WORLD LANGUAGES & SPANISH
MCRC TTT Workshop #10 – Meaningful Global Diversity Initiatives… By Jorge Pardo – Shipley School - November 5, 2008
I. MAIN LANGUAGES native speakers 1. Mandarin 2. Hindi 3. Español 4. Inglés 863 million 357 million 352 million 335 million speak the language 1,025 million 476 million 409 million 497 million
II. INTERESTING FACTS: World population: 5.9 billion Spoken languages / dialects today: - more than 5,000 (845 from India) There are more Spanish native speakers than English native speakers in the world. English is the most widespread and the most popular second language in the world. It has by far the largest amount of vocabulary words (490,000 plus another 300,000 technical terms). This is more than all the words in the Spanish and French languages combined. However, it is doubtful that people use more than 60,000 words. Spanish is the native and official language of 21 countries in the world The U.S. is the world’s fourth largest Spanish-speaking country!
HISPANICS in the US: - TOP minority group in the US (more than African-Americans) - Population in the U.S. = 45.5 million, or 1 out of 6.5 Americans - 15.1% of U.S. population - 66% of Hispanics are of Mexican origin - 2nd group of Hispanics in U.S. - Puerto Ricans, followed by Cubans Sources: 1998 World Almanac and Guiness Book of World Records & 2000 U.S. Census by Sr. Pardo
“Me Vale” song by Maná
MCRC TTT Workshop #10 – Meaningful Global Diversity Initiatives… By Jorge Pardo – Shipley School - November 5, 2008
Album: ¿Dónde jugarán los niños? – 1994 No me importa lo que piensa la gente de mí Que si traigo el pelo de alguna manera Porque me gusta traerlo así Qué por qué escucho este tipo de música Si es la que me gusta oír Critican todo lo que ven en mí Inventan chismes que no son ciertos Con quien hablo, con quien salgo, con quien ando Qué te importa es mi vida Si yo no le hago daño a nadie Quién eres tú para decirme como vivir ¿Quién eres tu? Me Vale lo que piensen, hablen de mí Es mi vida y yo soy así Me vale lo que piensen, hablen de mí Es mi vida y yo soy así, porque Me vale, vale, vale, me vale todo Me vale, vale, vale, me vale todo Si no me entienden o comprenden Pues ya ni modo Porque me vale, vale, vale, me vale todo No puedes criticar algo sin conocerlo primero Seré muy feo por afuera, Pero muy bello por adentro Si eres una de esas personas Te tengo una solución En vez de estar fregando y molestándome así Dedícate a encontrar que está mal en ti, porque Me vale lo que piensen, hablen de mí Es mi vida y yo soy así, simón Me vale lo que piensen, hablen de mí Es mi vida y yo soy así, porque Me vale, vale, vale, me vale todo Me vale, vale, vale, me vale todo
Si no me entienden o comprenden Pues ya ni modo Porque me vale, vale, vale, me vale todo Mientras los reprimidos Andan aburridos Yo no ando de jodido No tengo broncas porque soy yo mismo Hablen lo que quieran Que piensa o murmura la gente de mí Que piensan los vecinos de mí Que piensan los maestros de mí Que piensa la autoridad de mí Que piensan mis padres de mí Que piensan mis suegros de mí Que piensa todo el mundo de mí Solo tengo que decir Me vale... Me vale!!! Pónganse el tanto Que el mundo gira rápido Pónganse al tiro O se quedarán atrás, porque Me vale, vale, vale, me vale todo Me vale, vale, vale, me vale todo Si no me entienden o comprenden Pues ya ni modo Porque me vale, vale, vale, Me vale todo
QUINCEAÑERA
MCRC TTT Workshop #10 – Meaningful Global Diversity Initiatives…
By Jorge Pardo – Shipley School - November 5, 2008
I. Synopsis by Moviefone.com Magdalena (Emily Rios) is the daughter of a Mexican-American family who run a storefront church in Echo Park, Los Angeles. With her fifteenth-birthday approaching, all she can think about is her boyfriend, her Quinceanera dress, and the Hummer Limo she hopes to arrive in on her special day. But a few months before the celebration, Magdalena gets pregnant. As the elaborate preparations for her Quinceanera proceed, it is only a matter of time before her religious father finds out and rejects her. Forced out of her home, Magdalena moves in with great-great uncle Tomas (Chalo Gonzalez), a gentle man who makes his living selling champurrado (a Mexican hot drink) in the street. Already living with him is Carlos (Jesse Garcia), Magdalena's cousin, a tough young cholo who was thrown out by his parents for being gay. The back house rental where Tomas has lived happily for many years is on a property that was recently purchased by an affluent white gay couple (David Ross and Jason L. Wood) -- pioneers of gentrification in the neighborhood. Carlos quickly attracts the couple's attention and they soon make him their plaything in an ongoing three-way. As Magdalena's pregnancy grows more visible, she, Carlos and Tomas pull together as a family of outsiders. But the economics of the neighborhood are turning against them. Ultimately, this precipitates a crisis that threatens their way of life. II. USA Today interview of two Latino stars by Lewis Beale A "quinceañera" is the Hispanic equivalent of a bat mitzvah or sweet 16, a celebration that marks a 15-year-old girl's coming-of-age as a woman. In "Quinceañera," a movie opening this month, the event serves as a jumping-off point for a story about a pregnant Mexican-American teen, her gay cousin and their lives in Echo Park, a gentrifying L.A. neighborhood. USA WEEKEND caught up with Jesse Garcia, 24, and Emily Rios, 17, the stars of "Quinceañera," and talked with them about Hispanic film images, teen issues and immigration: Both of you were raised as Jehovah's Witnesses (who don't celebrate birthdays). Jesse, you had never been to a quinceañera. Were you aware of its significance? Jesse: Sure. I have friends whose parents told them, "You can get a car or a quinceañera." It's a huge deal. Emily: Growing up, I knew what they were. People spend thousands of dollars on these parties. The film deals with how the vibrant, working-class Hispanic neighborhood of Echo Park is being slowly taken over by yuppies who are raising real estate prices and driving out longtime residents. How do you feel about this? Jesse: I live in Echo Park now. It makes me sad. It's a cool, artsy neighborhood, and it's going to lose some of its appeal if the gentrification goes too far. The old house in the
