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June,
2006
Atlanta
Latino (English version)
Atlanta
Latino (Spanish version)
July,
2004
Atlanta
Latino (English version)
Atlanta
Latino (Spanish version)
September,
2004
Alpharetta Neighbor
November, 2004
Atlanta Parent
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Libraries in Gwinnett could say
no to Spanish
By
Melissa Rincón
mrincon@atlantalatino.com
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Monica Velez and her
students. Archive/AL |
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06/07/2006
After some Latino artists sang the Star Spangled
Banner in Spanish, the language has become a
hot-button topic across the nation. Now,
Gwinnett County's public libraries could be
without recreational material in Spanish.
The decision lies within the hands of the
Gwinnett County Public Library Board, which will
meet June 12 at 6 p.m. to discuss among other
topics the 2007 budget and adjustments in the
amount of money calculated for spending in 2006.
According to Lloyd Breck, the committee’s
Chairman, "This is about reducing some $3,000 to
$5,000 to buy reading materials for 'pastime' -
recreation or fiction in Spanish."
Breck clarified that there is nothing wrong with
books or educational resources in the language
because many people flock to libraries for
manuals that teach them Spanish as a second
language.
However, he said, "We can't buy books in English
because our money is restricted to buying books
in Spanish that aren't educational but
entertaining."
The idea to lower the budget was brought up
about a month after the inauguration of the
Dacula Library in Gwinnett, which according to
Breck, is the only library with recreational
material in Spanish.
IS IT REALLY A NECESSITY ?
For Norma Padilla, owner of ñ Spanish Bookstore
and School in Marietta, the board should raise
the number of books in Spanish in libraries.
"The Latino community not only in Gwinnett but
across Georgia is growing, a lot. Even American
publishers are including more books in Spanish,"
she said.
Padilla teaches Spanish and assures that her
students use libraries to learn the material and
save money on buying books.
"I think their focus is more local than global.
Yes, the population sees the necessity of
speaking another language, not only Spanish.
Everyone tends to know another language,"
Padilla said, mentioning that a Swiss library
requested she send some books in Spanish.
Monica Velez, president of Beyond Learning, a
language school, finds it inconvenient to cut
the budget for Spanish-language material in
libraries.
"Teachers, parents and students alike need and
should have the resources of investigation to
promote the language, the roots of the culture
of our countries," she said.
Velez added that not only books in Spanish are
important but also in any other language,
because this is a country of immigrants and we
need to be able to count on libraries that have
all of these resources as to not lose our roots.
According to the Census of Gwinnett County,
Gwinnett is one of Georgia's counties with the
largest number of Hispanics at 92, 754, followed
by Cobb County with 60,445.
The next board meeting will be at Five Forks
Library at 2780 Five Forks, Trickum Rd.,
Lawrenceville, 30044.
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Bibliotecas
en Gwinnett dirían no al español
Por Melissa
Rincón
mrincon@atlantalatino.com
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06/07/2006
No solo el español ha dado de qué hablar a nivel
nacional después de que artistas hispanos
cantaran el himno nacional de EE. UU. en este
idioma, sino que ahora las bibliotecas públicas
del condado de Gwinnett no tendrían material
recreativo en español.
La decisión está en manos de la Junta de
Bibliotecas Públicas de ese condado que se
reunirá el próximo 12 de junio a las 6 p.m. para
hablar sobre el presupuesto para el 2007,
ajustes en la cantidad de dinero calculada para
el 2006, entre otros.
De acuerdo con Lloyd Breck, presidente de tal
comité, “se trata de reducir unos tres mil a
cinco mil dólares en la suma para comprar
material de lectura ‘por pasatiempo’, recreativa
o de ficción en español”.
Breck aclara que no existe ningún problema con
los libros o recursos educativos en este idioma
porque, por ejemplo, hay quienes acuden a las
bibliotecas para buscar textos que les permitan
aprender el español como segundo idioma.
Sin embargo dice que “no podemos comprar
material en inglés porque nos restringe el
dinero que tenemos que gastar en libros en
español que no son educativos sino entretenidos”.
La idea de disminuir el presupuesto surgió hace
un mes después de que se inaugurará la
Biblioteca de Dacula en este condado, la cual
–de acuerdo con Breck- es la única que cuenta
con material recreativo en español.
¿UNA NECESIDAD?
Para Norma Padilla, propietaria de la librería ñ
Spanish Bookstore and School localizada en la
ciudad de Marietta, deberían de incrementar la
cantidad los libros en este idioma.
“La comunidad hispana no solo en Gwinnett sino
en todo Georgia, está creciendo mucho, incluso
las editoriales estadounidenses están incluyendo
más libros en español”, afirma.
Padilla, quien enseña este idioma, asegura que
sus alumnos utilizan las bibliotecas para
acceder al contenido y ahorrarse el dinero para
comprar libros.
