Language Learners Have Rights!

The Language Learners' Declaration of Independence.

The Language Learners' Declaration of Independence (draft). I welcome additional clauses.

We have the inalienable right to pursue happiness, well-being, and prosperity through the pleasurable study of the languages of mankind.

We have the inalienable right to study the language(s) of our choice, in whatever way we want.

We have the inalienable right to study content of our choice, seeking the sublime enjoyment of communicating meaningfully in another language and culture, at our own pace, gradually increasing our understanding and confidence.

We have the inalienable right to form our own understanding of what we are reading and listening to, at any point in our progress in the language, without the need to answer comprehension questions or translate.

We have the inalienable right to refuse to do exercises, drills, answer questions on grammar, memorize grammar rules and tables, study lists of words not of our choosing, or any other activity imposed by others.

We have the inalienable right to speak in the language we are learning, only when we want, and how we want, and to refuse to respond to pressure to perform for evaluation by others.

We have the inalienable right to refuse to participate in role playing, task based activities, or other unnatural activities imposed by others.

We have the inalienable right to enjoy our language learning, because we are individuals with different interests and goals, and because it is only by enjoying the language that we will eventually reach our goals.

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Learn English For FREE

Thanks to the American Library Association and Dollar General we are able to offer weekly English as a second language classes. Classes meet every Thursday night from 6:30pm to 8:00pm. Don't let a language barrier stop you from pursuing your dreams. If you or know someone that is interested in attending these free classes please tell them to join us. Classes are FREE and NO sign up is required. All languages are welcome to attend. We hope to see you soon!

Culture Day

Every year in Japan on November 3rd, Culture Day (文化の日) is held across the country.

The holiday was originally held to celebrate the birthday of Emperor Meiji from 1868 until 1912. Culture Day eventually evolved from this to celebrate Japanese arts, culture, and scholarly accomplishments.

The different prefectures of Japan often host things like art exhibits, martial arts demonstrations, and parades. Some have certain themes, like traditional clothing or artwork, and others are more generic in nature.

Along with all of the regional festivities, the award ceremony for the Order of Culture is also held in Tokyo’s Imperial Palace. This involves the emperor dolling out an extremely prestigious award to someone who has advanced or contributed to science, the arts, or culture in a significant way, though the recipient does not necessarily have to be Japanese. This is one of the most honored awards that can be bestowed by the Imperial Family.

Do you think the United States should begin celebrating culture with a national holiday? What do you think it would be like?

ESL Classes

We look forward to seeing everyone back at the library for ESL classes! Classes meet every Thursday evening at 6:30pm. All languages are welcome and no sign up is required! The children's library is back open as well! Bring in the kiddos and check out some books!

Saving the World One Language at a Time

Learn a Language here with Visual Link® Languages. You can learn over 1,400 words for free here! There are interactive audio/visual flash cards to help you learn a language. There's also an addictive Lingo Dingo game to help you on your langauge learning journey. As seen above, you can learn words in the language of your choice. You can also learn important phrases like greetings, survival expressions and slang words in the language of your choice. If you want verbs, there are over 350 verbs to learn in each language. To our knowledge, this is the most extensive free website dedicated to help you learn a language on the web. Be sure to use it and pass it on to others.

Young Language Learners

Little Pim is a cute little Panda that teaches your youngster a foreign language. Click on the link below to learn more about this fantastic resource! The Little Pim series uses immersion and interaction techniques to create an engaging and fun-to-watch language learning experience. Pim, an animated panda, is the series' main character who begins each learning section. Each introductory animated skit is followed by live-action footage of children engaged in everyday activities. Pim narrates these sections, and the French vocabulary words are circled as they are spoken, with a graphic overlay of the word for emphasis. The concepts transition well, with later lessons building on previous ones. The focus is on the first words typically acquired by children (e.g., bed, fork, fruit, I'm tired, etc.). Each DVD teaches more than 60 new words and phrases arranged in five-minute episodes. The narration is clear, crisp, and easy-to-understand; the music is cheerful but not overpowering; and the visuals are colorful and vibrant. The parent guide contains general information on pandas and early language instruction. There are optional English subtitles. An entertaining introduction to very basic French vocabulary for preschoolers.

If you are interested in checking out one of these DVD's we can order them in from one of our partnering libraries.
Little Pim

New Languages Coming Soon!

Mango Languages is adding several more languages to their language learning program. Version 2.0 will be introduced later this fall. For more information about this exciting news, click on the link below to see if the language you are looking for is listed.

Mango Languages