, 2014, http://www.marshallmemo.com In this article in AMLE Magazine, consultant/writer Rick Wormeli says that in some domains, today's students are incredibly tenacious: "If the story is good, they read 700-page books. They play online games, working their way through 12 levels of difficulty for six hours or more. They stay well into the evening hours to practice for theater productions and sports tournaments, and they work diligently for weeks on video projects to support favored causes." But in other arenas, not so much. They abandon a website if it doesn't download in two seconds. They think they know world events by skimming headlines and listening to short sound bites. They tune out if a text message is too long. And long reading assignments are anathema. So how do we build stick-to-it-iveness in classrooms? Here are Wormeli's suggestions: • Cultivate trust. "Students will take risks and push themselves harder if they can trust the adult in charge won't humiliate them," he says. Don't use sarcasm and "gotcha" language. Some positive examples: "Can you help me find the supportive details in this paragraph?" "The first part of your response provides the insight we needed. Tell me more about that second part." • Make connections. When a student is deciding whether to watch a movie with a friend or finish a project that's due tomorrow, the deciding factor will be whether the student wants to avoid disappointing the teacher. • Be happy. Students are drawn "to the bright oasis of the teacher who keeps cynicism and indifference at bay," says Wormeli. • Provide descriptive feedback. Focus on the decisions students made while doing their work, he suggests: "Judgments and labels shut down the reflective, growth-mindset process." Some templates: I noticed you decided to ______. As a result, you were able to ________. • Show growth. Use pre-assessments to set a baseline and create a growth-over-time dynamic, says Wormeli: "When students see that they were once struggling and then worked hard and eventually achieved success, they are more likely to endure the next challenge; they have personal proof that they can go from nothing to full success if they put in the time and energy necessary." • Provide constructive responses to relearning and reassessing. An unchangeable 'F' grade teaches very little. Better for a student to go through the steps of a failed project a second time and get it right. • Provide meaningful work. Students respond to real-life connections. "Meaning-making is the root of perseverance," says Wormeli. • Clearly articulate the goals. "At any given moment, every student in our classes should be able to tell us both the learning goal/objective and where he is in relation to it," he says. "If the goal is vague, we're more likely to put it off and we give it less energy in its completion." • Provide multiple tools and models. If students believe they have the building blocks, they're more likely to commit their effort. • Make sure students experience success. "Nothing motivates students to stick with something like success," says Wormeli. "We all enjoy complex, demanding challenges if we have the tools to achieve them and proof of success." "Perseverance and Grit" by Rick Wormeli in AMLE Magazine, January 2014 (Vol. 1, #5, p. 41-43), www.amle.org; Wormeli can be reached at rwormeli@cox.net. |
Self-taught American teen speaks over 20 languages
By Sarah J. Clark | fox4kc.com
Source: http://bit.ly/1jL1vgX His name is Tim Doner. He's 17, from New York City and he speaks over 20 languages. What's more is he's taught himself. According to NPR, only 20 percent of Americans are bilingual. But Doner is in an elite class of hyperpolyglots — people who speak more than 12 languages fluently. His interest in languages started when he began studying for his bar mitzvah. After his 13th birthday, Doner decided to continue his studies and learn modern Hebrew. His interest in the history of Israel and the ongoing conflict between Arabs and Jews led him to study Arabic. Then Russian, Italian, Farsi, Swahili, Indonesian, Hindi, Ojibwe (a Native American language) Pashto, Turkish, Hausa (spoken in West Africa), Kurdish, Yiddish, Dutch, Croatian, German, Spanish and siXhosa (indigenous to of South Africa). While Doner has had formal training in French, Latin and Mandarin at his high school, the other languages he's basically taught himself using books and flash card applications on his iPhone. In 2011 he posted a video to YouTube of himself speaking Arabic (http://bit.ly/1d8KVzl). This allowed him to connect with other hyperpolyglots. In addition, native speakers provided corrections and encouragement to continue. When speaking another language, Doner said he sometimes feels like a different person. In addition, he said speaking a person's native language provides a better way to connect with them. Paraphrasing Nelson Mandela, Doner said when you speak to a person in a language they understand, you speak to their brain. But when you speak to a person in his native language, you speak to his heart. See Doner on his YouTube Channel: http://bit.ly/1cwgK9E. |
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