Creative Connections - An International Culture Exchange Organization
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 Dual Language Connection Program

Class-to-Class International Partnership Program for Foreign Language Classes

 CLICK HERE to view our Dual Language brochure in PDF Format

Give your classes experience in reading/writing and hearing/speaking with real live partners from overseas. We have partner classes in Spanish, French, and Russian speaking countries. This unique program allows English languages classes in these countries to practice their English while your class gets to try out a foreign language. How? The scrapbook letter and captions are written in both English and the foreign language and the videos are narrated in both languages. These dual language programs are very successful providing learning and cultural context.

 

An Overview of the 2005-2006 Dual Language Partnership Program

From early February through late May, partner classes exchange cultural insights through the creation of two distinct letter and video scrapbooks and by conferencing Online. Communication takes place in English and in the

foreing language (Spanish, French or Russian).

 

By mid-March, partner classes produce colorful scrapbooks:

 

- Letter scrapbooks comprised of thoughtful letters by each student, photo

  graphs, drawings, stamps, coins, labels, and other “flat” items. These pro

  video partner classes with a variety of cultural clues to ponder and enjoy.

 

-Video scrapbook with video presentations of aspects of the students´s lives

  that are unique or special to their culture.

 

-In April and May "ExchangeOnline" Internet conferencing By signing onto to our 

 Internet site with your own password you will be able to meet fellow teachers

 participating in our Classroom Connection  program from many countries. We will have

 a specific site for each Classroom Connection exchangewhere you and your students

 will be encouraged to give feedback to and interact with your partner class studens

 when their letter and video scrapbooks arrive in your classroom.


In past years, our international partner classes' came from:
Argentina, Alaska (Athabaskan village), Bangladesh, Botswana, Canada (Eskimo village), Chile, China, Colombia, England, Finland, Gambia, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Mexico(Mayan village), Nepal, New Zealand, Paraguay, Poland, Puerto Rico, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Taiwan, Togo, and Uganda.

We support our partner teachers by...

  • Identifying and linking classes according to grade, age and teacher specifications and providing full details of the partner class
  • Providing materials. Our Classroom Connection Handbook includes deadlines, clear guidelines on what is expected of both exchange partners, suggestions for scrapbook projects, and approaches to the teaching process when dealing with culture. Our Video Sampler includes sample projects from our worldwide partners.
  • Giving live introductory workshops to local classes, and introductory workshop packets for non local classes, helping open the students' minds to the excitement of cultural exploration.
  • Facilitating the exchange process to support our partner teachers' every step. We keep in regular communication with teachers, convert video tapes to the correct local format, and take care of all shipping.
  • Building Virtual Community through online global communication, enabling teachers and students to exchange ideas and best practices.
  • Supporting classes in financial need through scholarships and absorbing shipping cost when needed.

What our programs cost?

All US classes pay a $275 exchange fee which covers all international shipping costs. Our non-US partner classes pay no fees but are usually responsible for mailing their scrapbooks to our office.

Interested in joining us?

If you would like to join us for our January 2006 program, Click below for an online enrollment form. Fill it out and email it back to us at your earliest convenience. While we make our matches up until December 1, our program is usually fully subscribed before then.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions by email, fax, or postal mail by clicking here: Contact Information, or fill out our online enrollment form by clicking here: Enrollment Form

Teachers, Please take a few moments to fill out our Classroom Connections 2004-2005 Evaluation Form and submit the responses back to us. Thank you.

Creative Connections | 3 Quincy St. | Norwalk, CT 06850 USA | Phone 203 803 4376 | Fax 203 803 4386
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