Reply With QuoteThis is truly awesome, but the political shitstorm will be epic.
Arabic mandatory at Manhattan public school
By SABRINA FORD
Last Updated: 3:53 AM, May 24, 2012
Posted: 12:35 AM, May 24, 2012
Share on emailShare on facebook More Sharing ServicesMore Print An upper Manhattan public elementary school will be the first in the city to require that students study Arabic, officials said yesterday.
Beginning next semester, all 200 second- through fifth-graders at PS 368 in Hamilton Heights will be taught the language twice a week for 45 minutes — putting it on equal footing with science and music courses.
One reason Principal Nicky Kram Rosen selected Arabic — as opposed to more common offerings, such as Spanish or French — is because it will help the school obtain a prestigious International Baccalaureate standing.
David McGlynn
GLOBAL APPEAL: Principal Kram Rosen (left) hopes the Arabic taught by Mohamed Mamdouh (right) earns worldwide prestige for PS 368.
“She proposed this to the parent association. They were very supportive,” said Angela Jackson, CEO of the Global Language Project, which is backing the initiative.
“Arabic has been identified as a critical-need language,” she said, citing students’ future “career trajectories.’’
“It means they can spin the globe and decide where they want to work and live.”
Students now taking the class in a pilot program during their free afternoon periods said it’s been a challenge — but a rewarding one.
“I like Arabic class. I like the words we learn. I thought they sounded funny at first, now I think they sound cool,” said Nayanti Brown, a 7-year-old second-grader. “I teach my little sister the words I learn.’’
Nayanti said her mother was skeptical at first.
“When I gave my mom the [permission slip] to sign, she was shocked. [Now] she’s happy I’m in the class,” she said.
The Arabic requirement becomes mandatory in September. But PS 368 is a so-called “choice’’ school and no kids, even those living nearby, are forced to attend it. If the school ever enrolls a student who objects to learning Arabic, administrators will deal with that on a case-by-case basis, Jackson said.
Mohamed Mamdouh, who teaches the pilot program, said, “Soon, Arabic will be a global language like French and Spanish. These kids are like sponges. It’s amazing to see their progress.’’
Mamdouh yesterday played a version of duck, duck, goose with the kids using the Arabic words for mother and father — mama and baba — for ducks and geese.
He also played a version of Simon Says where he would say a word or phrase in Arabic like, “ma drasti” — my school — and make a gesture like opening a book.
Bella Moon Castro, 34, of Harlem, signed her son up and is glad he’ll have a chance to learn Arabic.
“This makes the world smaller for the kids. It develops their confidence,” Castro said.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/m...nZNfjDfs6YQrUN
This is pretty cool, learning a language with a different alphabet will really stretch their brains. I approve.
"We have tried spending money. We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work...After eight years of this Administration, we have just as much unemployment as when we started... And an enormous debt to boot!" — Henry Morgenthau, Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Treasury secretary, 1941.
This is truly awesome, but the political shitstorm will be epic.
"My nation is the world, and my religion is to do good." --Thomas Paine
"The subject of onanism is inexhaustable." --Sigmund Freud
Probably, but it shouldn't be from a libertarian POV -- the parents decided this.
"We have tried spending money. We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work...After eight years of this Administration, we have just as much unemployment as when we started... And an enormous debt to boot!" — Henry Morgenthau, Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Treasury secretary, 1941.
They should be teaching the kids a real language like Java or C++, not Arabic.
I approve. Get the kids fluent in a language likely to be important in the intelligence community. Awesome bit of career planning by the parents.
I make no bones about my moral support for [terrorist] organizations. - chegitz guevara
For those who aspire to live in a high cost, high tax, big government place, our nation and the world offers plenty of options. Vermont, Canada and Venezuela all offer you the opportunity to live in the socialist, big government paradise you long for. –Senator Rubio
I see that USaisians are investing properly in the futuretwice a week for 45 minutes — putting it on equal footing with science
With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.
Steven Weinberg
QFTOriginally Posted by Lorizael
If there is no sound in space, how come you can hear the lasers?
:(){ :|:& };:
And it's a "choice" public school.
Then again, Libertarians would disagree on the basis public schools exist.
“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
- John 13:34-35 (NRSV)
I would?
