Spring
2008

Key Languages News

Anniversary -Spanish teacher Cati Prado celebrated her 5^th anniversary at Key Languages in January.  Congratulations and thank you for the hard work and dedication.

Key Languages Club – To celebrate February, Discover Languages Month, Key Languages offered three  movie nights on Mondays, one in Spanish, one in English and one in Portuguese. This coming Monday, March 16 at 6:00 p.m., is movie night in Spanish. We’ll be watching “La Misma Luna”. Refreshments during the movie and lively discussion right after.

TESOL Convention - Cassia Silva will be leaving to Denver in a few days to attend the Annual TESOL Convention and Exhibit. TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) is a prestigious professional organization that brings to teachers the most up-to-date research, methods and materials during the convention. Contact Key Languages in April to know what is new.

CELPE-BRAS is the Certificate of Proficiency in Portuguese for Foreigners. Students can take the exam at FIU (Florida International University) to measure their knowledge of the language. FIU is one of only three institutions in the United States authorized to administer the CELPE-BRAS. Registration for the next CELPE-BRAS is open. Key Languages provides preparation for the exam, which is taking place in April. Contact Professor Augusta Vono at vonoa@fiu.edu for more information.

Language in the news

Learning to Speak Better English: Yes, We Can! Makoto Ishiwata, an English teacher in Japan, is teaching English using President Obama’s speeches. The students recite parts of a speech until they master the whole text. The workshops draw almost 200 students a week. The book “The Speeches of Barack Obama” that comes with a CD sold 480,000 copies in three months. The Wall Street Journal. February 21, 2009.

A Bilingual Future. More parents are sending their kids to language classes to give them a leg up in a competitive environment. There are no worries that learning two or more languages will be confusing to children. Spanish is still the predominant language to learn mostly because it is the language spoken in many households and the proximity to Latin America. However, parents are also interested in Chinese, French and other languages. Broward curriculum specialist Blanca says that “parents are very motivated. It has become a necessity, not a luxury”. The Miami Herald. Tropical Life. February 21, 2009.

Tips for Becoming Bilingual. Here are some tips for parents who want to encourage a child to learn a second language: start with your school system; have a parent, grand-parent or caregiver read to the child in that language; take the child to cultural events that reflect the culture of the language the child is learning; rent movies in the second language; buy toys that use the language; make the language fun. Don’t constantly correct or force your child to speak in the second language. The Miami Herald. Tropical Life. February 21, 2009.

Now I Can Stand Up For Myself. An innovative program teaches immigrant mothers and their children side by side. More than a million families with parents who couldn’t read or speak English have participated in the National Center for Family Literacy program. In the early 2000s, there was an increase of Hispanic families seeking help and the Toyota Family Literacy Program was created, aimed at Hispanic immigrant groups. The Miami Herald. Parade. February 22, 2009.