FLAME NEWS

Volume 16 Number 2                                                            April 2005

 

A word from the President

Bonjour!  Hola!  Hello! and many thanks to all of you for attending our recent conference at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland.  The Year of Languages 2005 certainly kicked off with a bang with over 400 attendees at this year’s annual conference.  Many thanks to the Conference Committee and the Board for making this another memorable professional development opportunity!

I enjoyed seeing old and new faces.  It is wonderful to hear what is happening in your districts and classrooms and to see how you are promoting world languages in your positions.  The workshops were very professional and afforded opportunities for growth.  The networking with colleagues and peers is so vital in this profession. It keeps one from feeling that they are alone in their quest.  FLAME is a great venue for dialogue.  This year was particularly conducive to the discussions with the reception and breakfast being held downstairs.  The exhibit hall was fantastic.  Attendees had room for browsing and buying in a more relaxed and open atmosphere.  Let’s see what the conference committee hears for feedback and what they will feel is best for future meetings.

I was privileged (and a bit nervous) to deliver a speech to my colleagues and just want to reiterate that FLAME is a volunteer organization.  It promotes world language study throughout Maine through many activities and services.  This newsletter is one!  The web site is another!  There are countless other opportunities.

March is quite a month as President of FLAME.  I attended the annual conference on the 3rd and 4th and I will travel on the 31st to New York City for the Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (NECTFL).  I went to the Northeast last year, too!  These are tremendous opportunities for a classroom teacher and lend a real feeling of professionalism to the field.  It is easy to feel alone in our classes but by talking with others, observing their practices and staying involved, one can  really grow professionally! 

I am very thankful to FLAME and my colleagues for allowing me to work for the organization and to grow professionally.  Become involved - you will not regret it!!!!

Laurie A. Littlefield

Massabesic Junior High School 

walkingll@gwi.net         laurie_littlefield@fc.sad57.k12.me.us

 

 

NEW FLAME OFFICERS

2005-2006

At the FLAME 2005 Conference the membership voted in a new slate of officers:

Janice Clain                President                jclain@aol.com

Theresa Farrar            Vice –President        tfarrar@tds.net

Kathy Prins                 Treasurer                kprinceps@aol.com

Catherine Hobby         Secretary                rhobby1@maine.rr.com

Do not hesitate to contact them!

 

 

News from                                                                                                                    

Representative Rush Holt                                                                                                                            

12^th District, New Jersey

http://www.holt.house.gov 

________________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release                                                                                                     Contact: Pat Eddington

March 8, 2005                                                                                                                      202-225-5801 (office)

 

 

HOLT “YEAR OF LANGUAGES” BILL

PASSES HOUSE BY WIDE MARGIN

 

(Washington, DC). – Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12) today announced House passage of H.Res. 122, a resolution calling for the establishment of a “Year of Languages” recognition program in the United States to help highlight the need for increased foreign language education.

“By passing this bill, the House is recognizing that we as a nation must do more to close the foreign language gap,” said Holt. “If we’re serious about protecting our country from terrorist threats and improving our ability to work with other nations on a host of economic and cultural issues, language education must become a meaningful priority for America.”

The resolution, co-sponsored by Rep. Patrick Tiberi (R-OH), calls on the President to issue a proclamation calling on the public to encourage and support initiatives to promote and expand the study of languages, and to observe a “Year of Languages” through appropriate ceremonies, programs, and other activities.

Recently, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Defense Intelligence Agency has so few Arabic linguists that it is borrowing them from the New York City Police Department to help with translation and interpretation of documents. Multiple press reports have chronicled the fact that there are literally thousands of documents and audio recordings that have been acquired in the war on terrorism at home and overseas that are sitting in warehouses, yet to be translated.

Last year, Holt was successful in getting provisions into the Intelligence Authorization bill that increase foreign language funding for programs such as the National Flagship Language Initiative, a program that provides grants to universities to establish or expand critical need foreign language programs. Earlier this year, Holt introduced the National Security Language Act (H.R. 115), which is designed to promote the teaching of less-commonly taught foreign languages, including the languages of Arabic, Korean, Chinese, Pashto, Persian-Farsi, Serbian-Croatian, Japanese, Russian, Portuguese, and any other language identified by the Secretary of Education as a foreign language critical to the national security of the United States. Holt is also preparing legislation that would include formula seed grants to the states for school districts to create new language programs for K-12 students. The bill also calls for increases in funding for foreign language teacher training.

