The Journal of the Foreign Language Association of Georgia
FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
SCOLT 50th Anniversary Conference in Atlanta, GA Renaissance Concourse Hotel Atlanta Airport - March 5 - 7, 2015 In Conjunction With FLAG and SEALT
2015 Call for Session Proposals NEW! SCOLT is now accepting proposals for our 2015 50th Anniversary joint conference with FLAG. Submit your proposal today! Go to the SCOLT website to link to our 2015 conference page and find the link to the session proposal form. Session proposal deadline will be August 15, 2014. 2015 Program Cover Contest NEW! Students in grades 3 - 12 can submit entries for our Program Cover Contest. Go to the SCOLT website to link to our 2015 conference page and find out more details. Teacher of the winning entry will receive one year complimentary SCOLT Sponsor/Patron membership, while the winning student will receive $50. 2015 Conference Registration Information: Registration for 2015 will be posted in August 2014. Hotel Reservations: Reserve your room at the Renaissance Concourse and stay close to all the action. We are expecting our room block so sell out, so make your reservations early! NEW! Dimension 2014 Published on SCOLT website! Become a SCOLT Sponsor/Patron Today!
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2014 FLAG Officers scrooks@kennesaw.edu
President Joe Frank Uriz Parsons Elementary School 1615 Old Peachtree Road, Suwanee, GA 30024 Phone: (770) 810-5834 Fax (678) 957-3055 Email: president@flageorgia.com
Corresponding Secretary
President-Elect
Treasurer / Administrator
Denise Overfield University of West Georgia, Foreign Languages & Literatures Maple Street, Carrollton, GA 30118 Phone: (678) 839-6515 Fax: (678) 839-5931 Email: presidentelect@flageorgia.org
Vice-President for Advocacy
Pat McCoy Wesleyan School 5405 Spalding Drive Norcross, GA 30092 (770) 448-7640 x4438 Email: secretary@flageorgia.org
Mary Ellen Foye P.O. Box 734 Griffin, GA 30224 Phone: (c) (770) 468-3396 Email: treasurer@flageorgia.org
Members-At-Large FLES (ESFL) Sandra Cleveland Sharon Elementary School Email: mal-es@flageorgia.org
Rhonda Wells DeKalb County School System Instruction, Bldg. B, 3770 N. Decatur Rd., Decatur, GA 30032 Middle School Phone: (678)676-0227 Vicki Alvis Email: advocacy@flageorgia.org Autrey Mill Middle School , Fulton Email: mal-ms@flageorgia.org
Vice President for Language Contests
High School Tammy Garces Heard County High School Email: mal-hs@flageorgia.org
Jamie Patterson World Language Program Specialist Fulton County Schools Fulton County Schools Admin.Center Post Secondary 786 Cleveland Ave. SW Amye Sukapdjo Atlanta, GA 30315 University of North Georgia Email: contests@flageorgia.org Email: mal-ps@flageorgia.org
Immediate Past President Elizabeth Combier North Georgia College & State University, Modern Languages 305B Dunlap Hall Dahlonega, GA 30597 Phone: (706) 867-2811 Fax: (706) 864-1485 Email: pastpresident@flageorgia.org
Directors FLAG Journal Editor Susan Crooks Kennesaw State University Dept. of F.L. 1000 Chastain Rd. MD 1804 Kennesaw, GA 30144-5591 Phone: (770)971-9504
Archivist Jane Hursey Retired, DeKalb County Schools Email: archivist@flageorgia.org
Public Relations Joy Lynn Tynes Cobb County Central Office 3295 South Atlanta Rd. Smyrna, GA 30080 Email: pr@flageorgia.org
Conference Brandi Meeks Starr's Mill High School 193 Panther Path Fayetteville, GA 30215 Phone: (770) 486-2710 Fax: (770) 486-2716 Email: conference@flageorgia.org
Electronic Media Horst Kurz Dept. of Foreign Languages Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA 30460-8081 Email: webmaster@flageorgia.org
Affiliate Liaison Greg Barfield Program Specialist GA Department of Education 1770 Twin Towers East 205 Jesse Hill Jr. Dr. SE Atlanta, GA 30334 Phone: (404)651-5363 Fax: (404)657-7489 Email: affiliates@flageorgia.org Micheala Claus-Nix Program Specialist GA Department of Education 1770 Twin Towers East 205 Jesse Hill Jr. Dr. SE Atlanta, GA 30334
The photos on this issue’s cover are generously reprinted here compliments of the REALIA Project . The REALIA Project publishes faculty-reviewed media for the teaching and study of modern languages and cultures. Faculty and students at all levels are encouraged to contribute materials to our searchable, online database. The focus of the REALIA Project is realia: Materials which convey the everyday life of different cultures. The lower photograph These images, and so many others can be accessed from http://www.realiaproject.org/
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Editor’s Message It seems that there were more openings for foreign language teachers this year than any year I can remember, and not just in Spanish. I suspect the reason is twofold: retiring teachers and expansion of programs due to additional funding for school systems from the state. We need to encourage our students to consider teaching as a career. Please let me know if you would like to have me come as a guest speaker to talk about careers in teaching languages. I have a presentation complete with salary information and would be happy to share it. The 2015 Flag conference will be held in conjunction with SCOLT and SEALT in Atlanta at the Renaissance Concord Hotel March 5-7. Proposals for sessions will be accepted until August 15, so go to the SCOLT website and submit your proposal form. Our last FLAG conference set new attendance records (see Brandi’s report). There are two very different articles in this issue, one about teaching reading in the target language by Greg Sanchez and one about the multiple exchange programs at Holy Innocents Episcopal School by Mary Catherine Thomson. I think you will enjoy them both. A great resource for language teachers is the REALIA Project. I encourage FLAG members to visit the REALIA Project and use the quality photographs to engage students in meaningful language and cultural learning scenarios. Additionally, I strongly encourage members to submit travel photos for publication to expand the library. The two pictures on the cover are from their files: the top one is from France and the bottom one from Germany. I may be adding to the REALIA Project library as I embark on three weeks abroad, visiting old favorites and exploring new places, provided I can find my camera. If not, I will see if I can get quality pictures with my phone. Here’s wishing you all a wonderful summer to recharge your batteries!
Susan
The REALIA Project publishes faculty-reviewed media for the teaching and study of modern languages and cultures. Faculty and students at all levels are encouraged to contribute materials to our searchable, online database. The focus of the REALIA Project is realia: Materials which convey the everyday life of different cultures. It is available from http://realiaproject.org/ 4FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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FLAG Journal A Publication of the Georgia Association of Foreign Language Teachers http://www.flageorgia.org/flag.htm Volume 16
Spring/Summer
2014
Contents SCOLT/FLAG Conference 2015…………………………………...2 FLAG Board…………………………………………...…………...3 Editor’s Message …………………………………………………...4 Letter From the President…………………………………………...6 FLAG Award Recipients…………….……………………………...8 News From the Universities…….….………………………………10 FLAG 2014 Conference Report……………...………..…….……..11 News From the GA Department of Education...……….…………..12 FLAG Spoken Language Contest ……………………………….....14 AATF Chapter Report.….………………………………...……......16 AATG Chapter Report…..………………….…...………………….18 AATSP Chapter Report………..…………..………..……………....19 FLAIR Report …..………………………………………...………...22 I Want to Teach Reading in Ways That Reflect How We Really, Truly Read …...25
I Want to Teach Reading in Ways that Reflect How We We Are Family..…………………………………......…...………….30 FLAG Awards Information………………………………….……....37 FLAG Membership Form…………………………………………....38
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Letter from the President Joe Frank Uriz Dear FLAG Colleagues: As we close out another school year, let’s look back at all the wonderful accomplishments during our year. Foreign language learning is prospering across the state of Georgia, and our hardworking members continue to provide the best for our students. Thank you for being leaders in foreign language education! In November, FLAG was represented at ACTFL. The conference took place in the beautiful city of Orlando, FL, at the. This year’s theme was New Spaces, New Realities: Learning Any Time, Any Place, with over 6,000 language educators from all languages, levels, and assignments within the profession. The dynamic president of ACTFL, Toni Theisen, did an outstanding job. Dr. Robert Patrick (Parkview HS, Gwinnett Co.), our FLAG Teacher of the Year 2012, interviewed for National Foreign Language Teacher 2013. FLAG was there to cheer him on. The ACTFL Teacher of the Year went to Linda Egnatz, a Spanish language teacher from Lincoln-Way Community High School in Frankfort, IL, and a member of the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Dr. Robert Patrick will always be our FLAG TOTY 2012! Our 2014 Atlanta conference, Take Flight to Global Awareness, was by far the greatest event ever, with many excellent and engaging sessions and workshops provided by our great membership. We had 441 members in attendance. The beauty of attending a conference is that we plant the seeds of knowledge, with new ideas, lessons, methods, best practices, and much more. Afterward, we take this back to cultivate and grow prosperous classrooms. Remember, we empower ourselves and our colleagues when we come together as one to share our brilliance. This year’s Best of FLAG goes to Edee Heard (Druid Hills HS, DeKalb Co.) for her session entitled "'Saludos' Questions/Answers/Conjugations and Conversation.” Edee will go on to present at the next SCOLT Conference in Atlanta, GA. Congratulations, Edee! We are so excited that nine awards were given out this year. Please take a look at our winners in this journal. This is due to all of your nominations. Please think ahead for next year’s nominations, and visit www.flageorgia.org to nominate someone. A special thanks to our FLAG board and Mary Ellen Foye, Executive Administrator/Treasurer, and Brandi Meeks, Conference Director, for all their hard work on our conference. These conferences could not take place without the hard work of all—and that includes our strong membership. In March, FLAG was also represented at SCOLT in Memphis, TN. The conference was spectacular, with many interesting sessions and workshops, and the highlighting of Uniting the Corps. On Thursday, there was a leadership luncheon attended by most of the states in the Southeast. Mr. Greg Duncan from Interprep, Inc., was the guest speaker and led groups in discussions of types of leadership and what we need to do in our leadership roles to grow our associations. On Friday, Ms. Peggy Boyles gave the keynote address and did an excellent job as she focused on culture with her theme “Close Encounters of a Cultural Kind.” Aaron Mullins (Parkview HS, Gwinnett Co.) presented his Best of FLAG: Seven Activities for the Talkative Class to a packed room, and even Dr. Herman Bostick, FLAG founder, was in attendance and participating. Congratulations, Aaron! 6FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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President’s Letter Continued to Dr. Svetoslava Dimova, our FLAG Teacher of the Year 2013, who represented us in the regional Teacher of the Year interviews, and she did an excellent job. We thank Dr. Dimova for being an inspiration and a great foreign language teacher and leader in the state of Georgia. Norah Jones of Vista Higher Learning loved the point Dr. Dimova made about the freedom that knowing languages and cultures gives an individual. The SCOLT Teacher of the Year award went to Pamela Reynolds, a Spanish teacher at Siloam Springs High School in Siloam Springs, AR. Dr. Svetoslava Dimova will always be our FLAG TOTY 2013! Many were in attendance at the Spoken Language Contest held at the Savannah site, the metro site, and the Albany site. Thank you to Mr. Charles Neidlinger, World Language Director for Savannah-Chatham County Schools, and Principal Kerry Coursey, who led the contest site in Savannah. Thank you also to Polly Stadnik, Spanish teacher at Deerfield-Windsor School in Albany, who has been leading the contest at Darton College for years. Ms. Stadnik is an inspiration! Thank you also to Decatur High School for hosting our metro contest, and a huge thanks to Ms. Jamie Patterson, World Language Coordinator for Fulton County Schools and FLAG VicePresident of Contests, for leading all three locations to great spoken language contest success! Elementary teachers were at the FLES Contest on April 26 at the Amana Academy in North Fulton. Thank you to the Amana Team and Sandra Cleveland, FLES Member-at-Large, for their work in organizing this event. It provides students at the elementary level the opportunity to showcase their foreign language talents, which brings excitement and smiles to all those who participate. In May, FLAG was represented at the annual Joint National Committee for Languages and the National Council for Languages and International Studies (JNCL-NCLIS) Legislative day in held in Washington, D.C. As President, I met with the offices of Senators Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss and my area Representative Rob Woodall on Capitol Hill. My discussion included a return to full funding for Foreign Language Assistance Program (FLAP) in the US Department of Education and an increase in funding for Title VI and Fulbright - Hays. Discussion on our opposition of the proposed cut to Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center budget, which is the world’s largest school, educating some 5,000 American service members in 18 languages. In addition, I highlighted the excellent dual immersion programs prospering in Georgia, and as new programs start, it is a necessity for our Senators and Representatives to visit our programs to gain insight and support our mission in foreign language education. As you can tell, this year has been an incredible and fruitful one for our association. Please remember that your FLAG is always here for you. We are so thrilled to be joining forces with SCOLT in 2015 for their 50th Anniversary Conference, All that Glitters is SCOLT, in Atlanta, GA, at the beautiful Renaissance Concourse Hotel Atlanta Airport, March 5–7, 2015. Please consider submitting a proposal at www.scolt.org. Let’s make this the biggest event ever. Finally, a big thanks to FLAG Journal Editor, Ms. Susan Crooks, who has always done a fabulous job with our FLAG Journal. Thank you! Have a wonderful summer! Joe Frank Uriz, Ed.S. 7FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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FLAG Awards 2014
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FLAG Awards 2014
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News from Georgia Colleges and Universities The Department of Foreign Languages at KSU offers the B.A. in Modern Language and Culture, Education, Applied Business, and Cross-disciplinary Perspectives with three options for a "primary language": French, German, or Spanish. A new major is Italian, but at this time it is not available with a concentration in Education. KSU also offers an MAT in Spanish and Chinese. The Department offers minors in Chinese Studies, French & Francophone Studies, German Studies, Italian Studies, and Spanish. Teacher Certification is also available through the Alternative Teacher Preparation (ATP) Program in Foreign Languages which offers a non-degree undergraduate program leading to P-12 teacher certification in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, or Spanish. It is open to foreign language teachers who are currently employed fulltime and have a temporary certificate--professional, provisional, intern, conditional, permit, etc. Upon admission, candidates receive an individualized certification plan. Please visit the KSU website (http://foreignlanguages.hss.kennesaw.edu/) for complete information on all programs.
Georgia Southern University offers B.A. degrees in Modern Languages with concentrations in French, German, and Spanish. In addition, Georgia Southern offers coursework in Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Latin and Yoruba. Georgia Southern offers students a variety of study abroad opportunities in France, Spain, Mexico, and Costa Rica. Programs vary from four to six weeks in the summer to semester-long programs during the academic year. Scholarships are available. Georgia Southern offers an M. A. degree in Spanish. Total number of hours required for the M.A. degree is 30 hours. Courses include History of the Language, Phonetics, Survey of 16th and 17th century drama in Spain, Colonial Spanish American Literature, Contemporary Spanish American Culture and Civilization and Second Language Acquisition. A number of Teaching Assistantships are available for M.A. students. Georgia Southern University also offers the Master of Arts in Teaching Spanish. The program is designed to prepare graduate students who have attained an advanced proficiency in Spanish with the necessary training to be effective foreign language teachers at the elementary, middle and high school level. The coursework covers general principles of education, educational research, second language acquisition, foreign language curriculum and methods, and graduate level Spanish. In addition a student in the MAT program works with different mentor teachers at the university, secondary, middle school and elementary levels culminating in a full-time internship. Location is not a barrier to your begin student in the MAT in Spanish program at Georgia Southern University: 100% of the coursework can be taken in an online and study abroad format.
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Georgia State University The Department of Modern and Classical Languages at Georgia State University offers instruction in 12 world languages and innovative programs of study. The mission of the Department is to give students the opportunity to develop appropriate proficiencies in the modern and classical languages, to acquaint students with the literary and cultural productions of other countries, and to provide them the opportunity to acquire critical skills through literary and cultural analysis as they prepare for careers in teaching and research, business, translation and interpretation and other areas. As a core element in the University’s mission of internationalization, the Department promotes international involvement by both faculty and students through programs such as our Language & International Business programs, International Economics & Modern Languages programs, study abroad/student exchange programs, undergraduate foreign language clubs, and conferences with international speakers/scholars. Current study abroad programs include Spain, Mexico, Argentina, and Germany to name a few. Georgia State University also offers a program in Teacher Certification in Spanish, French, German, Latin, and some less commonly taught languages such as Japanese and Chinese.
“Taking
Flight to Global Awareness” FLAG Conference 2014 Report
This year’s conference showed just how important it is to have an opportunity throughout the year to meet with others that share your passion for languages. The 2014 FLAG Conference was our largest ever, with four hundred forty one people making their way to attend this year’s annual FLAG Conference at the Renaissance Concourse Atlanta Airport Hotel. We met for the two day conference on March 7-8, 2014. All were eager to share ideas, receive ideas, and be inspired by others. Back by popular demand was FLAG's very own Make Your Own PLU. Teachers have enjoyed having an opportunity to attend sessions/workshops they are interested in versus classes they are told to attend. So, rather than having a stand alone ten-hour class, participants were once again given the opportunity to take advantage of the sessions and workshops being presented throughout the conference. Dr. Greg Barfield was gracious enough to preside/present at both the orientation and summary session. FLAG ended up with thirty three people earning a PLU during the conference. It was rated a very successful workshop by those who attended and FLAG will repeat this in the future. Conference participants were able to choose from seven pre-conference workshops with a variety of themes. In addition, there were sixty-seven fifty-minute sessions offered at the 2014 conference. Each was unique, well thought out, and stimulating for teachers who attended. Even with the rainy, cold start on Friday, presenters made it to their sessions to share their knowledge and enthusiasm. Looking ahead, we are excited to be co-hosting next year’s conference with SCOLT. The 2015 SCOLT/FLAG Conference will be held at the same hotel as this year's FLAG conference in Atlanta on March 5-7, 2015. Make plans now to attend and remember if you need hotel reservations, make them early! We look forward to seeing you there! Submitted by Brandi Meeks 11FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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From
From the Georgia DOE Languages and Global Initiatives Program
F The 2013-2014 school year has been exciting for world languages in Georgia. 488,340 students were enrolled in K-12 world languages courses at the end of the 2012-2013 school year. This was a gain of 16, 341 over the previous year. While results for this school year will not be available until later this summer, we will continue to see growth. We are seeing increased enrollments in elementary, middle, and high school programs. Spanish continues to have the highest enrollment, followed by French, Latin, German, and Chinese. Other languages studied by Georgia public school students are American Sign Language, Arabic, Classical Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Turkish. As part of the Georgia Workforce Initiative, world language teachers have been collaborating with CTAE (Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education) teachers to create units for upper level world language classes based on various CTAE pathways. Last summer, French, German, and Spanish teachers worked with Agriculture, Business, and Health Science teachers. French created a Health Science Unit. Spanish created an Agriculture Unit, and German created a Business Unit. The language teachers who created these units piloted the units during the 2013-2014 school year. The units will be available on the DOE World Languages Web Site later this summer. If additional funding is provided, we hope to create units in other CTAE Pathways and make these units available in multiple languages, so that all language teachers in Georgia will have access to these units in the future. We will ask for volunteers to work during the summer of 2015 to create the units and to pilot the units during the 2015-2016 school year. Dual Immersion has taken off in Georgia this year, and we have added eight new programs. We have 11 programs currently in Chinese, French, German, and Spanish. The programs are located in Atlanta Public Schools, Clayton County Schools, DeKalb County Schools, Douglas County Schools, Hall County Schools, and Henry County Schools. Currently, 2,349 students are participating in Dual Immersion Programs in Georgia. In August 2014, Gwinnett County Schools will add two Spanish Immersion Programs and one French Immersion Program. On April 1, 2014, Ms. Michaela Claus-Nix joined the Georgia Department of Education as Program Specialist for World Languages and Global Workforce Initiatives. Michaela was a German teacher at South Forsyth High School for the past 11 years. She has been a teacher for a total of 19 years, teaching high school, middle school, college and university as well as online. She was one of six members nationwide of the AP German Language and Culture Development Committee from 2012-2014. She has served on the American Association of Teachers of German Georgia Chapter’s Executive Council for the last 12 years and as President of the association’s Georgia chapter from 2010-2012. Michaela was named Georgia’s German Teacher of the Year by the AATG-GA in 2014, South Forsyth High School’s Teacher of the Year in 2007, the AATG - GA’s Leader of the Year in 2006; she was a recipient of the AATG-GA’s Duden Award in 2002 and is a former Fulbright/DAAD scholarship recipient. She has given several presentations at regional and national Foreign Language conferences, one of which received the “Best of Georgia” award from the Foreign Language Association of Georgia (FLAG) in 2007. I am extremely honored to have Michaela as a part of the World Languages Team at the DOE to support our teachers as they provide world-class language instruction to their students. Greg Barfield GADOE Program Specialist for International Affairs. 12FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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Letter from Michaela Claus-Nix Georgia Languages and Global Initiatives Program Dear FlagDOE Members, Thank you to FLAG for giving me the chance to introduce myself to all of you. I am a new Program Specialist for World Languages and Workforce Initiatives at the Georgia Department of Education since April 1, 2014. I now have the pleasure to work together with the unparalleled Dr. Greg Barfield. I taught German at South Forsyth High School for the past 11 years and served as the Department Chair at SFHS for the past 5 years. Before my tenure at SFHS, I also taught German at the Lovett School and in Whitfield County, and, a long time ago, in South Carolina. I am a German native, who came to the States in 1995 on a PAD/Fulbright scholarship. I fell in love with teaching German in the United States, so I never became that English teacher in Germany but instead a German teacher in the States. I have been active in the AATG-GA chapter since 2000, having served as their President from 2010-2012 and in a couple of other roles since 2002. I was fortunate to serve on the AP German Development Committee from 2012-2014. My family and I reside in the Cherokee/Forsyth County area where my children attend school. My responsibilities at the DoE include being the liaison for German and Spanish as well as all workforce initiatives. We have updated our website recently. Please come and check us out at: http://www.gadoe.org/ Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Curriculum-and-Instruction/Pages/World-Languages-and -International-Education.aspx Please do not hesitate to contact me. My email address is: MClausNix@doe.k12.ga.us. Dr. Barfield and I are here to support all of the World Language teachers in Georgia and their programs. Please call on us – that is what we are here for. Sincerely, Michaela Claus-Nix
