May 21st, 2012
Three years ago, when the Westborough school system started offering Mandarin as a choice for students to study in high school, the reasoning was strictly business.
“We believe that learning Mandarin in today’s world is a really important skill to have,” said Westborough Assistant Superintendent Daniel Mayer. “It’s important to the future of our kids because the Chinese population is so large and is becoming such a dominant economic and political power.”
“(Mandarin) is the most used language in the world and therefore the ability to speak it and communicate with others is incredibly important,” said Kristine Kazarian, Marlborough World Languages Department head. She said Marlborough High School has offered Mandarin for five years.
Throughout MetroWest, students in middle and high school can choose from a variety of foreign languages. While most MetroWest schools offer French, Spanish and Latin, students can also choose Mandarin, Italian, Portuguese or German.
However, foreign language departments tend to narrow down the language options to four, basing the decision on available staff, the needs of the community, the potential for future academic and job requirements and the budget of the department.
“There’s a national discussion about what languages are most popular to study. We learn Spanish because so many people speak Spanish; Chinese for business; Arabic for national security; and Russian for Sputnik,” said Framingham High School Foreign Language Department Head Maria Figueroa.
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education does not mandate school districts to set a certain requirement on the number of years students need to study language to graduate, said spokesman JC Considine, but recommends students take at least two years of the same language. There is no requirement on which languages to offer.
“We let the local school committee decide (on the foreign language requirement),” said Considine.
This recommendation mirrors the state Department of Higher Education’s requirement for entry to state universities. Spokeswoman Katie Able said universities could request students to take more than the required amount, but to enter a state university, high school students must complete two years in a single language.
At Milford High School, graduates are required to take two years of a language.
“Colleges are really pushing for three years though, and I would say the majority of students will go to at least level three,” said Fran Olano, head of the Milford Foreign Language Department. She said Milford requires students to take two years of a foreign language, but encourages them to take more.
But despite the varying requirements for graduation, every school in MetroWest and the Milford area offers between two and four languages.
In Framingham schools, students can choose between French, Spanish, Latin or Italian. According to Figueroa, the choice of foreign language for students generates not from an economic standpoint, but instead as a way to tie students back to the cultural roots of the community.
“The point of studying a language is to maintain the culture,” said Figueroa. She said that when Framingham started teaching Italian, there was a large Italian population in the community. While the current students in the school are second- or third-generation Italians, Figueroa said the department continues to offer the language as a way to allow the students to stay connected with their heritage.
In Hudson, the schools cater to the vibrant Portuguese community in the town by offering six years of the language.
“The reason we offer Portuguese is because we have a very big community of Portuguese descent and we have a lot of Brazilian immigrants,” said Hudson High School foreign language department head Ana Pimentel. “I know the Portuguese community fought hard to get (the language) taught in the schools.”
Latin has its proponents and detractors.
“Latin should be taken as a third language and not a first,” said Pimentel. “You don’t use the same skills that you need to speak a foreign language. It is extremely important, but it will not allow you to communicate and you won’t be using it in your jobs.”
“Latin is not dead,” Figueroa said. “It’s so present with everything around you and thinking that speaking Latin has no value is really a shortsighted way to go.”
At the Advanced Math and Science Academy in Marlborough, students start studying Latin in the sixth grade.
“Latin has a connection to English and helps improve the understanding of English,” said Nancy Sinacola, Foreign Language Department chairman at AMSA. She said the school’s curriculum teaches Latin to provide additional support for students as they study English, as well as help students understand the roots of terms in biology and mathematics.
“A lot of the students can figure out the meaning of a word without looking them up because of their background with Latin,” Sinacola said.
AMSA also offers one introductory class of Ancient Greek for students interested in pursuing classical studies.
“The class teaches more how to read and translate Ancient Greek and how the root words translate to English,” Sinacola said.
Since 2005, Milford High School has taken foreign language studies to another level, offering students studying Spanish the option to participate in an exchange program, where students from Valladolid, Spain, visit for three weeks in October, and in February, Milford students go to Spain for two weeks.
“The program is multi-purpose,” said Olano. “The initial thought was to give students the experience of using a language outside the classroom. By living the language and meeting people who speak it, it motivates the kids an awful lot.”
Through all the options from which students can choose, one belief is universal: learning a foreign language is important.
“It seems like a no-brainer,” Figueroa said. “Basically you’re developing a certain habit of mind and human interaction. For someone who is able to open themselves to learning a new language and understand there is more than one way to express something, there is true value.”
“We live in a global society and need to be able to communicate with people on a different level,” said Olano. “No matter how poorly you speak a language, people respond well to you. It helps build bridges between people.”
(Kelleigh Welch can be reached at 508-490-7475 or kwelch@wickedlocal.com.)