But the need for increased language education goes well beyond just national security concerns, as Holt noted.

“Proficiency in foreign languages also improves our competitiveness in the global market place,” said Holt.  “It can enrich our culture.  I am hopeful that establishing 2005 as a ‘Year of Languages’ will focus attention on this crucial national need.” 

 

 

 

The Governor of Maine, John Baldacci, had agreed to say a few words to all present at the FLAME Conference on March 4, 2005 at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland, Maine.  Though the Governor was unable to attend due to an accident, he sent this message that Laurie Littlefield, FLAME President, read during the plenary meeting.  It is copied here in its entirety.

 

March 4, 2005

Dear Friends:

        On the occasion of the Foreign Language Association of Maine's Conference, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you, our valuable language educators, and to thank you for serving our youth.  I am sorry I am unable to join you today to read my proclamation of 2005 as the Year of Languages.  This recognition is certainly well-deserved.

Your work contributes greatly to the future of Maine.  Modern and classical studies prepare our citizens - young and old - for success in the global marketplace.  I congratulate you for the outstanding level of service and dedication each of you brings to preparing our state for the 21st Century Economy.

        Again, best wishes for a successful conference.

                                        Sincerely,

 

                                        John E. Baldacci

                                        Governor of Maine

 

 

 

      

 

Celebrate,

Communicate, Educate!

 

In Maine we are celebrating the Year Of Languages 2005!

The focus during this spring will be the following:

 

Connecting Languages to Other Areas (March) to encourage activities that show the interrelationships between languages and other subject areas or professional fields. You might consider joining forces with colleagues in other disciplines to create a multidisciplinary unit or even a performing arts program. If you are doing the latter, invite parents AND your school board     AND your administrators!

Higher Education (April) to provide a forum for discussion of enrollments, curricula, programs, and initiatives in the higher education institutions in the  US.   Why not organize a round table discussion with your colleagues in your local university to discuss better articulation of programs K-16? Work together with your colleagues in higher education to create immersions for students.

Language Advocacy (May) to identify ways that language learning and multilingualism can be promoted in their own communities.  FLAME has an Advocacy Video you can use!  See page 12 for details.

Adult Learners is the focus for June. Invite the parents of your students to have a fun, hands-on, communicative mini-lesson in the language you teach? Invite parents of your students to attend an end of the year picnic in the target language? Or maybe it’s time to teach a class for your local adult education programs? Or maybe it’s time YOU take a class in a new language?

 

For more ideas and information about the Year of Languages 2005 be sure to visit the ACTFL website  www.yearoflanguages.org.  There is a participant’s kit, some sample press releases, and fun things to buy to promote languages and celebrate YOL 2005!

 

Be on the lookout for Catherine Hobby’s monthly YOL emails with ideas on how to celebrate the Year of Languages in your community.  If you have done something you would like to share with others, please send your stories to Catherine at rhobby1@maine.rr.com.

by Catherine Hobby, Editor

 

FLAME CONFERENCE 2005

PRE-CONFERENCE KEYNOTE

 

 

Madame Fifi, aka Sue Fenton, was keynote speaker at FLAME 2005.  She is a woman of energy and wit who invited us to “refresh, reenergize, and revitalize [our] creativity.”  Since “it is hard to remember something that is not memorable,” Fenton gave her audience many tips and tricks to “make it real and make it fun.”

“Speaking is the cornerstone of every language class,” she explained.  “Real language is people, body language, and feelings. If all they do is write, the language experience will be diminished in [the students'] eyes.” And for language to become real in the classroom the students will need to express themselves.  Fenton described most classroom conversations as unreal and filled with absurdities. (This reminded me of the Ionesco’s comment, “I tried to learn English, instead I wrote La Cantatrice Chauve.)