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FLAG Spoken Language Contest 2014 Jamie Patterson, Fulton County Each year, the Foreign Language Association of Georgia sponsors the Spoken Language Contests for middle and high school students enrolled in Levels 1 through AP of a foreign language. The Spoken Language Contests (SLC) draw hundreds of students from a variety of schools, both public and private, as well as from home-school programs. Middle schools offering high school credit may send students for Level 1 competition. High schools may register students for Levels 1 through Advanced Placement. The contests accommodate students enrolled in traditional or block schedules. Students of a Modern Language participate in a one-on-one personal interview with a teacher of the language they are studying. Students generally introduce themselves and converse about personal topics such as family and friends, school and daily activities. More advanced students may discuss hypothetical situations or plans for the future. Participants are also asked to choose from a selection of pictures and to describe what people, places and activities they see. Students of classical languages prepare an oratorical presentation during which they will recite a passage of Latin and be judged on their memorization, pronunciation and use of gestures. Plans for future contests include providing an option for spoken language interviews in Latin as well! While most students are studying only one foreign language, some register to participate in interviews for two different languages! Again this year, students participated in three locations statewide. On Saturday, March 1, the Savannah-site SLC was held at Coastal Middle School. Charles Neidlinger coordinated the event which hosted over 200 students. 25 judges were on hand to conduct one-on-one interviews with students of Modern Languages and to evaluate oratorical presentations by students of Latin. The Metro-site SLC was held at Decatur High School on Saturday, March 29 where Brent Eickhoff, German teacher, along with his Foreign Language department faculty and retired liaisonleader Eileen Zack planned the event which included arts, crafts and rumba dance lessons! Also present were Modern/Romance Language Department representatives from local colleges and universities who were available to talk to the young polyglots and their parents about the language and travel opportunities provided by their fine institutions. The Metro-site contest hosted over 500 students! The third SLC of the season was held on Saturday, April 12 when the Albany-site contest was hosted by Darton College. Polly Stadnik has been coordinating this event for several years. She does a wonderful job of planning the event which draws students from all over south and southwest Georgia. Our deep appreciation is extended to Mr. Neidlinger, Mr. Eickhoff and Ms. Stadnik for the many hours dedicated to coordinating these events. In addition to arranging for the use of facilities, these site coordinators provide both adult and student volunteers to facilitate the event and provide guidance and information to participants and their families. They prepare meeting space and refreshments for judges, coordinate on-site parking, facilitate awards processing and distribution, 14FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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FLAG Spoken Language Contest 2014 continued and plan various activities for the enjoyment of parents and students as they spend the morning at the FLAG SLC. In sum, the Spoken Language Contests this year were host to over 800 students enrolled in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Latin and Spanish courses. FLAG wishes to congratulate each of these brave and confident students whose dedication to the study of foreign language is commendable. Students were eligible to receive a Superior, Excellent or Notable award upon completion of the contest. In previous contests, FLAG awarded blue, red and white ribbons to participants according to their performance. The FLAG Board has voted to replace the ribbons and to phase in gold, silver and bronze medals, which were awarded at the Metro-site contest for the first time this year. Certificates were presented to all participants. Over 100 foreign language teachers serving as judges dedicated an early Saturday morning in order to contribute to the Spoken Language Contests. These events would not be possible without teachers who are willing to give of their time outside the classroom for the enhancement of their students’ educational experience. Their expertise in the field of teaching foreign language, their generosity and their spirit of professionalism were valuable contributions to our field of judges. As one first-time judge said, “This has been just the most enjoyable event for me. What a pleasure to be able to speak with students from different schools and to see first-hand that there are students from all over the state who love what I love!� The FLAG Spoken Language Contests represent so much of what we do and why we do it. FLAG members across the state come together to plan for events during which students are recognized for their love of language and the success they have realized in class. We want to continue supporting these students and reinforcing that their passion for language is worthy of all the efforts made on their behalf. As FLAG looks ahead to continuing and expanding this event, we look forward to the contributions of everyone involved to this essential component of our work. Jamie Patterson is the FLAG Vice President for Language Contests. She is a former French and Spanish teacher, and currently the World Languages Program Specialist for Fulton County (Atlanta) Schools where she supports over 250 teachers providing instruction in all seven languages represented at the SLC. She has served on the FLAG Board for several years, but this is her first year serving the SLCs.
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AATF Georgia Chapter Report 2013-2014
Stephane Allegnon President This school year 2013-2014 has been as exciting as always. We were fortunate enough to elect new officers for the chapter. Bill Griffin decided to step down from his post as Secretary/treasurer. I don’t even know where to start to thank him for all his years of dedication to the promotion of French in the state of Georgia. He will be dearly missed but we all know that this is a new chapter for his life and he will have plenty of opportunities to enjoy our dear French language on location in France. As I mentioned, we have elected a new Vice-President, Valerie Hughey. She is native of France and has spent most of her life between France, Germany and the US. She is currently at Starr’s Mill High school in Fayette County where she teaches French and ESOL. Our new secretary/treasurer is Dr. Svetla Dimova. She also a quite a background, speaking many languages and she is currently a French teacher at Campbell High School in Cobb County. Our president, Stephane Allagnon was re-elected for a new term. He is now a teacher and director of homestay and global connections at Woodward Academy, an Independent school in College park. During the Fall 2013, AATF hosted its annual meeting at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta. The venue was a great success thanks to Dr. Jay Lutz’s organization and dedication. Dr. Lutz had organized for us a presentation of the art collection called Picasso, Braque, Léger et la littérature. A total of 85 masterpieces were present and Dr Lutz along with some of his students made a remarkable presentation of the works. The Immersion Camp in February was again a great success. Over 130 kids attended and had a great time. Muriel Davison, the camp director, makes this weekend a memorable time for all of the students and volunteers. Students are fully engaged in the target language during the whole weekend thanks to the creative mind and dedication of the camp organizers. It is amazing what this group of volunteers can do with the students. Our students always come back with such motivation and desire to participate again and again in the camp Le Grand Concours was also a great success. Christy Belbey and Pam Hubert recorded a high level of participation once more. Our numbers went up again and we should easily secure 3rd spot in the national ranking in number of participants. French teachers, don’t forget that elementary schools participate for free and schools with financial difficulties can ask for a financial aid to pay for their students. Thank you to all of you for offering this great opportunity to your students. It is an amazing opportunity for you and them and it looks good on college applications to say that they have participated more than one year, regardless of the score. For the past 6 years, AATF has been an executive member of the Francophonie Atlanta organization. This year, the festival which takes place in March during the International Francophonie week has been so successful that most events had to close their registration early. This year event presented workshops for both students and teachers, many presentations by francophone artists, a series of play were presented in collaboration with Théâtre du Rêve and we also had two movies and our yearly brunch with an Haitian flair. The festival was again a success thanks to the 16FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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AATF Georgia Chapter Report Continued dedication of the many Francophone entities in the Atlanta area I want to say that the French presence in Atlanta and Georgia would not be so strong without the support of the different Francophone entities in Georgia such as the French, Belgian, Swiss, Canadian, and Haitian consulates, the Quebec Delegation, Ecole du Samedi, Atlanta Accueil, the Franco-American chamber of commerce, Alliance Française. All these organizations, along with AATF, promote the existence of the Francophone culture in Atlanta and Georgia. Lastly, three of our members were recognized this year for dedicating their life to promoting the French language and culture in the USA. Dr. Svetoslava Dimova was recognized by SCOLT. We are so proud of her work and her success with her program. Stéphane Allagnon was also recognized with the President’s Award during the FLAG conference and finally Marie Scott, a teacher in Fayette County was our AATF teacher of the Year. We also had many students who were recognized as Outstanding Students during the year and we are very proud of and thankful to the teachers who took the time to recognize them. AATF-Ga will also partner with local universities to try to help future teachers make easier the transition into the working world. This year, AATF sponsored the membership of three college students at Valdosta State University and also works along with Georgia State University to prepare a workshop for future teachers. I want to remind all the French teachers that AATF and its members are here to support each other in their work and projects. Svetla Dimova, AATF secretary and treasurer, Valerie Hughey, Vicepresident and Stéphane Allagnon, AATF president are working very hard on a daily basis to provide all of the help and support possible to its members. As you can see a lot of volunteers are involved to make our organization successful. If you know anyone who is not a member, it is very crucial to let them know how joining AATF will make a difference in their daily professional life. Please check us out on our website at: https://sites.google.com/site/aatfga/ Have a great remainder of the school year!! Bonne fin d’année scolaire Stéphane Allagnon AATF-GA President
Check out ALT Codes or use http://french.typeit.org/ if you need help typing French accents.
