Language News from Georgia

/ Blog, In the News / By
From Patrick Wallace, Program Specialist, Georgia Department of Education Curriculum & Instruction / World Languages and Global Workforce Initiatives

There is a great deal happening in our area and I’m excited to share some updates with you as we move further into 2022.  I struggle to think of a time when world languages had more projects underway at the state level then at this present time.  As the date for our annual state FLAG conference in March approaches this year, I am reminded of how thankful I am to be a part of one of the USA’s absolute best communities of world language and DLI educators at all levels.  

Collectively, our work is forging new opportunities and supports for programs and students in Ga and is essential to preparing Georgia’s workforce to meet the state’s present and future needs domestically and internationally.  Thank you for your continued efforts and dedication!

Want to stay informed of the latest updates and info? Follow us on FB & Twitter @gadoeworldlanguages

Now some quick updates……

Currently, we have 14 Professional Learning Communities that are up and running to assist and support you this spring semester. View the program website here. Download the calendar below.

Updated-Spring-2022-Ga-PLC-ScheduleDownload

In addition, we have launched a new PLC dedicated to connecting with individuals seeking information on how to enter the teaching profession.  The next session will be conducted in Spanish on Saturday, Feb 19th at 10am.

Don’t forget to share with your students about Georgia’s Seal of Biliteracy Program! We are looking forward to celebrating the success of our students in the spring!  The seal is currently available in over 100 languages. Orders can be placed through this form. 

The International Skills Diploma Seal Program also continues to expand since its beginnings in 2015. Now over 110 high schools across the state offer access to their students for this increasingly important achievement as Georgia strives to build a global ready workforce for today and tomorrow’s world.  The number of International Skills Diploma Seal recipients has steadily risen since the inception of the program.  The deadline for ISDS STAR Student Nominations by school is Monday, April 11th.  Teachers can submit ISDS STAR Student information via this online portal.

  • I’m excited to report that work will soon be underway for the development of an unprecedented number of curriculum resources to support WL educators across our state.  Our hope is that by the start of the 2022-2023 school year, we will have sample unit and lesson plans available for Ga educators in Spanish, French, German and ASL.  Our intention is to expand this work across all grade levels as well as expand to include other languages as we move forward in time.  This initial work is important as we clarify the process, framework and procedures to be used for the work to come as well.
  • Likewise, for the first time in Ga history, we will begin the work of developing curriculum support materials at the state level for Dual Language Immersion programs beginning with French and Spanish in the area of science.  This initial work, likewise, is expected to be completed at the close of this school year and will be available to support teachers in these programs for years to come and will expand into the area of math in the near future.
  • Additional programs are in the planning stages, including preparation for DLI workshops for teachers and administrators, expanded opportunities for virtual workshops for teachers focusing on connecting WL and STEM/STEAM concepts, building new online PD programs for both WL and DLI, connecting virtual classrooms across countries and continents as well as video projects to highlight the importance of WL/DLI instruction and programs….and more.
  • I am also happy to report that our initiative of a statewide WL/DLI/ESOL Job Fair, which we began as an innovative step forward in 2017 and that we rapidly adapted to an online format in 2020 with the onset of the pandemic, has provided the seed for a soon to be revealed, GaDOE statewide Virtual Job Fair site to span across curriculum areas and serve all Ga districts in helping to recruit talent and connect talent with opportunities and information.  More information on that portal will come available in March.

The Annual FLAG conference is at the doorstep and will take place in Augusta on March 4-5th.  Online registrations close on Friday, Feb 11th after which all registrations will be walk in only.  To find out more information follow this link.

It’s time for another World Languages Collaborative Conference! This spring’s conference will be held on Saturday, Feb 26th from 9am – 12:15pm. Register and find out more via this link.  Join us as we reconnect and recharge together!

  • Congratulations to Union Grove High School in Henry County for being the latest school to be approved to offer the International Skills Diploma Seal to students! 8 High Schools in Henry County now offer the seal to students!
  • Congratulations to Dr. Mark Linskey, WL District coordinator for Savannah Chatham Schools, who has been tapped for one of three national director spots for the Leadership Institute for Language Learning through the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages!

Thank you again for your continued service and for all you do for your students and your community!

Patrick

Demo Title

Demo Description

My first Popup

This will close in 20 seconds

Fanni is Radnóti's wife
Located near the Tang capital city of Chang’an, site of the modern city of Xi’an in Shaanxi province, in central China.
Soldiers of that time commonly wore a white head cloth, similar to what is still worn by some peasants in China today.  The implication is that the conscripts were so young that they didn’t know how to wrap their head cloths, and needed help from elders.
Before China’s unification under the Qin dynasty in 221 B.C. there were several competing smaller kingdoms.  Han and Qin were two of these kingdoms. Han was located east of famous mountain passes that separated that area from the power base of the Qin dynasty, with its capital in Chang’an. The Qin dynasty itself only lasted about 15 years after unification due to its draconian rule, but soldiers under Qin rule retained a reputation as strong fighters.
The area of Guanxi, meaning “west of the passes”, refers to the area around the capital city of Chang’an.
This is an alternative name for a province in western China, now known as Qinghai, which literally means “blue sea”.  Kokonor Lake, located in Qinghai, is the largest saline lake in China.  
Before China’s unification under the Qin dynasty in 221 B.C. there were several competing smaller kingdoms.  Han and Qin were two of these kingdoms. Han was located east of famous mountain passes that separated that area from the power base of the Qin dynasty, with its capital in Chang’an. The Qin dynasty itself only lasted about 15 years after unification due to its draconian rule, but soldiers under Qin rule retained a reputation as strong fighters.
Oulart Hollow was the site of a famous victory of the Irish rebels over British troops, which took place on May 27, 1798. The rebels killed nearly all the British attackers in this battle. (Source: Maxwell, W. H. History of the Irish Rebellion in 1798. H. H. Bohn, London 1854, pp 92-93, at archive.org)
The phrase "United Men" is elaborated upon in the Notes section below.

Ghetto

An Italian word meaning “foundry.” It originally referred to a part of the city of Venice where the Jews of that city were forced to live; the area was called “the ghetto” because there was a foundry nearby. The term eventually came to refer to any part of a city in which a minority group is forced to live as a result of social, legal, or economic pressure. Because of the restrictions placed upon them, ghetto residents are often impoverished.

"You’re five nine, I am do-uble two"

A reference to the year 1959 and the year 2020.

"The Currency"

Meaning US dollars - this is drawing attention to the fact that Cuba is effectively dollarized.

"Sixty years with the dom-ino stuck"

This sentence is a reference to the Cold War notion that countries would turn Communist one after the other - like dominos. Cuba was the first domino, but it got stuck - no one else followed through into communism.

رحلنا

رحلنا, or "rahalna," means "we have left."

Habibi

Habibi means "my love."

Ra7eel

Ra7eel, or "raheel," means "departure."

3awda

3awda, or "awda," means "returning."

أهلاً

أهلاً, or "ahalan," means "welcome."

a5 ya baba

a5 ya baba, pronounced "akh ya baba," means "Oh my father."