If we want students to speak, Fenton warned, we have to create situations that will give them something to say.  “Fluency is the greatest gift we can give them.” To that end she gave us many ideas on how to create classroom experiences that excite the students’ imaginations, encourage curiosity about language and culture, and validate the learning process:

	Introduce sentences through as much authentic language as possible. Songs, tourist phrase books, advertisements are good tools.
	Don’t wait for the textbook to present certain points.  “Give it to them soon!”
	Invite a native speaker to class and give your students an opportunity to use the language.
	Engage the students’ senses.  Have them smell the culture (herbs, spices, fruits, condiments, prepared foods). Have them hear the sounds of the culture through DVDs, CDs, the radio playing on the internet.   Expose your students to lots of language.  “Listening is the inverse of speaking.” Have them touch fabrics of the culture, such as silks, cottons, etc. Encourage your students to see the culture through realia and pictures (photos, greeting cards, post cards, magazines, etc.). Fenton explained that color improves memory by 70%.
	Grow flowers and/or herbs that reflect your target culture(s).
	Use props! Fenton came with boxes of fun ideas to use in class: microphones, echo phones, and megaphones telephone scene boards a podium props that reflect the topic you are teaching. props that encourage in interactive simulation.  (To create a hotel scene, Fenton used a sign in a frame, a bell, plastic keys, a plastic plant and presto:  A hotel desk!!) dress-ups:  hats, eyeglasses, boas, etc. culture props:  plastic chilis, can of Lesueur peas, a rose, etc. props that symbolize a concept:  For example, the verb “pouvoir” means to be able to, or that you CAN do something. So, write “pouvoir” on a can.   Likewise, buy some cheap socks and label them.  One sock has the subject pronoun on it, its match the appropriate verb ending.  Have students pull out socks for visual matching to reinforce the conjugations.
	Speaking propellers.  These are “security blankets” of sorts since when a student holds the “propeller,” it is his/her turn to speak, and no one can interrupt him/her.  When s/he has answered, s/he passes the propeller to the next person. Any prop will do. Fenton explained that the ‘best motivation is intrinsic” and that today’s students are doers and multi-taskers nurtured on “infotainment.”  She cautioned that many language courses look like a “whole lot of puzzle pieces” and invited us to “tie the whole thing together”. She also warned against inadvertently instilling the “two week vacation” approach to language learning, encouraging only those skills needed as a tourist. She made it very clear that US citizens are citizens of the world and that language courses need to expand students’ linguistic and cultural skills.  Moreover, she pointed out that though a curriculum based on culture will maximize language learning, many textbooks invite students to follow the adventures of fictitious characters living abroad.  “Let’s shift the spot light to the students and give them their own virtual reality show!”  But how?    By using the Virtual Residence Curriculum with the power of the imagination, the power of suggestion, and the power of play. Do not throw the textbook out.  Instead tie everything in the textbook to a virtual reality.  With the help of the Internet, move your students to a city where your target language is spoken.  Through authentic resources have them find an apartment, live and shop in a neighborhood, visit the local spots, go to a sports event or a movie, sign up for a class, join a club, watch TV, listen to the radio, or rent a car and travel the environs.  This Virtual Residence Curriculum gives a context to everything in the textbook and invites the students to practice survival skills in a more “real-world” setting. Fenton encouraged us to take simulation a step further:  simYOUlation.  When she wants her students to experience the metro, she places three poles in the classroom and has them holding on, as they would in the real metro.  She also uses “Culture Frosting” by sprinkling all of her activities with details of the city such as street names, product names, even names of real people she finds in the phone books online. SimYOUlation can take on other forms as well: Practicing the imparfait?  Have the student sit in a rocking chair and pretend she is a grandmother remembering the good old days. Students conduct a press conference Students conduct a pet show Theater of the Negative:  every sentence includes a negative Simulate scenes of a movie “Children need roots and wings to fly,” Fenton concluded warmly. “Let’s do our best to give them both.  Remember to play, spread your own enthusiasm wherever you go!”      by Catherine Hobby, Editor   Ethnic Cooking Experience/ Fundraiser by Caryn Hasbrouck Greater Portland Christian School       The Greater Portland Christian School senior class is going to Nicaragua for a week in March, and one of our fundraisers was a Nicaraguan dinner.  The Spanish 4 took over the menu portion of the dinner.  They researched Nicaraguan recipes on the Internet. Each brought their findings to class, and we looked them over as a group.  We chose the dishes that sounded the most appealing and each student took a recipe home.  Some brought the results to taste in class, and some tried the new foods on their families.  Some recipes were bad, some needed tweaking,  some were great. I gave a grade for effort in this process.  The next step was to prepare for a fund raising dinner. I multiplied the good recipes for one hundred and twenty people, wrote a master shopping list, and included detailed preparation steps and helpful hints for each recipe.  I went through this information with the class and then I left them with written copies for them to prepare.  Though my students would not be able to rely on me to guide their cooking since I was going to a teacher's seminar in New Hampshire the day of their event, I did help them shop.  We found all of the ethnic ingredients we needed at La Bodega Latina in Portland.  The kids cooked all day with virtually no adult help and the food turned out great!  I came in at about 4 PM, in time to rescue burned soup and make thirteen pounds of rice.  Everything was ready on time and the dinner was a huge success.  My students were so happy and proud, not only because they had raised a substantial amount of money for their trip, but also because they had learned on their own to cook ethnic food! This idea could be used to celebrate the year of languages or could be a part of a foreign language fair exhibiting food from all of the different languages taught at your school.  With the Internet and a bit of cooking knowledge, the world comes closer to us!   STUDENTS EXPERIENCE CHILEAN EXCHANGE McAuley and Cheverus  -  2005

