Literacy and Language Listservs – My favorites

August 22, 2011

Do you subscribe and participate in professional listservs? Though some say listservs are outdated, I still find tremendous value in the tips, information and ideas that are exchanged. Here are the publicly available lists I subscribe to:

#1. Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS) –  They have lists on:

  • Adult English Language Acquisition
  • Adult Literacy Professional Development
  • Assessment
  • Diversity and Literacy
  • Health and Literacy
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Math and Numeracy
  • Reading and Writing
  • Transitions to Post-secondary Education
  • Technology and Distance Learning
  • Workforce Competitiveness

Subscribe to any or all of these lists here: http://lincs.ed.gov/lincs/discussions/subscribe_all.html

#2. Foreign Language Teaching Forum (FL Teach) – I’ve been on this list for years, possibly over a decade. Definitely worth it for teachers of second, foreign or world languages.
http://www.cortland.edu/flteach/

#3. Edling list – This is more of a research list for people interested in linguistics and language teaching methodology and other research related questions. I met the listserv administrator, Dr. Francis Hult, at a conference last year and he invited me to subscribe. I enjoy it and keep up on the messages. If you’re in a scholarly or research field, check it out: https://lists.sis.utsa.edu/mailman/listinfo/edling

Tip: I always choose the “digest” option to receive messages, so my inbox doesn’t fill up.

All of these lists are free, public professional exchanges of information. They are all moderated, so there is no spam, profanity or sales pitches. (Bless the list administrators!)

If you know of other content-rich lists, feel free to offer your contribution to the list by leaving a comment.

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

Comments Off on Literacy and Language Listservs – My favorites | education, ESL, language program administration, languages, second languages, technology | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Marketing tip: Ask your students where they heard about you

August 20, 2011

This is a simple way of determining which method of marketing works for your language or literacy program: Ask your students how they heard about you. Do most of your students find out about you through the Internet? …word of mouth? …your brochure? … trade fairs? Once you figure out what has proven most successful, you will know where to focus more of your marketing dollars.

I suggest getting this valuable information in writing. Whether it is through an evaluation form or an exit interview where the results are recorded, get the information in concrete written form. Compare it from year to year. See if your most successful marketing strategy changes over time.

Of course, we know that word of mouth is the most powerful way to market your program. If the majority of your students come to you through word of mouth, then you are very lucky. Most language schools need to combine word of mouth with other marketing efforts.

But what other marketing efforts are successful for you? You may be surprised. You may be pouring thousands of dollars into a fancy brochure and find out that 85% of your students used the Internet to find you. If that is the case, you would want to drive more of your marketing dollars into the Internet (maybe pay for a higher ranking on a search engine or get a banner ad onto other people’s sites). Once you know what has proven successful, you can use that information to generate even more interest and registrations.
Marketing materials: tools and tips to do the job better

This post is adapted from “Idea #18” in 101 Ways to Market Your Language Program

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

1 Comment | 101 Ways to Market Your Language Program, branding, education, ESL, language program administration, languages, non-profit, recruitment, second languages, target market, Uncategorized, world languages | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Developing the Intercultural Dimension in Language Teaching: A Practical Introduction for Teachers

August 16, 2011

Developing Intercultural Dimension in Language TeachingIn this 42-page guide, available free from the Council of Europe authors Michael Byram, Bella Gribkova and Hugh Starkey offer practical insights for classroom language teachers. The topics covered in this resource include answers to questions such as:

  • What is the intercultural dimension of language teaching?
  • What knowledge, skills, attitudes and values are involved in intercultural competence?
  • Do I need to be a native speaker?
  • How can I promote the intercultural dimension if I have to follow a set curriculum and teach grammar?
  • How do I deal with learners’ stereotypes and prejudices?
  • How do I overcome my own stereotypes and misconceptions?
  • How do I assess intercultural competence?

This is a brilliant piece of work that includes extracts from the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and an extensive bibliography.

Get yours here: http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/source/guide_dimintercult_en.pdf

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

5 Comments | education, languages, second languages, world languages | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Stroke robs man of multilingual abilities

August 10, 2011

Here’s an interesting (and heart wrenching) article about a multilingual Edmonton man who lost all of his languages after a stroke. In the Globe and Mail article, Abdul Kamal reports that, “In the aftermath of the stroke, I lost all the languages I knew – English, French, German, Urdu and Bengali. I could neither read and write nor speak and comprehend.”

Kamal is a retired professor of physics at the University of Alberta who enjoyed physics, writing, travelling, sports, theatre before his stroke, but has been unable to take part in his favorite activities.

Determined to get his speech back, he reports, “Undaunted, I rounded up my own children’s books along with picture and alphabet cards and launched an uphill battle against my formidable foe – aphasia. David drove me to the Glenrose Hospital twice a week to learn English under the tutelage of a speech pathologist.” That was ten years ago, he states. From there, he progressed from working with a speech pathologist to group language learning sessions for aphasics (people who have lost their speech due to a stroke), and working with graduate students at the University of Alberta who were working with aphasics as part of their research and academic training.

Now, at age 75, Kamal offers a message of hope to others who have lost their speech due to a stroke:

After I had the stroke, a speech pathologist told me that I would show improvements in all my mental faculties over the following year and a half. However, at 75, I’m still learning. My speech, comprehension of spoken language and syntax are still improving, albeit slowly. The message is that if you challenge the brain, it will respond. Although at a certain age our memory bank starts to deplete, I’m sanguine about the future.

Kamal’s story reminds us to value the abilities we have to speak one, two or more languages. And when self-doubt or feelings of inadequacies fill us that we are not doing enough, not good enough or not as fluent or as perfect as we would like to be, we are reminded to celebrate the abilities that we have today and commit to the lifelong process of learning, no matter where we may fall on the continuum of proficiency.

Thank you, professor Kamal, for the inspiration.

Read the whole article.

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

2 Comments | languages, second languages | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

10 Steps to Raising a Multilingual Child

August 9, 2011

The Multilingual Children’s Association has a great list of 10 steps to raising a multilingual child:

  1. Agree on multilingualism
  2. Know what to expect and when
  3. How many languages — what is practical?
  4. Decide which language system works for you
  5. Don’t wait — now is the perfect time!
  6. Declare your intentions
  7. Establish a support network
  8. Get relevant materials
  9. Set your goals, but remain flexible
  10. Have patience and keep going

I loved what they have to say. Check out the full article here: 10 Steps to Raising a Multilingual Child http://bit.ly/n357oH

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

Comments Off on 10 Steps to Raising a Multilingual Child | education, languages, learning strategies, Multiculturalism, second languages, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

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