Information Meeting - A Success

The information meeting that we held this weekend went very well. In attendance were many families that have just recently found out about the proposal and wanted more information. A representative from Alberta Education who oversees all the Bilingual programming in North America as well as a representative from the Spanish Embassy were in attendance. They had led a one-day seminar for Spanish teachers the day before which went very well.

Also, a professor from the University of Manitoba's linguistics department shared her results of her study on why parents chose Spanish Bilingual for their children. Very interesting. She gave us a list of resources that we are planning to share here for you all. Below is a video that describes the bilingual program in Edmonton. Stay tuned for more information, especially regarding our proposals to the divisions.

Parents Workshop

We just wanted to communicate to you that we are planning to have a workshop on Spanish Bilingual Programming by Melissa Valdés from the Department of Education in Alberta. She is the Spanish Language Advisor and is resourcing the Spanish Bilingual Program in Alberta. We are flying her in to give a workshop about what is happening in Alberta and how they resource the program, and we can have a Bilingual program here in Manitoba. She is also doing a full day workshop for Spanish teachers the day before.

The parents workshop will be held at the University of St. Boniface, 200 Avenue de la Cathedrale in Winnipeg on Saturday October 19. The time will be 10:00 a.m.  Rm 1214.

Please feel free to pass this on to any families that are still wondering about the program, how it works and are needing a place for their answers to be addressed.

Benefits of Language Learning

 “Learning another language allows us to see with new eyes.” 

– Marcel Proust

Alberta Education commissioned a 2006 study to survey the results of research on additional language learning. It found that students who become proficient in a second language benefit in many ways:

1.     Personal Benefits

·  Travel, cross-cultural relationships

·  Access to culture, literature, film, etc.

2.     Intellectual Potential

·  Students proficient in two languages score higher in verbal and non-verbal intelligence.

·  Students studying a second language develop listening, memory, and divergent thinking skills.

3.     Effect on First Language

·  Second language study significantly strengthens first language skills in areas of reading, vocabulary, grammar and communication skills.

·  The earlier the start, the greater the positive effect on the first language.

4.     Scholastic Achievement

·  Students studying a second language have higher test scores in reading, language and mathematics.

5.     Economic Potential

·  Proficiency in another language enhances prospects for postsecondary study and employment and opens up international opportunities.

·  There is an urgent requirement for qualified speakers of languages other than English in areas of science, technology, medicine and global commerce.

6.     Citizenship

·  Students learning a second language have superior cross-cultural skills and adapt better to new cultural contexts.

·  Students studying a second language display greater cultural sensitivity.

http://education.alberta.ca/teachers/resources/learnlang/benefits.aspx

www.assembly.ab.ca/lao/library/egovdocs/2006/aled/158817.pdf

Materials

Where would the school get the materials in order to start a Spanish language program?  Well, Alberta has many Spanish Bilingual schools so they can provide much of the curriculum to our province.  There is also support offered by the Spanish Embassy through their educational program.  They have an agreement with the Alberta government to provide supports such as 1 year teachers on loan from Spain, professional development for current teachers, materials and resources for the classroom.  They would be able to offer those same kinds of supports to Manitoba, if in fact we can demonstrate support with names from the community of interested families.

Interested?  Send in your child's name, birth year and full address to our email in the contact us tab.
Questions?  Email us!

Meeting

We had made contact with the Spanish language consultant in Alberta in March.  She also works for the Spanish Embassy and is responsible for resourcing the many Spanish Bilingual programs in Calgary and Edmonton.  We thought making contacts with them would be very helpful as we prepare to make our proposal.

We were able to speak on the phone and a few weeks later meet in person at the Language Teacher's Convention here in Winnipeg.  It was here we made contact with the MB Dept. of Education' language consultant.  It was a very good meeting because we learned more about what they are doing in Alberta as well as the strong interest by the Spanish Embassy in starting a similar program here in Winnipeg.  All that is needed is families to express to the divisions that there is a strong support for a Spanish language program here.  That is where Eugenia and I come in.  That is what we hope to accomplish with the help of all of you.