Political Hippo Circle Jerk - America, farg YEAH!

[Geowhizzer]

I stress to my kids the importance of knowing two languages, especially in Florida.  For my bi-lingual students, I encourage them to keep practicing their Spanish (for most that is not a problem, as that is what is spoken at home).

My main concern is for student who know little or no English, and yet are dropped into a classroom environment that is not conducive to their learning, either of English or of the subject matter.  Bi-lingual is optimal, but all students need to be given the tools to learn the predominant language.

And, yes, most other industrialized nations do teach language to students at an early age (the earlier the better).  Unfortunately, in most school districts down here, language is taught only in high school.

[rjs246]

I took a linguistics course in college and read a book on how as the brain is developing children can easily learn several languages and actually have an instinct to communicate in several ways (many children even create their own rudimentary languages) and that after the age of nine it becomes exponentially more difficult for children to learn new languages. During that period of heightened development children will learn a new language with a minimum of exposure (relatively speaking).

Anyway, trying to learn a language in high school after no exposure to anything other than English is basically swimming upstream.

[Geowhizzer]

I took a linguistics course in college and read a book on how as the brain is developing children can easily learn several languages and actually have an instinct to communicate in several ways (many children even create their own rudimentary languages) and that after the age of nine it becomes exponentially more difficult for children to learn new languages. During that period of heightened development children will learn a new language with a minimum of exposure (relatively speaking).

Anyway, trying to learn a language in high school after no exposure to anything other than English is basically swimming upstream.

Unfortunately, until the almighty F-CAT (Florida's standardized test) is either lessened in importance or adds yet another test to the battery, foreign languages will not be emphasized, or for the most part even addressed, in elementary or middle schools.  Heck, social studies is barely taught in the elementary schools.

[Phanatic]

The Empty suit just won Michegan for the republicans.

[MDS]

Not a huge win. He's the only one who spent money there and worked the native son angle. It wasn't much of a race.

South Carolina is the key.

[Eagles_Legendz]

Not key to Romney.  Romney knows he isn't going to win S. Carolina, but Michigan gives his campaign viability.  He will be working hard to win NV.  It's still a big win for Romney tonight because polls two days ago showed that McCain had pulled ahead, but Romney ended up winning by 10%.  I still don't think he's the favorite in the Republican race, but winning tonight put him back in it.

[Geowhizzer]

That's the second poll to have one candidate surge ahead, only to have the one supposedly being left behind actually win.

[Diomedes]

Feb. 5 might just come and go without settling who the nominees are.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

That is certainly a possibility.


Bill Clinton: OBAMA represents the establishment.  HAHAHAHA

[ice grillin you]

from a hucklebuck speech in michigan yesterday....




"I have opponents in this race who do not want to change the Constitution," Huckabee told a Michigan audience on Monday. "But I believe it's a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living god. And that's what we need to do — to amend the Constitution so it's in God's standards rather than try to change God's standards so it lines up with some contemporary view."

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

If Romney's ancestors had that type of courage, I could legally have a harem of women at home.

[rjs246]

farg me Huckabee is terrifying.

[phattymatty]

i would like to change the commandments.  that whole covet your neighbor's wife one is farged up and quite unfair.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Seriously.... what if she's hot?

[rjs246]

Thous shalt not abort thy mistress' unwanted child was never ONCE addressed in the bible. I think we're all off the hook.