"So...have you learned any new languages yet?"

When we were first starting on our journey with Wycliffe, this is a question that was asked too often to count.  Other variations included: "What languages do you speak now?", "So how many languages have you learned?", and "How is language school treating you?" In the past, my main reply was to tell them that eventually I would be learning how to learn any language, not just give an attempt at learning a language for a grade like I did throughout grade school, middle school, and high school. If that worked the way I had planned, I would now be fluent in Spanish, German, and French! 


For the past four weeks, I've been getting a basis in Phonetics, Phonology/Grammar, and Sociolinguistics for approximately 10-12 hours a day between class time, homework time, and time trying to explain to Sarah and the girls what I'm learning and why on earth it's taking me so many hours locked up in a room with white noise in my headphones.  As my fellow classmates (and awesome new friends) can attest, there were times when everything we were learning was peachy keen, locked right into place, and just plain blew our minds away. There were also times when we all just felt like crying or punching something (if we're honest). Now, with a few days of rest behind me, I'm really excited about the next phase...


On Wednesday, I start taking a course called "Second Language and Cultural Acquisition".  Ahhhhh, now I'll be able to answer people when they ask the aforementioned question! Not only will I be learning how to learn another language, I'll get to practice actually learning a language that I may have never heard before from a native speaker! Sweet!


Here's a quick summary of the class:

Students will learn to identify and apply their own language and culture learning styles; manage language learning; use appropriate techniques and activities to develop second language competence at the novice level while working with a native speaker in language learning sessions. They will be able to describe techniques and activities suitable for language learning at more advanced levels. Building on awareness of their own cultural values, they will be able to describe and will begin to implement strategies for dealing appropriately with differences in cultural values.

'nuff said.


And for those who think blogging is worthless without pictures of kids being cute, these are for you!

Crazy kids.

Just 'cuz.