Lesson 2: Mango Languages

1.  In Mango, I chose the language Swahili, since I had students who spoke this language in the Elementary Immersion Center at Jane Addams in the Sioux Falls School District from 2009-2012.  It looks like there are 50 million people who speak Swahili as a 1st or 2nd language in the Demorcratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Oman, and Tanzania.

2.  I tried out a lesson in Swahili.  I think the program would be very helpful to anyone interested in learning another language.  I like the fact that you can replay what was said if you need to if you didn't catch it the first time, or just want to clarify and try it again.  I liked the grammar notes, which compared  Swahili to English, and the cultural note, which talked about common names.  I did have a Fatuma and Halima as students.  The pronunciation/voice comparison was interesting, too.  Even if it sounds "right" to us, it is a good way to check and see how close we are getting to the real thing.

I didn't really like the timer thing.  I'd prefer to try saying it on my own time.  I'm not sure why they added this, unless they want you to complete the lesson in a certain amount of time and this is supposed to keep you on schedule.


Common Core Connections:

1. Mango Languages could help meet the Language standards in English Language Arts in a students wanted to add a word from another language to a writing assignment.

L.3.3:  Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
a.  Choose words and phrases for effect.

Perhaps a word would make a better effect or emphasis in another language at some part of an essay or fictional story.  A student could use this word, and then consult Mango Languages to check its spelling.

3.L.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
g.  Consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and correct spellings.

For example, if an elementary student wanted to use a French word that they recalled from one of Jane O'Connor's Fancy Nancy, stories, but couldn't remember how to spell it, they could use Mango Languages to check out the spelling of the word.  Or, once in Mango Languages, they could go to the Translate tab, and type in the word or words in English: thank you, click translate, and see the French equivalent: merci.  Or type in English: goodbye, translate, and get in French: au revoir.