Waka-Waka – February 2016
Newsletter Issue 4
Notes from the Office…
It’s the 30 day challenge! Did you set your goals?
Please let me know if you need any help locating
resources. I’m just a call away! 729-5407. -Kim
What do we do at CRLC and ESE?
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Private and group classes for children and
adults in: ESL, French, Spanish, German,
Russian, Sign Language, Korean, Arabic,
Chinese, Italian, Latin and Portuguese!
Offsite teaching at daycares, preschools,
private schools, afterschool programs,
universities and corporations
Interpreting (select languages)
Translating (see end of newsletter for more
info)
Cultural training
Cultural and language events
New and On-going Events
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Partnership with Northshire Bookstore in Saratoga for Spanish
Story Time, the 3rd Friday of every month
Partnership with Saratoga Library for Spanish Classes
Winter Game Night On March 6th
Book Club for intermediate ESL students and higher beginning in
March
Another round of the March 30 day challenge
Shensational is March 19 where our CRLC Kids may perform
ESE Social Committee- Need to practice your English? Join the
ESE Coffee and Chat Club
For more information call us or email us!
Winter is almost over
Please refer to the Schools Closing Network to see if either location is
closed or has a delayed opening.
Language Tip- March’s 30 Day Challenge
March is an exciting month for all of the students at CRLC and ESE. College basketball has March Madness, and our schools have the
March 30-day-challenge! The March 30-day-challenge is when we encourage our students to actively study their targeted language every
day in a variety of different ways.
We want to give our students ideas on how to fulfill their challenge for March, and remember, don’t underestimate the power of practice. Every
little bit can count! This year students will set their own daily goal with a minimum of 30 minutes per day. Here are some ideas:
1. Read a news article in a foreign language.
2. Write a status update or tweet in a foreign language.
3. Listen to the live feed of an international radio station online.
4. Sign up for an international pen pal and exchange emails on a regular basis.
5. Cook from a recipe that is written entirely in a foreign language.
6. Rent a foreign movie and watch it without the subtitles. If that’s too difficult, try turning on the closed captions so that you can see the lines written in the
original language, rather than the translated version.
7. Download a trivia app for your smart phone that’s in the language you’d like to learn. Still a beginner? Try looking for a children’s version for simpler
phrasing!
8. Next time you go to the store, practice writing your shopping list entirely in the language you are studying.
9. Visit a foreign restaurant and try ordering in the language.
10. Have a partner to study with? Try playing “I Spy,” “20 Questions,” or Scrabble in the language you’re studying.
Waka- Waka- February 2016
Newsletter Issue 4
Student interview with Michelle, about learning
Chinese
Q. What language are you studying and have you studied
that language before?
A. I am studying Mandarin Chinese. I have been learning
it off and on since college.
Q. Why did you decide to learn Chinese?
A. My family is Cantonese speaking, and Chinese is part
of my heritage. Also, I believe Chinese immigration into
the U.S. is now primarily Mandarin speaking. I'm a legal
services lawyer and I would like to be able to offer my
services to as wide a population as possible. Learning
Mandarin also does help me improve my Cantonese to
some extent.
3. From your experience, how does or will knowing at
least one additional language help you in life?
Knowing another language is definitely helpful. I have
had jobs before where it was necessary for me to be able
to speak with Cantonese, Mandarin and Spanishspeakers, so languages have been important in my work.
Also, the more I learn to read, the better able I am to read
menus and figure out what I want at the Asian
supermarket!
Michelle and Wu Laoshi reviewing homework
4. Do you have a story you can share about speaking
Chinese either while traveling or in a situation where it
has helped you or someone else?
There have been plenty of times when people have asked
me directions, or if I knew when the train was coming,
etc. I once was on a bus crossing the border to Canada
and there was a woman on the bus who didn't speak
English. They didn't have any Chinese speakers working
at the border so the border agents had me translate so
that she could tell them where she was going and answer
their questions.
5. How many languages do you speak and what are your
goals?
Aside from English and the Mandarin that I am learning,
I speak Cantonese, French and Spanish. I would like to
keep them all in working condition but it is not easy to
find the opportunity!
6. Is there anything else you would like to add?
I represent homeowners in foreclosure trying to save
their homes. I hope that if there are any Mandarin (or
Cantonese or French or Spanish) speakers who have this
problem, they will come and see me!
Michelle and Wu Laoshi during Chinese class
New Chinese class for Children!
 New beginner Chinese class for Children 6-9 years of age
 Start date April 2nd
 Saturdays 10:00-11:00 am
Waka- Waka- February 2016
Newsletter Issue 4
Please welcome our new students to our CRLC and
ESE family!
CRLC Adult Students
Empire State English Adult
Students
Sean- studying Chinese
Miju- from South Korea
Trevor- studying Chinese
Vanessa- from Mexico
Karen- studying Arabic
Laura- from Mexico
Oneisha- studying Arabic
Patricia- from Mexico
Fantasia- studying Arabic
Sivaji- from India
Geoffrey- studying German
Sofia- from Russia
Brian- studying French
Rafiullah- from Afghanistan
Tracy- studying French
Andreas- from Germany
Michael- studying Russian
Paola- from Peru
Bill- studying ASL
CRLC Kids
Christine- studying ASL
Victoria- studying ASL
Kennedy- studying Spanish
Jessica- studying ASL
Brooklyn- studying Spanish
Virginia- studying ASL
Eva- studying Spanish
Eileen- studying ASL
Katie- studying Spanish
Ati- studying Spanish
Sophie- studying Spanish
Abhi- studying Spanish
Noah- studying Spanish
Kevala- studying Spanish
Great games for
language practice:
Reminder:
First Family Game Event!
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This Sunday, March 6 from 3-5pm at our Colonie
Location
Let’s have a nice afternoon and play games from
different countries in different languages
Bananagrams
Taboo
Hedbanz
Apples to Apples
Last Word
Hit or Miss
The States Game
Stay updated by following us through our social media!
www.facebook.com/CapitalRegionLanguageCtr www.facebook.com/EmpireStateEnglish/ http://www.iccralbany.org/ http://crlcalbany.org/
http://www.northshire.com/ http://esenglish.org/