International Mother Language Day 2012

International Mother Language Day 2012 is on Tuesday 21 February. The theme for 2012 is “Mother tongue instruction and inclusive education”. Bilingual Families Perth is hosting a special story time session from 10:30am at the City of Vincent Library, 99 Loftus Street in Leederville.

The event's focus in on the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. The book has been translated into at least 49 languages.

We will read the book in the following languages: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and German. A creative activity for pre-schoolers and morning tea is included in the event.

We have created a special facebook page for the event here: International Mother Language Day story time session on facebook.

Here is a lovely French version of "La chenille qui fait des trou" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBpHkMgWld8&feature=related

The book was originally written in German. Watch Eric Carle himself read the book in German "Die kleine Raupe Nimmersatt."

Here is the Spanish version: Oruga Muy Hambrienta

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcYgc2zklq8&feature=related

The Portuguese title is "A lagartinha comilona". The pages are available here:

CHOGM - Raising awareness on bilingualism

The most important event for Perth in 2011 was undoubtedly the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting or CHOGM that happened during the end of October. More than 50 Commonwealth leaders and the Queen visited and ensured the program was splendid. Arts, sports and culture featured alongside many official meetings. The outcome was a long statement titled: Time for urgent reform.

One of the strengths of the Commonwealth is the bond through the common law and a common language. The Commonwealth is  CELEBRATING
the shared experiences of history and language [Harare, par.3], similar institutions and aspirations and including peoples of many different races and origins, encompassing every state of economic development and comprising an unequalled variety of races, origins, cultures, religions, traditions and institutions of the world [Harare, par.(2)].

The only reform that found entrance into the media was the announcement that the rules for succession were now changed to allow a first born girl to become queen, abolishing the requirement for a male ruler.

Realising that the Commonwealth is overlooking the asset and strength of the diversity of languages  of its member states I took the opportunity to raise the issue of bilingualism at the CHOGM Speaker's Corner established in the People's Space in the Northbridge cultural precinct. The stage was removed from the audience by a water feature, but about 80-100 people sat on the amphitheatre steps and listened more or less attentively.

The terms and conditions had to be met and I had to outline the topic of my talk when applying for a time slot. I took the first slot after lunch on Friday 28 October to tell the world about the benefits of having more than one language. Starting with my own experiences I outlined the benefits and strategies of raising children in more than one language.

It was a bit daunting at first to talk before that many people, but my passion about the subject took over and the allocated 15 minutes passed in a flash.

I am pleased that I took the opportunity and hope that the world has taken notice. Unfortunately the queen was busy otheerwise and Colin Barnett was not available too, but still, I did my share. It was good fun too!

To change the monolingual mindset we need to grab any opportunity that arises to tell the story and make a convincing argument. Don't be shy, join in and promote the benefits of knowing more than one language!

And there were other messages too, such as this one on the steps os the auditorium opposite the speaker's corner!

Promoting the study of language through culture

Mount Lawley Senior High School is one of the schools in Perth which have a special languages program under the title Gifted and Talented Education (GATE). I have been involved in their Languages Parent Support Group since my second child entered the program at the start of this year.

The most recent event at the school was organising an Oktoberfest at the end of term 3. There was cake and Bretzeln, there were Bratwuerste and Sauerkraut to sample.

I still have a traditional German costume (Tracht) from the Harz mountains which I made myself during a stint in a German folk club during the late eighties. I was surprised that it still fit me. Putting it on I joined in the festivities by playing more or less traditional German songs on the accordeon.

The year 10 GATE class is the last class to study German under the GATE program. The program has in the past two years been limited to students of Chinese and Italian.

The students were able helpers and many people had a go at the German language tongue twisters, putting the attempts on video. This class under their relief teacher Isabella also collated great displays on the origin of the Octoberfest and the fate of the Berlin wall.

All in all it was a phantastic day.

Learning the language through getting a glimpse at the culture increases motivation and is a good taster. If you like it you probably want some more. Sustaining the motivation of language students is a major factor in the success of the language learning.

Building bridges with ethnic providers, such with the Perth German magazine 'Treffpunkt WA' is another piece in the mocaic of successful language learning.

The many sponsors for cakes, bretzels and saussages demonstrated that ethnic culture is alive and thrieving.

Congratulations to the school for putting such an event on the agenda. And special congratulation to the language teacher Isabella for getting everything together and to the parents for volunteering on the day.

I think we are getting better at promoting language and culture and spreading the word about how beneficial it is to learn a second language! Let's do just that!

