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| UFLA Newsletter
Jackie Young, President |
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Tom Mathews,
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| UFLA Newsletter
Jackie Young, President |
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Tom Mathews,
Editor
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| The Southwest Conference on Language
Teaching (SWCOLT) will hold its fifteenth annual meeting in Salt Lake City,
March 16-18. We will meet at the newly remodeled downtown Hilton Hotel.
Come share the expertise of language instructors as they guide us through exciting workshops, intriguing methodologies and animated presentations that will empower us to become betters professionals. Come visit the exhibitors and publishers that can aid us in acquiring the latest in classroom materials and keep us on the cutting edge of our profession. UFLA benefits directly through our participation in the planning of and through our attendance at the |
conference. Marty Smith is our Local Chair, and she's been
very busy putting things together. She has enlisted the help of Pat Buckner,
Eva Bates, Julie Sorenson, Erika Daines, B Jay Fairbanks, Tom Mathews,
Kirk Skyles, Cheryl Hansen, Charlotte Touati, Gerlinda Braunberger, Del
Shumway, Cathy Davis, and Julie Jennings.
Our state has traditionally been a great supporter of this conference. When we last hosted in SLC in 1994, SWCOLT had one of the largest turn-outs ever. We hope we can do even better this year. So come and share an exhilarating experience with SWCOLT 2000! |
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| The Ethnologue is a fascinating
catalogue of more than 6,700 languages spoken in 228 countries. Published
by the Summer Institute of Linguistics, it is completely accessible on-line
at www.sil.org. Here are some interesting
tidbits about language use in the United States:
In the US there are 210 million native speakers of English. There are 8,400,00 residents with no one 14 or older in the family who speaks fluent English; that's 38% of households headed by immigrants. Of these over half speak Spanish, 18% an Asian language, 28% mainly a European language (1993 USA Census Bureau). There are 500,000 people in the USA who use ASL as their primary language and who use English only for reading and writing—this is out of a population of 2 million profoundly deaf people and 15 million who are hard-of-hearing. The USA ranks fifth in the number of native Spanish speakers—some 22 million or almost 9% of the population. Most of these are bilingual in English. |
The only countries with more
Spanish speakers are Mexico, Spain, Argentina and Colombia.
There are 85,000 first language speakers of Pennsylvania Dutch in the USA, mostly in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Over a million native speakers of Cajun French live in Louisiana and Mississippi. They have a high degree of bilingualism in English. Almost one million Gypsies in the USA speak Romani as a first or second language. There are 176 languages described in the Ethnologue as "living languages" spoken in the USA, most of which are not spoken natively in any other country on earth. A few examples:
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The following three people are the winners of the 1999 vitality awards, each for $500: Martha Smith
Teacher of German at West High School. Salt Lake City, Utah
Cheryl Thompson
Teacher of French at Viewmont High School. Bountiful, Utah
Julie Ann Sorenson
Teacher of German & French at Hillcrest High School. Midvale, Utah
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| For those teachers in Utah who are now teaching on a block schedule, or who will be in the future, there is an interesting report recently put out by ACTFL called "Block Scheduling and Second-Language Instruction." It concludes that although many second-language teachers continue to express strong reservations about the efficacy of block scheduling for language classes, most have no desire to go back to the traditional model. "This may offer encouragement to language teachers who will soon undertake block scheduling instruction and undergo all the discomfort, exhilaration, rethinking, redefining, and experimentation presented by any profound change." The entire report is avalable online at: http://www.actfl.org/htdocs/pubs/block.htm |
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| Imagine spending two weeks
in a tropical setting studying Spanish and absorbing the culture with a
group of fun and highly motivated peers! That's exactly what happened for
a group of Salt Lake Spanish teachers in June and July. Professor Isabel
Dulfano from the University of Utah arranged for us (a group of 12) to
go to Costa Rica and study Spanish for two weeks. We were students at the
Centro Lingüístico Conversa located in Santa Ana, Costa
Rica, just a few miles outside of San José, the capitol. We were
housed with local host families, one student per family, which were carefully
selected to provide optimal exposure to the culture and maximize our language
experience.
During the first day at school, we were tested to determine our current level of language proficiency. Then we were placed in groups of four with an experienced native-speaker for further instruction. We met with this teacher daily from 8:30 until 10:30 and again from 11:00 until 12:00. |
Carefully structured lessons
and daily homework, plus conversation experiences helped all of us to improve
our speaking and conversational skills. At noon, the whole Utah group met
together for instruction by Professor Dulfano. We read and discussed several
books about the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs. This was accompanied by
readings from Aztec literature. Two afternoons a week we also met to discuss
how we teach Spanish in our classrooms. Each group member shared four strategies
for teaching Spanish grammar.