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AATG Georgia Chapter Report 2013-2014
AATG-GA hosted the annual Sprachbad on January 13, at the Goethe Center in Atlanta, organized by the Chapter President. German instructors from throughout the state participated in presentations and activities relevant to all levels of German instruction. The annual State German Convention, held at Camp Jackson February 1/2, was attended by highschool students from all over the State. The event is largely funded by AATG-GA and was attended by over 352 students representing 26 Georgia schools. Saturday, May 11, AATG-GA hosted and catered Ehrenabend at the Goethe Zentrum with the Honorable Christoph Sander, German Consul General, as keynote speaker. Recognized were students who scored over 85% on the National German Exam, Governor’s Award participants, Langenscheidt Award, Lydia Pearson, Student of the Year, Chelsea Morris, Teacher of the Year, Patrick Wallace and AATG-PAD Award, Nicolas Isaf. The fall workshop at UGA, organized by Inge diBella, was held on September 22. The theme was “Weiterdenken: New Ways of Teaching German.” Stimulating presentations and focus groups on study abroad and initiatives to build and retain German programs were followed by a reception to watch the German elections. In memory of Monika Lynch, a survivor of the firebombing of Dresden at age 12 and a beloved German teacher for 22 years at Georgia Southern University, our chapter has proposed and will fund an endowment in her honor to support German in Georgia. Ed Weintraut (Mercer University) totally revamped our website georgia.aatg.org. Ashford Park Elementary in DeKalb County started a German Dual Immersion Program, the first in Georgia’s history at the public school level, providing full German immersion in two Kindergarten classes. Kittredge Magnet School for High Achievers, where all students take German, was hosted at GSU for a view of college life.
Submitted 3/11/2014 Robin Huff President, AATG-GA
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AATSP Georgia Chapter 2014 American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese Georgia Chapter, Vicki Alvis, President During the first four months of 2014 members of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese Georgia Chapter
administered the National Spanish Exam to 6500+ students inducted new students into the high school and elementary/middle school honor societies Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica and Sociedad Hispánica de Amistad hosted 140 students and 35 teacher volunteers at its three day Immersion Camp held a K-12 poster contest and submitted twelve award-winning posters to the national AATSP contest honored the High School Teacher of the Year, Professor of the Year, High School Student of the Year and University Student of the Year paid tribute to two Georgia high schools with Outstanding Secondary Program Awards administered High School and University Composition Contests with 500+ student participants.
In the midst of all this excitement the chapter welcomed new board members Jamie Vega Ulate (Secretary), Norma Garza (Secondary Member-at-Large/ K-8 TOTY/SOTY), Stephanie Clower (University POTY/SOTY Coordinator) and Kristin Roberts (Immersion Camp Coordinator) and commended and thanked Immediate Past-President DiAnne Johnson (continuing on the board as our expert web master and newsletter editor), Nicole D’Antonio, Carmen Ruddle, Aileen Ziegler and Val Causevic for their faithful service on the chapter’s board. During the chapter meeting at the FLAG Conference in March the AATSP GA board proudly announced the recipients of the chapter’s educator awards: Mrs. Mary J. Meyer of Brookwood High School in Gwinnett County is the 2014 American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese Georgia Chapter Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Meyer, a National Board Certified Teacher, is an educational leader who is dedicated to student success. She values collaborating with colleagues while continually pushing herself to provide meaningful and relevant instruction to her students. Mary takes an active leadership role in her school system by hosting a monthly district-wide Spanish III collaboration group that shares best practices, activities, and planning materials and . She strives to instill her passion for language learning in not only her own students, but also in students throughout Georgia by volunteering her time and talents at the AATSP GA’s Immersion Camp. During her distinguished career, she has also been awarded the prestigious Florida Foreign Language Association State Spanish Teacher of the Year, the Disney Teacherrific Award, the Orange County Pride Award for Foreign Language Teaching and Gwinnett County’s Foreign Language PEAK Award. Dr. Christopher G. Botero, Assistant Professor of Spanish and Second-language Acquisition at Georgia Regents University is the recipient of the 2014 American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese Georgia Chapter Professor of the Year Award. Dr. Botero’s inspiring teaching philosophy emphasizes developing students' trust while looking at teaching through the eyes of a learner. Chris skillfully models the creation of a classroom environment based on mutual respect while sharing with his students his passion for the real-life applications of linguistics and basic communicative skills in Spanish. He fosters an environment that is vibrant and interactive, incorporating the use technology outside the classroom so that he is able to interact more with his students in the classroom. To provide an even more personal touch along with information beyond the textbook, Dr. Botero commuicates his perspectives on language, linguistics, and culture. As a part of the Latino community, he is able to share anecdotes involving the Spanish language and experience from his own cultural heritage, and he values input of all types on his perspectives on these issues. 19FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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Georgia Regents University senior, Liliana Cicinato-Carew, is the recipient of the 2014 American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese Georgia Chapter University Student of the Year Award. Liliana is an exceptional student who is extraordinarily motivated and extremely well-versed in Spanish and English. She is an independent thinker who also works adeptly in a group. Liliana has excellent analytical skills that especially shine when she discusses advanced topics of linguistics and composition in class. She is described by her nominating professor as insightful, persistent and creative. Peter Myer, an AP Spanish scholar and senior at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School (HIES), has been named the 2014 American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese Georgia Chapter of the Student of the Year. His nominating teacher noted Peter’s caring leadership, infinite patience, and love for his peers and passion for the Spanish language and culture. Myer is an Eagle Scout, president of the HIES Spanish National Honor Society and involved with the school’s Program for Global Citizenship. In 2013 Peter was awarded a prestigious scholarship for a language immersion program in Mandarin—a scholarship awarded after a yearlong national competition conducted by the U.S. Department of State for The National Security Language Initiatives for Youth program. Myer was named one of the Top 20 Under 20 students in Metro Atlanta this year . The first recipients of the new AATSP GA Outstanding Secondary Spanish Program Award are Lisa Greenman and the Spanish program at Calhoun County High School and Nicole D’Antonio and the Spanish program at the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology. Both programs serve a high percentage of their school’s student body with first year through AP level Spanish classes and involve their students in multiple AATSP programs. The award was accompanied by a $500 grant to benefit each school’s Spanish program. This award is designed to celebrate and highlight Georgia’s exceptional high school Spanish programs and to encourage other schools to follow the model programs of the award winning schools. The deadline to submit an application (based on data from the 2013-2014 school year) for the next round of awards is October 15. Applications are available on our chapter website. The weekend of February 28 – March 2 found teachers and students alike exclaiming that this year’s Campamento de Inmersión was “the best yet.” For the second year the camp was held lakeside at the FFA/FCCLA camp in Covington, GA. The students arrived on Friday afternoon and spent the rest of the evening getting to know their assigned families, creating family banners, playing games together, attending a bonfire (with s’mores!), and learning dances. During the day on Saturday each family traveled to talleres offered in sports, artesanía, and dance (both Flamenco and Latin), participated in scavenger hunts, movies, and had time to work with their families on the skit they would present on Sunday morning. Saturday evening afforded the students an opportunity to dress in traje típico and attend Carnaval. Students danced, snacked on freshly made sopapillas and “casi sangría”, competed in speaking challenges, and swung at piñatas. Other activities included a rousing Mercado with much bartering for goods paid for with pesos earned for speaking Spanish throughout the weekend along with skits performed by each family and camp awards. We thank our very energetic camp coordinator for this year, Val Causevic, along with Kristin Roberts, Heather Young and Josh McIntyre as well as the 35 teacher volunteers in residence for a fabulous and successful camp weekend. The students were very well behaved, supermotivated to speak Spanish and participate in all the activities. Look for details about the 2015 Immersion Camp to be publicized in the fall. 20FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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This year’s K-12 Poster Contest winners created artwork that brought to life the theme: Enriquecetu vida aprendiendo otras lenguas Enriqueςa sua vida aprendendo outras línguas Enrich Your Life Learning Other Languages. High School (grades 9-12): First place: Samantha Sao, Whitewater HS (Teacher-Lourdes Nieves) Second place: Morgan Manning, Lowndes HS, (Teacher-Carmen Ruddle) Third place: Nasjan Hall, Whitewater HS, (Teacher-Lourdes Nieves), Middle School (grades 6-8): First place: Brian Shoffeitt, Fulton Science Academy Private School (Teacher-Adriana Adkins) Second place: Elaine Wen, Fulton Science Academy Private School (Teacher-Adriana Adkins) Third place: Bryanna Graham, Turner Middle School, (Teacher-Theresa Anderson) The talented students of Crystal Vicente at Athens Academy made a clean sweep of the remainder of the awards: Elementary School (grades 4-5): First place: Luisa Bertioli Second place: Hale Prior Third place: Imama Adogu Elementary School (grades K-3): First place: Adair Marvel Second place: Will Snead Third place: Sydney Elrod Students receive award certificates and gift certificates, and their impressive creations are featured on our chapter website. AATSP GA offers two mini-grants for teachers to support teachers with professional development opportunities and funds for classroom resources and student activities. The New Teacher Membership and Conference Grant provides a teacher in his/her first three years of teaching with a complementary AATSP membership and Teacher Fall Conference registration. Teacher Resource Grants award teachers with up to $225 for projects, materials, equipment or funding for AATSP-GA student activities. Applications (available on our chapter website) are accepted throughout the year. Apply today! Mark your calendars now to attend the annual AATSP GA conference on Saturday, October 4 at Parsons Elementary School in Suwanee, GA. This year’s conference, “From Stage to Smartboard: Integrating Spanish Culture into the 21st Century Classroom” will feature a workshop on Flamenco, a Spanish cuisine demonstration and performances by La Tuna Universitaria de Salamanca. Concurrent sessions will be available on classroom strategies and activities for literacy, language, literature & culture. This one-day “visit” to Spain is a “can’t miss” professional development opportunity for all!