“Me parece que están teniendo una mente muy
local y no global. La población sí percibe la
necesidad de hablar otro idioma, no solo el
español. Es una tendencia mundial saber otra
lengua”, dice mientras cuenta que una biblioteca
en Suiza le pidió un envió de libros en español.
Por su parte Mónica Vélez presidenta de la
escuela de idiomas Beyond Learning, considera
que no es conviene quitar el presupuesto para el
material de español en las bibliotecas.
“Tanto los maestros, padres y estudiantes
necesitan y deben tener recursos de
investigación para promover tanto el lenguaje,
las raíces como la cultura de nuestros países”,
asegura.
Vélez agrega que no solo los libros en español
son importantes, sino de cualquier otro idioma
ya que este país es de inmigrantes y se
necesitan bibliotecas que tengan todos esos
recursos para no perder las raíces.
De acuerdo con el Censo en el condado de
Gwinnett es uno de los de mayor población
hispana, cuenta con 92.754 habitantes latinos,
seguido por Cobb, en donde habitan 60.445.
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| Bilingual
since childhood |
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Valeria
Guzman and Pahoran Herrera, listen to
Monica Velez, volunteer at the Roswell
Regional Library, tell them a story.
(Melissa Rincón/AL) |
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Tammy
Baggett, assistant branch manager at the
library and Monica Velez, talk about the
importance of learning another language
at an early age. Melissa Rincón/AL) |
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By
Melissa Rincón
mrincon@atlantalatino.com
07/08/2004
Once upon a time, when summer rolled around,
kids would get bored with the same old toys,
watching TV and obsessing over video games. All
that changed in 2004.
In a corner of the Roswell Regional Library,
kids from around the world meet to listen to
stories in Spanish, learn, and play. Around 25
kids between the ages of 3 and 6 come in every
Monday at 6:30 p.m.
The program director, Mónica Vélez,
greets them with a song: “¡Buenas tardes,
buenas tardes! ¿Cómo están?” (“Good
evening, good evening! How are you?”)
Afterward, the children introduce themselves,
count how many people there are in the room, and
read about the adventures of Dora, La
Exploradora (Dora, The Explorer).
“The goal is to learn and have fun at the same
time,” says Velez, who came from Mexico nine
years ago and has been teaching Spanish ever
since. “Besides playing and singing, I teach
them the alphabet, colors, and animals in
Spanish.
Basically, it helps build their vocabulary.”
Velez agreed with the idea of Tammy Baggett, the
library’s assistant branch manager, to start a
bilingual story session there.
“I started out in the Fulton County school
system and saw the need and importance of
learning Spanish,” says Velez. “The
3-to-6-year age range is the ‘natural’ time
for children to assimilate another language.
I’ve read that children can learn up to seven
languages at one time.”
BENEFITS
The growth of Georgia’s Hispanic community has
not only affected the economy, but also the
educational system, where certain areas, like
public libraries, have taken needed measures to
accommodate new residents.
According to Baggett, the Latino community has
grown rapidly and communication is needed.
“The problem is that Hispanics don’t
understand that libraries are a free service,”
says Baggett. “Our programs are for all
ethnicities.”
She also says that Latino parents forget how
important the simple fact of being bilingual can
be to their children’s future.
“It’s crucial for Hispanic parents to keep
teaching their children Spanish,” says Velez.
“I know many Hispanics with kids who don’t
speak the language, which could open doors to
better work opportunities and help them
communicate with other people.”
However, for Baggett, who is learning Spanish
through this activity as well, the benefits of
the story session go beyond learning a new
language.
“This is a time when kids can socialize
without their parents, which is a big challenge
for them,” says Baggett. “You teach the
active ones how to follow instructions, and the
shy ones how to feel at home and interact with
others.”
Baggett wants to continue this activity in the
fall and parlay it into a Spanish class later
on. Through reading, libraries open the door to
a world of reality and magic, science and
emotions.
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| Bilingüismo
desde la niñez |
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Valeria
Guzmán y Pahoran Herrera, escuchan a Mónica
Vélez, voluntaria de la Biblioteca
Regional de Roswell, quien les relata un
cuento. (Melissa Rincón/AL) |
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Tammy
Baggett, asistente de gerencia de la
biblioteca y Mónica Vélez, hablan
sobre la importancia de que los niños
aprendan un idioma a temprana edad.
(Melissa Rincón/AL) |
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Por
Melissa Rincón
mrincon@atlantalatino.com
07/08/2004
Érase una vez un verano donde los niños se
cansaron de divertirse con los mismos juguetes,
de ver televisión y obsesionarse con los
videojuegos. Pero en el 2004 todo cambió.
En un rincón de la Biblioteca Regional de
Roswell (Georgia), pequeños de todo el mundo
comenzaron a reunirse para escuchar cuentos en
español, aprender y jugar. Así, cerca de 25 niños
entre los 3 y 6 años acuden los lunes a las
6:30 p.m. a esta biblioteca.
