Important
Dates
Registration
deadline:
January
7
Classes
begin:
January
13
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Around
Town
Japanese
Film at SIFF
See
Rashomon, a 1950 film about the philosophy of
justice. English
subtitles.
MeetupsSeattle has a
meetup group for almost every language. They are a
great way to meet people and practice your foreign
language skills.
Give
the Gift of Learning
SLA Gift
Certificates are now available. It's a thoughtful
and meaningful gift that keeps on giving for a
lifetime.
World
Expo 2010On
your way to Shanghai? Sign up now
for Chinese classes at SLA.
Can
you guess which Chinese character inspired the
World Expo logo?
More infoFree
ConcertChoral group
Seattle Pro Musica will perform at Seattle City
Hall on December 3. Musical selections from Japan,
Korea, China, and more.More
info |
عطلة
سعيدة
节日快乐
Happy
Holidays
Joyeuses
Ftes
Schne
Feiertage
Buone
Feste
Boas
Festas
счастливого
отпуска
Felices
Fiestas
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"Americans who travel
abroad for the first time are often shocked to
discover that, despite all the progress that has
been made in the last 30 years, many foreign
people still speak in foreign
languages."
Dave Barry,
American writer and Humorist, b.
1947
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Instructor
Highlight
 Name: Yufeng "Frank"
Yang
Hometown: Hengfeng, Jiangxi
Province
Teaches:
Mandarin
Years
at SLA:
5
Speaks:
Mandarin, English, a little bit of Japanese,
French and Italian
Favorite
Seattle restaurants:
Bamboo Garden; Seven Star
Peppers
What
he enjoys about teaching:
Sharing my knowledge with others and helping
people broaden their horizon
Frank
in his students' words:
"Frank Yang is wonderful person. As a
teacher, he is open, supportive, and fun. It
brightens my day just to think of
him!" --Marcia Reed, CHN 300
student
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What's
Happening
SLA Moving Next
Door
Effective Winter
quarter, 2010, SLA will occupy a brand new suite
of offices and classrooms in the Fremont West
building across the alley from its current
location. Our new address: 123 36th Street Suite
240, Seattle WA
98107
Film Nights
Back by
popular demand, our instructors will be showing
their favorite foreign films throughout the winter
quarter. Stay tuned for times and
titles.
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How to
Help
Word of mouth is
our most important source for recruiting new
students. We would like to thank all of you
how have given us referrals in the past, and by
the way we always have space for
more!
If you would like
to lend a hand, here's a way you can really help
which will cost you very little time and no money
at all: you can write an online review describing
your experience here and post it on a site like
the one below:
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Did you
know...?
Children acquire
language unthinkingly, without analysis and
conscious thought, and we like to refer to them as
"sponges" for this reason. They seem to soak up
everything in their environment. But this tendency
to highlight a child's uncanny ability to absorb
vast amounts of information risks diminishing an
important fact of early language acquisition: from
the very first, children exhibit a need to impose
logic and structure on language that often trumps
their natural impulse to parrot the adult world
around them. Thus, a child who says "I putted the
book on the table," even when guided repeatedly to
the correct form ("You put the book on the table?"
"Yes, I putted it on the table." "You put it on
the bed?" "No, I putted it on the table.") is
likely to repeat the "error." Sponges at times,
yes, but sponges that illustrate an ability to
recognize, and a need to adhere to, the patterns
and rules that constitute the logic and
architecture of language.
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Student
Highlight
 Name: Malia
Hometown: Mukilteo
Years
in Seattle area: All my
life.
Q: Which languages are
you currently studying? Japanese
Q:
Why? During my freshmen
year I studied Spanish, but didn't like the
instruction or class at my high school.Therefore,
I started studying Japanese the following year at
my high school. I wanted to learn and know the
language because I am half Japanese, and have
always had a desire to go to Japan. However, I was
unhappy in my Japanese class in high school. The
Japanese class at Seattle Language Academy was a
great alternative, and Yuka is
awesome.
Q: How long have you
been studying at SLA? I started studying
at SLA this past summer for a summer session, and
now I'm currently taking the fall
session.
Q: Why did you choose
Seattle Language Academy? My counselor
recommended a couple of language schools, but SLA
had what I needed. I was able to take my classes
for credit, and everyone was accommodating and
easy to work with. Yuka placed me in a class,
which was a good fit for me.
Q: Briefly describe your
experience at Seattle Language Academy.
I'm taking
Japanese with my mom, and the class size is
perfect. The class is tiny, so everyone gets to
know one another and feels comfortable. It's a
superb learning environment. We learn utilizing
exercises in our textbook, by watching segments of
shows or movies in Japanese, and Yuka shares
stories, which give us insight into Japanese
culture. Sometimes people bring in Japanese baked
treats. We always have conversations in Japanese
and practice what we have learned. Sensei also
puts together slideshows and little activities to
help us learn. The class is set up for the
individual to not only learn, but also really
succeed, which I really love. It has been a
positive experience.
Q: Something funny that
happened to you while traveling the world.
When I went
to Hawaii last week, I went for a jog with my dad
along Waikiki. A Japanese couple asked if we would
take their picture, but I misunderstood them and
shook my head no. I felt so terrible. Later when
we were in the ocean I realized that I knew what I
could have said in Japanese to apologize, but it
was too late. There were a lot of Japanese
tourists in Hawaii, and it was really cool to hear
them speak Japanese. I was able to pick up words
and I recognized that they were speaking Japanese,
which was really awesome.
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