In addition to the intensive language work, we were also able to see a lot of Costa Rica. Dr. Dulfano arranged for a trip into San José to visit the Museo Nacional and the Museo de Oro. She also arranged for us to visit a local school and to observe classes while they were in session. (¡Muy interesante!) We were also able to talk with the teachers about their concerns for their students. |
The middle weekend of our
program involved a three-day, two-night trip out into the countryside of
Costa Rica. Highlights included a visit to an active volcano and a cloud
forest. Along the way we were able to observe a group of howler monkeys,
toucans in the wild, and visit a thermal mineral spring.
If you would like to update your Spanish in a terrific natural setting and an intensive language experience, I would highly recommend this program. It is my understanding that it will be offered again next summer. You can visit the Conversa website at http://www.conversa.co.cr. There you can see pictures of the campus as well as get information about the school itself. For more information about this program, contact Dr. Dulfano at the University of Utah or Joan Patterson at the State Office of Education. There will also be a session at SWCOLT in March. |
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Utah Spanish teachers are always looking for ways to recognize and reward the achievements of their students. As you begin planning for the 1999-2000 school year you will want to carefully consider these two back-patting, door-opening, portfolio-building opportunities for your students. Teacher membership in the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) is the only pre-requisite! NATIONAL SPANISH EXAM
SOCIEDAD HONORARIA
HISPANICA
Julie Jennings Utah Chapter President AATSP Jefferson Jr. High. Phone: (801) 964-7970 Fax: (801) 964-4250 julieannjennings@hotmail.com COMING SOON
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programs were funding shortages,
inadequate in-service training, inadequate sequencing from elementary to
secondary school, and the high ratio of students to teachers." (Survey
Description: A National Survey of K-12 Foreign Language Education, ERIC
News Bulletin, vol. 22(1), Fall/Winter 1998, available on-line at:
http://www.cal.org/ericcll/News/199809/ survey_description.html) After reading this, I felt it described the situation in most FLES programs. As to the funding, sequencing and ratio, there is not much I can do as FLES president. However, I do feel that something can be done to train the new teachers that will be hired this year, as well as existing teachers. I know first hand how frustrating it can be to be newly hired in a FLES program and not receive any training. I am glad I graduated with a minor in Spanish Teaching. I fear that there are many teachers that have little or no foreign language training in FLES programs throughout Utah. Our goal this year is to provide monthly training for all Utah FLES teachers. Please send email to this address: Heather.Redding@ meadow.alpine.k12.ut.us so that we can contact you with information. Little by little I know we can go far with training. |
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| Recently I was voted in as
the new president-elect for the Foreign Language in the Elementary Schools
(FLES) board. For several years the early foreign language education program
has been under the guidance of Deanna Taylor as president. I am sure I
speak for many as I express much gratitude and appreciation to Deanna for
all her time and effort in supporting and often times creating the FLES
programs throughout Utah. As the new president-elect and am a young rookie
fourth grade Spanish Immersion teacher and I hope to learn as I serve in
Deanna's place.
Recently, Deanna suggested that we have a small training/workshop for FLES teachers. We asked James Yoder from Timpanogos High School to give the workshop because he had been selected by UFLA to present his workshop entitled It works for me! Ideas that will generate motivation and success in your foreign language classroom |
at the SWCOLT Reno, Nevada, conference. Since
James is a high school teacher the training was not specifically geared
toward teaching elementary school students. Nevertheless it was directed
toward teaching beginning level Spanish in a way that could help any child
learn effectively. Many FLES teachers appreciated the materials and list
of ideas. Others expressed how they wished they could meet more often with
other FLES teachers to discuss language teaching and ask questions. This
training/workshop was the only meeting planned during the 1998/1999 school
year.
