This is a review of the interesting articles, Twitters, Facebook posts and more which took place this week in and around our Multilingual Living universe. Thank you everyone for sharing your tips with me! Keep them coming!
Week One: Language Challenge 101!
We’ve completed our first week of Language Challenge 101! Woohoo! I hope all of you out there have enjoyed this first week of language immersion as much as my family and I have. Thank you for sharing your experiences with me via Twitter, email and Facebook – you have been an inspiration to me and my family! Please keep the information, tips, and more coming!
Cultural Differences
What a lesson in basic cultural differences this week! Here are my two favorites: geography and math.
- Geographical Differences: Based on information in the World Cup Geography Language Lesson, emails flooded into my inbox about how only in the USA are North America and South America separated into two different continents. I find this especially fascinating as each are cleared on two different tectonic plates (unlike, say, Europe vs Asia). I posted this observation on the Multilingual Living Facebook page and was enthralled with the ensuing discussion! I also found this very interesting animated .gif showing how continents are separated based on different definitions. Although some of you told me you were nervous to correct me, I was delighted! Please keep such observations and corrections coming!
- Math Differences: As I watched my husband teach my son math division, I was amazed at how different it was from how we do it in the USA. Two fascinating discussions took place on the Multilingual Living Facebook page about this. Thank you everyone for sharing!
Education in a Different Country
- As school lets out in Spain, this American family shares their experience of having their daughter in a school in Spain. It is an adventure which they started back in 2006.
Benefits of Bilingualism
There always seem to be stories in the news about the benefits of bilingualism! Here are some from this week…
- Could those of us who are bilingual save languages from disappearing?
- Do babies of bilingual parents have an edge? “…the experience of hearing two languages may give babies an early learning advantage — and all before they know how to speak.”
Fun and Fascinating Stories About Languages and Cultures
This week was full of interesting stories in which language and multilingualism were involved…
- Prof. Grosjean sent me an intriguing (pun intended) story about why bilingual deep-cover spies have it so hard. If you are a bilingual spy, make sure you get your code-switching (linguistic and cultural) under control!
- Are you a cross-cultural couple? Here is an article with some advice just for you.
- People immigrating to the US today are more connected to their homelands than ever before.
- The language we speak can actually change the way we think about other people.
- Is it possible that being able to say the word for something means we can see it better with our own two eyes?
- For you French-speakers in the US: International news channel France 24 is coming!
- “Language is the air we breathe, the font from which we draw our identity” An interview with author David Mitchell.
- Is it possible for someone’s accent to change? If a certain part of your brain becomes damaged, it could very well happen.
- Angelina Jolie talks about learning Russian and the reasons why she loves speaking it so very much.
Parents and Teachers Working Together
We often worry that our children’s teachers will not understand our family’s desire, wish, need to raise our children bilingually. That is where Karen Nemeth comes in. Please read this article by her about how teachers and parents can be partners in raising healthy, happy, well-educated bilingual children. Did you know that supporting child in the home language actually benefits that bilingual child’s education? Read the article and find out why!
Did you like this post?
Subscribe to our RSS FEED (via favorite reader or your email address)!
Stay up-to-date, win prizes via our EMAIL LIST!
1,000+ pages of information and tips in Multilingual Living Magazine!