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May 21st, 2012
Google has introduced a new campaign, titled ‘Good to know’ in a few Indian languages to help Indian users understand and protect their online information, a release from the tech giant stated. This site, which focusses on how to stay safe online, will have information in Hindi and several other Indian languages.
“Everyone wants to stay safe online, so we’re making the campaign available in dozens more languages… We’re also incorporating the Google Family Safety Center website, which has included online safety tips since 2010, into Good to Know to make all this information available in one place,” the release added.
Information provided on these sites will include tips on safe browsing, insights into how user data is used on Google and around the Web, and on managing your family’s online experience.
For example, you can find out how to choose a strong password, recognise a phishing scam and double your account security with two-step verification. (google.com/goodtoknow)
Hardware release
Chipset maker AMD announced the widely anticipated launch of its second generation AMD A-series Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) for mainstream and ultrathin notebooks, all-in-one and traditional desktops, home theatre PCs and embedded designs. The 2nd-Generation A-Series APU, codenamed ‘Trinity’, is a grounds-up improved design over the previous generation, a release from AMD stated. According to the company, the new chipset offers double the performance per watt of the previous, has an improved media accelerator, increased processor performance up to 29 per cent, and longer battery life.
App development challenge
Samsung Electronics announced the Samsung Smart App Challenge 2012, a global app competition aimed at boosting the mobile ecosystem for its high-end smartphones. The contest is divided into two categories — Samsung Apps Super Apps and Best S Pen Apps. A total of 80 entries will be selected as winners, receiving a total of $ 4.08 million in prize money, a release from Samsung stated. This challenge is open to all mobile application developers across the globe. For more, log on to www.smartappchallenge.com
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May 21st, 2012
Book Description
Mathematics and Religion: Our Languages of Sign and Symbol is
the sixth title published in the Templeton Science and Religion Series,
in which scientists from a wide range of fields distill their experience
and knowledge into brief tours of their respective specialties. In this
volume, Javier Leach, a mathematician and Jesuit priest, leads a
fascinating study of the historical development of mathematical language
and its influence on the evolution of metaphysical and theological
languages.
Leach traces three historical moments of
change in this evolution: the introduction of the deductive method in
Greece, the use of mathematics as a language of science in modern times,
and the formalization of mathematical languages in the nineteenth and
twentieth centuries. As he unfolds this fascinating history, Leach notes
the striking differences and interrelations between the two languages
of science and religion. Until now there has been little reflection on
these similarities and differences, or about how both languages can
complement and enrich each other.
About The Author
Javier Leach has been director of the Chair of Science, Technology, and
Religion Department since its creation in 2003 at the Comillas
University in Madrid (Spain). He is also a Jesuit priest. Currently he
teaches logic and mathematics in the Department of Computing at the
Complutense University of Madrid, one of the main public universities in
Spain. He holds degrees in philosophy, mathematics, and theology.
Product Details
- Paperback: 208 pages
- Publisher: Templeton Press (September 1, 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1599471493
- ISBN-13: 978-1599471495
Product Dimensions:
8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
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May 21st, 2012
Public submissions are now being invited on the inquiry into Pacific languages in early childhood education.
The Education and Science Committee will investigate the current frameworks that support Pacific language in early
childhood education in New Zealand.
In investigating the frameworks which include resourcing, capacity and capability, the committee will consider the role and contribution that the Government, the private sector, and the community and voluntary sector can make in early childhood education to improve the prevalence and quality of Pacific language in New Zealand.
Click here for more information.
(http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/SC/MakeSub/4/6/1/50SCES_SCF_00DBSCH_INQ_11371_1-Inquiry-into-Pacific-languages-in-early.htm)
The closing date for submissions is Monday, 25 June 2012
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May 18th, 2012
My English Translator for iOS devices offers a handy and helpful way to be understood both on your travels and when corresponding with non-English speakers. A simple interface lets users type a word or phrase under which the translated text is displayed. For the tongue-tied that text can also be played back using a helpful built-in voice feature, also useful for practicing pronunciation. Like predictive text, My English Translator tries to finish the translated text for you as you type, which initially gives hit or miss results, although the more you type the more likely it is to get things right. We checked translated results with online services and colleagues fluent in other languages, and were impressed by the apps consistent, reliable results.
59 different languages are currently supported, which includes the ability to translate from any of those languages to any other, extending the apps use significantly beyond English speaking users. 200 popular phrases in 10,000 variations are also available for offline use when no Internet connection is available or you want to avoid expensive data roaming costs. For everything else, My English Translator connects to an online language translation service, which works seamlessly.
Users can save translated results to a ‘Favourites’ section to access at any time, even when without Internet access. My English Translator also includes integrated support for popular services Facebook and Twitter, along with the ability to email and text results. The app works in both portrait and landscape modes, which the developer insists makes the results easier to read by others, such as hotel staff and taxi drivers. Although intuitive, the app currently appears to lack any built-in help guide, which would be a bonus, especially as the developers website is minimal at best.
