The
Communicator
Louisiana Foreign Language Teachers Association
Newsletter Spring 2004
From Juanita
Bienvenu, President
Dear LFLTA Members,
Another school year and LFLTA convention are behind us. Even
after 23 years of teaching, the experiences have all been different,
and today I am as much a learner as a teacher. In the year 2000 I
decided
to return to school, and it has made me a much better teacher.
This summer I am at ULL studying Spanish so that I will be able to pass
the reading proficiency exam to receive a Master’s degree in
French. I
have learned so much more about how I teach and how I should
teach by being on the other side of the desk.
I hope that each of you remains a student. As a beginning student
of a new language, I now understand my students feel. This
scholarly experience has also
opened my eyes to the mindset of many foreign language learners across
our country. I am astonished by the number
of students who take a language just because it is a requirement.
Students want to do just enough to get by since they believe they will
never need to
speak a foreign language. It saddens me to hear this
philosophy in Louisiana especially. People who remain English
speakers
only and who believe that everyone should speak English are really
sell themselves short. Not only do we need to teach
foreign languages, we need to break down the barriers that prevent
our students from wanting to use the skills they learn in our
classrooms.
I know that you all share my sentiments. I also hope that you
feel
that
you have an important role in LFLTA. I hope that you feel
connected to this board and its purposes. For this reason we have
chosen "LFLTA Celebrates the Year of Foreign Languages" as our theme
for the 2004-2005 school year. The highlight of the year will be
the convention in Baton Rouge. Check out our website, and you
will
find useful forms, dates, and email addresses of all the Board
members. I hope to see you March 5 and 6, 2005 in Baton Rouge.
LFLTA 2005 CONVENTION
The LFLTA Convention celebrating the "Year of Foreign Languages" will
take place March 5 & 6, 2005 in Baton Rouge at the Marriott Hotel.
The
keynote speaker and workshop presenter is Greg Duncan, President of
InterPrep, Inc. and former Coordinator of Foreign Languages and
International Education for the Georgia Department of Education.
Mr. Duncan will speak on listening to our learners and what makes our
students leave or want to stay in our classes. “Learning From
What They’re Saying: How to Keep Our Students with Us!” is the
title of Greg's workshop. "Listening to our learners-what a novel
concept! We language teachers get messages everyday about what
our students think of our classes and how relevant they find
them. Are we listening to them? Do we care? This
session looks at what makes our students want to stay or leave the
foreign language experience and strategies that we can employ to keep
them with us longer”
Greg Duncan earned the B. A. at Georgia State University and the M. Ed.
at the University of Georgia. Since that time he has taught
Spanish at the high school and college levels, been chairman of the
Division of Foreign Languages at Wheeler High School in Marietta, GA.,
an assistant principal, Foreign Language Consultant for the Georgia
Department of Education, and Coordinator of Foreign Languages and
International Education at the GADE. He is certified in Spanish
K-12 and in administration.
Greg's professional career includes a long list of activities as a
consultant on performance based instruction and assessment standards
and
curricula. He has been an evaluator for grants and projects
around the country, a
reviewer of numerous textbooks and journals, and a presenter at
conferences in the US and abroad. He has also served on the Board
of Directors of SCOLT, as president of the Foreign Language Association
of Georgia, on committees for ACTFL, and as director of a federal grant
program “Spanish Language and Hispanic Culture for Migrant Social
Workers". In addition, he has been the recipient of numerous
awards such
as Teacher of the Year for the Georgia Chapter of AATSP and for Cobb
County Schools, Wheeler High School, and the Foreign Language
Association of Georgia. In 2004 alone he will be a consultant for
Georgia, Virginia, and New Jersey.
Greg Duncan's workshop will be on Friday afternoon, March 5. The
cost is $10.00. He will also offer the keynote address on
Saturday morning. To register for the workshop and conference go to the
LFLTA application, www.ulm.edu/languages/2003CONFAPP.html.
CALL FOR PAPERS
AND PRESENTATIONS FOR THE CONVENTION
The Program Committee for the 2005 conference encourages you to share
your ideas and thoughts with other conference participants by
presenting a paper, organizing a hands-on demonstration of activities,
or planning to bring ideas to the sharing session on Saturday
morning. We want the involvement of teachers at every
level. What has worked for you? For more information, check
out the webpage link (www.ulm.edu/languages/presentationapplication.html)
or call or
write Leanna Buckley, LFLTA Vice President and Program Chair at
leannabuckley@bellsouth.net.
OUTSTANDING SPANISH TEACHER AWARD GIVEN BY THE EMBASSY OF SPAIN
EDUCATION OFFICE
PURPOSE: To recognize and strengthen Louisiana Spanish language
teachers and give them the opportunity to visit
and study in Spain.
NATURE OF THE AWARD: The Spanish Embassy will provide the
recipient with free
Registration and Tuition to attend one of the Summer Courses sponsored
by the Spanish Ministry of Education. A description of the courses and
their location can be found at
http://www.sgci.mec.es/usa/becas/index.shtml. Along with registration
and tuition the Embassy will provide the winner with free accommodation
and lodging for three weeks in the city where the course takes place,
cultural activities and medical insurance.
ELIGIBLITY: Applicants may be Spanish language teachers at any level at
a Louisiana public or private institution. Applicants must be US
citizens or permanent residents of the USA and be members
of LFLTA.
REVIEW PROCESS: Applicants will submit the Application form along
with other supporting documents. Information about the teacher and the
school is only permitted on the application form. The winning applicant
will demonstrate superior teaching skills. The recipient will
demonstrate interest in improving his/her teaching, developing
instructional materials and/or strategies, providing extracurricular
activities for his/her students, collaborating with
other teachers, promoting the use of the language outside the
classroom and being an advocate for Spanish language instruction in
Louisiana
schools.
Supporting documents are as follows:
1) One page statement of the applicant's teaching philosophy.
2) One page explanation of the reasons for wanting to attend the
selected course(s)
3) Three reference letters: 1 from the principal of the teacher’s
school and 2 from colleagues of the same or other schools.
4) One or two page Curriculum Vita, e.g. education, teaching
experience, participation in professional associations, in-service
courses and any other significant information.
5) Any other documents supporting what is stated in the CV
Nominations for this award are also accepted from Principals or
individual teachers.
FOLLOW UP EVALUATION: Those receiving grants will be asked to present
their experience at the LFLTA Conference following the year of the
award.
DEADLINE: The deadline for submission of applications is February
15. Contact Monserrat DeJuan (dejuan@lsu.edu)
or LFLTA for further information.
