Community Support,

5 REFUGEES MAKING AMERICA GREAT

March 6, 2017

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There has been a lot of discussion and debate regarding refugees, with some people expressing concerns that letting in refugees will increase terrorism, while others fear that the recent proposed limitations imposed by an executive order have caused the US to lose its moral compass. In the midst of this conversation, it can be easy to forget the human faces behind the term “refugee.” What is a refugee? According to international refugee law, a refugee is one who seeks refuge in a foreign country............. CONTINUE READING

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At Home, Classroom, Community Support, Families, Schools,

CELEBRATE DIVERSITY AND EASE ANXIETY: SUGGESTIONS FOR KIDS & ADULTS

January 30, 2017

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Right now, our lives are permeated with emotionally charged discourse about political and social upheaval. When you think about how much news media, social media and personal conversations we’re exposed to, it’s very likely our kids and students are aware and possibly experiencing anxiety about what they hear and see going on in the world around them. We all may feel disheartened with the current events that are dividing us as people, and as a nation. If you’re worried that the children in............. CONTINUE READING

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At Home, Community Support, Libraries, Schools,

CELEBRATE DIVERSITY! #CELEBRATEDIVERSITY

November 14, 2016

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After this divisive and polarizing election season, one thing is clear: Now more than ever, we need to celebrate the diversity in our nation and our communities. “I can imagine nothing more terrifying than an Eternity filled with men who were all the same. The only thing which has made life bearable…has been the diversity of creatures on the surface of the globe.”  – T.H. White It is clear that some of the rhetoric during this campaign encouraged an ignorance about various ethnic groups............. CONTINUE READING

At Home, Community Support, Families, Libraries, Schools,

TEACHING TOLERANCE IN TURBULENT TIMES

July 6, 2016

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It may feel like every time you turn on the TV or check your Facebook or Twitter feed, you are inundated with news of yet another violent tragedy in some part of the world. Terrorist attacks and political upheaval seem to be the norm now, not the exception. We are all asking ourselves what can be done to stop the endless stream of violence. A crucial step is one that is closest to us: one of the most important, immediate ways to create a............. CONTINUE READING

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At Home, Community Support, Families, Holidays,

3 WAYS TO EASE THE SCHOOL-TO-SUMMER TRANSITION (AND BACK)

June 6, 2016

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Not everyone feels the same about the start of summer break. Yes, there’s excitement over long days to play and a more relaxed pace. But there can also be sadness and anxiety about big changes to the daily routine, not seeing schoolmates, travel and the start of the next school year looming on the horizon. Adults and kids alike can be caught unprepared for this unique mix of emotions. Here, we offer 3 tips to ease your transition into summer break… and............. CONTINUE READING

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At Home, Community Support, Language Spotlight,

HINDI LANGUAGE & HINDI BOOKS: FACTS, FIGURES & RESOURCES

May 30, 2016

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Today’s spotlight language is Hindi. Below, we offer background and interesting facts about the language, as well as information to help you find Hindi children’s books. Where is it spoken? Hindi is the official language of India (along with English). Hindi is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. There are approximately 425 million speakers worldwide. How Many People Speak Hindi in the US? According to the most recent US Census data, there are about 670,000 Hindi speakers in the US. There are large............. CONTINUE READING

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At Home, Community Support, Language Spotlight,

RUSSIAN LANGUAGE & RUSSIAN BOOKS: FACTS, FIGURES & RESOURCES

April 30, 2016

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Today’s spotlight language is Russian. Below, we offer background and interesting facts about the language, as well as information to help you find Russian children’s books. Where is it spoken? Russian is the national language of Russia, as well as Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan. It’s also widely used in other European countries like Ukraine, Latvia, and Estonia. Russian is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. There are approximately 260 million speakers worldwide. It’s one of six official languages of the United Nations. How Many............. CONTINUE READING

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Community Support, Dual Language, ELLs / DLLs, Libraries,

MULTICULTURAL, MULTILINGUAL LIBRARIES FOR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES

April 8, 2016

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April is an important month for our nation’s libraries. Take the time to celebrate the many ways our libraries contribute to our communities. In a previous post, we explored innovative ways for libraries to attract ethnic populations. Here, we take a look at ways libraries can transform a community. Diverse Communities, Multicultural Library Offerings Libraries have always been a place to read and learn, and have functioned as important community centers. Librarians assess their communities, its needs, and............. CONTINUE READING

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Community Support, Dual Language, ELLs / DLLs, Language Spotlight,

JAPANESE LANGUAGE & JAPANESE BOOKS: FACTS, FIGURES & RESOURCES

March 29, 2016

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Today’s spotlight language is Japanese. Below, we offer background and interesting facts about the language, as well as information to help you find Japanese children’s books. Where is it spoken? Japanese is the national language of Japan, and there are approximately 125 million speakers worldwide. Its origins are unknown, and it has no known linguistic relatives. There are dozens of dialects spoken in Japan, but the main distinctions are between Tokyo-type and Kyoto-Osaka-type. How Many People Speak Japanese in the US? According to the 2011............. CONTINUE READING

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Community Support, Grants and Funding,

HEAD START FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

March 16, 2016

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In our Funding & Grants series of articles, we provide information for educators looking for special funding to help them purchase multilingual resources to support language learners. In a previous post, we focused on Title III grants. Here, we take a look at Head Start funding. Head Start Program – Background Info The Office of Head Start (OHS) is an organization within the US Department of Health and Human Services. It’s government-run, and has............. CONTINUE READING

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