The myriad of programs sponsored by AATSP GA benefit thousands of Georgia students and educators and makes our chapter one of the most active in the country. Be sure to refer to the chapter newsletter, Al Día, visit the chapter website www.aatsp-ga.org and join AATSP Georgia on Facebook for more information about how you and your students can benefit from involvement in the activities of AATSP GA. 21FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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Foreign Language Association for International Rapport (FLAIR) FLAIR is an acronym for the Foreign Language Association for International Rapport. Our academic alliance dates from January 16, 1985 and serves counties in Georgia and South Carolina. We are the second oldest foreign language academic alliance in Georgia (Georgia Southern was the first one established). Our newsletter has been in circulation for twenty-nine years. A brochure detailing what FLAIR is and what we offer, as well as our latest newsletters and student and teacher awardees, are posted on our web page. Visit www.aug.edu/flair. Conference Our annual FLAIR conference was held at Georgia Regents University (GRU) on Saturday, September 7, 2013. Ken Stewart, the popular workshop presenter, AP trainer and national award winner, gave a half-day workshop on “Building Proficiency Through Reading Strategies.” It was a workshop for all languages, and participants learned about strategies to move from comprehension to pre-analysis in reading in the L2 classroom. We examined practical classroom applications of the interpretive mode to enhance students' reading comprehension culminating in literary analysis. We paid close attention to the use of authentic materials and the integration of skills in order to engage all learners. Mr. Stewart shared sample lessons that make use of graphic organizers, technology and standards-based teaching. The conference was free for all FLAIR foreign language teachers. Holiday Celebration In December, 2014, teachers gathered at the home of Ana Pereira (Hephzibah High School) to enjoy international dishes from Spain and Puerto Rico, and to discuss Christmas cultural traditions in different countries. Ana prepared a creamy flan and her husband, Graham, cooked up a big dish of paella. Program on French Topics On February 24, 2014, Dr. Liana Babayan (Georgia Regents University) and Dr. Eronini Egbujor (Paine College) gave talks on the “Images and Memories of Africa.” Over twenty attendees enjoyed the session, which was part of the Black History Month at Georgia Regents University. FLAIR Honor Society Induction For the second year in a row, due to the high volume of inductees, FLAIR held separate ceremonies on two different nights. On March 3 and 4, 952 students from 24 schools were inducted into the honor society. There were 167 recipients of the 3rd-year medal; 48 recipients of the 4th-year pin; and 4 recipients of the 5th-year medal. Graduating seniors who are FLAIR Honor Society members have a FLAIR seal affixed to their high school diploma and many students wear a special cord at graduation. Dr. Gretchen Caughman, the Provost and Executive Vice President of Georgia Regents University, gave the welcoming address on March 3rd, and Dr. Wendy Turner, Interim Chair of the Department of English and Foreign Languages at GRU, welcomed the crowd on March 4th. Students from Lakeside High School and Evans High School performed on March 3rd. The students of Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School and Hephzibah High School, as well as the Magical Fires of Polynesia Dance Group (directed by Raven Howard), performed on March 4th. Door prizes for each school were boxes of Girl Scout cookies. Christy Presgrove (Greenbrier High School), Ana Pereira (Cross Creek High School) and their students served refreshments at the reception. 22FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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Foreign Language Association for International Rapport Continued FLAIR recognized Dr. Sandra Carraway, the superintendent of Columbia County, and Ms. Melissa McAllister, the Fine arts/Foreign Language a Professional Learning Specialist of Richmond County. Each high school chooses their outstanding foreign language student, who is recognized at the FLAIR Honor Society induction with a certificate and a prize, usually a CD of music and a book in the foreign language. The following students were recognized in 2014. 2014 FLAIR Outstanding Students of the Year Adam Judy, Spanish, Academy of Richmond County Juan Migone, French, Aquinas High School Sterling “Trey” Robertson, Latin and Spanish, Augusta Preparatory Day School Daryl Kyler, Spanish, Butler High School Jarrett A. Hutchens, Spanish, Cross Creek High School Samantha Joy Stewart, Spanish, CSRA HEA Jamie Jenkins, Spanish, Edmund Burke Academy Megan Moore, Spanish, Evans High School Mariela Muñiz, Spanish, Fox Creek High School Kennedy Sams, Spanish, Glascock County High School Gabrielle Scarborough, French, Glenn Hill High School Yazmine A. Thompson, Spanish, Greenbrier High School Aja Acevedo, Spanish, Grovetown High School Ivy James Roberson, French, Hephzibah High School Grace Ho, Spanish, Lakeside High School Joshua Gayle, Spanish, Lucy C. Laney High School Sarah Nicholson, Spanish, North Augusta High School Jalen Pope, French, T. W. Josey High School Tia Lisa Lemons, Spanish, Washington County High School Madison Handy, Spanish, Westside High School One student from this group was chosen as the 2014 FLAIR Outstanding Student of the Year: Sterling “Trey” Robertson, a Latin and Spanish student at Augusta Preparatory Day School. The 2014 FLAIR Teacher of the Year was Leslie Dawson, a French teacher at Evans High School. Both received a plaque and a cash award. (Their photos are at the end of the article.) Culinary Arts Class This year we held a Culinary Arts class, “International Cuisine: Cook and Eat,” for FLAIR honor society members on April 3rd. Our host and head chef was Craig Oglesby (Richmond County Technical Career Magnet School). Other teachers who taught the cooking class were Sonia Puerta Quinn (Episcopal Day School) and Leslie Dawson (Evans High School). Invited chefs included Edwin Pérez, Ed Acevedo and Wilma López, all from the Asociación Cultural Hispanoamericana. Edwin Pérez is also the treasurer of FLAIR. FLAIR Teacher Grants Leslie Dawson (Evans High School) received a FLAIR grant for spring 2014. Grants are available to active FLAIR members who are presenting at a conference, working on a special project, or other similar items. Up to five $100 teacher grants are awarded per year, if funding is available, to active FLAIR teachers. Teachers may receive the grant only once. 23FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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Foreign Language Association for International Rapport Continued Student & Teacher Study Abroad Awards Students who are members of the FLAIR Foreign Language Honor Society and teachers who are active members of FLAIR are eligible to receive a $250 award for participating in a study abroad program. Only one award for a student and one for a teacher will be given per year. They must participate in an organized program and the funds will be disbursed after receiving official documentation of completion of the program. Bilingual Book Reading On Saturday, April 19th, FLAIR hosted a bilingual book reading of ยกLorito, Lorito! at Georgia Regents University. Authors Marta Goodson and Gilbert Lewis (both of Lake Forest Hills Elementary School), had their students perform as the book was read to the audience. A book-signing and reception followed. For more information, visit www.pasitosacademy.com Submitted by: Jana Sandarg FLAIR Steering Committee Member FLAIR newsletter editor
Sterling Trey Robertson, SOTY
Leslie Dawson, TOTY
Marta Goodson, Gilbert Lewis
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I Want to Teach Reading in Ways that Reflect How We Really, Truly Read! Greg Sánchez, BA, MA, ATP Sometimes you know the answer to a question you are asking, but the strength of the other’s response is a shock. While giving a workshop this March I asked, “Do you ever assign readings in the TL that have comprehension questions at the end?” The group nodded, so I followed with, “What do you notice?” Their reply nearly blew me back against the wall. Almost in unison, they exclaimed, “They read the questions first, then go through and read enough to answer the questions without really learning anything!!” I admit that I too have been somewhat “offended” when students do this. Reading is a pleasure, after all. I’ve noticed in my own TL reading that when I encounter a new word or saying that I finally engage or that I feel the power of a phrase that doesn’t work in my first language (English), that then my brain experiences a euphoria. Have you felt it, too? I feel my world expanding, my understanding of an “other” rising. We all enjoy that, and it would be great if we could get our students to experience it, too. How do you get them there? How the students described above read versus how we read as fans of another language are kilometers apart, but perhaps there is a clue in the student behavior that will allow us to nudge them towards us a bit. When students won’t read an essay or story first before they skip to the questions, I have learned to draw the conclusion that many of them simply want access to the reading. The reading as a whole is overwhelming, but the questions allow them to get a kind of footing in it and have some success. And yes, finish the assignment, too.