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May 18th, 2012
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China supports the use of ethnic minority languages amid the nationwide promotion of standard Chinese, the vice director of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission (SEAC) said Thursday.
SEAC Vice Director Dainzhub Ongboin made the remark in response to a question at a press conference, adding that all minority groups have the lawful right to use and develop their own languages.
In January 2012, authorities launched five software applications designed to further promote and standardize the use of minority languages.
The programs include electronic dictionaries for the languages of the Yi and Zhuang ethnic groups, a proofreading tool for the Zhuang ethnic language and transcoding applications for languages used by the Tibetan, Uygur, Kazakh and Kyrgyz ethnicities, according to the SEAC.
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May 18th, 2012
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May 18th, 2012
Studying a foreign language is essential for many reasons.
(Photo courtesy of Flickr user newtonfreelibrary)
Language – a crucial communication pathway that comes in many forms. It is more than staring at unfamiliar words for hours on end; a language is an expansion of a human being’s characteristics. Endless experiences result from knowing another language.
Though many individuals study additional languages for business purposes, learning languages can be an exciting activity and help discover one’s identity. I took Japanese courses for four semesters at Lewis, and the knowledge I gained helped me communicate with Japanese people and realize my deeper passion for the language and Japanese culture. Though I now study Japanese on my own, my knowledge can only increase, not decrease.
In addition to communication, an individual experiences culture and sees languages from a different viewpoint – whether in reference to their native language or language they are studying. Some languages have grammatical aspects and phrases that do not exist in others. Though very frustrating at first, it is interesting to see how other individuals communicate in different situations. The same applies to culture, whether in daily life habits or food; learning a language comes with cultural facts as well.
No matter what reason, studying a foreign language is the icing on the cake in one’s academic career and one of the best learning opportunities available in today’s society.
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May 15th, 2012
As the United States grows more culturally diverse and we hear more languages spoken around us, clinical medical education has had to evolve as well. And with national population growth, particularly in big cities like New York and Los Angeles, which are popular with medical students, those students must not only know their jobs, but also need to know their hospitals.
How do these changes affect your medical school experience?
You will encounter different compositions of patient populations if you go to medical school in Minnesota or in southern California. After your first one or two years of medical school–depending on whether you go to a school that offers the traditional, two-year basic science curriculum–you are usually sent to different academic or community hospitals. Your patients might speak only Spanish, French, Russian, German, Arabic, or another language with which you may not be familiar.
[See why med schools value personal qualities of applicants.]
As a senior resident in psychiatry at the Keck School of Medicine at University of Southern California–not only one of the busiest hospitals in the nation, but also one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse–I have been called to consult on many situations where medical students and residents mistook a language barrier for a psychiatric issue.
It can be difficult for medical students and residents to evaluate a patient who does not speak their own language. Since you’re probably already tired and physically taxed, it can be tough waiting for an interpreter, and you never know definitively if what you stated was conveyed accurately–especially in a field like psychiatry.
[Learn why M.D. students should consider overseas clinical experience.]
To ensure you are aware of the different compositions of patient populations at medical schools in different geographic regions, you should do the following.
– Research schools thoroughly: You should always feel comfortable in your geographic region, but you should also be aware of potential language and cultural barriers that could present themselves, often unexpectedly, in a situation where you may have already been on the wards for many hours.
How can you be proactive to ensure that a patient isn’t waiting for you to figure out whether he or she is speaking German or Russian? Be prepared by knowing your surroundings. Familiarize yourself with language charts, which list languages that patients can point to in order to identify their native tongue, so that you can call in an interpreter.
Or if an interpreter is not physically on site, many hospitals have a video interpretation option–particularly for less-commonly spoken languages–where an interpreter on a computer screen can interpret for you at the patient’s bedside.
– Consider medically-oriented language courses: Because patients are increasingly either non-English speaking or only comfortable communicating in their primary language, it could be helpful to consider taking medical Spanish, or other languages, if you want to train in a medical center that has a significant proportion of non-English speaking patients. It would make your life easier, since it may take hours to wait for an interpreter.
[Read about how one doctor greets Muslim patients in Arabic.]
Your medical education is probably most influenced by factors other than language, such as whether you feel happy in the city in which you decide to live. But it can be helpful and important to be aware of cultural factors as well. It could not only make a strenuous training experience a little easier, but could also help you learn how to handle an increasingly diverse U.S. patient population most effectively.
Ibrahim Busnaina, M.D. is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and coauthor of “Examkrackers’ How to Get Into Medical School.” He has been consulting with prospective medical school applicants, with a special focus on minority and other nontraditional candidates, since 2006.
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May 15th, 2012
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