The Center for Applied Linguistics conducted a recent survey of elementary schools in 1997 in order to understand patterns and shifts in foreign language enrollment and programs. The survey was published in an ERIC News Bulletin. The survey highlighted that "the most frequently cited problems facing elementary school foreign language |
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ACTFL is pleased to announce the funding of a three-year grant by the U.S. Department of Education (1999-2002) to develop, in collaboration with Weber State University, in Ogden, UT, an on-line teaching methods course that reflects state-of-the-art research and practice in foreign language education. This course will be made available to postsecondary institutions that would benefit from this national resource and from the professional expertise it will provide for offering foreign language teaching methods courses on their own campuses, or wish to supplement existing course work with pedagogical connections to the foreign language standards. The primary beneficiaries of this program will be undergraduate, pre-service foreign language teachers. Several secondary audiences will also have access to the programming on either an institutional or individual basis, including department coordinators of school foreign language programs, currently practicing teachers who have received a masters degree, but who desire additional professional development for personal growth or continuing education credit, and graduate level students in foreign language education. The unique features of this program include:
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| Overall, the number of students
studying foreign languages in Utah has increased steadily over the years,
but so has the rise in the general student population.
Foreign Languages in Utah, in spite of their study being variably recommended or required by colleges and universities in the state, continue to be electives in our middle and secondary schools. Nevertheless, the percentage of Utah students enrolled in foreign language classes has more than doubled since 1980. In that year, 16% of Utah's secondary students studied a foreign language. In 1998-99, almost 35% of our students were enrolled in a foreign language class. |
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| The popularity of different
languages has also changed over the years. As can be seen in the graphs,
in 1969, study was fairly evenly divided between Spanish (36%), French
(35%) and German (24%). By 1998, Spanish had come to dominate in the state;
Spanish (62%), French (18%) and German (12%).
The figure at the bottom of the page shows the increase the in number of students enrolled in foreign languages from 1980 to 1998. Last year, 34.7% of all high school students studied foreign languages; some school districts, however, had a much higher percentage than others. The top five districts for high school foreign language enrollment are Park City (55%), Logan (52%), Ogden (49%), Iron (46%) and Salt Lake (43%). Alpine and Utah districts are both very close to the state average for high school enrollments with 31% each. Complete data for all districts (both high school and middle school) is available at the end of this article. Distressingly, today there are 5,591 fewer students taking foreign languages than in 1994. The overall percentage has dropped from 38% to 35%. In part, this reflects the fact that there are fewer students overall enrolled in Utah schools, but foreign languages are loosing more than their share. Joan Patterson commented: "Foreign Language is being squeezed by increasing district and/or state requirements for graduation. In addition, early college and concurrent enrollment may be affecting foreign language enrollment." The decrease has been quite noticeable in some languages. Statewide, since 1994, Spanish has lost 4,322 students, or 8.5% of Spanish enrollment. German has lost 1,981 students or 17.5%, French has lost 1,959 students, or 12.3%, and Russian has lost 507, a total of 59% of their enrollment. "I am very concerned that the current squeeze this year is causing administrators to combine classes, like German III and IV, or to cancel classes with low enrollment," said Joan Patterson Teachers should contact Joan if they see this happing in their school or district. Only ASL, Japanese and Latin have seen recent enrollment increases. |
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| For the past
two years UFLA has held its Annual Meeting in November. This year, however,
the executive board decided to hold the meeting on Friday, October 8, in
conjunction with UEA. The conference will be at the Salt Palace Conference
Center, room 251 F, beginning at 8:30 and ending at 5:00. The complete
schedule is shown at the right.
All language teachers who are ULFA members are invited to attend the business meeting in the morning followed by an inspiring workshop called "Teaching World Languages" by Nancy Hough and Jennifer Hudson, coming in from Spokane, Washington. Their session will last from 12:00 until 3:15. In addition, Joan Patterson, from the State Office of Education, has arranged for Modified Oral Proficiency Interview (MOPI) training that weekend. There is room in the training workshop for ten teachers each of German, French and Spanish. This three-day workshop consists of plenary sessions and language-specific groups and allows time to be spent on the implications and applications of the OPI. Information on the MOPI training is available on the web at: http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/curr/inservice /foreign/mod_opi.html Also happening on October 8 and 9, Patrick Charriere from the French Consulate and Michelle Magnin from San Jose State will be doing a workshop for French teachers called Simulation Globale at the Univ. of Utah. It will begin at 1:00 of Friday and continue into Saturday. For information contact Dr. Randall Gess at 585-3009. |
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| IAJLT will co-sponsor the "Rocky Mountain Asian Business & Language Conference" on October 8 & 9 in Salt Lake City. The conference will cover topics about Asian Business, Business Language, Japanese and Chinese language. | SWCOLT is still accepting proposals for presentations at the 2000 Conference in Salt Lake City. If you're interested in submitting a proposal, contact Joan Patterson at (801) 538-7776. |
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