SCOLT ANNOUNCES POSTER CONTEST
2005 will be celebrated around the country as The Year of Languages.
Official resolutions by Congress and the President are pending.
As part of the celebration, SCOLT invites LFLTA members to participate
in a poster contest
for The Year of Languages. Since the topic of the 2005 SCOLT conference
in Charlotte, NC is “Many Languages, Many Learners, One World,”
students at all levels can design their posters around that theme.
LFLTA will support the contest and The Year of Languages. We will
appoint a poster contest coordinator and committee to develop
guidelines for participation at the state level and to distribute the
contest information and guidelines to all foreign language teachers at
all levels in the state. The more who participate, the higher will be
the
awareness of the importance of foreign language learning.
Only one winner from each of the three levels indicated in the
guidelines can be forwarded to SCOLT for the regional contest.
SCOLT and ACTFL are both mounting special Year of Languages websites to
aid in celebrating the important events related to The Year of
Languages. LFLTA encourages all of us to Celebrate! Educate!
Communicate! about this special year with colleagues and students
across the SCOLT region. Perhaps you have already started making plans
or perhaps you and your board are looking for more ways to do so.
Please check the SCOLT website for ideas.
For more information about the poster contest, write Juanita Bienvenu,
president, at bienvenu@bigdawgs.com
SCOLT CONFERENCE IN MOBILE
By Terri Hammett, LFLTA Liaison Representative to
SCOLT
The Southern Conference on Language Teaching (SCOLT) met March 18-20,
2004 at
the Adam’s Mark Hotel in Mobile, Alabama. The theme of the
conference was Assessment Practices in Foreign Language
Education. Pre-conference workshops included training for the
Student Oral Proficiency Interview by a representative from the Center
for Applied Linguistics (CAL), an overview of ACTFL’s Integrated
Performance Assessment for K-12 learners and myriad workshops
concerning other aspects of language teaching and evaluation.
Conference sessions were varied and invaluable. I particularly
enjoyed a session related to the latest research on brain-based
learning presented by Dr. Karen Verkler from the University of
Florida.
Dr. Elana Shahamy from Tel Aviv University, Israel,
gave a dynamic keynote speech regarding the power of tests, language
policies, and agendas driving the testing movement. Dr. Shoshamy
shed light on policies and attitudes that shape all facets of language
testing, and testing in general. Her views on language
educational policies appeared in the Perspective section of The Modern
Language Journal, 87 (2), 2003.
Next year’s SCOLT conference will be held in
Charlotte, North Carolina. The theme, Many Languages, Many
Learners, One World, suggests an exciting conference for all foreign
language educators at all levels.
DENISE EGEA KUEHNE CHOSEN FOR OXFORD ROUND TABLE
The 2004 Oxford Round Table, March 28 through April 2 at Oxford's
Lincoln College, focused on human and civil rights with particular
reference to women's rights and issues of gender discrimination in both
the public and private sectors. The purpose of the Oxford Round Table
was to promote human advancement and understanding through the
improvement of education.
Denise Egéa-Kuehne, an LSU faculty member for the past 12-years,
was chosen to participate this past spring. Her main areas of
scholarship are concerned with ethico-political and responsibility
issues focusing on questions of diversity and social
inclusion/exclusion, and human, cultural and linguistic rights,
especially in the contexts of education, knowledge and educational
institutions. She has lectured and published on these topics in North
America and Europe. She has also been a regular presenter at the
Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain, which meets every
spring at Oxford University.
Invitations to the Oxford Round Table are sent to selected persons
throughout the world. These individuals are identified through several
screening processes and by nomination and are recognized for their
leadership and
scholarship qualities. Past membership has included ministers of
education, U.S. state governors, members of Parliament, executive
officers of international corporations, educational administrators and
academicians from major universities.
The Oxford Round Table convened for the first time in August 1989 to
consider major issues in contemporary educational policy with the
objective of promoting human advancement and understanding through the
improvement of education. Egéa-Kuehne presented her paper
entitled
"Women's Education: Of Rights and Responsibilities". The
presentation described efforts by the UN and UNESCO to reaffirm women's
rights as an inherent part of human rights and initiatives toward
the attainment of greater gender equality. In the second part, through
a reading of Derrida's texts she explored the complexity and paradox of
the concept of Universal Human Rights especially as related to language
and education. In the third section, she discussed women's and girls'
access to education and addressed the seemingly impossible task of
Education for All
(EFA) as the very condition of its possibility, held in the promise of
"the human right to a quality education" for all offered by UNICEF.
During the Oxford Round Table Egéa-Kuehne also chaired a session
on "Gender-Based Equity and Inequity in Family
Caregiving of Older Adults with Chronic Illness and Disability', and
was on the panel on "Equality and Differences".
Dr. Egéa-Kuehne earned a Bachelor and Master's degree from the
University of Lyon, France and her Ph.D. from LSU. She is director of
the LSU College of Education French Education Project for Research and
Teacher
Education
and a faculty member of the LSU Women's and Gender Studies and the C
& I Curriculum Theory Project.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED FOREIGN
LANGUAGE TEACHERS
Christelle Thompson - Early-Middle Childhood World Languages
Other than English (WLOE)
6561 Summerlin
Zachary, LA 70791
email: cthom25@lsu.edu
William Gautreaux - Early Adolescence - Young Adulthood (EAYA) WLOE
906 Saint Ann St.
New Orleans LA 70116
email: WillG19@aol.com
Jeanne Jendrzejewski - EAYA/WLOE
2358 Honeysuckle Ave.
Baton Rouge LA 70808
email: Jendrz1@msn.com
Sylviane Finck - EAYA/WLOE
10284 W. Winston Ave., #8
Baton Rouge LA 70809
email: spaslyusa@aol.com
Sandrina Isebaert - EAYA/WLOE
3634 Green Acres Place Dr.
Bossier City LA 71111
email: Sandrina.Isebaert@gte.net
Anita Greenwood - EAYA/WLOE
3005 Lakeview Pl.
Ruston LA 71270
email: greenwzd@netscape.net
Lynn Aertker - EAYA/WLOE
19219 Troon Court
Baton Rouge LA 70810
aertkerl@ehsbr.org
Jill W. Saia, NBCT
NBC Program Administrator
Office of Quality Educators
Louisiana Department of Education
P.O. Box 94064
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064
(225) 342-3553
Fax: (225) 219-4508
LFLTA EXECUTIVE BOARD
Montserrat Dejuan, Spanish
Education Project
dejuan@lsu.edu
Jacqueline
Labat
AATF
Representative
(318)
269-1873
Dr. John Pizer, AATG
Representative
pizerj@lsu.edu
Akiki
Kamo, AATJ Represetnative
Episcopal
School, Baton Rouge
Yolanda
Cerrato, AATSP Representative (LA Chapter)
Ruth
Rosenow, AATSP Representative (Antonio Margil Chapter)
Spanish-Speaking
Countries
(504)
455-6282
Bernard Dubernet
bdubernet@lsu.edu
The Communicator
Louisiana Foreign Language Teachers Association
Newsletter Fall 2003
From the President . . .
