Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.0.Beta5/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id OAA07951; Tue, 17 Aug 1999 14:15:22 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 14:15:22 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <19990814220535.16887.rocketmail@web210.mail.yahoo.com> Errors-To: lmann@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Craig Dougherty <cldougherty@yahoo.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:3438] Re: Albanian refugees X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Status: OR I taught EFL in Albania from 1992-1994 as a Peace Corps Volunteer. I also learned Albanian (and was lucky enough to marry one!) What follows is a brief description of the Albanian language and how this affects the way Albanians may learn English. There are two main dialects of Albanian: Geig and Tosk. The Geig dialect is spoken in Central and Southern Albania and by most Albanians in Macedonia. Tosk is spoken by nothern Albanians, the Kosovar, and Albanians living in Montenegro. The differences between the two dialects are mainly pronunciation and vocabulary. Also, the Kosovar will also many borrowed words from Serbo-Croatian. My wife speaks the Geig dialect but she can understand most Tosk speakers. Pronunciation problems are mainly with vowel sounds and from transfer problems. Expect confusion between the pronunciation of i and e sounds as these are alophones in Albanian. Also some dipthongs may present problems. Of a lesser issue are certain alophones in English that are phonemes in Albanian (the "dark" and "light" l come to mind) Grammar problems are mainly with word order. Their grammar system is basically a case language. In other words, nouns have a different ending based on how it functions in a sentence. Also there are some differences in the use of different word tenses. If they were exposed to English instruction it was probably through the Grammar Translation method, with all of the negatives that this approach offers. If you (hopefully!) try another approach, expect some resistance in the beginning. I hope this helps some. Craig Dougherty cldougherty@yahoo.com --- Marianne Dryden <mdryden@mail.utexas.edu> wrote: > Josiekrame@aol.com wrote: > > > > I know this topic was discussed here before, > but then I didn't have the > > prospect of working with these folks, and now I > do...five teens in an > > intense-get them ready for school mode. I 'm > asking for pearls of wisdom > > from those who may have been working with this > population in particular. Are > > there pronunciation problem areas to consider? I > know alot about teens and > > their interests, just not the peculiarities I > might find here. Thanks for > > any (free)! advice! > > > > Any penpal possibilities? > > > > Josie Kramer > > Cleveland, Ohio > > > For the Kosovar adults who do not speak English, > everything is a > challenge, especially pronunciation. As with any > refugee group, the > kinds of materials to use depend on many > factors--especially their > English level and their level of education in their > native country. > > I imagine these teens have been going to school, if > they are like the > teen refugees we have received in Austin, Texas. > Volunteers for my > program have tried to get the teens who do not speak > English in an ESL > program; those who speak some; they tru to give all > of them support with > their homework. > > Pronunciaation, grammar and vocabulary materials are > excellent > resources. > > Do you mean other Kosovar teens for penpals? > _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
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