film that Emily's character lives in was torn down almost as soon as [filming] wrapped. Four new condos are going up in its place. Emily: In Echo Park, everyone takes pride in where they live. The people who are being forced out work hard. But what are they going to do? They work for minimum wage in a hot real estate city. "Quinceañera" is also a really positive and life-affirming look at the Hispanic community. Do you think movie images of Hispanics are getting better? Jesse: It's getting better. A lot of Latinos are stereotypically portrayed, but in this film, even the "cholo" I play, you kind of relate to him as a human. More movies are being made with positive images, not just "Maria the maid." There are popcorn flicks like "Zorro." The "Spy Kids" movies feature Latinos, and the director [Robert Rodriguez] is Latino. The film deals with issues many teenagers face, like class differences and young love. What do you think are the biggest teen issues today? Emily: Peer pressure. I went to some extremes to prove myself to my friends. I got into a fight for one of them to prove I had her back. Jesse: It's that teenage angst thing. It will always be like that. As Mexican-Americans,you must be interested inthe debate that's going on these days over immigration. What are your thoughts? Jesse: I was born in Wyoming, as was my mom, but my dad came here illegally from Mexico. He's a citizen now, but it took him 20 years to become legal. I do think there should be rules, but the government is going so hard core. Troops along the border? They're not finding a happy medium. Emily: Everybody's trying to point the finger. But I was at the ALMA awards [honoring Latino performers] and looking at these talented Latinos that are making a difference. We work so hard. "Quinceañera" won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and has gotten terrific reviews so far. How do you feel about the reaction to the film? Emily: I'm still pinching myself. The best reaction was at the Berlin Film Festival. These German girls came up to me saying they'd cried, and I thought, "You really understand it?" That was a dream come true. "People we look up to": When it comes to Hispanic role models, Emily Rios and Jesse Garcia are on the same page: The name they both say is actor/director/activist Edward James Olmos. "He's done a lot of work, overcome so much," Rios says. "Within the Latino community, he's an incredible activist. I look up to his work. He's really passionate," García added. Other role models? Garcia notes Salma Hayek -- "She's honest and beautiful" -- and Ricardo Montalban, who "put Latinos on the map" in film. Rios also admires non-Hispanic actress Jennifer Aniston because "she's always kept her humbleness. She's not a diva-like celebrity."
MOVIE, MUSIC, AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
MCRC TTT Workshop #10 – Meaningful Global Diversity Initiatives… By Jorge Pardo – Shipley School - November 5, 2008
I. Movies (in English with some Spanish) 1. Quinceañera 2. A Day Without a Mexican 3. Babel 4. My Family (in Spanish) 5. Motorcycle Diaries 6. El Norte 7. Strawberry and Chocolate 8. Bolivia II. Music groups & songs 1. Maná – Mexican rock band a. Me Vale song 2. Ricardo Arjona – Guatemalan singer a. No me importa nada b. Del otro lado del sol c. Si el norte fuera el sur 3. Mano Negra (Manu Chao) – French/Spanish singer & political activist
III. Additional resources
1. Peace Corps Worldwise Schools a. http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/ b. Go to Educators section – Connect with a
volunteer
2. Online opinion forums a. Univisión http://www.univision.com/content/channel.jhtml?sc hid=16 b. BBC Mundo http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/news/default.stm
3. Pen-pals and connecting to schools abroad a. Epals – www.epals.com b. Students of the World http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/
4. ESL language exchange & mentoring program with a local
public school a. https://65.61.147.56/podium/default.aspx?t=46787
5. Proyecto Polo a Polo – Our connection to the world a. http://www.depoloapolo.marin.edu.ar/ipost/db_page
r.asp?lugar=ingles
6. Cultural and language immersion educational tour
companies a. Global Works - http://www.globalworksinc.com/ b. NETC – Educational Travel http://www.educationaltravel.com/RegionCountry.as px?ItemID=9 c. (French; limited to French Canada) – Immersion Tours – i. http://www.immersion-tours.com/
d. (Spanish; limited to Puerto Rico) – Vamonos Tourswww.vamonostours.com
VOICETHREAD WEBSITE & MEDIA TOOL
MCRC TTT Workshop #10 – Meaningful Global Diversity Initiatives… By Jorge Pardo – Shipley School - November 5, 2008
Traditional site:
www.voicethread.com
New educators site: www. ed.voicethread.com The concept – Each voicethread has at least one picture and/or video with options for verbal and written comments. You can comment by using your computer’s microphone and recording, by calling in your comment, by video recording through a webcam, or by typing your answer. Cost – Free for basic voicethread account; one time $10 fee for educator’s voicethread. Benefits o Excellent for commenting about particular subject online o It provides a proof and/or evidence of student’s oral progression o It makes it easier to teach, coach, and add objectivity to oral testing o Using the site browse section enables students to comment on multiple voicethreads and express their opinions on all kinds of multicultural and/or social justice topics. For a sample of my students’ voicethreads and discussions: o Go to www.voicethread.com o In Browse, type: cafe espanol
o Enter any of the pages there; all are public