                                                                                                         

            The Spanish Departments at Catherine McAuley and Cheverus are hosting ten students and 2 teachers from a sister/brother high school in Santiago, Chile.  The Chileans will be living with individual host families in our schools.  They will be in Maine from March 2 to March 29.  From here they will be visiting New York City, Washington, D.C., and Miami, Florida, before returning home. 

            Cheverus has had this program previously, but this year the Chileans asked McAuley to become involved.  This is an exciting chance for all our students to gain experience with another culture and to improve their learned Spanish.  We are hoping to have some of our McAuley students go to Chile as they are coming here.    It’s a great opportunity for a life-changing encounter.

            The Chileans will attend the school day, shadowing their host sisters or other McAuley students.  They will be in classes daily, as if they were McAuley students themselves, but will not be graded or expected to attain all that our students do, due to the language ability.  This will give them a wonderful day-to-day understanding of the life of an American teen.

            There are various activities planned for the Chileans to experience more of Maine and American culture:  Augusta, the State House and Museum; Portland, the Casco Bay Ferry and the Old Port with history; Boston, the Fogg Museum, Quincy Market and the Science Museum; Sugarloaf weekend for skiing, boarding, or just having fun.   A variety of the McAuley students will attend these activities, not only the host sisters.

 

LOCAL STUDENTS GETTING CREATIVE!

 

Several groups of students submitted videos for the FLAME Video Contest. 

	The First Place Winners were the students Karol Clark of Boothbay Region High School.
	Honorable Mention went to the students of Lori Chism of Buckfield High School.

 

All students will receive Certificates of Achievement.  In addition, the winning team teacher will receive $25 gift to use for her classroom.

Bravo and thank you for taking part in the FLAME Student Video Contest!

For more information about the FLAME Student Video Contest, contact Mary Oches at oches4@adelphia.net .

                                                                  

 

CLASSICAL IMPERATIVES AND INSPIRATIONS

Opportunities for Fun, Profit, and Glory

MAINE CLASSICAL ASSOCIATION Spring Meeting

Saturday, April 30, 2005, 8:30-1:30, Messalonskee High School,

Oakland, Maine

Workshops on implementing the Maine Learning Results and Common Assessments in Classical Languages,the National Latin Exam, the Medusa Mythology Exam, the CANE Writing Contest, the Bernice L. Fox Classics Writing Contest and more.

	Greek Lunch available.
	This program is partially supported by the Classical Association of New England.
	0.5 CEUs available from University of Maine. ($5.00)

 

FMI: Robin Colby, MCA Vice-President, 13 Western Avenue,  Waterville, ME 0491

Email: rcolby@msad47.org   OR  rdcolby@colby.edu     Phone: (207) 872-2640                

Sally Cody, MCA Corresponding Secretary, 78 Salem Street, Portland. ME 04102

Email: sally.cody@thornton.saco.org      Phone: (207) 773-6579 

 

AATSP NEWS

           

 

 

AATSP had a meeting during the FLAME conference and elected a new slate of officers. 