Welcome
back! I hope all of you are having a
good year. LFLTA has
beenworking this summer to put into place a number of opportunities,
including a 2004 conference in Lafayette on March 5 and 6.
The theme of the conference will be "Your Brain on Foreign Languages"
and will focus on the results of foreign language study on the
development of overall mental achievements. The information
that will be presented is practical material that you can take back
with you to your principals, supervisors, parents, and
students. Much of it was collected by Carolyn Taylor-Ward
from her own research and through her participation in the SCOLT
Advocacy Camp this past summer. To build on these discussions,
the Board has invited Dr. Marjorie Hall Haley to be the keynote
speaker. Her topics will focus on multiple
intelligence. The keynote is entitled "Language Learners in
the New Millennium: Refocusing The Lens" and will be an
interactive "talk" designed to share current information about who our
language learners are, what needs they have, and the importance of
utilizing all resources. The workshop on Friday afternoon will be
"Multiple Intelligences and Language Learners of the 21st Century" and
is designed for those teachers who face the every day challenge of
teaching to students' diverse learning strengths and weaknesses.
Dr. Hall Haley is Associate Professor of Education in the Center for
Multilingual/Multicultural Education in the Graduate School of
Education at George Mason University in Virginia. She is a former
Spanish, French, German, and ESL teacher.
In
the conference we also plan to repeat some of the initiatives
begun
last year. We encourage you to bring along materials and
teaching tips to share in an Ideas Session. The purpose of
this session will be to allow all of us to learn from each
other. It is not required that you contribute something to
participate, but we hope that many of you will come prepared to talk
about what has worked for you and to learn what has worked for others
too. Teachers found this to be a beneficial exchange of
techniques, suggestions, and solutions to problems.
The
LFLTA Board also plans to continue a practice that was begun last year
of having small meetings throughout the state during the fall so that
we can hear firsthand what you are interested in and what your needs
are. Board members will be notifying you in the next few
weeks about these plans, and we hope that you will participate.
In the meantime, however, the Board and I are eager to hear from you
with announcements of your good news, as well as with your questions
and concerns. Check out the webpage
at www.ulm.edu/languages/ for
upcoming announcements.
I wish you and your students
all the best this academic year, and I look forward to meeting and
seeing you again soon.
Ruth E. Smith
LFLTA President
Louisiana's Foreign Language
Associate Teachers of French and Spanish
The
Louisiana Department of Education (LDE) staff, in cooperation with the
Council on the Development of French in Louisiana (C.O.D.O.F.I.L.) and
government representatives from France, Canada, Spain and the French
Speaking Community of Belgium welcomed some 75 new foreign associate
teachers of French and Spanish at the summer orientation held in Baton
Rouge July 28-31, 2003. The new teachers were joined by their
veteran counterparts in rounding out the weeklong training sessions
that included topics ranging
from classroom management techniques to
content standards implementation.
The
LDE has partnered with C.O.D.O.F.I.L. and foreign governments for
nearly 30 years to sustain its foreign associate teacher program which
began shortly after the inception of C.O.D.O.F.I.L., whose primary
mission was and remains today to promote the French language and
francophone cultures. Presently nearly 300 foreign
associate teachers of French and Spanish who come from Algeria,
Argentina, Burkino Faso, Belgium, Benin, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica,
Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Ivory coast, Mali,
Mauritania,
Mexico, Nicaragua, Niger, Panama, Peru, Spain, Switzerland, and Tunisia
are teaching in elementary-level second language and immersion programs
throughout the state. We are fortunate to have foreign
associate teachers working among Louisiana foreign
language educators
and applaud their efforts to integrate their language, culture,
perspectives and talents into their school communities.
LFLTA Executive Board Members
Dr. Ruth E. Smith,
President
rusmith@ulm.edu
(318) 342-1525
Juanita
Bienvenu, Vice President
bienvenu@bigdawgs.net
(985) 395-4996
Camille
Meehan, Secretary
Anita Greenwood,
Treasurer
cmeehan@loyolaprep.org
agreewoo@lincolnschools.org
(318)
861-6049
(318) 255-4988
Dr. Meg Marshall, Past
President
Marty Bumgart & Katy Craven
mmarshall@selu.edu
mbumgart@yahoo.com
(985) 549-5992
katy.craven@att.net
Regional Representatives
Luc Guglielmi
Southwest
and Central University Representative
Luc992@cs.com
(337)
406-0878
Maria
Blanca Wortham
Northern
University Representative
wortham@ulm.edu
(318)
342-1531
Dr. Robert Lafayette
Southeastern
University Representative
rlafaye@lsu.edu
(225)
388-6867
Valerie
Matejowsky
Northern
Secondary Representative
vmatej@bellsouth.net
(318)
325-0220
Sara O'Neal
Central/Southwest
Secondary Representative
onealsara@hotmail.com
(318)
449-8700
Ara
Forrest
Southeastern
Secondary Representative
arforrest@bellsouth.net
(225)
294-8682
Annick Guilmot
Southeast
Elementary Representative
guilfro@eatel.net
(225)
673-5460
Shirley Payne
Central/Southwest
ElementaryRepresentative
wildar@aol.com
Affiliate
Representatives
Carolyn
Taylor-Ward
Louisiana
Department of Education
ctaylor@doe.state.la.us
David
Cheramie, CODOFIL
dcheram@bellsouth.net
Denise
Eg*a-Kuehn, French Education Project
dekueh@lsu.edu
Montserrat Dejuan, Spanish
Education Project
dejuan@lsu.edu
Mary
Alice Coquillas, Creol, Inc.
