Schools : Swedish language, Svenska Akademiens Dictionary 2015

Svenska Akademiens ordlista 

https://lh5.ggpht.com/

The official dictionary of the Swedish language Svenska Akademiens ordlista över svenska spräket will introduce a gender-neutral pronoun in April, editors at the Swedish Academy have announced.

Sweden has long been progressive on gender egalitarianism, and now its language is officially catching up. 

A gender-neutral pronoun, hen will join its binary counterparts han (he) and hon (she) in the new edition of Sweden’s official dictionary, helping Swedish speakers avoid the sort of linguistic gymnastics common in languages without a gender-neutral alternative.

The Swedish took some serious decision in their country when in 2014 officially introduced a gender-neutral pronoun “Hen”. This new pronoun included in the glossary of the Swedish Academy,Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL), stands in for han (“he”) or hon (“she”), which refers to individuals belonging to a specified sex.

The Swedish took some serious decision in their country when in 2014 officially introduced a gender-neutral pronoun “Hen”. This new pronoun included in the glossary of the Swedish Academy,Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL), stands in for han (“he”) or hon (“she”), which refers to individuals belonging to a specified sex.

“Hen” will be added to “han” (he) and “hon” (she) as one of 13,000 new words in the latest edition of the Swedish Academy’s SAOL.

Some information:

Gender equality is a proud cultural tradition in Sweden, which currently ranks fourth on the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, behind Iceland, Finland, and Norway. 

"Gender equality implies not only equal distribution between men and women in all domains of society," - the Swedish government proclaims on its website. 

"It is also about the qualitative aspects, ensuring that the knowledge and experience of both men and women are used to promote progress in all aspects of society."

While gender-neutral language already is prevalent in dozens of cultures around the world, Western society has been more reluctant to make official changes to the traditional masculine/feminine pronoun structure. 

According to Dennis Barons, a linguistics professor at the University of Illinois, more than 80 different English gender-neutral pronouns have been introduced since 1850. 

"For those who use the pronoun, it’s obviously a strength that it is now in the dictionary," one of the editors, Sture Berg, told AFP last Tuesday.

The word “hen” was coined in the 1960s when the ubiquitous use of “han” (he) became politically incorrect, and was aimed at simplifying the language and avoiding the clumsy “han/hon” (s/he) construction.

Indeed, "hen" has been used in Sweden with varying success since its introduction in the 1960s. But the pronoun enjoyed a surge in popularity a few years ago, especially among early-childhood educators. 

"Sweden is really the pioneer," Lann Hornscheidt, a professor of gender studies and linguistics at the Humboldt University’s Center for Transdisciplinary Gender Studies, told Newsweek last September. "No other country has made such an effort to break down gender barriers among children."

Girls  carve runes on the yard of the Museum of History in Stockholm

Fredrik Sandberg/ Scanpix FS DM/ KS/ Reuters

http://s.newsweek.com/

"Today, a greater proportion of women than men complete upper secondary education in Sweden, which has come to attention as a reverse gender issue. Significantly more women than men also participate in adult education. Women comprise roughly 60 per cent of all students in undergraduate university studies and almost two-thirds of all degrees are awarded to women. Equal numbers of women and men now take part in postgraduate and doctoral studies."

Gender Equality in Sweden

The implementation of the pronoun started in 2012 at nurseries, schools and newspapers. 

“We haven’t started using it at home yet, but it’s just a matter of habit,” says Sofia Bergman, a Swedish mother of two. “But it’s a good thing if nurseries and schools use it.”

Now, this gender-neutrality trend is taking over other countries with their own unofficial gender-neutral pronouns. 

Sweden should serve as a role model for this huge accomplishment by providing an all-inclusive/neutral environment for all. 

credits: graphic

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/

When to use it?

Efficient in a variety of situations, hen, can be used when you don’t know the gender identity of the person in question, when the person is transgender, when you don’t want to reveal a gender identity, or when gender identity simply seems irrelevant in context. 

The pronoun is used to refer to a person without revealing their gender – either because it is unknown, because the person is transgender, or the speaker or writer deems the gender to be superfluous information.

It can now be found in official texts, court rulings, media texts and books, and has begun to lose some of its feminist-activist connotation.

It is one of 13,000 new words chosen by the Swedish Academy for inclusion in its updated dictionary, which will be made available on April 15.