They are as follows:

	President - Jennie Oulton (continuing)
	Vice President - Kathy Yates
	Secretary - Betsy Hudson (was filling in for us when our previous secretary had to leave mid-term, but she is now officially elected).
	Treasurer - Skip Crosby

Virginia  Stelk has been appointed National Exam Coordinator.

Jeremy Willette, who is taking a two year leave to teach in Budapest, Hungary (!) will be shadowing the group until June and helping out with pre-plans for the fall conference via email.

          

AATF NEWS

 

The Maine Chapter of AATF had a meeting at the FLAME Conference on March 4, 2005.  The slate of officers:

	Catherine Hobby- President                   rhobby1@maine.rr.com
	Raymond Pelletier- Vice-President            raymond_pelletier@umit.maine.edu
	Syvlie Charron- Treasurer                    scharron@maine.edu
	Priscille Michaud- Secretary                  mllepriscille@aol.com

Gail Carville is the Grand Concours coordinator.  You can contact her at gmcarville@aol.com

      Maine AATF now has an Advocacy committee working on four projects:  

1. Create a list of useful resources to teachers of French in Maine;   

2. Plan “Soirées Cinema” with a Franco-American theme;

3. Create immersions for students; 

4. Link AATF with local Franco-American festivals.

     Laureanna Boucher Award-Sylvie Charron invited members to nominate students for the Laureanna Boucher award.  The deadline has been moved to May 31, 2005. For more information see below and visit the Maine AATF website at http://www.angelfire.com/me4/aatfmaine/

     We were fortunate to have our regional representative Jean-Pierre Berwald say a few words to us.   Julia Shulz described her new program Acces Cinéma Africain, a French language immersion offered in Montreal in collaboration with Vues d'Afrique, the largest festival of Franco-phone African & Caribbean film & video in North America.

     All teachers present were invited to participate in a group activity to help create a French teacher network. On large sheets of paper posted around the room each teacher wrote which textbooks and/or materials s/he used along with his/her name, school, and email.  Thus the teachers could find colleagues who use the same books and have their contact information. This should facilitate inter-collegial support to better use those particular teaching tools.  Many went home with a free dictionary as well, thanks to Ray Pelletier!  Merci Ray!

***Be sure to visit the our Maine website http://www.angelfire.com/me4/aatfmaine/    as well as the national website www.frenchteachers.org

by Catherine Hobby, Editor

 

LAURIANNA BOUCHER AWARD 2005    ( $300 )

Attention all AATF members! And it is never too late to become a member! (Go to www.frenchteachers.org for application.)   This year the Maine Chapter of the AATF is offering a $300 scholarship to a student of one of its members.  AATF would like you to encourage some of your juniors or seniors to apply for the scholarship. 

Purpose of the Scholarship

To provide financial aid to students who demonstrate an interest in the study of French or international studies with a focus on the francophone world.

Eligibility:

Any high school junior or senior whose teacher is an AATF - Maine member.

Criteria for participation:

1. A statement from the language teacher on the student's academic performance and character.  The teacher should also state that the student intends to pursue studies in French or international studies with a focus on the francophone world.

2. A statement of financial need from the high school guidance counselor.

3. An official transcript of grades.

4. A writing sample (in French, typed).  Make sure to include your name, address, phone number and e-mail.  This year’s topic:

Essay Question (250 - 300 words) in French.  Make sure to include all accent marks.

Cette année est l’année des langues étrangères aux Etats-Unis (Year of Languages).  

Expliquez pourquoi il est important de connaître plus d’une langue, pour vous et votre génération.. 

5.  After receipt of their application, students will be asked to read part of the song “Grand Pré” during a telephone interview.  Lyrics are posted on the Maine AATF website at http://www.angelfire.com/me4/aatfmaine/schorlarship.html

To hear the song, you can look at the website: www.walnet.org/explosure/montcarmel/grand-pre.html

Method of application:

All required documents must be submitted by e-mail to scharron@maine.edu  or sent by mail in one envelope to:  Professor Sylvie Charron, 14 High Street, Hallowell, ME 04347  by May 31, 2005 

Selection of candidates:

The selection of the winner will be done by the Scholarship Committee of the Executive Board of the AATF - Maine Chapter.

Amount of Scholarship: $300

Summer Fare with International Flair

ACADIAN FESTIVAL

June 23 – 26  2005

Maine's Largest Cultural Festival!

