Cairo Forum 2010 Education Site

Archive for the ‘Language’ Category

Most teachers have found that getting their students interested in reading is no easy task. But one teacher in Queens Village, N.Y., has found an innovative way to keep students in her sixth-grade class focused and entertained while improving their reading skills.

Bertha Cuascut, a literacy coach at The Jean Nuzzi School, a public middle school, agreed to take part in a pilot program called Read-A-Movie. The program was created by SFK Media Specially for Kids Corp. and is part of the company’s suite of courses that aim to improve reading-readiness and skills.

The program revolves around SFK Media’s Reading Movies, which combine reading with entertaining movies in a technique the company says can help teach vocabulary and improve comprehension.

The movies use Action Captions, a patented technology that displays the dialogue on the screen as text, in real-time, without interrupting the flow of the movie. Researchers and educators indicate that these Action Captions activate the cognitive elements of the brain so that the development of both reading and spoken language skills takes place naturally.
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Using Mnemonics in Foreign Language Teaching and Learning

So how much vocabulary do you actually need to know before you can “get by” and actually converse in a foreign language? That depends on who you ask, as that tends to vary somewhat.

In his book, “Using Your Memory”, author Tony Buzan says that a mere 100 words comprise nearly 50% of the vocabulary used in every day conversational speech in most languages. Learning the equivalent of these words in a foreign language can help you to quickly develop essential vocabulary for everyday conversational use. But is this really enough?

Link Word Technique

Generally, you can function at the most basic level in a foreign language with a core vocabulary of around 1000 words according to Dr. Michael Gruneberg who formalized the “LinkWord” technique. He claims that, using this technique of linking a word in your own language to a word in the new language, you can acquire a core vocabulary in a foreign language in as little as 10 hours.
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Try to locate a person in your school or area that is a fluent speaker of English, and ask that individual to meet with you on a regular basis in order to practice your English. You will have the chance to ask this native speaker questions about English grammar and pronunciation, while speaking about issues that both of you have an interest in. Bring a pen and a note pad with you so that you can write down any words that are unfamiliar to you. When you return home you can use your English dictionary to look up the meaning of these words, if your English language buddy has not already helped you to understand the meaning of these words. It is a good idea to make the person that you are practicing with someone who does not speak your native language. I know that it is quite tempting to practice English with a person who speaks your language, but this is not the best thing because you want to learn to think in English. It will be harder for you, but also better for you to pick someone who must help you in English only because they do not speak your native language. If your English speaking friend does not speak your native language, you can help them to learn it also. I am sure they will really appreciate this assistance from you as much as you appreciate you appreciate their help.
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The Russian language is the most commonly spoken language in Europe. It is a Slavic language whose roots can be traced to Sanskrit, Greek, and Latin. Though not as internationally prominent as its days as the official language of the former Soviet Union, it is still the official language of such countries as Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. Russian is a language of dignity, but can seem intimidating to learn. If you have considered learning a second language, the Russian language will prove to be a challenging yet rewarding achievement.

As a student of the Russian language, you have several alternatives by which you can learn it. If you choose to study Russian at the college level, and receive your degree in it, you will acquire an expertise in the language that can provide you with several career opportunities. With a degree in Russian, one career option for you is as a foreign language translator. Foreign language translation firms employ people who are fluent in many different languages, including Russian. Coupled with knowledge in another field (such as law or medicine), you would have the opportunity to work to bridge the gap between English-speaking and Russian-speaking business contacts by translating websites and documents for them. Another career opportunity would be as a teacher of English as a second language in a Russian-speaking country. After receiving your teaching certification, you could work for a language school in Russia teaching students how to speak, read, and write English. With a solid knowledge of Russian, you would be able to work and live alongside native Russian speakers with ease.
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