Saturday Stories: World Languages
Your Weekend Reads in Education
Happy weekend, educators! This week’s edition of Saturday Stories is dedicated to a group of teachers that we have grown to truly admire during our work with the Art of Teaching Project. World language teachers are exceptionally creative in engaging their students with meaningful content, introducing them to new cultures or peoples, and connecting academic experiences to practice in empathy and perspective-taking. So while these blog posts are written for and by world language teachers, we encourage educators of all roles to take a moment and read their stories, teaching strategies, and experiences — we think that you may find some valuable takeaways for your own learning community.
Here’s to you, world language teachers! Enjoy this round-up of guest blogs and articles all about your craft.
Why Should Students Learn a Second Language?
“As it turns out, the benefits of language learning are broad, diverse, and far reaching. According to the American Council on Teaching Foreign Languages, research has uncovered three key areas, or categories into which the benefits of language learning fall: cognitive benefits, academic achievement, and student beliefs about languages of other cultures.”
The Bus Station Moment
By Micah J. Mercurio, Educator
“That was the moment when it all really became cool. I had communicated effectively in Spanish with a man that didn’t speak my native language. It had worked and now I felt more driven than ever to continue to hone my ability to speak more fluently.” — Micah J. Mercurio
Languages Look Good On Paper
By Laura Sexton, Educator
“Language was used to divide, so now divided adults pretend they believe it’s what kids need without believing it themselves, just because it looks good on paper….But you know who does believe that other languages will matter in their lives?” — Laura Sexton
A Culturally Responsive World Language Classroom
By Michele Hill, Educator
“As a world language teacher, I am deeply entrenched in offering my students the opportunity to experience the diversity of world around them. Students engage in studying, not only the language, but also the similarities and differences of distinct groups in contrast to the American culture.” — Michele Hill
Flags and Holidays Won’t Make Your Classroom Multicultural
“We incorporate cultural studies into our curriculum, especially in the world language classroom, to cultivate in our students a sense of awareness, empathy, and respect. Learning about a community of people vastly different (or perhaps not so different at all) from the one in which we reside is an exercise of recognition, analysis, and reflection. While culture is complicated, and K-12 students are still developing and refining their critical thinking skills, don’t underestimate your students. Sometimes, little ones have the most refreshing answers to the most difficult questions of the human condition.”
Feeling Like a Fraud as a Teacher
By Stacey Carter-Lane, Educator
“My Spanish isn’t perfect, but only recently have I been able to admit that. During my first couple years of teaching, I was self-conscious about my Spanish. Even though I had majored in Spanish in college, I felt like I was faking it in front of the students. They would ask me questions, and I would use the “that’s a great question” response. Then I’d look it up and answer them later.” — Stacey Carter-Lane
