Centro Cultural Nicaragüense Norteamericano
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May, 2009
May :
Motherhood
Named after the Greek goddess Maia, goddess of fertility (Bona Dea in Rome), she had her festival in May. A month Symbolized by the glimmering green gem of the emerald as its birthstone; this lapse in time is all about renewal, creation and enjoying life. In the US May’s monthlong events are Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, National Military Appreciation Month, and May is also Older Americans Month, established by President Kennedy in 1963. But most importantly, remember to get Mom a present on the second Sunday of this month.
Communicative English This program is composed of Elementary, PreIntermediate, Intermediate and Upper-Intermediate and Advanced courses taught in twelve levels through which students are expected to develop the four abilities of the English Language: Listening comprehension, oral communication, reading comprehension and written expression. The program is based on a communicative approach of learning a second language. Each course presents topics of great interest to students creating opportunities to generate discussion and promote the development of linguistic and communicative abilities.
In Nicaragua’s Caribbean Coast, May is time to dance the Maypole. This British celebration was passed down to the Afro-descendent communities and now constitutes one of the most important cultural events in all Nicaragua. Coast cities like Bluefields and Bilwi, organize dances in all the neighborhoods and people compete to put on the best show, within the celebrations there are carnivals and concerts and many of the countries richest musical treasures have been crafted for past Maypoles. The symbolism of Maypole is fertility, poles are decorated with ribbons and fruits on the base. The dance is nowadays way more africanized than the English puritains would have liked. In Nicaragua, Mother’s Day is on the 30th; to get the best of both worlds, you can remember Mom on both occassions. The Editor.
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and new life
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May, 2009
Poetry: Realm of Intuited Truth (From: Poetry in the Language Classroom to Assist in Development of Speaking Skill) By Salma Ainy, Ph.D.
The imaginative space which poetry allows the reader is exactly in the realm of “intuited truth”, and that is what gives the reader the widest range of intuitive possibilities. Many poems rich in language and imagery represent aspects of human experience in direct but intuitive and concise but rich terms. Although poetic diction and the concept of the poet as a kind of seer contribute to the distancing of poetry from dayto-day reality, in the “average” mind, nevertheless, there are texts that can be approached as a simple functional message. The poem titled “This is Just to Say” by William Carlos Williams is a fine example of use of such daily language. The poem can be presented in a message form and when it is done as presented below, it gives the reader a very simple every day message, may be written on a piece of scrap paper, left on the tea-table for the host to read. “This is just to say I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox and which you were probably saving for breakfast. Forgive me, they were delicious, so sweet and so cold.” A whole range of ideas will emerge if questions are set on the poem such as, where the message could be found, what its function might be, etc.
The text, as presented above, is both a simple message and an open text: a note of apology, and a description of feelings of enjoyment. The text does not look like a poem, however, if it is now presented as it was originally written as presented below, the pertinent question arises whether it does suddenly change from being “not a poem” to being a poem.
you have done something similar before?
This is Just to Say I have eaten The plums That were in The icebox And which You were probably Saving For breakfast Forgive me They were delicious So sweet And so cold
· How would you have felt if someone had done the same to you?
- William Carlos Williams
This original presentation will certainly promote further discussion. In order to keep the discussion going, the learners have to make use of their “experience” and “knowledge of the world”. In this particular case, the intensity of longing and the after effect of the event when the reality takes the apologetic turn. Experience can also initiate questions like: · Have you ever felt tempted before about eating/doing something? What did you do then? · Do you think it is okay to behave this way? · Was the person your friend whom
· What was his/her reaction to the incident before? · What might be the reaction of the host after reading the note?
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According to Kermode (1957: 128) poetry is “concerned with intuited truth, not with what is discursively explicable by the reason”. This section of the article will try to expand the idea of “intuitive truth” and will demonstrate how a poem can be effectively used in the language classroom.
· Do you think you should replace the fruit next time you turn up? Why/why not?
Knowledge of the world may initiate questions such as: · What is a “plum”? Is there any fruit that grows in your country, which resembles “plum”? · Why do you have to apologise if you could eat the fruit without permission, when the host is your friend or someone very close to you? · What age group do you think the person belongs to? Was it is very mature thing to eat the plums without permission? There are also poems written in the form of dramatic monologue. We quite often talk to ourselves while alone. We talk about tit-bits of life and also sometimes create imaginary situations and build up imaginary conversations on those. There are many poems written in the form of a dramatic monologue which form a very rich resource for developing spoken skills, for example by many classic poets such as John Donne, Robert
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Browning, Samuel Coleridge, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, and many others, from different times. These poems can be used to compare and contrast human nature and what goes on inside their mind at a given point of time or situation.
negotiation. Moreover, songs can also be an impetus as resource materials within the category of poetry. According to McRae, (1991) songs belong to the very best motivational texts to be found. They contain a basic element of “story”, or of a character clash, a point of view or an engagement with a social or other issue, all of which can be very useful in initiating interpretation and discussion. Universal subjects such as love, relationships, freedom, political repression, and minority views are of worldwide interest and can stimulate students” imagination and thoughts. The entertaining element of a popular song is an added advantage in motivating the learner in the classroom.
