Spring
2007

Key Languages News

TESOL Convention in March. This year’s TESOL Convention gathered around 8,000 language instructors from around the world. Key Languages’ own Cassia Silva attended the convention and took note of the latest trends in language instruction and the latest published materials. Attending the convention is one more way of maintaining Key Languages excellence.

New computer lab program. We’ll soon be using Rosetta Stone, the popular language learning programs, at our computer lab to complement the lessons. A new three-level Spanish program was ordered at the TESOL Convention.

Key Languages is expanding. We are now serving our clients, who are not on our island paradise, at a beautiful office on Blue Lagoon Drive (near Miami International Airport). This just makes it easier for our clients who work in that area to have their language lessons or to meet us to talk about translations or other language services.

Language in the News

So are you up-to-date on the buzzwords? ‘Volume-sensitive’,’niche strategy’, or ‘limited downside’ are just some expressions used in the business world nowadays. ‘Sox’ is another one to refer to Sarbanes-Oxley, the 2002 corporate governance reform act. Some expressions can be useful, but many are used to cover up what people are actually saying or are created by consultants to pitch their services. The Miami Herald. May, 2006.

Iraq Study Group Report Highlights Lack of Language Expertise as Detrimental to U.S. Efforts. It was reported that only six, in an embassy of 1,000 people, are fluent Arabic speakers, and that lack of effective and efficient communication with Iraqis is detrimental to the U.S. mission. The Language Educator. January 2007.

Speaking Two Languages Delays Dementia. The latest research shows that people who are fully bilingual have the onset of dementia delayed by up to four years. It seems the effort of using more than one language boosts blood supply to the brain and maintains nerve connections healthy. The Language Educator. February 2007.

Speaking  Kids’ Language. Broadcasters are required by the Federal Communications Commission to air a minimum of three hours a week of educational children’s programming. The Spanish-language networks that are not following the requirement are not only leaving a niche open, but also not developing their next generation of viewers (a quarter of Hispanics are under 14). The Miami Herald. March 2007.