S5E3 Gianny Morales: Making a Home in Two Worlds

At the age of 20, I was like, wow, the models of bilingual education in the US and in Colombia failed me. They’re leaving kids behind. So I have a lot of drive to make that right, by being out there with teachers, surrounded by the people making changes. Gianny Morales The stories we tellContinueContinue reading “S5E3 Gianny Morales: Making a Home in Two Worlds”

S5E2 Shuhan Wang: A New Framework for Language Education

It’s not about learning vocabulary, learning how to say something in another language. Deep down, we’re talking about making us better, smarter, more compassionate, more open minded, more empathetic people who care about self and also one another. That’s my goal and my passion. Dr. Shuhan Wang In another place in our conversation, she says,ContinueContinue reading “S5E2 Shuhan Wang: A New Framework for Language Education”

S5E1 What Makes Us Human, a Conversation with Victor D.O. Santos, Ph.D.

Season 5 kicks off with Norah Lulich Jones hosting Victor Santos, author of What Makes Us Human. Explore how Santos uses riddle in both words and images to engage and delight children (and adults) with the power of human language.

E126 Humans, Language,Technology: a conversation with Noemí Rodríguez

We learned a lot after the pandemic: how important it is to be face-to-face and humans need each other. Folks tell me AI is going to replace us. I beg to differ. We as human beings are powerful and can use this intelligence to help us. Noemí Rodríguez I love this conversation with language educationContinueContinue reading “E126 Humans, Language,Technology: a conversation with Noemí Rodríguez”

E125 Taking Proficiency Seriously, with Paul Sandrock

Proficiency comes down very simply to what someone can do with the language. It’s not what you know about the language, it’s what you can do with the language. As a learner I need to take it within me on a playground, in in the community, doing video games with kids around the world… PaulContinueContinue reading “E125 Taking Proficiency Seriously, with Paul Sandrock”

E124 Language Warriors – A Conversation with Brandon Locke

Language is everywhere. We have to make it right for our own community and make it meaningful for our own community, but always keep that larger picture out there. Opening eyes to the world is the best thing that we can give our students. Brandon Locke Qeyaakaq. “Language Warrior.” The photo shows Brandon, initially unawareContinueContinue reading “E124 Language Warriors – A Conversation with Brandon Locke”

E123 LAMA Leadership: A Conversation with Tal Gale

LAMA means “Why?” Clarity on why we are having a conversation to educate and develop leaders allows us to look at language intentionally, to ask questions about meaning, and to explore with our participants, who, in turn, will also be our teachers. Tal Gale Human language gives us the gift of Why. Without language, organismsContinueContinue reading “E123 LAMA Leadership: A Conversation with Tal Gale”

Episode 122 Your Language Niche: A Conversation with Gregory Nedved

I would say you can do a lot with languages–things you wouldn’t expect–and that is what I have tried to do in my life. It’s not simply reading, writing, speaking and listening. You find a niche that works for you. You find the thing you like, where you think you have a future, and youContinueContinue reading “Episode 122 Your Language Niche: A Conversation with Gregory Nedved”

Episode 121 Lorie Roule: Advocating for Sustainable Language Programs

Language is very important to bring people together. Communication can bring peace. If we can communicate together in a caring and loving way, there will be peace in the world. Lorie Roule’s mother, from an interview We tend to be, as a country, short-sighted about language. A problem goes away and the attention goes away,ContinueContinue reading “Episode 121 Lorie Roule: Advocating for Sustainable Language Programs”

Episode 120 The Pulsera Project : Chris Howell

We work anywhere where we see issues or anywhere where we think that we can make a connection and work with people who are really capable. They’re extremely inspiring people. It’s the idea of connecting students with artists. Christopher Howell In a world where cultural divisions often seem insurmountable, a remarkable initiative known as theContinueContinue reading “Episode 120 The Pulsera Project : Chris Howell”

Episode 119 Language and Leadership Pathways: Christopher Gwin

If you become multilingual and explore the world and develop interculturality, you aren’t losing your original identity, you’re only making it stronger. Christopher Gwin Language is the pathway not to losing yourself, but to finding yourself and being grateful for your life experiences. Language learning makes you less competitive, because you have seen other practicesContinueContinue reading “Episode 119 Language and Leadership Pathways: Christopher Gwin”

Episode 117 The GLOBE Academy: Sandra Daniel

The association that people have had in the past with language education is not what it has evolved to become today. People are highly strategic with the way that they are using language in the classroom. Language is used for an authentic purpose, it’s used for critical thinking skills, it’s used for strategic problem-solving, soContinueContinue reading “Episode 117 The GLOBE Academy: Sandra Daniel”

Episode 116 The Day I Met Homer (Little Adventures in Language & Culture)

In Episode 116 It’s About Language host Norah Jones does a bit of storytelling of her language and cultural meetings, missteps, mistakes…and reflects on the powerful growth such experiences bring. She invites listeners to reflect on the roles of their own life stories in defining themselves and their impact in challenging times.