(318)
269-1873
Jacqueline
Labat
AATF
Representative
(318)
269-1873
Dr. John Pizer, AATG
Representative
pizerj@lsu.edu
Akiki
Kamo, AATJ Represetnative
Episcopal
School, Baton Rouge
Yolanda
Cerrato, AATSP Representative (LA Chapter)
Leanna
Buckley, AATSP Representative (Antonio Margil Chapter)
jgbuckley@hotmail.com
Dr. Jean D'Amato, LCA
Representative
damatojt@bellsouth.net
Foreign
Associate Teacher Representatives
Eliane
Levaque
Communaute
Francaise de la Belgique
walbula@aol.com
Jean-Xavier
Brager
Consultat
General de France
(504) 523-394
Olga LaFuente
Spanish-Speaking
Countries
(504)
455-6282
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
LFLTA will hold elections at the spring
conference. Nominations for the offices of Vice President,
northern representatives for the college, secondary, and elementary
levels and for the elementary level for the central/southwest.
Nominations should be submitted to Dr. Carolyn Taylor-Ward at
ctaylor@doe.state.la.us.
TEXTBOOK ADOPTIONS
2003-2004 is the year that the state will be reviewing foreign
language textbooks for possible adoption. If you are interested
in participating, call 1-225-342-6200 or email Dr. Taylor Ward.
CODOFIL 2004 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The
Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL) and the
CODOFIL Consortium of Louisiana Colleges and Universities are pleased
to announce the 2004 scholarship program.
Each year, thanks to
foreign governments and foreign universities, CODOFIL offers
scholarships of 3-5 weeks for summer study in French immersion programs
in Belgium, Canada and France. These
scholarships are
available to Louisiana teachers of
French and university students who
are majoring or minoring in French or French Education.
In
addition, the Foundation CODOFIL will once again offer 2 Domengeaux
scholarships for year-long study in Belgium and France.
Louisiana university students studying French education, language or
literature may apply. These scholarships are named after
James Domengeaux, who was instrumental in the creation of CODOFIL.
For
further information, contact Jennifer Miguez in the Scholarship
Department at the CODOFIL office at 2017 West Main Street, Lafayette,
LA 70501; telephone toll-free (800) 259-5810 or (337)262-5774;
fax (337)262-5812; or email: codofil@bellsouth.net An
application form, as well as the scholarship guide, will be available
as of October 1, 2003. The application form and the
scholarship guide will also be posted on the CODOFIL web site:
www.codofil.org
SCOLT NEWS
The
Southern Conference on Language Teaching (SCOLT) will be awarding
scholarships to study abroad in France, Quebec,Germany, Spain and
Mexico for Teachers of French, German and Spanish in the SCOLT
region. The scholarships are for 2 or 3 weeks of study in special
programs during the summer of 2004. There will be up to 8
scholarships awarded, so there is a good chance of receiving one if you
apply, but only if you send in your application packet by the
application deadline of November 15. In 2002 and 2003, teachers
from Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, and
Arkansas received scholarships. You may be among the list
of recipients for 2004! Please visit the SCOLT website at
www.valdosta.edu/scolt/ for information on the scholarship
donors, the
qualification requirements and the downloadable application form.
For further information, contact Sheri Spaine Long at espanol@uab.edu
or (204) 934-1834.
LFLTA MINI-GRANTS
Purpose: To
recognize, promote, and strengthen Louisiana's foreign language
teachers and their profession.
Available
Grants: $500
Eligibility:
Applicants must be foreign
language teachers at any level in Loiusiana
public or private institutions. Only ONE application per teacher
will be accepted. Applicants must be members of
LFLTA. (See webpage at www.ulm.edu/languages/LFLTAm.html to find
out how to join.)
Purpose of Grants: To
inspire teachers to find new and creative ways to challenge, stimulate,
and encourage learning in the foreign language classroom.
Review
Process: Applications are
anonymous. Information about the
teacher and school should only appear on the cover sheet.
Winning grants should demonstrate creativity in meeting a specific
curriculum challenge, a direct learning benefit for students, a direct
learning benefit for students, a promotion of academic excellence.
Follow-up Evaluation:
Those receiving grants will be
sent an evaluation questionnaire to
provide feedback to LFLTA on improving future mini-grant programs.
Deadline:
December 1, 2003. Winners
will be announced at the LFLTA
Conference March 5 and 6 in Lafayette. Winners need to be
present or send a representative to receive their award.
Application:
Grant applications can be found on the LFLTA web page
(www.ulm.edu/languages/LFLTAm.html).
Send (4) copies of your proposal to Annick
Guilmot,
Galvez Primary School, 16093 Henderson Bayou Road, Prairieville,
LA 70769.
Louisiana
Department of Education
Foreign Language Up-date
With
the 2003-04 school year well under way, the Louisiana Department of
Education (LDE) staff has been working on several projects to enhance
foreign language teaching and learning in our state. Recently, the new
Guide for Administrators of Elementary Level Second Language and
Immersion Programs in Louisiana Schools, formerly Bulletin 1536, was
disseminated to parish supervisors of foreign language programs. The
guide outlines various aspects of elementary-level foreign language
programs and can be accessed on the LDE website at
http://www.doe.state.la.us under the foreign languages section of the
Division of Student Standards and Assessments curriculum page.
One project currently under way
emphasizes content-based foreign language teaching. Whenever possible,
foreign language
teachers should collaborate with other content teachers in planning
cross-curricular lessons that reinforce students* knowledge in other
subject areas. The rationale is that making connections to skills in
other content areas through foreign language instruction enhances
student academic achievement. That is to say, foreign language learning
contributes to students* acquisition of skills in other content areas.
To this end, the LDE has contracted with a team of French and Spanish
teachers to develop K-8 foreign language lessons using the Making
Connections lesson plan template. These lessons reinforce specific
content standards in the curricular areas of English language arts,
mathematics, science and social studies. The lessons will be made
available on the Department*s website in October. They will also be
accessible under the name LDE Foreign Language Project on the Making
Connections website which is linked to the LDE homepage. French
teachers working on the project include: Pauline Ewing, Christine
Renaud and Terri Hammatt. Spanish teachers taking part are: Rosalinda
Osnaya, Blanca Rush, and Icel Renteria-Lay.
Another
project being launched this semester is planning the administration of
an on-line assessment to eighth-grade students of French and Spanish.
As offering foreign language instruction to Louisiana students in
grades 4-8 is mandated by the Board of Elementary and Secondary
Education and outlined in Bulletin 741 under Standards
2.090.06-2.090.08, it is important to be able to gauge the second
language proficiency of students enrolled in foreign language programs.
