Much to my dismay, a member of the
group e-mailed the following information:
“ Did you know that a Regents exam is
no longer given for foreign languages in NY? Not just Italian- all
foreign languages.”
I quickly did some research- and soon
learned that 2012 was the first school year where NY did not
administer a foreign language regents exam. (NB- A Regent's exam is a
NY State administered test to determine a students proficiency in a
subject studied for the previous years)
I was shocked. After all, it wasn't that long ago that I sang the praises of our Governor's sister for“saving” Advanced Placement Italian courses in our state's public schools. In fact, I thought it would usher in a new age of interest
and enrollment in Italian.
Furthermore, I was appalled at the
reason behind it. It seems that New York has discontinued the testbecause, “ it will save the state $700,000 each year.” Huh? In a
state where our main public initiative for the last 20 years has been
improving safety and education, we cut out all foreign language
proficiency testing to save a measly $700,000? Why stop there- just
close all the schools and save billions.
Language is a “hallmark” of one's
culture- and the first step in regaining a piece of your heritage is
to learn the language of your ancestors. America has systematically
denied us access to our ancestor's language by failing to provide it
and ridiculing “non-English” speakers. Having access to Italian
(or any foreign language) at a young age is not a “privilege” nor
is it a luxury. People should not have to be on a treasure hunt to
find it.
ItalianAware wants to save Italian for
our generation- and future generations. We aim to do this with our
new program, “Parlare.” This program will provide
affordable Italian language tutoring for people of all ages,
in group or individualized sessions. The program is set to launch in
November 2012 in the New York Metro Area. Here is what the program will
provide:
A certified, NYC Board of Education
Italian Teacher with 30+ years of experience.
Weekly Sessions
Textbooks and Workbooks
Light, reinforcing homework
(Optional) Trips to New York sites of
Italian cultural/linguistic significance
If you cannot afford any of the above
services, we will also provide free, web-based services.
These can be found both on this blog and
on our Twitter account. Nearly every day, you will get an Italian
word or phrase based on our “Point and Say” program. “Point and
Say” is based on the basic fundamentals of learning a language-
understanding the words of the basic items around you. It is a proven
way to boost your vocabulary. So don't forget to follow us for these important words, phrases and tips!
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