Children’s
Prep Programs Children learn through their own curiosity CCNN’s prep programs for Children have been developed with the main goal of setting a strong foundation in the student’s learning process. This will be the base of aprehending more, at a greater pace, in the more demanding levels. Programs in CCNN have been carefully designed with the purpose of integrating activities that encourage, and make the learning of a new language an entertaining experience. Students are instructed through methods based on experimentalism and an integral approach to the English Language through reading, listening, speaking and writing. The Experimental Method encourages children to make thier own discoveries and to advance at an individual pace, through fun class projects.
To add further, as pointed out by Halliday (1985), the distinction between speaking and writing is that they give two complementary perspectives - the synoptic and the dynamic. The written language presents a synoptic view of the world, defining it as “product rather than process”, whereas the spoken language presents a dynamic view, defining “its universe primarily as process”. Carter and Long (1991) add that it can often be useful to relate songs with this dynamic quality to other more static, more synoptic texts. Songs can also be used as part of a theme-based set of texts or can be related to visual stimuli, to advertisements or to other songs.
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Poems that relate universal personal experiences and focus on memory and the passing of time are all obvious advantages and show that a theme can be a very good source on which to base a discussion. Thus a theme-based approach to poetry can help students to relate the situation to their own experience and talk about it in order to develop their interpretative and conversational skills. They can also be asked to imagine situations made complicated by chance and then initiate solutions through
May, 2009
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May, 2009
Earth Day & Book Day Celebrations
Students organized presentation of their own, and expressed their creativity in making bookmarks and in a
stimulating writing activity. On the 23rd CCNN celebrated International Book Day with an ESL Book Expo!
American Corner AC Nicaragua Info Stand at American Nicaraguan School’s International Fair On April 17, American Corner Coordinator, Education USA adviser and IRC Managua set up an information stand at the International Fair organized by the academic community of the American Nicaraguan School. The stand was set up side by side to the U.S. Embassy stand who had a representation of the Boys and Girls Scouts and the U.S. Marine detachment. A large crowd of 600 students, parents, business and foreign diplomatic representatives took part of this event. IIP publications, US maps and copies of President Obama op-ed related to the Summit of the Americas were distributed to stand visitors. Visit Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Tel. 255-7171 ext 238 americancorner@cablenet.com.ni Second Floor Biblioteca Roberto Incer Barquero Central Bank of Nicaragua Library By Pass 7 sur, Managua, Nicaragua
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On April 22nd Students and CCNN Staff Celebrated Earth Day, with a slideshow presentation and fun activities for students.
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May, 2009
Activities in May Matagalpa Fair American Corner, EducationUSA and IRC Matagalpa – Colectivo de Mujeres May 6, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Special Group
Workshop For Public School Teachers
American Corner, EducationUSA
ACTIVITIES IN April ‘09 EducationUSA Adviser Alejandra Alemán organized three presentations (9:30 a.m., 10: 30 a.m. and 3 p.m.) at the BNC branch Esteli (northern part of Nicaragua) in collaboration of BNC staff from Esteli. The date was april 25th, 2009. Students of upper level classes were present. Adviser talked about the different programs available such as OG, UGRAD, English Intensive program, Microscholarships and Fulbright. Students asked questions during and after presentations and Adviser made several appointments with students to visit the EducationUSA center in Managua. Brochures and flyers with logos of the US embassy, CCNN and EducationUSA were distributed to the students, and pens with the EducationUSA logo were distributed among teachers and upper level students. The same day, Adviser visited local university UNIVAL (branch Esteli). Along with university Dean, Francisco Otero, Adviser talked to students of Psychology, International Relations, Law and Business Administration. Adviser visited 8 classrooms and distributed pens with EducationUSA logo to university teachers, and flyers and handouts of the office among students.
Teachers from CCNN CCNN May 22, 2:00 PM
CCNN’s Newsletter General Director.............Diego Delgadillo Academic Director...........Jorge Moreno Children’s Program.........Asdrúbal Canelo Adult’s Program.................Franklin Tèllez Librarian............................Maria Victoria Academic Registry........... Yadira Calderón American Corner.......... Nubia Manzanares Adviser........................Alejandra Alemán Comments: AlvaroAVergara@gmail.com
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American Corner and Central Bank of Nicaragua Alta Mar - Kinder May 8, 9:30-11:00 AM