It is useful to know how well eighth-grade students in their final year
of the mandated four-year sequence of elementary foreign language study
are able to use the languages they are learning. Teachers,
administrators and the LDE staff can use this information to better
assess foreign language programs and plan teacher professional
development. Moreover, students themselves would benefit from knowing
their current second language proficiency level and what they need to
do in order to progress to the next level.
In
order to discern the second language proficiency of eighth-grade
students enrolled in French or Spanish second language or immersion
programs, the LDE will engage the services of Language Learning
Solutions (LLS) based in Oregon to administer French and Spanish
on-line assessments, called Standards-based Assessment & Measurement
of Proficiency (STAMP) to eighth-grade students in April 2004. Our
primary goal is to have all eighth-grade French and Spanish students
participate in the on-line assessment. A second aim of to administer
French and Spanish on-line assessments, called Standards-based
Assessment & Measurement of Proficiency (STAMP) to eighth-grade
students in April 2004. Our primary goal is to have all eighth-grade
French and Spanish students participate in the on-line assessment. A
second aim of the on-line assessment project is to offer districts the
option to award students who pass Carnegie credit for level-one French
or Spanish.
In
preparation for the April 2004 French and Spanish on-line assessment,
teachers will be given access to proficiency-based instructional
materials called ClassPak delivered on-line beginning on January
2004. Teachers of student participants as well as a member of
each school’s instructional technology faculty will be required
to attend a half-day training workshop which likely
will
be scheduled in early December 2003. Further information about
the on-line assessment and instructional materials can be obtained at
http://www.onlinells.com.
SUMMER
COURSES IN SPAIN FOR 2004
The
Consejería de Educación y Ciencia of the Embassey of
Spain will again offer a wide variety of summer courses at numerous
universities throughout Spain. The new listings are not online yet, but
last year's information and a list of schools can be found at
www.sgci.mec.es/usa/ or by writing cursosprofesores.usa@correo.mec.es.
EMBASSY OFFERS SCHOLARSHIP TO
OUTSTANDING SPANISH TEACHER OF THE YEAR
The
Embassy of Spain is pleased to announce that starting in the spring of
2004, it will reward an outstanding Spanish teacher from Louisiana with
a full scholarship (excluding airfare) to participate in the summer
study opportunities. The purpose of the award is to recognize
accomplishments in the classroom and contributions to the profession
through activities such as professional organizations, the organization
of Spanish festivals, and curriculum development. The award will be
made at the spring conference of LFLTA on March 5 & 6 in Lafayette,
and recipients must be present to accept the award. LFLTA
is now accepting applications from teachers at the elementary, middle
school, secondary, and community college levels. The candidates
should submit a two page vita including recent activities such as
language festivals, teaching awards, new curricular designs, three
letters of recommendation, and a letter explaining the candidates'
accomplishments and contributions to language education.
Applications should
be sent to Luc Guglielmi at ULL. His address is 116 Appaloosa Drive,
Lafayette, LA. 70506 or by email at Luc992@cs.com. The deadline is
December 10.
We
encourage everyone to recommend candidates for this prestigious
honor and/or to apply for the award. For
additional information,
please contact Luc Guglielmi, Dr. Ruth E. Smith (rusmith@ulm.edu), or
Montserrat Dejuan at dejuan@lsu.edu.
LFLTA CONFERENCE IN LAFAYET
TE
March 5 and 6
The theme is "Your Brain on
Foreign Languages"
The
Keynote and workshop will be given by Dr. Marjorie Hall Haley
KEYNOTE ADDRESS:
Language Learners in the New
Millenium: Refocusing The
Lens
WORKSHOP THEME:
Multiple Intelligence and
Language Learners of the 21st Century
If you are interested in making
a presentation, please contact Dr. Carolyn Taylor-Ward at
ctaylor@doe.state.la.us or Leanna Buckley at
jgbuckley@hotmail.com. There will also be a session for sharing
ideas, and we encourage teachers to contact Carolyn and Leanna about
activities and posters that they may want to display.
In
addition, the Louisiana Consortium of Immersion Schools (LCIS) will
hold its fall conference Friday and Saturday October 17-18, 2003. This
two-day workshop is co-sponsored by the French Community of Belgium in
Louisiana and the French Consulate in New Orleans. Sessions will
include presentations on a variety of topics such as:
multimedia instruction; enhancing oral communication in the classroom;
and getting creative in developing instructional
materials, to name a few. The conference will take place as follows:
Friday, October 17, Saturday,
October 18
8:00
a.m. - 4:30 p.m. / 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Holiday Inn Holidome
2032 North East Evangeline Thruway
Lafayette, LA 70501
Evangeline Elementary School
610 East Butcher Switch Rd.
Lafayette, LA 70507
1-800-942-4868
French immersion teachers can
contact
LCIS
President, Michelle Haj-Broussard at chaoui@cox-internet.net,
or
LCIS Past President, Nicole Boudreaux at jimbx@worldnet.att.net for
further details.
Calendar of Events
18 October 2003
LCA
Meeting
Natchitoches,
LA
1
November 2003
Antonio
Margil AATSP
Chapter
Meeting
Bently
Hotel
Alexandria,
LA
5-6 March 2004
LFLTA
Conference
Lafayette,
LA
20 March 2004
Spanish
Club Convention - TBA
April 2004
AATG
Workshop - TBA
The
Communicator
Louisiana
Foreign Language Teachers Association Newsletter
Spring,
2003 Volume 3 Issue 2
A
Word from the LFLTA President
Dear
LFLTA Members:
Well,
the spring conference has come and gone, and from most reports it was a
success. More than 150 foreign language teachers (including
fortifier
Belgians) participated, and they represented all parts of the state and
every level from elementary through graduate school. Blaine Ray's
presentation was warmly received although it also sparked debate and
discussion
among teachers who accepted everything he presented and those who still
had doubts about putting all their eggs in one basket. The
presentations
were generally well received, and I am very grateful to all those who
gave
of their time and energy to make them. The round table
discussions
were a hit, and the general consensus was to keep and extend this
component
next year. Many participants took the opportunity to complete the
evaluation, and their observations have already initiated planning
about
what to do next year. Two recommendations which were repeated
were
to have more small group discussions with a moderator, not a presenter,
and to invite more presentations which are more "hands on" with
activities
for teachers to take back to their classes. Both of these wishes
will be addressed in the 2004 conference.
Finally,
conferences require lots of hard work by those who coordinate
them.
