On Fri, Mar 18, 2011 at 11:23 PM, Michael FIG <mich...@fig.org> wrote:
> Hi all, > > This is tangentially related to the broad ideas of computer and > mathematics literacy that Alan has, and so I would like to ask the list > for your opinions and advice. (If you have things to share that are not > related to computing, please reply to me privately.) > > My wife, Susana, works at an agency that helps immigrant families from > all over the world settle in Canada. They are currently looking for > software or online resources to help improve literacy for youth (and > possibly younger children), sometimes teaching EAL (English as an > Additional Language) from square one. > > Susana and I saw some connection with VPRI, as at least some of the > children have little past exposure to computers, and that literacy is > not about a specific language, but about solidifying new knowledge with > experimentation and creative expression. I've admired Kim's handbook > that guides math learners through Squeak-based experiments. Is there an > approach embracing this model (computer as an empty world for performing > experiments, not as a multiple-choice quiz automator) with exercises > involving language? > > To give some political context, the conventional advice currently on the > table is to license Rosetta Stone for children. Do you see better > alternatives? Does this belong in the scope of FONC? > > Thanks, > > -- > Michael FIG <mich...@fig.org> //\ > http://michael.fig.org/ \// > > _______________________________________________ > fonc mailing list > f...@vpri.org > http://vpri.org/mailman/listinfo/fonc > Forwarding this to 'It's an Education Project', Sugar Labs general mailing list, as this topic naturally arises among this community. http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Welcome_to_the_Sugar_Labs_wiki There are also some interesting links in the OLPC, One Laptop per Child, wiki, such as, http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Talk:Language_Learning --Fred
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