Fig. A: While we read, two voices go on inside our heads…
You already recognize what that type of initial access or footing is from your own practice. It’s a kind of scaffolding. What is so big that it feels impossible to scale becomes manageable if something less than the whole is made available to the reader. The prolific author and Language Arts teacher Cris Tovani talks about the two types of voice that we carry in our heads, the positive and the negative. The positive makes connections from the reading to other readings or experiences, makes guesses about what will happen, etc., but on the flip side the negative voice shuts down the internal narrative via self-doubt, reverie, distraction and other destructive thoughts. What I want to show you today is how to foster the positive voice before the students have the chance to engage the negative. The last three paragraphs, however, are not the focus of teaching a TL. We choose readings because they include concepts and/or grammar that advance the students’ proficiency, so before I proceed with the mechanics of the technique, start with that. Your readings will likely have new vocabulary or grammar that develops a Standard, Theme, or cultural component. Where and what you “snip” (explained momentarily) will depend on what you wish to emphasize. Now, take a look at this passage from Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense.” It was chosen for its use of obtuse and antiquated language, causing uncertainty similar to what is felt when a reader is 25FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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I Want to Teach Reading… Continued stretched a bit beyond I + 1. I have bolded a few phrases that I will try to scaffold in a bit: But as the colony increases, the public concerns will increase likewise, and the distance at which the members may be separated, will render it too inconvenient for all of them to meet on every occasion as at first, when their number was small, their habitations near, and the public concerns few and trifling. This will point out the convenience of their consenting to leave the legislative part to be managed by a select number chosen from the whole body, who are supposed to have the same concerns at stake which those have who appointed them, and who will act in the same manner as the whole body would act were they present. If the colony continues increasing, it will become necessary to augment the number of the representatives, and that the interest of every part of the colony may be attended to, it will be found best to divide the whole into convenient parts, each part sending its proper number; and that the elected might never form to themselves an interest separate from the electors, prudence will point out the propriety of having elections often; because as the elected might by that means return and mix again with the general body of the electors in a few months, their fidelity to the public will be secured by the prudent reflexion of not making a rod for themselves. And as this frequent interchange will establish a common interest with every part of the community, they will mutually and naturally support each other, and on this (not on the unmeaning name of king) depends the strength of government, and the happiness of the governed.
Now, the bolded “strips” by themselves: But as the colony increases, the public concerns will increase likewise. This will point out the convenience of their consenting to leave the legislative part to be managed by a select number chosen from the whole body, who are supposed to have the same concerns at stake which those have who appointed. If the colony continues increasing, it will become necessary to augment the number of the representatives. that the elected might never form to themselves an interest separate from the electors. the elected might by that means return and mix again with the general body of the electors… their fidelity to the public will be secured… unmeaning name of king…
Now, two different ways that the students might see these texts in “scaffolded” form: Method one: “Slice” the phrases in two or three: But as the colony increases,
the public concerns will increase likewise.
This will point out the convenience of their consenting who are supposed
to leave the legislative part to be by a select number chosen from managed the whole body. to have the same concerns at stake which those have who appointed.
If the colony continues increasing,
it will become necessary to augment the number of the representatives.
that the elected might never form to
themselves an interest separate from the electors.
the elected might by that
means return and mix again with the general body of the electors.
their fidelity to the public will
be secured.
unmeaning name of
King.
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I Want to Teach Reading… Continued Alternative: Choose mere pairs of words from these bolded items and make strips of those. Method two: Include a simplified definition (in the TL, in most cases). This may be preferred if new vocabulary is the focus: But as the colony increases, the public concerns will increase likewise. This will point out the convenience of their consenting to leave the legislative part to be managed by a select number chosen from the whole body who are supposed to have the same concerns at stake which those have who appointed
As the population grows, the people’s needs will, too. It will be clear that a few will need to be elected by everyone to make rules and laws.
If the colony continues increasing, it will become necessary to augment the number of the representatives that the elected might never form to themselves an interest separate from the electors. the elected might by that means return and mix again with the general body of the electors. their fidelity to the public will be secured.
The elected representatives should be worried about the same things as the people who elected them. As the population grows, more representatives will become necessary. The elected representatives’ interest would never be different from those they represent. That way the representatives would go home and be around those that they represent. Their loyalty to the public will be guaranteed.
unmeaning name of king
The word “king” has no significance.
If I were using these actual strips in my classroom, I would make sure that all of them occupied only one line of space, so that when they “connect” with their counterparts, the connection is identical no matter which half fits with which. If you try this, consider making the copies of the strips very large, like those of a word wall. Big strips are easy to manipulate in front of and with your class. If you print the words on a regular piece of paper, this sort of activity works in between students, which is the technique’s emphasis, but if you have them then stand as groups or a class in front of a board, the activity becomes only available to a few at a time. Fig. B: Not all students should be walking around during the activity
With printed strips completed, I cut them into pairs (or, for some, thirds), in order to use them as a kind of jigsaw activity. I then announce to the class, “Some of you have part A of a pair, the some of you, part B, and a few, a part C. You have 90 seconds to visit as many folks in the room as you can to determine if they have your missing component.” Using a criterion (boys/girls, freshmen/sophomores, wearing red/not wearing red, etc.), I have half of the students stay seated and the other half move, at least at first, so that the classroom does not resemble gas molecules bouncing inside a bottle. I then give the signal to begin, and some students then rise and begin trying to combine the strips with those around them. If the reading you eventually choose has a narrative flow (mine does not), once the students have chosen their partners, have them go to a designated spot on a wall and tape/pin up their 27FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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I Want to Teach Reading… Continued findings, organizing them chronologically. If you do this, consider having more than one copy of the strips in the room, color-coded or otherwise marked, so you don’t have a bottleneck at one location. As students begin to find partners, I have them stand off to one side, in some cases engaging them in another part of the activity such as trying to organize the complete strips chronologically, as just mentioned, or by some other criteria. If nothing else, I ask very simple questions about their content. My point here is to engage them somehow as the rest of the class catches up. Soon, what is almost always evident is that some seated students need to compare their strips to other seated students, so I’ll have a procedure for that, too, like “After you see that about 10 students are paired off, you should rise and start trying to match up with each other.” Fig. C: Consider making cuts at your grammar point, as in this case, the future tense
After all the students have formed their pairs, some with my correction, I ask the class to sit and then make very simple guesses about things like who, what, when, why, where, etc. regarding the text. I may also, depending on the focus of my lesson, ask them to “teach” or remind me what the new grammar is, because they have had to make inferences about the text, especially where the strips end. If you try this, you’ll have to decide where to cut your strips, too. If you place that cut around a new grammatical point, the students will have to leverage existing knowledge or infer it from other cues in the text, so I wouldn’t try to teach a lot of new vocabulary as well as new grammar in this sort of exercise.
Fig. D >Crowded< room? Try this technique…
What if you don’t have room to create movement? From (the great!) Patti Lozano many years ago I learned something that might help. Similar to the first steps above, select various passages from your reading that are understandable for most students, and distribute them to every other student. Have them read the passages to each other using various emotions that you designate. Every ninety seconds, have them pass their strip to another pair of students. By the time they see the full text, those few phrases that they re-enacted repetitively will feel comfortable and safe. 28FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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I Want to Teach Reading… Continued
Fig. E: Scaffolding can be so sneaky…
No matter which version of this activity I have utilized, I use the same final step. I ask the students to return to their desks and I distribute the reading as a whole, asking them to read it in its entirety. What I enjoy most about this technique is that even if the students neither accurately identify the pairings nor put them in the correct order, they will begin to draw their own conclusions about the nature of it, and when seated with the entire reading, will plow through it with greater enthusiasm, which was our “devious” plan all along. So much structure and inference will be in place that most will not engage the negative voice and will stick with the text until they have processed its theme and major points, following the positive voice, instead. Reading comprises a quarter of the modes we engage in our classes. In my classroom, however, I struggled to find meaningful ways to get students to do it (beyond simple cloze or highly truncated artifacts) because much of what can be found is beyond I +1 and leads to uncertainty in the classroom, and thus negative internal talk. Traditional methods like reading out loud or having the students answer questions about the content after reading it were not often a help in reducing this uncertainty. If you identify with this problem, I invite you to try this technique, using rich, more authentic readings, but with strips. This will hopefully scaffold them through the initial angst that goes with reading the entire artifact. If you have questions or want to tell me about what you’ve tried, see my contact information below. Finally, I’m publishing an in depth case about this technique attempted inside one classroom in Cobb County via my blog at FLEDFocus.blogspot.com. Watch for it after June of 2014. Greg Sanchez is a former Spanish teacher and department chair who consults on FLED techniques via GregSanchezConsulting.com. He also vends cutting-edge Spanish teacher tools for those who use a PC/overhead projector (or SmartBoard) in class via TeachersPayTeachers.com/ store/PicantePractices. Write to him at Greg@GregSanchezConsulting.com. Works Cited Lozano, Patti (2006). Workshop on theatre and song techniques given south of Atlanta, GA Paine, Thomas (1775). Common Sense: http://www.bartleby.com/133/ Tovani, Cris (2000). I read it, but I don’t get it: Stenhouse Publishers, Portland.