Events include a re-enactment of the first Acadian landing in northern Maine, traditional Acadian supper, a softball tournament, barge rides on Long Lake, entertainment, cultural displays, a festival parade, "Festival Familial" and much more. The Festival is held each year in conjunction with a huge family reunion, honoring one of the Acadian pioneer families. This year it will be the Dionne family.

www.townofmadawaska.com/gmcc_cal.html 

 

La KERMESSE

Franco-American Festival

June 23-26,

Biddeford, Maine

**For details and a full schedule of the Festival visit  

www.biddefordmaine.org

 

FESTIVAL DE JOIE

A Franco-American Cultural Festival in Lewiston, Maine

Many Multicultural Events 

August 5-6-7, 2005

Festival Location:  Railroad Park, Oxford Street Lewiston, Maine

Prelude 2005

Concert at the Franco American Heritage Center Parade, Bean Supper, Horse Drawn Wagon Rides, Planned Walking Tour of Little Canada .  More attractions are continually being added.

For more information visit the website www.festivaldejoie.org

 

NATIONAL FOLK

FESTIVAL

 

Richmond, Maine

October 7-9

 

First presented in 1934, the National Folk Festival is the oldest multi-cultural traditional arts celebration in the nation. Musicians and craftspeople from every state in the Union and most U.S. territories have participated in this "moveable feast of deeply traditional folk arts" which is now attracting the largest audiences in its history.

   A large-scale outdoor event presented free to the public, the National Folk Festival celebrates the richness and variety of American culture. Audiences are treated to blues, rockabilly, gospel, klezmer, jazz, bluegrass, cowboy, polka, (and much more) as well as traditional music and dance from Cajun, Native American, Celtic, Middle Eastern, Caribbean, East Asian, Appalachian, Hispanic, African, and Pacific Island cultures. Material culture exhibits and demonstrations feature the finest craftspeople and explore many traditional   crafts. The master craftspeople participating in the National are often asked to take part in discussions and workshops, creating a deeply educational experience.

***For more information visit http://www.nationalfolkfestival.com/  

FESTIVAL SANS FRONTIERE

 The Festival without Borders is a cross-border international Festival that unites Jackman, Maine with St.Theophile, QC.  The Festival began in 1990.  In even numbered years the Festival is held in St. Theophile.  In odd numbered years the Festival is held in Jackman.

***For more information visit

http://www.jackman.ws/festival.html

THE ACADIAN VILLAGE

Ongoing

Historical Society of Living Heritage .

The Acadian Village is registered in the National Register of Historic Places and has been recognized as a Historic National Landmark.

The Acadians were people from France who settled on Acadia, now known as Nova Scotia, in the 16-17th century. In 1755 they were deported by the English Government to all points of North America and Canada. T settle in St. David, in 1785.

Open daily 12-5 from June 15 to September 15.

For special tours of 10 or more; May 31st to October 1st.

Admission $3.50(adults) - $1.50(kids)

MEALS:  Available to groups

*** For more information visit http://themainelink.com/acadianvillage/

Teacher Tips

  Question Game

by Lorraine Giasson; Lisbon Community School; Mill Street, Lisbon, Maine, O4250; 207-353- 4132 Ext. 436

Target Language: Any language , K-6 (first year for all levels)

Maine Learning Results: A-3,(Pre k-2); A-4 ( 3-4);  B-1,3; B-1,6; C-1; (Pre-k); C-4 (3-4)

Teacher Preparations: 

1. Prepare a list of questions, or flash cards you wish to use in this game.
2. Arrange students in groups of 4-5.
3. Each group will be asked a question in turn.  Students will discuss possible answers and decide when they think they are ready.
4. For each correct answer a group gives, one point is designated to the group.
5. If an incorrect answer is given, the next group is given a chance to respond.
6. All groups must stop and listen when an answer is being given.

 

Method of Assessment:  Teacher observation

Possible follow-up: After observing students it will be easy to see which skills need re-teaching and / or review.

Le Stylo Rouge

by Cathy Charles, Mountain Valley High School, Rimford, Maine 04276, 207 364-4547,

ccharles@msad43.org

Any language, any level

Materials: You could either have students be responsible for bringing red pens to class or you could have a jar of red pens in your classroom.