I am especially grateful to the following LFLTA Board members and
friends
for their hard work and patience: Juanita Bienvenu (and Luke) and
Carolyn Taylor Ward for their hours of work on the program and the
logistical
needs of the conference; Glynis Davis for overseeing registration and
keeping
track of the money; Sara O'Neal for her efforts in identifying sponsors
and donors for the conference; Jackie Labat, Valerie Matejowsky, and
María
Blanca Wortham for helping with registration and with setting up for
the
presentations; and Annick Guilmot for overseeing the identification of
the mini-grant recipients.
As
I mentioned at the conference, we need your help and ideas too to
identify
the names and schools of all the foreign language teachers in the state
and to guide us to assist you more in your work. Please consult
the
web page (www.ulm.edu/languages)
for future information, and share your information about LFLTA with
other
teachers.
Many
Thanks
LFLTA
would like to extend its thanks to Glynis Davis, Treasurer, Teresa
Mayeux,
Secretary, and Betty Evans, Southeastern Secondary representative, for
their dedicated service to the organization. All three have asked
to step down from their positions, but we hope to see them back on the
Board in the near future and know that they will continue to make
significant
contributions to the profession and to LFLTA.
New
Board Members
LFLTA
would like to welcome the following new Board members:
Luc
D. Guglielmi, representative of the University of Louisiana in
Lafayette,
University representative for the Central and Southwest region.
Secretary,
Camille Meehan, Loyola Prep in Shreveport
Treasurer,
Anita Greenwood, Ruston High School
Ara
Forrest, Southeastern Secondary representative
Members
Database
In
an effort to update our membership database, please send any correction
to the editor at youkibel@aol.com.
If you know of anyone who would like to receive The Communicator,
contact
the editor or any member of the Board.
LFLTA
Board: 2003-2004
Officers
Ruth
E. Smith
Department
of Foreign Languages
University
of Louisiana at Monroe
Monroe,
LA. 71209
Tel:
(318) 342-1525
rusmith@ulm.edu
Vice President
Juanita
Bienvenu
5232
Hwy 182
Patterson,
LA. 70392
jhbienvenu@yahoo.com
Secretary
Camille
Meehan
254
Atlantic Avenue
Shreveport,
LA. 71105
cmeehan@loyolaprep.org
Treasurer
Anita
Greenwood
3005
Lakeview Place
Ruston,
LA. 71270
agreewoo@lincolnschools.org
Past
President
Meg
Marshall
Department
of Foreign Languages
Box
179
Southeastern
Louisiana University
Hammond,
LA. 70402
mmarshall@selu.edu
Regional
Representatives
Northern
Elementary
Carine
Dixon
1720
Spencer Ave.
Monroe,
LA. 71201
Tel:
(318)323-8280
Northern
Secondary
Valerie
Matejowsky
Neville
High School
600
Forsythe Avenue
Monroe,
LA. 71201
vmatej@bellsouth.net
Northern
University
María
Blanca Wortham
University
of Louisiana at Monroe
700
University Avenue
Monroe,
LA. 71209
Tel:
(318) 342-1531
wortham@ulm.edu
Central/Southwestern
Elementary
Shirley
Payne
520
East Houston
Opelousas,
LA. 70570
Tel:
(337)948-7065
wildahreynaud@aol.com
Central
Southwestern
Secondary
Sara
O'Neal
1265
Heyman Lane
Alexandria,
LA. 71303
Tel:
(318) 449-8700
onealsara@hotmail.com
Central/Southwestern
University
Luc
Guglielmi
University
of Louisiana at Lafayette
116
Appaloosa Drive
Lafayette,
LA. 70506
Luc992@cs.com
Southeastern
Elementary
Annick
Guilmot
Galvez
Primary School
16093
Henderson Bayou Rd.
Prairieville,
LA. 70769
Tel:
(225)673-5460
guilfro@eatel.net
Southeastern
Secondary
Ara
Forrest
40421
Macedonia Road
Hammond,
LA. 70403
arforrest@stpsb.k12.la.us
Southeastern
University
Robert
C. Lafayette
Curriculum
and Instruction
LSL
Baton
Rouge, LA. 70803
Tel:
(504) 388-6867
Affiliate
Representatives
Louisiana
Department of Education
Richard
Guidry
Education
Program Coordinator
Region
IV Service Center
1405
West Pinhook Road
Suite
102
Lafayette,
LA. 70503
Tel:
(337)262-5208
rguidry@mail.doc.state.la.us
Carolyn
Taylor-Ward
Foreign
Language Program Coordinator
Division
of Student Standards and Assessment
P.O.
Box 94064
626
North Fourth Street
Baton
Rouge, LA. 70804-9064
Tel:
(225) 342-3181
Fax:
(225) 342-9891
ctaylor@doe.state.la.us
CODOFIL
David
Cheramie
217
rue Principale Ouest
Lafayette,
LA. 70501
Tel:
(337)262-5810
dcheram@bellsouth.net
French
Education Project
Denise
Egéa-Kuehne
LSU
202
Peabody Hall
Baton
Rouge, LA. 70803
dekueh@lsu.edu
Spanish
Education Project
Montserrat
Dejuan
LSU
126
Hatcher Hall
Baton
Rouge, LA 70803
Tel:
(225)388-5039
dejuan@lsu.edu
Creole,
Inc.
Mary
Alice Coquilas
4041
12th Street
Lafayette,
LA. 70501
Tel:
(337) 269-9002
AATF
Louisiana Chapter
Jackie
Labat
St.
Joseph's Academy
1816
Beechgrove Drive
Baton
Rouge, LA. 70806
labat@sjabr.org
AATG
Louisiana Chapter
John
Pizer
Prescott
222
LSU
Baton
Rouge, LA. 70803
pizerJ@lsu.edu
AATJ
Louisiana Chapter
Akiko
Kamo
Episcopal
School
3200
Woodland Ridge
Baton
Rouge, LA. 70148
AATSP
Louisiana Chapter
Yolanda
Cerrato-Valladares
ycerrato@rummelraiders.com
AATSP
Antonio Margil Chapter
Leanna
Buckley
Jgbuckley@aol.com
LCA
Jean
D'Amato
damatojt@bellsouth.net
FOREIGN
ASSOCIATE TEACHER REPRESENTATIVES
Belgium
Eliane
Levaque
Communauté
Française de la Belgique
Department
of Education
P.
O. Box 94064
Baton
Rouge, LA. 79894
Tel:
(225) 342-3588
walbrula@aol.com
Canada
Richard
Guidry
Region
IV Service Center
1405
Pinhook Road Suite 102
Lafayette,
LA. 70503
Tel:
(318) 262-5208
rguidry@mail.doe.state.la.us
France
Jean
Xavier Brager
Consulat
Général de France
Amoco
Building
13340
Poydras Street, Suite 1710
New
Orleans, LA.
