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In This Issue:
• Feature Article: Building a Bilingual Community
• Language Lizard Update: New language – Haitian Creole
• Product Review: I Took the Moon for a Walk
• *Subscriber Special Offer*: Discount on I Took the Moon for a Walk
• Lizard Recommends: Discovering Spanish with Children
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Language Lizard Update
Dear Reader:
We hope you had a wonderful summer and a successful start to the school year.
With school back in full swing, we are excited to continue to present our young readers with fun, engaging dual-language literature. In two of our most recent books, we begin offering a new language - Haitian Creole - the most widely spoken Creole language in the world.
One of our newest books, I Took the Moon for a Walk, makes a wonderful bedtime story. It can also be used at home or in the classroom to introduce lessons about the moon and nocturnal creatures. A review of this book is included in this issue.
With October just around the corner, we set our sights again on “Celebrating the Bilingual Child Month”. This is an important time to celebrate children who can speak or are learning two languages – children who are real assets to our communities and our country. It is also a good time to remember the benefits of bilingualism to both the individual and the community at large. To that end, and in light of recent comments during the presidential campaign, our feature article looks at the personal and societal benefits of bilingualism.
We encourage you to help children maintain home or heritage languages by offering them stories and songs that will entertain while promoting language learning.
Happy reading!
Anneke Forzani
Founder and President
Language Lizard, LLC |
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Book Review: I Took the Moon for a Walk 
Written by Carolyn Curtis
Illustrated by Alison Jay
Ages 3-8
Review by Maureen Pugh
This sweet story, written in rhyme, will appeal immensely to the young child. In the tale, a young boy takes a walk through the countryside with the moon as his only companion. His nocturnal meanderings take him by sleeping “rust-bellied robins,” through dew-drenched fields, to the swings, where he kicks his feet high and imagines “that the moon had just asked [him] to fly.” The little boy then dances across a bridge, where he “echoes in [the] glow” between the moon above and its reflected light from the water below. After accompanying the boy home, the moon thanks him by “sharing its sweet sleepy light.”
Many readers will appreciate the fanciful illustrations of acclaimed illustrator Alison Jay. After painting these whimsical, folk art-inspired images, Ms. Jay applied a crackle varnish to give the work an “antique” look. Little readers will delight in the big fat moon with its little arms and legs and changeable expression.
I particularly enjoyed the last two fact-filled pages of the book. The first page, entitled “The Mysterious Moon,” contains interesting information about the moon, including how different cultures view (and celebrate) the moon, and the different phases of the moon. In the second page, “The World at Night,” the author discusses nocturnal animals, insects, and flowers.
Available in English with: Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese-Simplified, Chinese-Traditional, Czech, Farsi, French, Haitian-Creole, Hindi, Irish, Lithuanian, Panjabi, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovakian, Somali, Spanish, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese, Welsh.
If you’re interested in purchasing this book, please visit the I Took the Moon for a Walk webpage at: http://www.languagelizard.com/I_Took_the_Moon_for_a_Walk_p/moon.htm.
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Special Subscriber Offer: 10% Discount on I Took the Moon for a Walk:
Through October 15, 2008 we are offering a 10% discount on the following book:
Simply apply Coupon Code CCS-MOON upon checkout to receive the discount.
To see the difficulty level of these and other Language Lizard books, please visit our “Book Suggestions” page at http://www.languagelizard.com/images/Childrens_Bilingual_Books.pdf |
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Benefits of Building a Bilingual Community
By Anneke Forzani
We are a country in which close to 20% of the population speaks a language other than English at home. Our country is also part of an increasingly global community. So, when Barack Obama suggests that every American child should learn a second language, his position makes sense.
What is disheartening (though perhaps not surprising) is some of the criticism Mr. Obama has received over his statements. In light of this discourse, it seems appropriate to review the many benefits of bilingualism, keeping in mind that in many cases we simply need to promote and build on existing skills in order to build an increasingly bilingual community.
- Academic, Cognitive and Linguistic Benefits:
Many studies confirm the academic and cognitive benefits of language learning. Research shows that being bilingual structurally changes the brain and that bilingual speakers have denser “gray matter” than monolinguals. Second language instruction appears to support creativity and complex problem solving. Several studies have also demonstrated benefits of foreign language study on the achievement of English language arts, showing that students who study a second language score better on achievement tests.
As far as the English Language Learning population in the United States, research shows that children with a strong foundation in their home language learn to speak, read and write better than those who do not have that foundation. Many cognitive and early literacy skills (e.g. print concepts, phonemic awareness) transfer from one language to another. All of this reinforces the need to promote development of a student’s home language while he or she is learning English.
- Individual Benefits:
Looking beyond the research, there are many personal benefits of language learning. Learning another language helps many individuals communicate with family and/or connect with their heritage. For many children, language is central to their identity, and learning the second language builds security and self-esteem.
Even for those who come from monolingual households, learning a second language helps them communicate with others, provides a greater understanding of other cultures and communities, and often allows for better travel experiences. It provides a greater depth and richness to their life experience.
There are also personal economic benefits. With more demand for bilingual professionals, being bilingual and having exposure to other languages and cultures can open up numerous job opportunities in both the public and private sectors.
- Societal Benefits:
What about the benefits of bilingualism to our country, especially as it plays a role in the larger worldwide community?
I would argue that more people speaking another language and learning about other cultures will lead to more tolerance and a greater understanding for our diverse communities. America certainly needs more linguistically and culturally skilled individuals to support diplomacy and enhance our security abroad.
In addition, many industries require a workforce with language skills to be competitive and succeed in the global economy. Many businesses and government employers also need bilingual individuals to communicate more effectively at home, where the constituency or “customer base” has become increasingly diverse.
As parents and teachers we have a wonderful opportunity, as well as a responsibility to support the learning of other languages and cultures and to build on the skills that already exist in this country. Bilingualism and the study of foreign languages should not be a political or partisan issue. It is a common sense issue.
Anneke Forzani is President and Founder of Language Lizard, LLC.
© Language Lizard, LLC. 2008.
Want to use this article in your e-zine or web site? Contact Language Lizard President and Founder, Anneke Forzani, at [email protected].
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A Favorite Quote
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view."
- Harper Lee (To Kill A Mockingbird) |
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About Language Lizard
Language Lizard, LLC aims to enrich children's lives with language and culture. The Company believes that children will be inspired to learn languages and connect with other cultures if they are exposed to fun and creative learning materials early in their lives.
Language Lizard currently offers award-winning dual-language children's products in over 40 languages. To find out more about our company and products, or to sign up for this free e-newsletter, please visit www.LanguageLizard.com.
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Lizard Recommends
Discovering Spanish with Children
I hear from many parents who want to teach their children another language. Yet many have had no significant language experience since their own high school or college days. Many parents understand the benefits of early foreign language exposure and want to be involved in the learning experience, yet need some extra support.
If Spanish is your language of choice, consider the e-book Discovering Spanish with Children. It provides Spanish lesson plans for English-speaking parents of toddlers, preschoolers and kindergarten-age children. The plans include coloring pages, worksheets and craft projects related to the following themes: Colors, shapes, numbers/counting, family, body and the 5 senses. It is sent as an e-book so you can print out multiple copies of the activity or craft pages. English/Spanish translations and pronunciation guides are also helpful for those who are not expert Spanish speakers. You can read more about the e-book at http://www.ourspanishlessonplansonline.com/.
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