     This rather simple, old-fashioned idea makes my life easier and my students’ written homework assignments more meaningful.  When I copy a worksheet or workbook activity I also make a copy of the answer key.  (You need only make as many copies as your largest section… and they can be used year after year.)  Before collecting the assignment I hand out the answer sheets.

Student must use their red pens to correct any mistakes they have made.  As they do so, it gives me a chance to circulate and answer individual questions. I find students are more often willing to ask question one on one than in front of the whole class.

Being “in control” of the red pen seems to give them more interest in correcting their work and reinforces the material being taught.

The rule is….you must correct carefully if you want full credit for the homework assignment. 

Feel the Object, Give Verbal Clues, Make a Guess

 

by Rossana Pass, Noble High School, (207)676-2843, rpass@sad60.k12.me.us

 

Objective: to work together as a team to collect as many mystery objects as possible by using the sense of touch and by giving verbal clues in the target language of words related to a mystery object.

Duration of activity: about one or two minutes per object.

Materials: a dark bag with a variety of random objects with whose vocabulary categories students are familiar.

Age of participants: 7^th through 12^th graders (language learners at intermediate level)

Preparation time: about 10 minutes

Number of participants: up to four teams of four people

Warm-up activity: Students work with a partner, think of interesting appropriate objects they have in their backpack or purse, have the partner close his/her eyes, place one object in their partner’s hands for him or her to feel and guess what it is. Students can also brainstorm together a list of five or more objects related to the ones they got to feel with their eyes closed.

Procedure: Each team is to send one player to the front of the room. This player stands up facing his/her group with both hands behind him/her. The teacher places a random mystery object in the player’s hands for up to 30 seconds to determine what the object is. Once the player has an idea of what the object is, he/she begins naming other objects related to the one he/she was given so as to have his/her teammates guess what the mystery object is. Teammates have up to one minute to shout out possible answers. When the player giving clues hears the correct answer, he/she shows his/her teammates the object he/she is holding behind him; the team gets to keep it for the duration of the game. If teammates don’t guess what the mystery object is, the team next in turn gets to make two guesses. If they guess correctly, they get to keep the object; otherwise the team next in turn makes two other guesses.

Evaluation: Were students able to use a variety of words related to objects? Were students able to work together as a team to stay focused throughout the activity?

Animal Sounds

by Catherine Hobby, Lunt School, Falmouth, chobby@fps.k12.me.us

Language: French

Level: Beginners. Could be done orally with young students who do not read.

Objective A fun cultural tid-bit: to become acquainted with the animal sounds “French” animals make.

Here is a poem where the animals where the animals make the wrong sounds.

1.Students read the poem aloud. It is more fun if you give the students parts:  a few students could be the “narrator” and small groups of 3 or 4 students could make certain animal sounds during the reading.

2. Then, in small groups the students correct the poem and give readings of their new version.

La vache fait ron ron

Le cochon fait meuh meuh

Le chien fait miaou miaou

Le chat fait ouaf ouaf

L'éléphant fait couin couin

Le canard fait hon hon

L'âne fait cot cot

La poule fait hi han hi han

Le coq fait ouin ouin

Le singe fait cocorico

Le serpent fait béé béé

Le mouton fait sisi sisi

 Mickaël Kevin

http://www.freinet.org/creactif/stsimon/contrair.htm

 

FLAME has a LISTSERV: flteachers!!

Consider joining! We’d love to have you!

First, what is a listserv?  It is NOT an email list!

A listserv is an automatic mailing list server. When an e-mail is addressed to a listserv mailing list, it is automatically sent to everyone who is a member of the listserv. The result is similar to a discussion board, except that the messages are transmitted entirely through e-mail. Consequently, the information is only available to members on the list.

Description of flteachers: This group, created by the Foreign Language Association of Maine, is designed to be a place where new and not-so-new teachers in Maine can support each other in our endeavor to be the best foreign language teachers we can possibly be. This is a place where you can ask questions, post suggestions, share teacher tips, pose classroom management conundrums, and anything else that relates to the teaching of foreign languages in Maine schools. To be eligible for this group, you need to be a teacher teaching in a school in Maine.

