I’m going to divert a little from my normal post and let Kathy McHale, the French teacher at Nashoba Regional High School tell you about her class’s chance at a National contest. The kids have already been picked as a finalist in the Senior High division – you can add your vote by registering and voting before February 10th, 2011 at the ACTFL Video Contest Website
Here’s Kathy:
Hi everyone,
As you may have heard, my French III class is a finalist in a national contest. I’d like to give you an explanation of what it is and ask you for your support.
The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) sponsored a video podcast contest to celebrate “Discover Languages Month” during February 2011. It is part of a public awareness campaign designed to bring media attention to the critical need for all students to have the opportunity to learn a second language.
The podcast had to be 1 minute or less. The content of the message had to show some evidence of the 5 C’s of the national standards: Communication, Connections, Comparisons, Cultures, and Communities. The idea had to be innovative and creative. The use of technology had to be effective.
Having shared the criteria with my class, I encouraged them to enter the contest. They all worked very well together, created the music and the lyrics, formed individual sub-committees, and voila: a rap song was born! It is titled “Going around the world in the 21st century”.
I was recently notified that this podcast is one of fifteen finalist videos in the country. The podcasts are judged for originality and creativity. Cash and product prizes will be awarded to the winning podcast. (If we win, we hope to go to lunch in a French restaurant!) There is popular voting for this contest which runs from January 25 – February 10, 2011.
This is where I need your help and support. We need everyone to vote for our video. You need to enter your email address in order to vote, and unfortunately Nashoba students cannot access their emails in school. I wanted to bring all foreign language students to a computer lab to vote but now that it can’t happen, I am asking you to encourage your students to vote at home. The more we all remind them, perhaps they will do it. The link to the voting is on the NRHS website. Click on the directions link. Please encourage them to spread the word to their friends, family, family friends, and friends and family of those friends! I really appreciate it!
I included the words to the rap song below in case you want to sing along as you listen to it!
GOING AROUND THE WORLD IN THE 21ST CENTURY
GOING AROUND THE WORLD, LEARNING ALL THE TONGUES
GONNA TEACH THE OLD, AND THE TEENS AND THE YOUNG
MADE IT TO CHINA, HIT THE GREAT WALL
GONNA LEARN CHINESE, ONCE AND FOR ALL
PARLEZ-VOUS FRANCAIS? SPEAK FRENCH PLEASE
TO FRANCE FROM CHINA, THE FRENCH AND CHINESE
FRANCE TO RUSSIA, THE SNOW FALLS HARD
WE LEARNED RUSSIAN, SENT YOU A RUSSIAN POSTCARD
GERMANY IS NEXT; YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW
THAT GERMANY IS NOT AS FAR AS WE WILL GO
“HOLA” SAY HELLO TO EVERYONE
LEARNING LANGUAGES IS SO MUCH FUN
COMPARE, CONNECT, COMMUNITY, CULTURE, COMMUNICATE
LEARNING LANGUAGES, WE’RE DOING PRETTY GREAT
NOW WE’RE IN JAPAN, WE LEARNED SOME JAPANESE
WE MASTERED SIX LANGUAGES, ON TO THE SEVENTH PLEASE
BACK TO THE U.S. WE MADE HERE SAFELY
WE LEARNED ABOUT THE WORLD AND A CULTURE THAT WAS CRAZY
WE LEARNED SO MANY TONGUES, WE EXPANDED OUR VIEW
WE’VE ALL GONE GLOBAL, HOW ABOUT YOU?
Again, thank you so much for your support!
Kathy
