I'm a huge believer in the importance of history and current events in education. I spent most of my undergraduate work studying international affairs and hope that my interest in the world will be passed on to the students that I teach. While browsing through my favorite blogs, I came across the Palmer Language Blog. This particular blog is focused on the study of language and how linguistics is applied to education. In the Linguistic Injustice Rant, the blogger discusses the Spanish language and it's role in the United States and world as a whole. I was immediately interested in the blog not only because I happen to agree that Spanish speaking countries often play "second fiddle" to the Middle East and Africa, but also because the relationship between the U.S. and these countries in the Western Hemisphere was formed over 200 years ago. Historically, European countries were told not to meddle in the West, and it seems that the tradition has continued well into the 21st century. The United States seems to have gotten a little sidetracked from their role in Central and South America because of the many other problems they are trying to fix throughout the world.
Thanks for the shout-out! :) I think knowledge about international affairs is so important in language learning...the cultural aspect of language is incomplete without an understanding of where a language-people have been and how their past events are shaping their current events. Your students might not realize it at first, but eventually they will thank you (if only silently) for teaching what is otherwise invisible as a cultural outsider.
ReplyDeleteI think that any study of American history which shows all aspects of political decisions made by lawmakers of the time period can be very useful in understanding the world we live in today.
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