Language for Peace Forum
In the News
Multilingualism: Speaking the language of diversity
This article gets to the point about our need for multilingual education now more than ever! http://www.aljazeera.com/amp/indepth/opinion/2016/10/multilingualism-speaking-language-diversity-161006132117067.html
Language of Ideologies, War and Peace
This provocative article on War, peace, language published in the Indian Express highlights the nuances of language, politics, power, and ideologies. While Pakistani columnist Khaled Ahmed is speaking from personal experience and the content of his opinions may be up for debate, he makes well the point that the languages we know shape our access to information and thus to our worldviews. Continue reading
Language Correction: How “Huh?” brings us closer
I read an article recently discussing the idea that “huh?” in its many different forms is a universal word. It it is the same category in every language, occurs in similar places grammatically, and often has a similar sound too. We can make it understood in any language that we do not understand, whether we … Continue reading
Language Teachers and Refugees
Every day the news from the refugee crisis has my stomach in knots. There are so many people in need and so many people needed to help that sometimes I feel overwhelmed emotionally and unsure of where I can best place my finances and skills in a way to do something small to give support. … Continue reading
Oct 15 is Conflict Resolution Day
Did you know that the third Thursday of October is Conflict Resolution Day? Check out the poetry contest, classroom resources, activities and more! Continue reading
The Meaning Between the Words and Peaceful Communication
I was driving to work a while ago and heard a short story on the radio about etiquette and rituals in Japanese business culture, and though I personally am not very interested in business, a part of the discussion caught my ear: “…What’s really important is understanding the different styles of communication that different cultures … Continue reading
What It Takes (And Means) To Learn English As An Adult
In listening to an old NPR news story from 2013, I got a good reminder of the difficulties that language learning presents for older learners. It’s exciting sometimes working with children, noting sometimes quite fast progression and the steady building of language knowledge. I remember the moments in my classroom after teaching a new question … Continue reading
Reflections on Peace Education: Asia-ANZ Conference of Sacred Heart School Heads
The Asia-ANZ Conference of Sacred Heart School Heads hosted by Religious of the Sacred Heart took place in fall with the theme of peace education. For many educators, it was a powerful experience. Reading the reflections of the delegates points to the importance of coming together to talk about peace education in our contexts, even … Continue reading
Personal reflections from the Language4Peace workshop
The Language4Peace focused workshop was held during Mennonite World Conference this past Wednesday, July 22. There, Kate Wentland and myself met with group of around 15 or so Anabaptists with experience and/or interest in teaching Language, Peace, and Mission. We began by introducing ourselves and our language identities, answering questions like “What is your native … Continue reading
Leadership Skills and Language Skills
Language skills are essential tools for leadership according to Rawn Shah from Forbes in his article Leadership Skills Multiply With Language Skills. Focusing on how language learning helps to understand culture and worldview differences, essential for business success, Shah suggests that learning language is one of the tools that leaders often overlook. As peacebuilding in organization … Continue reading
