Articulo del diario

More than words
Mas que palabras
Local language classes offer art, music, and more 03/16/06 By Lisa McCormack
Studying a foreign language used to be about repeating useful words and phrases and copying them into a workbook.
These days, foreign-language students are more likely to become immersed in another culture, learning history, art and politics as they learn how to order a meal or ask for directions.
In Montpelier and Burlington, students in Constancia Gomez’s class listen to Latin music and sample Spanish food, such as empanadas and pollo a la cacerola, to familiarize themselves with the culture as well as the language.
Children who take her class learn the language as they work on art projects, identify objects in paintings in Spanish, and sample Spanish food.
Gomez, who was born and raised in Buenos Aires, moved to Vermont five years ago to practice her English. She’s a teacher at the Rochester School and she offers classes through her 123 Spanish Now school in Waitsfield, Montpelier, Williston and Burlington, and also gives private lessons.
“The first reason that I like teaching Spanish is because I can keep talking and having my culture and language alive,” Gomez said. “It is amazing how, if you don’t practice, you start to lose it.”
Growing demand
The demand for foreign language classes, whether private or group, is growing.
For some students, the desire to learn is fueled by an upcoming trip to a foreign country.
Others are inspired by their family heritage.
Many parents feel that teaching their children a foreign language at an early age is more beneficial than waiting until the middle or high school years.
Research has shown that young minds have the capacity to absorb foreign language, but that capacity shrinks over time. Exposure to foreign language early in life has been shown to open the door to proficiency in multiple languages.
Gomez was surprised when she came to the United States and found that most students were not fluent in a second language.
“In my country, the people who speak more that one language are considered well-educated, so, in my family, my mother expected from us to speak a least two languages,” Gomez said. “I went to Europe, and everybody spoke more than one language. I expected the same in the U.S.”
Make it fun
Fun figures prominently in the curriculum at and Center, 123 Spanish Now.
Gomez loves her native Argentina and she loves her native Spanish language. She wants to imbue Vermonters with a love for both by teaching Spanish through a mixture of role-playing and parties featuring Spanish music, dances and food.
Her students have ranged from kindergartners to adults, and she says her job is so much fun that, at times, it doesn’t seem like work.
“We encourage students to use the Spanish language in situations that are fun and memorable,” Gomez said. “We listen to music and we watch videos and DVDS from the Latino countries. We also talk about the different cultures in Latin America and Spain.”
Gomez also teaches Kids, at Henisburg, after school program, Grandville and Hanchok Shools. "they love it because it’s not conveyed as learning a language,” Gomez said. “They even start singing when they see me coming, because they’re having a really good time.”
Proficiency, at least
You don’t need to spend a year abroad to become proficient in another language. A commitment to regular practice outside the classroom is key, and listening to foreign-language music or television shows can help.
Children often grasp other languages quickly because they are more open than adults to new things.
“You don’t have the performance level you see in sports, where you see immediate results,” Drury said. “It’s important that parents appreciate the new sounds and cultural knowledge their children are picking up, even if they can’t speak fluently.”
The goal that most students share is to be able to travel to another country and get by without an interpreter.
Gomez organizes trips to Argentina and Peru so that her students can practice the skills they learn in the classroom.
“I love to travel, and usually, most of my adult students travel a lot, to Latino countries,” Gomez said. “But, these days you can also, speak the language in the U.S., and in Vermont, practice over skipe, use audicity to record yourself, actually today there is no borders, in terms of practicing a language”
Please check www.constanciagomez.blogspot.com to practice Spanish and have fun with ," the best things on life are free" Gomez said.