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In This Issue:
• Feature Article: Calming the Anxiety of Parents Teaching a Second Language
• Language Lizard Update: Preparing for the holidays
• SPECIAL GIFT SECTION: Helping you find the perfect gift
• *Subscriber Special Offer*: Gift certificates for you!
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Language Lizard Update
Dear Reader:
The winter holidays are approaching! With family celebrations in mind, we have many great gift ideas for language learners, bilingual children and the teachers that work hard every day to support your kids.
And we even have a gift for you! (See special subscriber offer below.)
In our feature article, our guest author encourages us to stay relaxed and confident while encouraging language learning... a great message to keep in mind as we enjoy some extra time with our families this holiday season.
Very best wishes,
Anneke Forzani
Founder and President
Language Lizard, LLC
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Looking for the perfect gift for language learners, bilingual children and teachers? Consider these ideas:
MULTILINGUAL POSTERS
Teachers, daycare providers and “worldly” families truly appreciate our beautifully illustrated multilingual posters. They make any classroom or playroom more multicultural and welcoming to all children.
Posters include individual words in multiple languages and include themes such as Colors, Playground, Happy Birthday, Hello, Festivals, Weather, Global Warming and much more. For the full range of posters, please see: http://www.languagelizard.com/Posters_Maps_s/20.htm
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DUAL LANGUAGE BOOKS FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS
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THE PERFECT “THEMED” BOOK
Sometimes you come across the “perfect book” that connects with a child at just the right point in his or her life. Do you know a child who is....
- About to lose a tooth? Check out The Wibbly Wobbly Tooth
- New to school? See Tom and Sofia Start School and Sam’s First Day
- Of mixed heritage? Consider That’s My Mum
- Welcoming a new baby at home? Look at Welcome to the World Baby and What Shall We Do With The Boo Hoo Baby?
- Dealing with bullying? Review Ellie’s Secret Diary
- A movie lover? Beowulf will soon be on the big screen! Let your older child read a dual-language version of the book first! |
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 ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY WITH CDROM
Always a favorite gift, My Talking Dictionary with CDROM is a great way to engage young language learners as well as older learners who benefit from “visual” interactive learning. Children can look at words in the beautifully illustrated dictionary and can practice them on the computer. The dictionary is arranged by theme (e.g. playground, seasons, animals, etc.) and is available in 38 DUAL-LANGUAGE EDITIONS.
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GIFT CERTIFICATES
A gift everyone can use! Support multiculturalism and language learning while letting your gift recipients choose the languages and types of products they want. Gift certificates can be sent directly to your recipients by email or via US mail. You can choose any dollar amount! Click here to purchase: http://www.languagelizard.com/product_p/gft.htm
(See Special Subscriber Offer below to receive a gift certificate yourself!) |
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Special Subscriber Offer: PURCHASE a Gift Certificate and RECEIVE a Gift Certificate!
HOW IT WORKS:
(1) Purchase gift certificates between now and December 15, 2007.
(2) Then in January, YOU will receive a gift certificate valued at 10% of the certificate you purchased.
EXAMPLE:
- You purchase 5 gift certificates, each valued at $30 (total = $150).
- Your recipients receive the certificates within days of your purchase. The gift certificates are mailed or emailed directly to your recipient unless you choose to have them sent to you.
- During the week of January 14, 2008, Language Lizard will email YOU a gift certificate valued at $15. |
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Calming the Anxiety of Parents Teaching a Second Language
by Dr. Christine Galbreath Jernigan
I am a researcher of foreign language education, a foreign language teacher for over 13 years, and a mother raising two children to speak my second language. I have interviewed and “play-dated” with over 80 families raising children to speak a language that is not their first language. Before they begin, and even en route to exposing their children to a second language, parents come to me looking for support.
Often I hear parents say, “I’m not good enough at the language and I won’t be myself in another language.” I assuage their anxiety with, “You are learning the language with your children. Throw out the ‘perfectly fluent native speaker’ model of a language teacher. Communicate—listen to music, sing, watch videos, and read read read in the second language.”
I understand the concern these parents feel that they may not be fluent enough at the second language. Reading to my curious four-year old, I’m often at a loss to explain certain idiomatic expressions in children’s books. The dictionary is not always helpful in these situations.
I highly recommend bilingual books as an encouraging, motivating tool for parents teaching their children a second language. Oddly enough, my earlier research discouraged using bilingual books because the translations were often sub-standard, and the stories generic and culture-less. Luckily, well-translated bilingual books with multicultural themes are now on the market. From what a Japanese boy does with his baby tooth, to how integrated families become secure in their identity, these books can open children’s eyes to how we are all different, but not in the ways that really matter.
How wonderful that we can teach our children these kinds of life lessons through a second language. Multicultural bilingual books offer the advantage that those parents learning in partnership with their children have a right-where-you-need-it translation on each page.
As a researcher in teacher anxiety and raising bilingual children (and as a mother myself), I am still learning the second language I’m teaching my children. I live with the same anxiety of the parents I research. But I remind myself that language learning is a lifelong process—it involves difference, identity, and commitment. Bilingual books make sense cognitively. They also make sense in the cuddle-and-read moments parents spend with their children.
Proceed with confidence.
Christine Galbreath Jernigan, Ph.D. Foreign Language Education, is the founder of www.BilingualWiki.com.
To see more articles and archived newsletters, please visit: http://www.languagelizard.com/newsresources.htm.
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A Favorite Quote
"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”
- Joseph Addison |
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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 to 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 complimentary e-newsletter, please visit: http://www.LanguageLizard.com.
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