tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79646001353236257792024-02-08T05:10:36.224-08:00Klaus'blogTheAustrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03024029053227991894noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964600135323625779.post-35271520995674359832007-05-03T06:49:00.000-07:002007-05-07T17:26:32.072-07:00Outlining<div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff0000;"><em>Why the great United States of America are lame?</em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ffcc00;">Whatever happened to educated American High School students?</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:78%;color:#33ff33;">Sprechen Sie eine Sprache?</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:180%;color:#009900;">Do you speak another language?</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:courier new;font-size:85%;color:#cc66cc;">What have multilingual and American in common? - Nothing?</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#993300;">Another language than English?</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;color:#ff6600;">How competitive are American High school students w/o learning another language?</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:180%;color:#990000;"><strong>Languages way too late?</strong></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:78%;color:#009900;">Why?</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;color:#33ccff;">How come that Americans are known for their stupidity? - Would learning another language and being interested in other cultures help?</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:180%;color:#990000;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:180%;color:#990000;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:180%;color:#990000;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:180%;color:#990000;"></span></em></div><br /><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><strong>Intro:<br />a,<span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">attention getting device</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">"</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">If you speak two languages, then you are bilingual. Speak one? You m<span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ust</span> be American." Almost everybody knows this joke. But what is true about this joke?</span></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></em><br /><strong>b,<span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">preview of main points</span></strong><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">*history( 1940's, 1970's, analysis, world languages, world power)</span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">* present ( what happened to predictions?)</span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">*future ( How <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">necessary</span> are the for the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">future</span>?)</span><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">c, </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">transition</span> to thesis statement/main question or point of the paper</span> </strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Thesis: American high school students are way behind in comparison to students from different countries..<br /><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><strong>Body:<br /></strong><br /><strong>I,</strong> History, Present, Future TIMELINE<br /><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 100% 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span>topic sentence about one side of the issue</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;">+ PAST</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;"> * 1940, 90% = French, Spanish, Latin</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;"> * What kind of a problem does it create for Americans that @ the end of the century this still remains/</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;">+ PRESENT</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;"> * The 2000 issue (maybe the last as a solution for the problem with Latin)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;"> * China</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;"> *touch base on europe to mention how serious those issues are</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;"></span> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 100% 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span>research and quotations from sources to prove the topic sentence is correct</span></span></p><p><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">+ Main points from "Lost in America" (past and present)</span></p><p><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">+Future: "Campaign urges America to learn foreign languages"</span></p><p><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">Transition sentence to the next paragraph:</span></p><p><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">Talk a little bit about the issues, while explaining in the first paragraph what is goiing on in america and what the main issues are. because then you can write something like one of the main issues bla bla bla is That American High Schoolers learn languages way too late. Ta-ram-ta-ram!</span></p><p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><br /><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><strong>II,</strong> Starting to learn another language at the age of High School is way too late!<br /><br /></p></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 100% 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span>topic sentence about one side of the issue</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;">Show don't tell that Americans learn a language way too late; gibe facts; what is going on around the world.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;">* The average American teenager learns his/her first language at the age of 15. so when they go to high school.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;">* scientists mention that children can learn languages @ a very early age</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;"></span> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 100% 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span>research and quotations from sources to prove the topic sentence is correct</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;">* "Bringing up Baby Bilingual"</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;"></span> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></p><p><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">Transition sentence to next paragraph because it is talking about Europe. Maybe something like: By the time American High school students start to learn their first second language, the average student in Austria learns his/her third or forth second language.<br /><br /><strong>III,</strong> Europe the role model?! (norway, sweden, austria, germany...?)