Never sing to strangers in a language you don't know well?

As  German living in Australia I have been a member of an Australian multicultural a capella choir for many years. It was very difficult for us to learn the first Japanese song. Our choir leader chose the well know Japanese children song: Genkotsu Yama No Tanuki San which she was taught by a Japanese friend. This was hard work, not only because the words were so different, but as well because the harmonies were unused to our ears as we learnt it set in three part harmonies. It took us about a year to master the song.

Around that time I attended an international women's conference in Perth and at the opening cocktail party spotted a lady wearing what I thought was a traditional Japanese dress. I went straight for her and without much introduction proudly sang her my newly acquired Japanese children song. She smiled broadly when she responded: "Thank you very much, but I am from Korea." I blushed and shook her hand warmly in a very German fashion, vowing never to sing to a stranger ever again.

The singing in other languages is good for the brain, it gives you a challenge not easy to master, as the words need to be remembered and the music often has a differet tune that is not used to our ears.

The choir now sings in about 15 community languages and we understand that all learning takes time. However, we cherish the rewards and meanwhile sing another Japanese songs easily. 

And my promise to never sing a foreign language song to strangers went out of te window a few weeks ago as well, as I met a friendly Ukrainian speaker at a 50th birthday party. I sang him a Ukrainian song Oj U Hurodi  and he could even understand that it was about a woman plucking rose petals in a garden. Never say never! I am proud to be able to sing songs in many languages.

Listen to a few of our multicultural songs on youtube. From this Greek song we only know the first verse. It's a happy new year song Tria Caravaggia about three boats arriving with golden sails to bring three girls and the luck for the new year. We are keen on singing the rest of the song. It must have a lot more verses. But both my attempts to find the song through my Greek speaking dentist and a Greek friend from the soccer club failed. Who can help?

Favourite Video for May 2011

Learn a few words of Chinese. It's easy and fun with Yangyang!

Helping children to make friends - Tips for parents of newly arrived migrants

I got a call this morning from the mother of a 10year old Chinese speaking girl who has only recently arrived in Australia. After a short period at her local primary school they have transferred the girl's schooling due to her lack of English skills into an ESL school, a few kilometres away from her home.

The mother is worried that her daughter did not make any friends yet. From her cultural upbringing the girl is not an outgoing person and she would not speak to anybody on her own account. The mother rang me with the aim to find out how to help her daughter make friends.

My first suggestion was to give her as much support as possible with the English learning. Once her English has improved she can move back into her local school and connect with children who live close around her.

I also suggested to enrol her daughter into a sports class after school where she would move and exercise and have an opportunity to meet new people. Benefits of physical activity are clearly demonstrated.

• The website of the Department of Sport and Recreation has a database of any sports clubs in WA.
• Kidspot.com.au lists several venues that offer children sport classes.
• Check out the website of the Government's Physical Activity Taskforce.
• Active After Schools Program, contact the WA program coordinator as follows: Administrative Officer, Australian Sports Commission, Active After-school Communities, 246 Vincent Street, Leederville WA 6007, PO Box 329, Leederville WA 6903, Tel: (08) 9492 9769, Email: kelly.dalgleish@ausport.gov.au

Kids in Perth is a free paper that shows events for children around the metropolitan area, sorted by date. It also has a few informative articles about raising children. The other free paper for parents in Perth is Perth's Child, although I am a bit worried about this magazine, as they suggest a cake and make-up as a perfect 12year old birthday pamper party.

Facebook nowadays connects most teenagers.

Social networking sites such as facebook would be a way to connect a high school child with 'friends". From my own teenagers I noticed that mainly their friends are people the know from school and the list grows around that group to include former school friends and people they know through sports programs. I allowed my children to publish a facebook profile under the condition that they include myself as one of their friends. This is working well as I can look at their profile and see what's going on without intruding too much into their privacy. I also noticed that they use facebook to communicate about school projects, due homework and for arranging visits.

Finally, Bilingual Families Perth offers to publish any friend request for children to practice English or the mother tongue in its website with the aim to connect people across cultures. Best is to get in touch via e-mail.

Having arrived in Perth as a new migrant with children poses lots of challenges and assisting your child in making friends is probably not a high point on the agenda for your family. Many of the proposed strategies need money, although the state government has vowed to help families with getting their children into physical activity if they do not have the funds. I understand that the financial support will be paid out directly to the sports club for children in need.

Please comment and share your suggestions for children of newly arrived migrants to make friends. I am looking forward to your posts.

Favourite Video for April 2011