Founded in 1786, the Swedish Academy is to work "for the ’purity, vigour and majesty’ of the Swedish language, i.e. its clarity, expressiveness and prestige".

The Swedish Academy’s dictionary is updated every 10 years. New entries are determined by their frequency and relevance.

The new edition goes on sale on 15 April.

Svenska Akademiens ordlista apps

http://www.svenskaakademien.se/

Education:

After Langue Française : Larousse et Petit Robert 2015, English Language : Chambers 2015 & OED, today the Swedish language and the new edition of the official dictionary of the Swedish Aacademy is the topic of my post.

The linguistics must adapt the languages to the modern societies and cultural realities. Social media have an important role as well introducing new vocabulary, and the new generations are often the creative agents for new words and a dictionary should reflect that.

credits : Reuters /Feix Ordonez

https://qzprod.files.wordpress.com/

Students don't appreciate the dictionary as a god tool to homework. However the new technologies bring other concepts of the dictionary.

Almost all dicitonary editions are thinking on youth creating apps. Students can use the apps in languages lessons. Dictionaries encourage knowledge, curiosity and vocabulary skills.

Students have no excuse. The dictionary is in their pocket : smartphones, iphones.

Apps: 

The app for  iPhone, Android, Windows Phone 7 are free.

• iPhone 

• Android

• Windows phone 7

Classroom teaching Swedish language can place holder sheets practices in the use of Swedish students according to the level you are teaching. 

The dictionary is an essential tool: teachers, students, parents. 

"No other country has made such an effort to break down gender barriers "among children."

Lotta Rajalin, (the director of the nurseries that first introduced hen)

G-Souto

26.03.2015

copyright © 2015G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Schools : Swedish language, Svenska Akademiens Dictionary 2015 by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

sources:

Sweden | Gender Equality at School

https://sweden.se/society/gender-equality-in-sweden/

Tribute : Students and teachers 4U 9526

Joseph-Koenig-Gymnasium secondary school 

credits: Getty Images

http://i2.mirror.co.uk/

Candles and flowers were laid this evening in tribute to the 16 students and two teachers of the Joseph-Koenig-Gymnasium secondary school in Haltern am See.

Students and teachers are taking a few days off to enjoy easter holiday with family and to recharge batteries near family and friends. 

However a large number of students and their teachers go for school exchange trips to different European countries.

credits : AFP/ Getty Images

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/

Unfortunately sixteen German students and two teachers from the west German town of Haltern who were returning from a week-long school exchange language programme with Giola institute in Spanish village of Llinars del Valles, were flying on the aircraft Germanwings 4U 9525.

They had spent a week in a small town outside Barcelona, immersed in Spanish language and culture, as part of an annual exchange program. Their stay over, they and their two teachers were on their way back to this small town near Düsseldorf.

Joseph-Koenig-Gymnasium secondary school 

credits: AFP/ Getty Images

http://i4.mirror.co.uk/

The students, 10th graders from the Joseph-König-Gymnasium, were about 15 years old. On Tuesday morning they departed the small, Catalan town of Llinars del Vallès on the 6 o’clock train, bound for the airport in nearby Barcelona. Many of their families were already at the airport waiting for their arrival when the unfathomable happened.
  During this time of year, tens of thousands of students just like them, all over Europe, board planes for a week or two of foreign culture on Comenius programme. 

It had to have been one of the happiest experiences of their lives, people said. And I really believe it. I know it's true.

As a teacher of languages curriculum who made some school exchange language programmes among European schools, I know how students love these activities. I could experience the enthusiasm and encouragement in language skills learning of school exchanges language programmes.

We were exausted but happy to see how the students learned and exchanged cultural traditions during these weeks.

And I know as well how we feel the great responsability to go abroad with 16 or more students for a Comenius programme. 

Joseph-Koenig-Gymnasium secondary school 

credits: Reuters

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/

I can't imagine one of those thing happening to us or anyone who go for a school exchange language programme across Europe.

I have no words. I feel deeply sad. How tragic for the victims, students, teachers, their families, their friends.

But it's also a tragedy for school, classmates, other teachers. They will never forget. 

So I pay my respect to the 16 German students, 2 teachers, and to their families.

"No truth can cure the sorrow we feel from losing a loved one. No truth, no sincerity, no strength, no kindness can cure that sorrow. All we can do is see it through to the end and learn something from it, but what we learn will be no help in facing the next sorrow that comes to us without warning.” 

Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood

G-Souto

25.03.2015

copyright © 2015G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Tribute : Students and teachers 4U 9525 by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Apps at school : Learning Spanish, foreign language

screenshot 4 ipad

Learn Spanish by MindSnacks

http://a4.mzstatic.com/

After PhotoMath app, published on October, or Words app on August, here I am writing about apps in Education and much more along the years. 

Today let's talk about Learn Spanish by MindSnacks, an app to teach and learn a foreign language on phones or tablets. 

screenshot Learn Spanish by MindSnacks

http://a1.mzstatic.com/

Tired of boring Spanish classes and lifeless language apps? You want teach or learn to speak and read Spanish as foreign language at school? You can do it all by playing games forgetting the old-fashioned repetitious lessons. 

Aims:

• Learn Spanish by MindSnacks' app is crammed with nine rich and engaging games designed to build vocabulary, boost conversation skills and prevent students becoming a flashcard flipping zombie.

• Instead, they will transform into a Spanish speaking savant with lessons that go beyond memorization and teach things like word gender, pronoun usage and the conjugation of -AR, -ER and -IR verbs. 

• And since everyone learns at their own pace, the unique algorithm personalizes the experience by selectively repeating content with which students have struggled. 

• What’s more, spoken audio clips will help add that extra bit of panache to their pronunciation.

Education:

The app teaches words, phrases and grammar making lessons fun. Learn Spanish by MindSnacks with 9 addictive games designed for essential vocabulary and conversation skills.

MindSnacks' Spanish app is perfect for young students and kids. Easy building vocabulary and conversation skills: a set of flashcard lessons with about 1000 words and phrases, 9 minigames + extras.

screenshot 4 ipad 

Learn Spanish by MindSnacks

http://a2.mzstatic.com/

MindSnacks’ app has different games meant to help students learn the language. In one game, for example, they click the word on the screen to match the Spanish word they have just heard. Students play against the clock while water is draining out of an on-screen fish tank. Think quickly: Is “ocho” eight or 18? That fish is going to die if you get it wrong! 

screenshot 4 iphone 
Learn Spanish by MindSnacks

http://a4.mzstatic.com/

Features: 

• 9 addictive and unique games;

• 1000+ Spanish words & phrases to study and master;

• Spoken audio clips provided by a native Spanish speaker to help with pronunciation;

• Hand-illustrated image library to help memorize words;

• 50 Spanish lessons designed by Ivy League instructors (upgrade required);

• Personalized learning algorithms to maximize memorization, retention & contextual usage;

• Enhanced review mode lets you replay previously mastered lessons;

• Additional quests & challenges will keep you motivated;

• Not a single tedious, boring, mind-numbing or snooze-inducing quiz, class or lesson allowed.

Education Level:

Primary grades

Language: 

English

Prize:

It's a free app

Devices:

This app is designed for both iPhone and iPad

Video games at school

http://parentables.howstuffworks.com/

Some thoughts:

"MindSnacks believes learning should be delicious. I agree special in early age. When education excites kids, they devour knowledge; but when it doesn’t, that information may as well be cafetaria food. It may be packed full of vitamins and minerals, but it’s gosh-darn hard to swallow."

MindSnacks

Educational games and apps have been offered as one good solution, a solution that applies to both the traditional classroom as well as the informal learning.

Some of us used to think of educational games as either a time-filler or, at best, a supplement to traditional course materials. 

They were rarely seen as integral to the learning process. Attitudes changed, though, as educators discovered an increasing number of empirical studies or teachers' experiments that suggested game-based learning and educational games improve academic performance. 

Perfect for beginning and intermediate learners of Latin American Spanish, MindSnacks is like their own personal Spanish teacher they can take just about anywhere on phone or tablet, in the classroom or at home.

Students will quickly become less reliant on that Spanish dictionary and learn the grammar and vocab needed for talking or travelling to Spain or other Spanish-speaking countries. 

Badges and scores add to the experience, and the app changes the formula enough to keep students interest.

Give your young students/children the chance to learn all the letters a foreign language in an easy and fun way, with Learn Spanish by MindSnacks 

"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart."

Nelson Mandela

Note:  The educational digital resources and tools published on my blog are my own choices. I don't do advertising.

G-Souto

03.11.2014
Copyright © 2014G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Apps at School : Learning Spanish, foreign language by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.