Tel:
(504) 523-5394
Spain
Montserrat
Dejuan
LSU
147
Hatcher Hall
Baton
Rouge, LA. 70803
Tel:
(225) 388-6867
dejuan@lsu.edu
Spanish
Speaking Countries
Olga
LaFuente
3320
North Arnout, Apt. 211
Metairie,
LA. 70002
Tel:
(504) 455-6282
TEACHER
NEWS AND EXCHANGE
AATG
WEBSITE
The
Louisiana Chapter of the AATG (American Association of Teachers of
German)
now has its own website. Check it out. It has various
useful
links that will satisfy anyone interested in German. The URL is http://www.artsci.lsu.edu/forlang/aatgindex.html.
Email John Pizer, president, (pizerj@lsu.edu)
if you have any questions.
LFLTA
GRANTS WINNERS
Congratulations
to the following winners. A total of $1000 was awarded.
1st
Place--Cristina Barry, Baton Rouge International School for "Exploring
Around". Cristina is a Spanish immersion teacher and wanted to
purchase
Pre-Kindergarten Science Kits that contain hands-on activities
especially
designed for young children. The units that she will acquire are
"Insects and Spiders", "Dinosaurs", "Body and Sense", "Magnets", and
"Weather".
2nd
Place--Danielle Hooper, of the Ursuline Academy in New Orleans. "Les
fetes
du Monde Francophone" proposes to allow Danielle to acquire materials
such
as cultural bulletin boards, French pens, French world journals to
explore
the various festivals that are celebrated in French-speaking countries.
3rd
Place--Lucia Richardson of the Baton Rouge International School for
"Creation
of an Art Gallery". Lucia wanted to acquire art, books, prints of
masterpieces, drawing paper, paintbrushes, watercolors, canvas, etc. to
discover France through famous French painters and then to enable her
students
to create their own masterpieces and exhibit them at school. The
grant was partially funded.
Chantons
Français 3 is out
Chantons
français 1, 2, and 3 are CDs that help teach basic French
vocabulary
and grammar to beginners of any age. The music is varied (rap,
techno,
alternative, rock, tango, chacha, salsa, slow, Cajun, country,
etc.)
The CDs were written and produced in Louisiana. Fifty
Donaldsonville
High School students sing backup. Each song is followed by its
instrumental
version. The themes covered in Chantons Français 3 are the
weather, French speaking countries, classroom objects, hobbies, "avoir
and aller", house vocabulary, kitchen items, and the negation.
The
themes in Chantons Français 1 were body parts, months, places,
Louisiana,
Frere Jacques rock, etre, family, days of the week, what is your name,
and feelings. The themes in Chantons Français 2 were
clothing,
colors, food, telling time, school topics, drinks, professions,
numbers,
and animals. To order CDs send a check to Philippe Radelet, 1480
Lila Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70820. Email is
pradelet@selu.edu.
1 CD is $10, 3 CDs are $20 + $1.50 per CD for shipping.
Summer
2003 Spanish Language and Culture, Literature, and Methodology Courses
Given at Spanish Universities
Most
courses are especially designed for teachers at the k-12 and community
college levels in the U.S. and Canada. The courses offered
are:
Teachers of Spanish as a Foreign Language, Teachers in Bilingual
Programs,
Teachers in Immersion Programs, and Teachers of Spanish for Spanish
Speakers.
The
Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport, the participating
universities,
and the Education Office of the Embassy of Spain grant partial
scholarships
to selected participants in the summer courses.
Duration
of the courses: 60 theoretical and practical hours.
Master's
is 500 hours (see webpage for detailed information).
Schedule:
Courses for three weeks meet in the morning. Master's courses
meet
in the morning and afternoon.
Objectives:
to know Spain and its diverse culture, to perfect the knowledge of
Spanish,
to update material related to Spanish and Latin American literature, to
update teaching materials and Spanish teaching methodologies, to
understand
learning strategies and classroom management.
Credits
(graduate): 60 hours of course time are recognized as the equivalent of
three credits at various American universities.
Price:
The price with the partial scholarship includes classes, food and
lodging,
medical insurance, and cultural activities. It is possible to
extend
one's stay at certain universities and to participate in optional
excursions.
Additional
Information: Detailed information on the courses and how to
register
can be obtained at the following website: http://www.sgci.mec.es/usa/becas/
For more information on registration procedures, write to cursosprofesores.usa@correo.mec.es.
SLU
Annual Foreign Language Festival
This
21st annual event was held April 10 at the SLU arena. Over the
years
it has become a very well-attended event. Twenty schools
participated
and brought 569 students (334 in Spanish, 222 in French competitions,
and
13 talent show performers). Students and schools competed in
several
categories: music, theatre, prose, poetry, and extemporaneous
speaking.
Best overall school tier 1 (over 600 students) was Mount Carmel Academy
from New Orleans. Best overall school from tier 2 (less than 600
students)
was St. Thomas Aquinas in Hammond. Best School in French was Archbishop
Chapelle High School. Best School in Spanish was St. Paul's
School.
The scholarship for a summer school in Belgium was awarded to the
winner
of French Extemporaneous Speaking IV, Frances Marley from De LaSalle
High
School. Congratulations to Dr. Luz Escobar who was the festival
organizer.
Hammond
French Club
The
Hammond French Club meets every second Monday of the month at
Michabelle's
in Hammond. Anybody who is interested in the French language and
culture is invited to attend. For more information contact
Katherine
Kolb at kkolb@selu.edu.
SLU
Opening for a Teacher of German
Southeastern
Louisiana University is looking for a German teacher. For more
information
and details, please contact Dr. Lucia Harrison, Head of the Department
of Foreign Languages and Literatures at lharrison@selu.edu
or (985) 549-2153.
Summer
Courses at LSU
Dr.
Denise Egéa-Kuehne is offering the following courses:
EDCI
4470 Reflective Practice in Language Education K-12 for 3hrs of
credit.
Current theories in foreign language learning, including the most
recent
sociocultural developments in language learning and new conceptual
understanding
of communication and communicative competence; lesson plans for
different
approaches and methodologies; analysis of textbooks and materials for
elementary
and secondary teachers, including Internet resources.
