| News for and about language educators |  |
- New technology unlocks the origins of modern languages
Researchers have developed new software that can identify the origin of modern languages. For example, the computer program analyzed 637 Asian languages to generate the common language that would have been their linguistic ancestor. Linguists traditionally have carried out such work, but experts say the program will help speed the process. "It would take hundreds of lifetimes to pore over all those languages, cross-referencing all the different changes that happened across such an expanse of space -- and of time. But this is where computers shine," said Dan Klein, associate professor at the University of California, Berkeley. BBC
(2/12)     
- Is there a secret to teaching foreign languages?
Students in Sweden, Malta and the Netherlands are the best at learning foreign languages, according to the European Survey on Language Competences and the British Academy, while students in Britain come out on the bottom. Andy Martin, who teaches French at Cambridge University, writes in this commentary that, while there are challenges for British students, he has found success with an instructional method in which foreign languages are learned through film, books and songs. The Independent (London)
(2/17)
 | 21st Century Language Lab Technology
It’s a snap to pair or group language students for collaborative projects with the Sony Virtuoso™ technology suite to make the most of your teaching time. Work with the entire class, or achieve different outcomes simultaneously by grouping students with different activities. Learn more about how technology benefits language teachers. |
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| Technology & Trends |  |  |
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- Web-based program helps students make international connections
Students at a British school in Pamplona, Spain, are communicating with elementary-school students in Texas through a Web-based educational program called ePals Global Community. The students in Texas also are using iPads and MacBooks to talk to students in a French-speaking part of Africa. Students use the technology to send biography videos and information about where they live, such as the weather. Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Texas)
(2/17)
- Find a fixer to help you navigate new cultures
Bosses hoping to give useful feedback to workers from other cultures, or to lead foreign workforces effectively, need to learn the local rules of social behavior, writes Andy Molinsky. One way to do that is to find a guide or fixer who can help avoid cultural misunderstandings. "A mentor who appreciates your position as well as the expectations of the new culture can help you craft a new style that fits where you are and that feels authentic to you," Molinsky writes. Harvard Business Review online/HBR Blog Network
(2/15)
| Policy Watch | | |
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| ACTFL News | | |
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2013 ACTFL video contest finalists announced
Last December, students across the country, from elementary school through college age, submitted videos demonstrating how language learning has been important in their lives. The finalists from this contest have been announced! Now you can register and vote for your favorite videos in each category. Vote now.
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Request free ACTFL information packets for your students
Request packets loaded with information about the products and services available from ACTFL. Included are sample copies of The Language Educator and Foreign Language Annals. Encourage your students to take advantage of the many professional and career-related resources offered by ACTFL. ACTFL student membership is only $25/year. To order these FREE packets, send an e-mail containing your name, address and number of packets requested to membership@actfl.org.
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