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We Are Family By Mary Catherine Thomson For a small school community rooted in Sandy Springs, Georgia, Holy Innocents’ has a surprisingly large family, one that stretches far past the Atlanta city limits. Over the past decade, there has been a conscious effort throughout the halls of Holy Innocents’ to promote a school community that is increasingly connected with the surrounding world, and a big part of this global outreach has come through strong foreign exchange programs. These programs have become a part of the HIES culture, and have grown to include sister schools in Japan, France, Argentina, and South Africa. This year, upper school students will once again participate in cultural exchanges with four distinct schools. Already, groups of students have played host for Japanese, Argentinian, and South African students as well as traveled to our sister school in France. Two more trips are scheduled for this summer, when HIES students will venture to the sister schools in Japan and Argentina. These travels involve students in grades nine through twelve and mark new and exciting chapters in the ongoing relationships with the different schools. The faces may change, but the larger goal of these programs, that of promoting cultural exposure and fostering new friendships, remains the same. Given the current strength of the foreign exchange programs, it might be surprising to note that their presence on campus is still relatively new. Just fifteen years ago, the idea of a sister school was still, for lack of a better word, a foreign concept. The first formal foreign exchange wasn’t established until 1999, when Holy Innocents’ welcomed the Asahigaoka Senior High School in Sapporo, Japan as its first sister school. This inaugural program was led by then headmaster, Dr. Susan R. Grosbeck, along with faculty members Carol Hahn and Debbie Temple. A group of Holy Innocents’ students and faculty made the first trip to Japan that summer, meeting the Japanese host community for the first time and jumpstarting a tradition that remains strong even today. The start of the Japanese program was a big step for foreign exchange opportunities at Holy Innocents’, and played a significant role in the development of our school’s exchange initiatives. Practically speaking, the Japanese program set a strong precedent, but more importantly, it created the inspiration that fueled all of the foreign exchange programs that would eventually follow. The power of the experience deeply touched many members of the first several HIES groups that traveled to Japan, among which was the current foreign language teacher, Gerard Gatoux. The program itself was very influential for Gatoux and strengthened his dedication to exposing students to different world cultures. At the time of the trip, Gatoux, who was born in Béthune, France, was already well versed in the area of foreign travel. He moved to the United States in August of 1971, following his service in the French army, in order to attend college. Since his time in college Gatoux has traveled extensively, and to this day, traveling remains one of Gatoux’s true passions, leading him to places all over the world. Therefore, Gatoux was extremely excited when Dr. Grosbeck gave him the opportunity to be part of the Japanese program. “I knew [the program] was going to be successful and wonderful, and I ended up falling in love with the Japanese culture,” Gatoux remembers of the experience. Gatoux continued to be involved in the Japanese foreign exchange program, returning on multiple occasions with new groups of students to the Asahigaoka School and helping to coordinate 30FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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We Are Family Continued much more than simply an appreciation for Japanese food and culture– it also shaped his vision for the future of foreign exchange programs at Holy Innocents’. For Gatoux it was simple. “I saw how successful the Japanese program was, and I didn’t see why we couldn’t do that for all the languages at our school,” he explained. Over the past ten years, Gatoux has taken major strides toward making this goal a reality, acting as the driving force behind the foreign exchange programs at Holy Innocents’. After several years of involvement in the Japanese program, he began looking for ways to expand foreign exchange opportunities, keeping in mind his goal of creating a network of multiple exchange programs within the school. The next sister school was established in 2006, this time in Briey, France. With this new addition, Holy Innocents’ welcomed members of the Lycée Louis Bertrand, or Louis Bertrand High School, into its ever-growing family. Shortly after, in 2008, the HIES family grew once again to include the school Carmen Arriola De Marín, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The most recent addition to this thriving and culturally diverse family is the Groote Schuur High School in Cape Town, South Africa, the sister school associated with the South African exchange program. The formation of the South African program was especially significant, given the fact that it was prompted largely by Holy Innocents’ alumna, Chrissy Orangio (’05), a former student of Gatoux’s, who was studying at the University of Cape Town at the time. Although Orangio was not able to participate in any of the sister school foreign exchange programs during her time at HIES, she was still able to experience the power of travel through the trip she took to Mexico led by Gatoux. Orangio kept in touch with Gatoux, and helped him to identify a high school in Cape Town, marking the establishment of HIES’s fourth sister school. Although each foreign exchange program offers a slightly different experience depending on the specific culture, they all have similar structures and objectives. First and foremost, each program is centered around the home stay experience. In all four cases, students who travel through the program stay with individual families from the host school communities. As part of this structure, students spend weeknights and much of the weekends with their hosts, granting them the opportunity to experience the everyday life of their host family, which Gatoux argues is a positive, and distinctive, element of the trip. “School is fine and wonderful, but what happens after school is just as valuable as the time spent in school. With homestays, you get much more culture, and you get to learn what can’t be taught in school or experienced in hotels,” stated Gatoux. Similarly, when students from the sister schools come to Atlanta they are paired with Holy Innocents’ families for the same effect. The home stay experience may be a defining point of the programs, but that doesn’t preclude students from enjoying the more “touristy” side of travel. Activities such as sightseeing, shopping, and dining are still important parts of the programs’ itineraries. While on trips students spend time exploring the sister school’s community and the surrounding area. Each site offers unique attractions, and through the exchange programs, students have had the opportunity to see things like the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, the Golden Buddhist Pavilion in Kyoto, the historic cities of Metz and Nancy in France, and the La Bocca 31FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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We Are Family Continued neighborhood in Buenos Aires. In addition, as an added bonus, students get to experience all of these sites with their host students, natives of the area. The roles are then reversed when members of our sister schools travel to Atlanta, at which point HIES students have the opportunity to showcase what our city has to offer. All elements of the foreign exchange programs – the home stay, the sightseeing, the relationships built between the students – when combined, are what make the programs such unique experiences. But what also sets the exchanges apart from other foreign travel opportunities are the distinct benefits they offer. On the most basic level, the programs (with the exception of the South African exchange, which involves an English speaking nation) have major impacts on the language abilities of the students. Unlike other travel programs that do not involve homestays, the Holy Innocents’ foreign exchange programs force students to totally immerse themselves within another culture. The French and Spanish exchanges especially, which typically attract students taking courses in those languages, greatly improve the students’ proficiency levels both in speaking and understanding the language. Senior Ross Waters, who participated in the French exchange, felt that the French program had a large impact on his French skills. “I would say that going to France gave me a purpose to continue studying French. At the beginning of the trip I made lots of mistakes with verbs and vocabulary, but the program helped me to be open to making mistakes. I was much more confident and fluent by the end,” said Waters. The programs grant other benefits to students in addition to advancing their language skills, including exposure to global perspectives and the development of a greater appreciation for different customs and traditions. Ultimately, though, the aspect of the exchanges that students and teachers alike find, hands down, to be the most rewarding is the strong relationships that are formed during the programs. Over the course of just one or two weeks, students become incredibly close friends with their foreign host students and develop relationships that in many cases last far past the trip itself. As math teacher John Taylor, who is currently involved in the Argentinian exchange, explains, the process is so fast it is almost hard to believe without experiencing it first hand. “I will admit, when I first became involved, I didn’t think any real connection was going to happen. But after watching the students, you could tell they were making potentially these lifelong bonds with someone from across the world,” said Taylor. Even though Holy Innocents’ students and students at the sister schools come from different countries and varying backgrounds, and sometimes even speak different languages, they are still able to make lasting connections with each other. Part of the beauty of the programs, is that they show students how similar one another are, despite differences that may exist on the surface. For senior Natalie Kessler, this point became clear very quickly while hosting her Argentinian student, Palo. “We were just laying around on a Saturday eating a bag of baby marshmallows, and I remember thinking, this is what I do with my regular friends. There was really no difference between us, other than that she spoke Spanish way better than I did,” laughed Kessler. The development of new and strong relationships is not just limited to students. The programs have also given many teachers the opportunity to build lasting friendships with fellow educators 32FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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We Are Family Continued from the different sister schools. Holy Innocents’ math teacher Meredith Many commented, “Well I don’t teach French, but because of the program I now have a very good friend, that I get to see once every other year,” referring to Martine Faye-Gallinnati, the English teacher at the sister school in France. Mrs. Many also added that from a more academic standpoint, “when I traveled to France I got to talk to the other teachers and see what their school was like, and use this as a basis of comparison back at home.” While other elements of the foreign exchange programs, such as the sightseeing and dining, add excitement and interest to the programs, what distinguishes the programs as truly meaningful experiences are the personal relationships that are formed. Especially in today’s world, where technology like Facebook allows international communication in a matter of seconds, staying in touch after the program is very simple. For Gatoux, watching students build these strong relationships with individuals from entirely different cultures has been one of the highlights of his experience with the programs. “That has been one of my greatest joys, to see students staying friends with the host brother and sisters, and even going back after they graduate,” said Gatoux. The current foreign exchange programs have been widely successful, but even so, Gatoux is always looking for ways to improve the overall experience. The major long-term goal for the programs is to establish a sister school on every continent over the next five years. Gatoux also hopes to achieve somewhat smaller goals, such as establishing longer home stay opportunities and getting more teachers in a wider range of departments involved in the exchanges. For Gatoux though, the real goal is simply for the programs to carry on. “I hope that they will continue, and continue to be successful way after I’m gone,” said Gatoux. Over the course of fifteen years, the foreign exchange initiatives have grown from a single sister school in Japan, to four formal sister schools located all around the world. Countless students have gained access to other cultures and developed life long friends in the process, and each year this number is steadily increasing. Because of the distinct benefits that these programs offer and the unique experience they provide, they have earned a distinguished spot in the Holy Innocents’ community. Together the foreign exchange programs have helped to extend the Holy Innocents’ community past the confines of Sandy Springs, and have created a globalized family that will hopefully continue to grow in the future. Student Comments Travis McKoy: South African Program This experience was very different from anything I had ever done before even though I had the opportunity to travel extensively in middle school. What made this experience unique for me was that it was not just a trip. When I traveled with my middle school, we went to see the places we had studied all year, but we stayed in a hotel for most of the trip. I was able to live with a Japanese and Australian family before, however, I stayed for three or four days and unfortunately was unable to develop a bond with these families like I did with Ian’s family. It’s one thing to go to a country and know the history and its significance but it’s a completely different experience to be placed right in the middle of a country with regular people that make you feel like you’ve become a native for fourteen days.