<br /></span><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><br />When do they start to learn the languages? Why is it so important to them to learn another language? English as language of opportunity?<br /></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 100% 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span>topic sentence about the other side of the issue</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;">*By the time the average American High Schooler learns his/her first second language an european 2/3</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 100% 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span>research and quotations from sources to prove the topic sentence is correct</span></span></p><br /><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><strong>IV,</strong> Positvie side aobut - What could people argue about me?<br /><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 100% 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span>topic sentence about the other side of the issue</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;">Is the problem really that serious</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;">how about the fact how much money was spent on education</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 100% 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span>research and quotations from sources to prove the topic sentence is correct</span></span></p><br /><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><strong>V,</strong> Solutions<br /><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 100% 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span>topic sentence stating your position on the issue</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;">* change in school system</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;">* language villages?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 100% 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span>reasons and research that say why you chose this standpoint</span></span></p><br /><br /><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><strong>Conclusion:</strong><br /><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;color:#c0c0c0;" ><strong>a,</strong></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;color:#c0c0c0;" ></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore"><span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"></span></span><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">Re-state thesis</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><strong>b,</strong> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;">Review main Points</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;"><strong>c,</strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Us</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">e an attention-getting device to send the reader off in a thought-provoking manner</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;"></span> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;">Facts that are good but so far don't fit anywhere right now:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;"></span> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;">* it seems that english is the world language: arrogance</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#c0c0c0;">*American school system right now doesn't really give the student any room to learn more languages.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#000000;"></span></o></p>TheAustrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03024029053227991894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964600135323625779.post-476256592608095492007-04-25T05:43:00.000-07:002007-04-25T05:51:24.170-07:00Annotation # 5<strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Our gloabal success depends on language<></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Nowadays the Internet erods geographical boundaries and our world shrinks, the ability to speak another language is no longer a plus on the resume, it is a necessity. Many U.S. companies also understand that a multilingual workforce is the only way they can compete abroad, so they send employees to language schools. English still seems to as the "language of opportunity" which may explain why some of Americans thinksit is not important to learn another language than English.President Bush"s bipartisan commisssion reported that if we want to be globally competent, we need to start by having more college students study abroad. The Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program's goal is 1 million students studying abroad by 2017. </span>TheAustrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03024029053227991894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964600135323625779.post-12072343712321705722007-04-25T05:35:00.000-07:002007-04-25T05:42:24.877-07:00Annotation #5Sutdents taking strides in froeign languages<br /><br />More college students are studying foreign languages than ever before. In 2002 over 53% of the total language enrollments was Spanish. Enrollments in general have increased, including German and French. And 148 less commonly taught languages were being sutdies in 2002, compared with 137 in 1998, an 8% increase. Students recognize the importance of learning other languages as we become a more global society. In all, 1.4 million students took a foreign language course last fall at U.S. colleges and universities, the highest number ever recorded and a 17.9% increase since 1998. In comparison, ungraduate enrollment increased 7.5% in that period.TheAustrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03024029053227991894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964600135323625779.post-53217681763304450152007-04-25T05:21:00.000-07:002007-04-25T05:34:58.400-07:00Annotation #3<strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Bringing up a child billingual</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><div align="justify">Jayme Simoes' mother is American and his father is from Portugal. He was born in Portugal and lived there for his first year of his life and became fluent in Portuguese. But after that they moved back to the United States of America and English dominated his daily life. For three years he had lost almost his whole Portuguese.But after only spending somes summers in Portugal with his grandparents, he regained it again. Now married and proud father of Marcus, Simoes is raising his child billingual.</div><div align="justify">At least 10 million school-aged live in homes where family members speak a language other than English, the Departments of Education reports. But raising a child billingual is not that easy as it sounds, you must have specific ideas about what you want your child to be able to do in both languages. You aslso should avoid mixing languages, so children will hear each tongue in pure form. Some families decide to speak English at home and the other language everywhere else.