Language for Peace Forum
language learning
Language Learning as Peacebuilding? Not always
At Language for Peace, our work is rooted in the belief that learning language has the potential to be an act of peacebuilding. But is it always? When is it not? The case of indigenous language learning in Canada, a colonial nation with a horrific history of linguicide of indigenous languages, is a complex one. Learning indigenous languages outside … Continue reading
Book Review: Teaching Fairly in an Unfair World
Teaching Fairly in an Unfair World by Kathleen Gould Lundy As a classroom teacher, I was always on the lookout for resources that would help me connect what we were doing in school to students’ lives. One of the most helpful resources was a book called Teaching Fairly in an Unfair World by Canadian author Kathleen … Continue reading
Are We Different People in Different Languages?
I read an article, Are We Different People in Different Languages? a few weeks ago, and it was chock full of interesting ideas. I shared an article a little while ago that has similar themes to this one, but I wanted to share this one as well because along with some fascinating theoretical discussion (and a … Continue reading
Making Peace with a Praying Mantis: [Teacher Interview]
As we strive to learn from each other about ways to connect language instruction, peace, and mission, let’s share our personal experiences with one another! Here is an interview with a fellow Messiah College graduate, Kinley Zook, who I reconnected with at Mennonite World Conference this year. She has spent time teaching English in Laos … Continue reading
Second Language Expression and Remaking Self
As I’ve begun paddling around in the wide seas of thought in the fields of language, peacebuilding and mission, I’ve come away with the realization that this stuff is at least half in the practice–theory can only get us so far. But that doesn’t stop me from philosophizing often, and this article, Born Again in … Continue reading
Learning about the Rainforest in German: A Lesson in Empathy (Teacher Interview)
“Empathy is a tricky element in teaching. Many would agree it is essential to truly great teachers, as it underlies deep connection and rapport between student and instructor. That said, it is also not something likely to manifest itself without some sort of shared experience.” -Josiah Long, TESOL Instructor. Consider the above quote as you … Continue reading
International Day of Peace Classroom Materials
The Center for Cooperative Principals have created a useful education resource packet for the upcoming International Day of Peace on September 21, 2015. Something I found helpful for those of us who are a little newer to peace education, was the detailed discussion about creating a culture of peace and educating toward that. It is … Continue reading
“Why I’m Learning chiNhungue”: Language learning for bridge building
Why is it important to learn languages, especially non-dominant ones? We explore that question quite a bit here on the blog, and there are a myriad of answers to it, but perhaps the best way to answer questions like these are through real-life stories. That is why I think you should give Grace’s blog post … 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
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