Session
B 9:10-10:40 am in 104 Peabody Hall
EDCI
5880 Special Topics in Education for 3hrs of credit. May be taken
for a maximum of 9 credit hours. Integrating Culture, History,
and
Children's Literature in the Foreign/Second/Additional Language Class,
K-12. Based on individual or teams of two or three selections of
a theme or a book from children's literature in their respective target
languages (French, Spanish, ESL, Latin, etc.), and on content and
interdisciplinary
teaching, whole language, group work, cooperation and collaboration.
Participants
will create a teaching unit for their classes. This course will
stress
the exploration of Internet resources and team work on a specific
project
to be posted on the web. Participants will work in their
respective
target languages to design classroom-ready activities and material to
expand
their students' skills and cultural awareness and motivate them to
create
in the target language. All languages, all levels. For more
information, contact Dr. Egéa-Kuehne at dekueh@lsu.edu.
SCOLT
Conference 2003 by Terri Hammatt
Over
1200 second language educators gathered at the Sheraton Colony Square
Hotel
in Atlanta, Georgia for the Southern Conference on Language Teaching's
(SCOLT) annual meeting held February 27-March 1, 2003. The
conference
featured nationally recognized programs of all levels of World
Languages
throughout the SCOLT region. The meeting offered attendees a
wonderful
opportunity to visit the latest exhibits in foreign language education
and develop professional contacts. Pre-conference workshops and
sessions
were awesome. In addition, special consulate sessions offered by
the French and Spanish Consulates and the Goethe Institute were
entertaining
as well as educational.
SCOLT
news included:
---A
SCOLT Advocacy Camp will take place this June in the hopes of giving
state
foreign language leaders an opportunity to forge stronger advocacy
bonds
and develop a unified voice. Carolyn Taylor Ward will be the
LFLTA
representative.
---The
National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) may
discontinue
certificates in areas of low interest, i. e. those in which fewer than
200 candidates present themselves for certification. University
faculty
should encourage teachers to apply for national certification so that
the
process will continue.
---SCOLT
offers several scholarships for summer study abroad. For more
information,
check the SCOLT website at http://www.valdosta.edu/scolt/.
---The
Fulbright Teacher and Administrator Exchange arranges one-to-one
classroom
exchanges to more than 30 countries for teachers at all levels of
instruction.
Most exchanges occur for an academic year. However, Argentina,
Mexico,
Peru, and the U.K. offer fall-semester exchanges. Applicants must
be U.S. citizens, fluent in English, have at least a bachelor's degree
and at least three years of fulltime teaching, and current employment
as
a teacher. For more information, visit www.fulbrightexchanges.org.
---Next
year's SCOLT conference will be held in Mobile, AL from March 18-20,
2004.
Assessment Practices in Foreign Language Education is next year's
theme.
Hope to see you there!
Total
Physical Response Storytelling by Blaine Ray
TPR
Storytelling was created by Blaine Ray in 1990. Teachers all over
the world are trying this powerful new foreign language teaching
method.
With TPRS you can use your present text. There is no need to
spend
money investing in new materials. You can learn the steps and us
TPRS right away.
TPRS
is changing the way many teachers go about teaching a foreign language
today. Through TPRS teachers are finding they can teach the
language
holistically without having to teach grammar rules. Grammatical
accuracy
is taught but not in the traditional way through verb
conjugations.
The best way to start to do TPRS is to try teaching your class a
minisituation.
There is a tremendous need to give your students lots of
repetition.
Here are some ideas:
•Start
out by teaching your students a gesture for a word. Go to an
American
Sign Language dictionary and look up some gestures. Once you
understand
the idea of gestures, it is pretty easy to come up with gestures.
Make sure all your students are doing the gestures. Teach words
in
groups of 3 or 4. When you think your students know the words,
assess.
Ask 2 or 3 of the slower students if they know the meanings of the 3
words.
If they do, then go on to the next step. If there are words they
don't know, continue to practice each word until they know each word.
•When
your students know the words, now they need to hear the words in
context.
We do this in three ways. First you use the words in novel
commands.
Novel commands are given to the students. If you are teaching the
word "hug", have students hug their chairs, their books, the air or the
door. Also ask personalized questions using each word. Ask
students if they hug their dog, their boyfriend or their parents.
Finally, use the words in a personalized mini-situation. Here the
students will act out a small story that uses the 3 or 4 new
words.
In these mini-situations, put in details that have to do with the
students'
lives. Use proper nouns where possible. If there is a park
in the story say it is Pin Oak Park (the one that is near their
school).
If a car is in the story, say the model and/or the year of the
car.
All of these things make the story come alive. After students act
out the mini-situation, retell it to the students 2 more times.
Ask
them questions about the mini-situation. Next have some of the
better
students retell it to the class.
•After
you have done a few mini-situations, your students are now ready for a
mini-story. A mini-story uses 10 to 15 new words. Treat the
mini-story like a mini-situation. In other words, have your
students
act it out. Retell it to the class a number of times and
personalize
it with proper nouns and exaggerations. Choose your best actors.
In the end have students retell.
•After
you have done several mini-situations, then you can do a main
story.
A main story uses 30 to 100 new words. Now you don't have to
teach
the vocabulary because you have already taught it through
mini-situations.
Now you can go right to the story itself. Again choose some good
actors and have them act out the main story. After they have
acted
it out, retell the story 2 or 3 times more. Review the plot by
asking
them questions.
•After
your students have learned the entire vocabulary from these stories,
you
can test them. Just have them translate the words. You
could
even have them write out some of the mini-stories they have been doing.
For
more information on TPR Storytelling, to order materials, or to find
out
about upcoming TPR workshops, go to Blaine Ray's website:
http://www.blaineraytprs.com/
or e-mail Blaine at Blaineray@aol.com.
University
of Louisiana at Monroe---News
ULM
professors and instructors sent us information about what they are
doing
and upcoming events. Feel free to encourage your colleagues,
staff,
and faculty to do the same.
ULM
FRENCH ESSAY CONTEST
Next
fall the ULM Foreign Language Department looks forward to organizing
its
third annual National French Week essay contest for high school
students
in the Monroe area. Awards are given in two categories:
French
2 and French 3 & 4 students. They include cash awards,
prizes,
and certificates. ULM professors Chris Michaelides and Fredrick
Adams
have developed an evaluation rubric based on ACTFL writing proficiency
criteria. "We tried to avoid using vague, subjective categories
like
'originality'," says Michaelides. "Instead, we look for very
concrete
things like narrative construction, incorporation of dialogue,
analytical
thought, etc.-skills that may be included in any subject students might
choose to write on. And we've read some amazingly creative
works."
Adams agrees: