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An increasing number of families are realizing the benefits of introducing their children to second (or more) languages from an early age.  In this day in age it is becoming more and more possible to raise children bilingually.  What an incredible gift!Choosing and sticking with a plan for what is best for your family in regards to how to go about creating a bilingual home life can be quite challenging.  When I bring up signing with a baby/child, a concern I often hear from parents who speak more than one language at home is “Will adding yet another language to the mix (American Sign Language) be too much?  Won’t this be confusing for my child?!”While this is a very natural way to...

Tiramisu  is one of the most popular Italian cakes. It is made of savoiardi (lady finger biscuits) dipped in espresso and at times liquor, layered with a whipped mixture of mascarpone,egg yolks, and sugar and topped with cocoa powder.In the original recipe, round in shape,there was no alcohol , since it  was originally aimed at children and the elderly. The name tirami su literally means "pick me up" or "pull me up", likely in reference to the effects of the caffeine and sugar contents.
What are the origins of the...

 
Learning a new language is always  presented like a debate between companies that want to convince you their product is better, for that, you get the usual part where the users or so-called express their amazement and the progress they made thanks to a particular method. It is always fantastic and so easy.
The reality is different, and often the method find a place in a cupboard or lost on your hard disk, the only motivation to use it is that you paid for it, but it is not enough and in the course of time, the interest is not the same as you cannot see the progress you expected before buying the method.
 
So, another solution is to...

Learning and teaching languages made me realize of how difficult it is to talk about simple things in a foreign language. To start a conversation about music or art is much easier than talk to a child. Most of the music terms are Italian anyway. Computer vocabulary is English. (with the exception of French, of course.) Most of the words we use to talk about philosophy, or physics are cognates originated from Greek and Latin. In ages of communications between nations--the wars and trades, love stories, and mutual studies--we exchanged words, and we made them common.
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Have you ever thought to yourself, "I studied Japanese in college, but now I can't remember anything!"
Here are a couple of tips to help you retain what you've learned.
1. Every time you learn a new word, use it in a funny sentence. For example, 経済(keizai) means: Economics. 世界の経済を食べたい。(Sekai no keizai o tabetai.) This means: I...

Historically France and the French language have had an enormous influence over American society. France was the United States' first ally. French thought played a dominant role among the founders of the United States in the 18th century, and it continues to shape America today through the influence of such intellectual currents as post-structuralism and post-modernism. In the humanities and the social sciences, many of the most important writings have come from France. Students and researchers...

I am often asked about learning a language through software. What are the strengths and perhaps shortcomings of learning with the aid of modern technology? Some learners prefer the dynamics of a live classroom where interacting with teacher and classmates is integral to their learning. Some learners prefer the convenience of studying at a time of their choosing and being able to control their own rate of learning. It seems to me that approaching a discussion in terms of individual value and preferences is one way to proceed and the end of such a discussion will sound much like the beginning of it. In other words, attempting to deal with the question in terms of individual preferences doesn’t really address the question I posed.
 
There are other ways to at least attempt a beginning answer to the question. The first thing to decide is what type of an answer, answers my question. I would want an answer, for example, about weaknesses working with software, not to be remedied by technological advance. If I said, for example, this or that software is not interactive enough, this would not be a possible answer to my original question. I would be answering a question which asks about “today’s” technology. I asked about “modern” technology. The answer I would be looking for has something to do with the inherent nature of language (which may also be true of classroom learning as well).
I notice that most software, by that I mean Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur, and others state something like the following: learning through our method is similar to the way you learned your first language and it will be an enjoyable experience. Mentioning a first language probably conjures up pictures of being fluent to most of us but that is not really an explicit claim that can be made. Perhaps this form of advertising is meant to show that it is easy to learn by such a method since you had no trouble at all learning your first language. Classroom methods of the seventies made the same claim: Total Physical Response, Suggestopedea, Community Language Learning and other of the so-called Designer Methods. What they all had in common was that they all failed to produce fluent speakers. That is to say, none produced fluency to any relatively high level in second language learning. Perhaps that is one reason we, in language teaching, say nowadays we are in a post-method period. We no longer believe someone will discover a cookie cutter method that is a panacea for learning a second language.
One obvious way that these methods are similar to the methods used in software, is that they superimpose one method upon all learners and with languages of extremely differing characteristics. Mass-produced methods are particularly troublesome with the two variables to be accounted for: learners that differ and languages that differ. So this is one reason, I imagine, but not the strongest reason that one method alone cannot produce fluent speakers of a second language. I still would have to find something inherent within the nature of language which makes fluency in a second language a rather different matter from the natural way we appear to become fluent in our first.
It really is a...

We live in a culturally-diverse city, where heritage and differences are honored and valued, but how do we make the most out of what we have? Integrating language and culture into our children’s lives helps them connect to others both in their own community and also in the greater world.
Sponge, which offers foreign language classes for young children, hosted a panel discussion in May where local experts shared their thoughts on a topic they are passionate about—culture for kids. The discussion repeatedly emphasized the importance of parents. When children see their parents interested in other languages and cultures, they are more likely to share this interest, especially if they are getting additional exposure in school or in the community.
So, as a parent, what can you do? Here are some of the panelists’ tips:

Incorporate language learning in your routine. Make learning another language a fun family adventure. Take a class together or learn from a bilingual relative. Show your enthusiasm...

The American Manual Alphabet
(often called 'fingerspelling')
By: Lyn J. Wiley, ASL Instructor, West Seattle, Washington
Copyright January 2009
TIPS:
Use your dominant hand; those who 'read' sign language and fingerspelling are accustomed to reading both right-and left-handed signers. 
Do not 'bounce' or 'push' the hand while forming the letters.  Keep the hand/wrist in one place (chest level and about six inches away from the body) and 'gently' make the letters without any jerking, dropping or other movements of the hand.  Do not tense the hand; the more relaxed you are while forming your letters, the better.
Do not allow 'stops' between the letters; train yourself to allow them to 'flow,' one letter into the next.
Learn and respect the acceptable variations in the letters: E, G, H, M and N.
Learn the correct way to make double letters as in words such as “book,” “running,” “Daddy,”hiccough.” This would be to ‘open and close’ the letter, or to move...

Caretaker-Infant-Small Child American Sign Language Classes

General Information For Parents,
Grandparents, Nannys and Other Caretakers
 
Author: Instructor-Tutor: Lyn J. Wiley
lynjwiley@quidnunc.net
Seattle, Washington
Copyright, July 2009
 
A Note From Your Instructor (Lyn J.Wiley) . . .

WELCOME!  I look forward to working with all the adults and bambinos who grace our sign language sessions!  This handout offers ‘tips’ and thoughts to familiarize you with the magnificent language of sign.  Additional tips and thoughts will be offered during class.

YOU WILL LEARN TWO PRIMARY FORMS OF MANUAL COMMUNICATION: 
1, The American Manual Alphabet (often called fingerspelling). You will use one hand to ‘fingerspell’ A through Z.  Fingerspelling is fascinating, fun and easy to learn.  If you can write you can fingerspell. Your fingers will serve as your pen, the air as your paper.   You will gain experience with both expressive and receptive fingerspelling skills. Expressive (when you are doing the fingerspelling).  Receptive: (when you are reading someone else’s fingerspelling).

2. American Sign Language (ASL): You will learn how to use your fingers, hands, arms and a wide array of body-movements, pantomime, body posturing, positioning, body leans and facial expression to place ASL ‘concepts’ in the air.    
TO ANSWER A FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION:

Q: Is ASL universal? Can it be understood by people all over the world? 

A:  No. The sign languages of the world differ from each other to the same extent that spoken languages differ from each other.  Only a few ASL signs are universally understood: “baby,” “milk,” and “cry.”  Each country has a unique sign language and within that country are regional accents and dialects, similar to those that exist in all spoken languages. 
ASL IS PRIMARY – FINGERSPELLING IS SECONDARY:  ASL serves as your ‘primary’ mode of communication; it is far more efficient, interesting, comprehensive, expressive and FUN when compared to fingerspelling.

The American Manual Alphabet is used as a back-up system for sign language. 

You will fingerspell when: 
*  you (do not know) (cannot recall) the sign for a concept you wish to express.    
*  you need to express a concept for which a sign does not exist (i.e. a last name such as, “VanDerkley” and when you wish to use uncommon words (i.e. ‘esoteric,' 'anomaly’ ‘enigma,’ etc.)

*  you deliver a sign and the receiver does not understand it; in that case you will fingerspell to ensure understanding.
 Although fingerspelling serves as a ‘back-up’ for ALS it plays a vital role in the full ASL system and works in close concert with sign language.  Therefore it is necessary to respect both forms of communication and use them in appropriate conjunction with each other.
 In short order you will know when to sign and when to fingerspell.  When first learning sign language your sign vocabulary will be small so you will fingerspell frequently.  As you build your sign vocabulary the need for fingerspelling will be reduced.

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IS NOT A WORD-BASED LANGUAGE, NOR IS IT PATTERENED AFTER ENGLISH: ASL is not based on the English language nor is it ”English in the air.”  ASL is a visual, tactile, concept-based language and is very unlike English, which is a word-based, auditory, written, spoken language. Your instructor will explain the nature of ASL further in class. 
ASL does not follow the syntax, structure and grammatical rules of English. ASL is a language in its own right and follows the unique syntax, structure and rules of use, of ASL.

Although ASL is not patterned after English, it incorporates ‘signs’ that represent English words and as new words and neologisms flow into the English language, they also flow into ASL. ASL, therefore, keeps pace with words such as, “I-Phone,” “Cyber-Cops,” “blogger, ” “Podcast,” etc. 
Because...