</div><div align="justify"> </div>TheAustrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03024029053227991894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964600135323625779.post-87335862454954770962007-04-25T05:12:00.000-07:002007-04-25T05:21:27.989-07:00Annotation #2As globalization goes on it seems more and more that we have one common language. The spread throughout the globe is also known as " unique in the history of world". English has nowadays more non-native speakers than native ones.<br /><br />Facts about English<br />*Out of five people worldwide speaks English to some level of competence.<br />*More than two-thirds of the world's scientists read in EnglishTheAustrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03024029053227991894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964600135323625779.post-58414213811597708032007-04-23T19:17:00.000-07:002007-05-16T19:18:36.371-07:00Another AnnotationI have been teaching for twenty-two years and there has not been a year, where parents have not requested to have their children learn a second language in Middle school. We have bombs for Iraq, but we don’t have money for education. I remember when I started the class sizes were down to 25, nowadays I have 40 to 45 students sitting in my class. I think I don’t have to explain that this is a big distraction for some of the kids. If you looked at the class sizes in Europe it seems that you are on a whole different planet. Culture plays a big part. Europeans are anxious to learn another language. It is so easy for them to travel around and speak another language. For us Americans it is quite hard, all we have really close is Canada and Mexico. That’s why I really recommend the trips that we organize for kids. It is so important to go to a country where the language is spoken. That is the only way you really get better at languages. Besides to the low class sizes in Europe the behavior of students is another factor that makes the difference. It seems to me that we have to deal here with so much behavior issues that seem not to exist in the good old Europe. Well and another thing that does not exist in Europe is after-school-activities. Sports here are a big part of a teenager’s life here. I have at least two to five students per trimester who give me excuses that they weren’t able to do their homework or to study because they had a game the day before. Motivation and the attitude to education are way lower here in the United States. Politicians do a lot of “lip-service”. They say that Education is more important than Sports but look at it. We all know it is not true. Americans are not really forced to learn another language. The media is mostly in English. Pop culture is mostly in English. Remember when we banned German as a world language after WWII. Man, that was a mistake! There is no such thing as permanent Allies only permanent interest.TheAustrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03024029053227991894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964600135323625779.post-78306897937544149832007-04-23T06:47:00.002-07:002007-04-23T07:17:27.435-07:00Annotation #1LOST IN AMERICA<br /><blockquote><br />If you speak two languages, then you are bilingual. Speak one? You<br />must be American. Globalization has brought a lot of changes and<br />trends to America. But through all those chance<br />that globalization has brought to America the average classroom has lagged<br />behind. In the late 1940's, more than 90 percent of kids who studied a<br />foreign language learned French, Spanish, or Latin. At the end of the century,<br />that figure remained the same. At least two decades after politcal<br />scientists that China would be the next world's power, only a little more than<br />1,300 public high school students studied Chinese. Instead of learning<br />Arabic languanges, 175,000 students have learned Latin instead. In 2000 two<br />thirds of American students never studied a second language.<br /></blockquote><br /><p align="center"><img alt="creta color wettbewerb" src="http://88.198.45.22/pic/k/klauskodydek/cretacolor1.jpg" /></p>TheAustrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03024029053227991894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964600135323625779.post-18860490514627655712007-04-23T06:47:00.001-07:002007-04-23T07:17:26.408-07:00Annotation #1LOST IN AMERICA<br /><blockquote><br />If you speak two languages, then you are bilingual. Speak one? You<br />must be American. Globalization has brought a lot of changes and<br />trends to America. But through all those chance<br />that globalization has brought to America the average classroom has lagged<br />behind. In the late 1940's, more than 90 percent of kids who studied a<br />foreign language learned French, Spanish, or Latin. At the end of the century,<br />that figure remained the same. At least two decades after politcal<br />scientists that China would be the next world's power, only a little more than<br />1,300 public high school students studied Chinese. Instead of learning<br />Arabic languanges, 175,000 students have learned Latin instead. In 2000 two<br />thirds of American students never studied a second language.<br /></blockquote><br /><p align="center"><img alt="creta color wettbewerb" src="http://88.198.45.22/pic/k/klauskodydek/cretacolor1.jpg" /></p>TheAustrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03024029053227991894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964600135323625779.post-7381675521004567162007-03-19T06:50:00.000-07:002007-03-19T07:08:26.687-07:00Raft day 1Coming from a different country and having the chance to experience the famous Spring Break for the first time of my life was quiet amazing! Although I did not go anywhere it was still special. I loved going shopping with my friends and spent a fortune on clothes that I did not need anyway. If I was not shopping or hanging out at my friends house, I was running for the upcoming Track&Field season. I also got the chance to talk to my friends from Austria. We talked for hours on the phone for the first time after seven months. Although we stayed in touch through writing e-mails, there was quiet a lot to talk about. It was strange to hear their voices because they changed a lot.<br />On Sunday I took my host family out for dinner to Bonfire for our anniversary. We had to celebrate our seventh month living together. On Wednesday my host grandma made my Spring Break very special. She got my host brother and me tickets for the Twincities Autoshow. If you ask anybody about me, they will tell you that I am a car freak. I had a great time talking to the managers of the different car brands. They gave me the advice that I should go to college for Industrial Design. I would love to do that because I think it is very exciting to design cars. After the car show we went to downtown Minneapolis and my host grandma showed me around. I got really excited when I saw the huge black tower, of which I forgot the name. To make that day even more special we went to a really fancy restaurant and had some good dinner there.TheAustrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03024029053227991894noreply@blogger.com0