Learning about our students’ cultures is vital to understanding our school community and celebrating our diversity. In secondary EAL this week, I learned that Suomi means Finland in Finnish. I asked my new sixth grade student what Suomi means when he entered my classroom wearing the hat pictured. He was not able to tell me, but we Googled it and I learned that it means Finland. I found this BBC Travel article (LINK) about the “mysterious origins” of the name. During a dialogue journal writing activity, one of our English language learners wrote about the kinds of food he likes, while also sharing examples of Finnish cuisine.
Many teachers and parents are seeking engaging opportunities and lessons for students during distance learning, especially ones that don’t require a technology or a device. One of my favorite activities is journaling. I have had students journal for years, and I have always noticed amazing growth in their writing and thinking skills. Whether you are journaling for yourself or for your students, I have been collecting resources during the past two months. Here are some of the best articles I have found on this topic. My top 10!
What do you think were the most memorable moments of the year? If you were to make a “Year in Pictures” of your own life, which moments would you include? The New York Times has selected the best photos from 2019 (LINK). A great activity for students could be having them choose 12 photos that represent their year. They could make a slideshow using Google Slides and write a short caption for each photo. The New York Times Learning Network featured this activity (Picture Prompts). I believe it would be an engaging one for all students. I am going to do this activity with my English language learners.
Yakawlang, Afghanistan, May 19 Students walked home over the mountains from Rustam school, seen behind them. Ninety percent of the school’s graduates get into college. Most are girls. Jim Huylebroek for The New York Times
It’s obvious that knowing more than one language can make certain things easier — like traveling or watching movies without subtitles. But are there other advantages to having a bilingual (or multilingual) brain? In this Ted-Ed Talk, Mia Nacamulli details the three types of bilingual brains and shows how knowing more than one language keeps your brain healthy, complex and actively engaged.
In the New York Times last week, The Beauty of Being Bilingual was featured in the opinion section. Natalia Sylvester wrote: “I used to think that being bilingual is what made me a writer, but more and more I see it’s deeper than that. It’s the constant act of interpreting. The journeying back and forth. The discovery that language, and the stories it carries, is not a straight path. Those of us who’ve served as interpreters in everyday life know it’s a bittersweet privilege.” Here is a LINK to the article.
Grade 4 students at the American School of Lusaka are doing a unit on poetry. Here are two nice websites, poetry generators, that I discovered. They are fun for all ages.
As we prepare to go on winter break (or summer depending on your hemisphere!), I am sharing some nice resources for parents who want to prevent the “summer slide” with reading. Our school has a long four-week vacation, so it’s important to read and write on a daily basis. Keep it fun! Here are two articles which provide a number of ideas for how you can read with your son or daughter. There are also many other ideas to make learning fun (Museums, galleries, board games, etc.). I hope you like them!
When it comes to learning a foreign language, we tend to think that children are the most adept. But that may not be the case – and there are added benefits to starting as an adult. Click HERE to read this very good article from BBC Future.
"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style."
- Maya Angelou
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