"We have tried spending money. We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work...After eight years of this Administration, we have just as much unemployment as when we started... And an enormous debt to boot!" — Henry Morgenthau, Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Treasury secretary, 1941.
"Soon, Arabic will be a global language"?
It has like 400 million speakers and is like the 4th or 5th most common language in the world. What does she mean by 'soon'?
"Flutie was better than Kelly, Elway, Esiason and Cunningham." - Ben Kenobi
"I have nothing against Wilson, but he's nowhere near the same calibre of QB as Flutie. Flutie threw for 5k+ yards in the CFL." -Ben Kenobi
Your comment about Arabic not being a real language comes off as quite bigoted. I'm actually quite surprised. Not surprised that HC agreed with it.
The OT at APOLYTON is like watching the Special Olympics. Certain people try so hard to debate despite their handicaps.
Baron O RIP.
"They should teach kids a real language like German" would be bigoted; "they should teach kids a real language like Fortran" is a joke
Small world. My mother is one of the top comments on the NY Post article. What the ****?
"Flutie was better than Kelly, Elway, Esiason and Cunningham." - Ben Kenobi
"I have nothing against Wilson, but he's nowhere near the same calibre of QB as Flutie. Flutie threw for 5k+ yards in the CFL." -Ben Kenobi
Chinese has over a billion speakers, but I wouldn't call it a global language - the Chinese didn't colonize enough places for the language to be spoken much outside of China
There are a lot of people who know some level of Arabic anywhere Islam has spread which is globally.
"Flutie was better than Kelly, Elway, Esiason and Cunningham." - Ben Kenobi
"I have nothing against Wilson, but he's nowhere near the same calibre of QB as Flutie. Flutie threw for 5k+ yards in the CFL." -Ben Kenobi
I think it was a joke but Lori is Jewish, right?
"Flutie was better than Kelly, Elway, Esiason and Cunningham." - Ben Kenobi
"I have nothing against Wilson, but he's nowhere near the same calibre of QB as Flutie. Flutie threw for 5k+ yards in the CFL." -Ben Kenobi
Yes, my father is a Jew who doesn't believe in God, therefore I don't think Arabic is a real language.
My bestfriend in elementary school was from Tunisia. He spoke English, French, and some jibber jabber that wasn't Java or C++.
His use ofI think it was a joke but Lori is Jewish, right?confused me. I can usually tell when he's joking.
The OT at APOLYTON is like watching the Special Olympics. Certain people try so hard to debate despite their handicaps.
Baron O RIP.
Re:OP, Spanish would be more practical, albeit less exciting. Americans are more likely to come in contact with Spanish speakers at an early age--which will keep those lessons from withering away into oblivion after a few years in addition to improving their skills.
OTOH, there's a good chance a number of those kids in NYC speak Spanish already.
1011 1100
Which version of the Arabic will they learn? It's more fractured than Spanish. Actually, do kids learn metropolitan Spanish or Mexican Spanish in the US?
Graffiti in a public toilet
Do not require skill or wit
Among the **** we all are poets
Among the poets we are ****.
Also, do they learn just-drank-one-bottle-of-vodka Russian or just-emptied-the-whole-damn-bar Russian?
1011 1100
Dudo que la mayoría de los americanos supieran la diferenciaWhich version of the Arabic will they learn? It's more fractured than Spanish. Actually, do kids learn metropolitan Spanish or Mexican Spanish in the US?
The OT at APOLYTON is like watching the Special Olympics. Certain people try so hard to debate despite their handicaps.
Baron O RIP.
Ou est la bibliotheque?
"My nation is the world, and my religion is to do good." --Thomas Paine
"The subject of onanism is inexhaustable." --Sigmund Freud
Soon it might be relevant in the western hemisphere. Or does "global" mean "covering less than half of the globe"?
Closer to Mexican Spanish.
It makes far more sense to learn Spanish or Latin, simpler languages that teach the foundation skills that are key to Arabic. This is just another attempt to stir up controversy by a bunch of tired old Jewbags in New York.
If there is no sound in space, how come you can hear the lasers?
:(){ :|:& };:
8.5/10
You just wasted six ... no, seven ... seconds of your life reading this sentence.
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