Directions for signing on to the listserv

1.  go to  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/flteachers/

2.  Click on Join this Group  (blue box in top center)

    If you are already a member of Yahoo, you will need to sign in first.  If not, you can simply click on New User  Sign up  (in blue).  You will find this little sign next to the larger Yahoo groups sign at the top of the page.  Follow the easy directions!  Then you can sign up.

3.  Your request to join will then bounce over to me for approval. I will approve it and then you will be able to post, to read all other posts, to share and chat with colleagues of Maine.

Voilà!  Please join us!  We’d love to have you!!

For more information, do not hesitate to contact Catherine Hobby, the listserv  moderator  at rhobby1@maine.rr.com                                                           

by Catherine Hobby, Editor and Listserv Moderator

 

 

 

ORGANIST from NOTRE-DAME de PARIS

TO PLAY KOTZSCHMAR ORGAN

Music from the World’s Great Cathedrals

Tuesday, April 19, 2005

7:OO PM

           The Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ (FOKO) welcome guest organist Olivier Latry, titular organist of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris to Portland’s Merrill Auditorium for its “Music from the World’s Great Cathedrals’ concert. Latry’s program of all French music includes Noël Suisse by Nicolas Séjan, Maurice Duruflé’s exciting Scherzo  and the contemporary composer Olivier Messiaen’s Joie et clarté des Corps Glorieux.  The program will conclude with an improvisation by Latry.

Latry is one of the world’s most distinguished organists and is known particularly for his improvisations. He won his position at Notre-Dame de Paris at the age of 23 and has held the post for nearly twenty years. He has performed in more than forty countries on five continents, appearing most often in the United States. This is his first visit to Portland to play on the Kotzschmar Organ.

Admission: $15.00 suggested at the door

 

Meet our Award Winners!

ANN SULLIVAN

FLAME Leader of the Year

The FLAME choice for leader of the year goes to an extremely deserving candidate:  Ann Sullivan of Messalonskee High School. She exemplifies leadership in her quiet and reserved way and has influenced us all by just being the person she is.  She is a solid anchor for our profession and a mentor to many and a model for all of us.

Ann continues to grow professionally.  She takes courses, leads trips and revamps her class work to accommodate all learners.  She touches many and their praise for her is strong.

Ann works tirelessly for FLAME and AATF to further world language study in Maine. She has been involved in FLAME for many years and has served as Vice-President, President, and Newsletter Editor.  She participates on task forces and is at the forefront of all that is happening in our profession. When some of us think we have had enough, she steps up to the plate and pushes forward. She is a walking history of FLAME and remembers all that has transpired. Never afraid to try and master new skills, she is also the future of FLAME as she is our web master! In short, she is a gift to FLAME!

JEREMY WILLETTE

Teacher of the Year

The FLAME teacher of the year for 2004-2005, Jeremy Willette of the Mt. Ararat Middle School in Topsham, is a natural.  His enthusiasm and joie de vivre reaches even the most apathetic of students! 

Jeremy has a gift for languages and is a true polyglot: he speaks French, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, and is tackling the impossible: Hungarian!  In his sixth grade classes students sample a smorgasbord of Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Russian, Greek and Portuguese.  The atmosphere in his classroom is described as lavish yet cooperative and positive, a supportive atmosphere that truly encourages students to explore languages, appreciate other cultures, and excel in learning.

Jeremy continues to work with his students on his online dictionary project www.trilingualdictionary.org   for which he received a $10,000 award from National Semiconductor for innovative technology and teaching. (Please refer to the December 2004 newsletter for more information on this project.  You can also peruse the article online at www.umaine.edu/flame). He travels with students, is yearbook editor and serves on the Civil Rights Team at his middle school. He also serves on the State Advisory Committee for Maine and Classical Languages. He is a National Board Certified teacher in Spanish.

            Jeremy has a lust for learning as well. This summer he will be spending a few weeks in a village in Senegal to learn language and experience culture. He is taking a two-year leave to accept a position teaching Spanish in an International School in Budapest. He never tires and is already remarking that he will continue with FLAME and State Advisory Committees upon his return.

RICHARD WILLIAMSON

Sister Solange Bernier

Lifetime Achievement Award

Richard Williamson, Professor of French at Bates College, is described as “a true treasure to foreign language teachers throughout Maine”.  He was one of the original founding members of  FLAME, has long supported AATF, and has been a continuous supporter of language teachers in the state.