“¡Buenas tardes, buenas tardes! ¿Cómo están?”,
reza la letra de la canción con la que la
encargada de la actividad, Mónica Vélez, les
saluda. Después, cada uno se presenta, cuentan
en español cuántos están en el cuarto y
juntos leen sobre las aventuras de Dora, La
Exploradora y otras historias.
“Se trata de aprender y divertirse al mismo
tiempo. Además de jugar y cantar, les enseño
el abecedario, los colores y los animales en
español. Básicamente, se ayuda a ampliar su
vocabulario”, explica Vélez, quien llegó de
México hace nueve años y desde entonces se ha
dedicado a enseñar español.
Vélez se unió a la idea de Tammy Baggett,
asistente de gerencia de la biblioteca, de
comenzar una sesión bilingüe de cuentos.
“Me di cuenta de la necesidad e importancia
que hay de aprender español,” manifesta Vélez.
“De los 3 a los 6 años es el momento
‘natural’ en el que los niños pueden
asimilar otro idioma. He leído que un niño
puede aprender incluso siete idiomas al mismo
tiempo.”
BENEFICIOS
El crecimiento de la comunidad hispana en
Georgia no sólo ha afectado la economía sino
que también ha causado que otros aspectos del
sistema educativo, como las bibliotecas públicas,
tomen medidas necesarias para acoger a los
nuevos habitantes.
Según Baggett, la comunidad latina ha crecido rápidamente
y existe la necesidad de comunicarse con ella.
“El problema es que los hispanos no entienden
que las bibliotecas son un servicio gratuito.
Nuestros programas son para todas las etnias”.
Igualmente, asegura que los padres latinos se
olvidan de la importancia que puede tener en el
futuro de sus hijos el simple hecho de que sean
bilingües.
“Es fundamental que los padres hispanos continúen
enseñándoles español a sus niños. Conozco
muchos de ellos cuyos hijos no hablan este
idioma que en un futuro puede abrirles las
puertas a mejores oportunidades de trabajo y
ayudarles a comunicarse con otras personas”,
asegura Vélez.
Sin embargo, para Baggettt –que incluso
aprende español con esta actividad– los
beneficios de la sesión de cuentos van más allá
del idioma.
“Es un momento que permite a los niños
socializar sin sus padres. A los que son activos
les enseña a seguir instrucciones y a los tímidos
les ayuda a sentirse cómodos y a interactuar
con otros”, afirma Baggett.
Baggett quiere continuar con esta actividad en
el otoño y en un futuro convertirla en una
clase de español. Las bibliotecas son la puerta
a un mundo mágico y real, científico y
emocional que se descubre a través de la
lectura.
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Spanish
school teaches
adults, preschoolers
Thursday,
September 2, 2004
E-mail
this story | Printable
Version
By
Joan Durbin
North Fulton Neighbor Staff Writer
In
years past when students elected to take
a language course, many chose French,
thinking that it might get some use in
social circumstances, such as reading a
menu at a popular restaurant.
But
in today's multicultural society,
fluency in Spanish is one of the most
highly prized language skills. And it's
not just for social reasons. When
employers look for bilingual employees
these days, it's most often
Spanish-speakers they are seeking.
A
new Alpharetta language school, Beyond
Learning, helps its adult students learn
Spanish through conversation, the same
way children learn their native
language. Monica Velez, the experienced
language instructor who is Beyond
Learning's driving force, said the
immersion technique is the best way to
build a strong linguistic foundation.
"We
want our students to go beyond just
learning a language. We want them to
learn to speak, think and even feel in
Spanish," Ms. Velez said.
Students
hear and speak only Spanish and learn
vocabulary and grammar through the
context of the conversation. But novices
won't feel out of place or overwhelmed,
she said. The school offers a complete
range of classes from elementary level
to advanced.
"Some
students have never spoken a word of
Spanish while others want to expand on
their previous language," Ms. Velez
said. "This is why the school's
course catalogue offers something for
everyone and instructors who are
responsive to all levels of
knowledge."
The
Beyond Learning approach is highly
focused, Ms. Velez said, which makes it
"effective and efficient."
It's
not only adults who can benefit from
learning a second language. Language
skills acquired at an early age are
likely to develop problem-solving skills
and yield higher scores on standardized
tests, according to a 1992 College
Entrance Examination Board report.
This
fall, Beyond Learning is adding a
pre-school program to teach Spanish to
youngsters ages two to five.
The
school is located at 13695 Highway 9 in
Alpharetta.
For
more information about Beyond Learning,
go to www.beyondlearnings.com or call
Ms. Velez at (770) 664-6711.
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Copyright
© 2004 NeighborNewspapers.com. All rights
reserved.
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