Episode 115 Joy and Opportunity for All: Nancy Hong

We don’t want DLI programs to just simply exist. We want them to thrive, and, as I found in my research, a leader’s choices, their decisions, and their practices can really elevate everyone’s practice and build a community of respect and understanding and support for this program. We want Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs toContinueContinue reading “Episode 115 Joy and Opportunity for All: Nancy Hong”

Episode 114 Word Play and Pun’d-It, with Josh Daly

Wordplay is an opportunity for fun and engagement, an opening to appreciate some important things about language. As we all well know, spoken language is not only a way of conveying information, but also a way of connecting with others and expressing ourselves. And one of the ways that spoken language can be more creativeContinueContinue reading “Episode 114 Word Play and Pun’d-It, with Josh Daly”

Episode 113 Always Say Yes to a Language: Michele Aoki & Veronica Trapani

Bring a language forward. We want that language to be something that we recognize. Human language is uniquely suited to creating possibilities. Those possibilities create opportunties for individuals to discover their deepest identities, to express their most important thoughts, to make their most important connections with other people, and to find their place and purposeContinueContinue reading “Episode 113 Always Say Yes to a Language: Michele Aoki & Veronica Trapani”

Episode 112 Honing Our Craft: Florencia Henshaw & Kim Potowski

“We learn about fundamentals. Then as we recognize that society changes, we start questioning as we face new challenges. We need to start having other conversations.” Ponder for a moment the word “craft.” A world of mass-manufactured goods, one-use items, disposables, low-low-low prices, divided attention, and Instagram glamour… Where does craft fit in? The wordContinueContinue reading “Episode 112 Honing Our Craft: Florencia Henshaw & Kim Potowski”

Episode 111 Language and the Art of Motorcycles: Michelle Olah

“It’s a long journey. It’s a long trip. And it’s getting there and getting back. …We bought something because the new context called for it. And that’s okay. You need to be adaptable, you need to be flexible. That was a super easy decision to make, because we knew what our plan was. So whenContinueContinue reading “Episode 111 Language and the Art of Motorcycles: Michelle Olah”

Episode 110 United by Language Family : Terri Marlow

“We are a family, not biological family, but a family united by language.” Do we need data to love our family? We can read much research about how a family unit – no matter how it may be constituted – is of critical importance to human well-being. But if we do not experience it, itContinueContinue reading “Episode 110 United by Language Family : Terri Marlow”

Episode 109 Bringing Perspectives Together : Enrique Moras

“Complexity makes life more interesting. Stories need to evoke these complexities, to generate questions. We need questions more than answers.” What journey are YOU on? What questions are you creating, the language of which can create more openings to understanding, connections, and possibilities than “answers” ever can? What talent in yourself are you cultivating? HowContinueContinue reading “Episode 109 Bringing Perspectives Together : Enrique Moras”

Episode 108: Light a Fire

What’s your spark? How do you speak about your identity, your purpose, your gifts? Use your language to breathe life into your unique ember, and join with others to light a fire to warm the world. Humanity and hope: it’s about language.

Episode 107 For You and With You: Megan Diercks

It’s About Language | Episode 107 | For You and With You: Megan Dierks

Norah Jones speaks with Megan Diercks of the AATF about the power of language to transform lives young and old, and to develop confidence, leadership, and connections in our work and world. We are stronger when we are working together. The AATF networks with other organizations to strengthen the visibility of French in the world, bringing people together to reinforce the importance of French and the importance of learning and using French in our lives and in the world.

Episode 106 Language, Self-Reflection, Growth: Thomas Sauer

Join us for Episode 106 of Its About Language, where Thomas Sauer of PEARLL shares insights with host Norah Jones on the importance of self-reflection for personal growth and enhanced well-being.

Sauer’s work at the National Foreign Language Center focuses on reflection in professional development, but his conversation with Jones demonstrates how to apply this practice in the lives of all human beings, adults and children alike.

More insights on the topics of professional growth, Teacher Effectiveness for Language Learning (TELL), Thomas Sauer’s work, and using Norah Jones’s work with natural language behaviors to support reflection and growth can all be found at Jones’s website, http://www.fluency.consulting .

Episode 105 Making Connections, Making a Difference: Kathy Shelton & ACTFL

Join us on a transformative journey of language connection and empowerment, regardless of your role or work in life. This episode serves as an inspiring call to make meaningful connections and discover opportunities for positive impact. By seeking and sharing stories like these, you build a ladder to lift you out of despair, illuminating your path to your unique role to play in the world.

Episode 104 – Leaping Past Language Barriers – Jessica Haxhi

This episode brings Norah & Jessica Haxhi (New Haven, CT) together to discuss how language is more than words. It’s a tool that can be used to leap over barriers: AI, COVID separation, environmental & social and other pressing contemporary needs.