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We Are Family Continued Annie Bennett: French Program My experience with the French Foreign Exchange program has been amazing. As a freshman, I learned that HIES had a sister school in Briey (northeastern region of), France and each year the schools alternate between hosting and visiting each other. With my love of the French language and culture, my family couldn’t have been more excited when I brought up the idea of hosting a French girl. My frenchie’s name is Gilliane, which was quickly shortened to “Gigi” by my family. I will admit, meeting someone new who speaks a completely different language can be a little intimidating at first, but I have never met people more excited and passionate about learning English! Not only did Gigi excel at English, my French improved tremendously and we began to bond over shopping, baking, music – all sorts of things! Gigi became both a close friend, and a part of my family, and while her leaving us was difficult, I couldn’t be more excited to stay with her family in France the following year. Our trip to France was one of my favorite international travel experiences, as I and seven other HIES students, and Madame Wendy Albrecht, spent our spring breaks experiencing a new country, culture, and traditions. Over the course of a week, we visited our sister school, went skiing in an indoor “mountain”, went to underground mines, shopped at the French markets, and much more! The level of hospitality we received by the families was incredible, and the host parents were so kind and generous to us. Since visiting, I’ve participated in the exchange one more time, hosting a friend I made while visiting the sister school, Deborah, as a junior. Anyone who’s every participated in any of the HIES foreign exchange programs knows that saying goodbye is the worst part, but we all try to keep in touch as much as possible. The memories made and experiences shared with new friends are absolutely unforgettable and I’d encourage any HIES student to get involved with such a life-changing program! Yasmine Hicks: Japanese Program I’ve been intrigued by the Japanese and their beautiful country and culture since I was a young girl. When I received the incredible opportunity to be a part of the Japanese Exchange Program in the Summer of 2011 at Holy Innocents’, I was absolutely thrilled; I jumped at the opportunity to appease my desire to travel to the charming country that is Japan. One cannot deny that the American culture is very special and unique; however, it was such an honor to see a glimpse of the Japanese culture, as it is vastly different than the American culture. For the first week of my foreign adventure, I completely immersed myself in the Japanese culture. My classmates and I devoured exotic foods, visited historic temples and shrines, shopped in quirky stores and boutiques, and trekked all over Kyoto. Needless to say, I grew very close to my classmates while abroad. We were experiencing something unlike what we ever had before, together. I believe experiencing different things inevitably brings people together. During the second week of the program, I lived with a Japanese family. I’ll never forget the moment I met Anna: my hilarious, sweet, intelligent, and beautiful Japanese exchange partner. As I lived with Anna, I learned just how compatible two people can be. Although she lived thousands of miles away from me, we clicked instantly. Within hours of meeting one another, we were making jokes, exchanging music, and roaming all over Northern Japan. It was not long before we began calling one another sister. While in Japan, I learned a lot about the Japanese culture, but I believe one the greatest things I learned was the importance of giving, and doing so unconditionally and with lots of love. In the span of a week, I gained another family. Six months after leaving Japan, Anna traveled to Atlanta, Georgia and lived with my family and I. My mother, sister, and I were more than thrilled to welcome such a beautiful young lady into 34FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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We Are Family Continued our home. We made memories that will surely last a lifetime, as we showed Anna around Georgia and showed her different aspects of the American culture. I believe family is forever. When Anna returned to Japan after living with my family, I had no doubt in my mind that I would speak to her again. Anna and I speak regularly about nearly everything, just as sisters do. I would have never imagined that I would have gained such an incredible addition to my family. My Mom also asks about Anna daily, as she considers her to be another daughter that just so happens to live half way across the world. I will forever cherish the opportunity I received to travel to Japan and live amongst such a beautiful group of people in a remarkable country. I now have wonderful stories to tell for years to come, not to forget to mention an amazing Japanese family who I will love forever. Jordan McBride: Argentinian Program I never knew how similar yet different I could be from someone thousands of miles away until the Holy Innocents’ foreign exchange program I participated in with students from Buenos Aires. Once Mr. Gatoux told our class we were doing it, I was immediately excited because I had always wanted to go to a Spanish speaking country. Never did it occur to me that the trip would be one of the most memorable experiences of my life. We started off with a simple pen pal relationship with the students. Once a week, we would write to various Argentine students. We talked to the entire class and immediately developed connections with them. To be honest, I thought the students were going to be polar opposite from us and it was going to end up being somewhat awkward; however, this opinion soon changed when just after a couple weeks of writing to each other, we already had inside jokes between our two classes. At first, I was nervous about eventually having to choose who I wanted to be matched up with: the girl would stay at my house for two weeks and I would eventually stay at hers that following summer. How was I supposed to pick? There is probably only going to be one girl I click with, if that. Words can’t describe how wrong I was. By the time that rolled around, I was finding it difficult to choose simply because I had already developed individual relationships with each and every one of the students. I was shocked to learn how similar they were to us, even though we were thousands of miles apart. Months passed and we were all anxiously awaiting their arrival… it was all we talked about for two weeks straight. Every day, we kept growing closer to these students, making a Facebook page so we could easily talk as a group and even Skyping with them when we could. You could say we were like little kids on Christmas Eve; it was the most anticipated event of the school year. I can still remember all of us circling around Alexandra Juneau’s phone waiting for Mrs. Stroman to call to inform us of their arrival. The second that phone rang, we sprinted to the front of the school and saw the HI buses pull up. They were finally here! The second they stepped off the bus, we bombarded them, already knowing each of their names. It felt like we had been friends with them for years, even though this was our first time meeting in person. We could hardly contain our excitement for the two weeks we had with them. From touring Atlanta to doing cheerleading stunts to dancing at parties, there was never a dull moment. We spent every waking second together. Just in those short two weeks, I felt like I had fifteen new best friends. The day they left was probably one of the saddest days of my 35FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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We Are Family Continued life. Looking around, I could see tears slowly fall from everyone’s eyes when they started to board the bus back to the airport. The only thing that kept us happy was that we knew we would see them in four short months for our trip to Argentina. I did not think our experience with them could get any better, but I was wrong again. Seeing the students for a second time was like we had never left. The trip was absolutely amazing and I was able to completely immerse myself into a new culture. The Argentinians are incredibly kind and compassionate and it was prevalent everywhere you went. I learned more about the Spanish language and life in general for the two weeks I spent there than I had ever in my life. To this day, I still consider that foreign exchange program the greatest experience I’ve ever had. I still talk to the Argentinians every day and we are already planning on having a reunion with them in the next few years. I will always remember the relationships I made and the diverse culture of Argentina. Narrowing this expression to one page is not even enough to fully express the happiness, friendships, and knowledge I acquired over this time. Their stay here and my trip overseas represent the two most unforgettable aspects of my high school career. Jennifer Corradi: French Program from the French Perspective Four years ago, I had the chance to meet amazing people from Atlanta. A group of students from HIES came to our little town in Northeastern France. I hosted a girl named Avery for about ten days. We talked online before, but we did not really know each other. I was looking forward to meeting her as well as the other students in person. On the day of their arrival, we were all a little bit shy and felt awkward – I guess a long journey and hours of jetlag did not help our American friends. However, we soon overcame the language barrier and got along really well. Avery was not just an exchange student that we received, but she became a friend to me. My family also enjoyed having her home. We were used to host exchange students from Germany, but we had never met any American students before. We had interesting discussions, comparing our respective cultures. Even today, my parents still ask me about Avery. A year later, it was our time to visit them in Atlanta. I was really excited about this trip. I had been in the United States once before, In Pennsylvania, which was very different from Georgia. I discovered a lot about the American culture during these ten days. Of course I learned about American history and school system; but more importantly, living in an American family for ten days made me understand more deeply the American “way of life”. I have to say, I got the chance to be hosted by a wonderful family. Avery’s parents and siblings were very nice to me during my stay and took very good care of me. It meant a lot to me especially since I was not used to being away from home for such a long period of time. This exchange brought me a lot; it was an enriching human experience. I firmly believe that this kind of program should be carried out more often. This exchange allowed us, middle-class French students from a small town, to broaden our horizons. We may not have had this opportunity otherwise. It enabled both sides to go beyond the stereotypes we had before. On a more personal level, this experience also influenced and reinforced my decision to travel and study abroad. And here I am, writing this paper from the top of the Canadian Rockies, during my student exchange year in Vancouver, British Columbia. 36FLAG JOURNAL Volume 16 Spring/Summer 2014
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FLAG Awards Information Teaching Awards
Teaching Award Recognizes teachers who effectively strive to use various strategies, techniques, and materials to enhance the students' interest in, acquisition of, and proficiency in a second language. Two divisions will be recognized: P-12 and Post-Secondary.
Teacher of Promise Award Recognizes teachers in their first, second, or third year of teaching who show the promise to be an outstanding teacher and leader in foreign language education. Two divisions will be recognized: P-12 and Post-Secondary.
Leadership & Support Awards
Administrative Support of Foreign Languages Recognizes a Georgia Dean, Superintendent, Principal, or other administrator who has evidenced strong and overt support for foreign languages.
Fostering Partnerships With Foreign Languages Recognizes teachers who have sought to involve the community / business / colleges in foreign language activities, which may occur on or away from campus.
Leadership Award Recognizes those who have taken an active role in promoting foreign language education through professional and/or academic endeavors. Two divisions will be recognized: P-12 and Post-Secondary. See the FLAG website for nomination information http://www.flageorgia.org/flag.htm
Call for Papers The Editors of the FLAG Journal are extending an invitation to the language teaching community to submit papers for publication consideration. We publish an annual, refereed, on-line journal in the fall with articles about all aspects of foreign language education across all levels: innovative teaching strategies, learner variables, policy and issues, research, curriculum development, assessment and technology among other topics. Articles on all languages are welcome and manuscripts must be written in English to accommodate our readership. See the full description on the website.
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