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Post by Miriam on Jul 15, 2008 2:25:31 GMT -5
Hi, I'm very interested in the Classical Writing program, it is exactly what I'm looking for in a writing program. However, I have a small problem . I'm from the Netherlands. I plan on giving my children a strong background in English, but I'm not sure we will be able to do this program in English at the specified ages. Is it possible to do this program in Dutch? That is...how difficult will it be to replace your models with different (Dutch) models? and to incorporate Dutch grammar? Would this mean a complete rewrite of your program? In that case, I would better start now (my oldest is in K) Or would I still be able to use parts of your program? I don't think I'm up to completely rewriting your program. Sadly there is nothing like this in the Netherlands.
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Post by Carolyn on Jul 15, 2008 7:19:54 GMT -5
Is it possible to do this program in another language? That's a good question. Aesop and Homer would be the easiest levels to do in another language, because they're designed to let the teacher pick the models (unless you're using the workbooks), and the concepts are fairly general. You'd definitely need to come up with alternate grammar assignments for Homer, but the grammar in Aesop should transfer over fairly well, as it's just the basic parts of speech. Overall, I'd say these two levels are quite doable in another language.
Things get more tricky with Diogenes, as the teaching there is strongly model-specific. If you can get translations of the models we use for analysis, that would be easiest. Picking good substitutes would require understanding why the model was chosen, and then being able to find something that had those characteristics. It would be a definite challenge, but I don't know that it would be undoable.
Lene has much more experience with learning in a second language than do I... I will ask her to share her thoughts as well when she's around.
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Post by Miriam on Aug 4, 2008 1:14:30 GMT -5
Hi Carolyn, -computer problems prevented me from responding earlier, sorry- Thank you for your explanation. You are confirming what I was already expecting, that the higher levels would be very difficult to translate to a different language. Hmmmm, I'm not sure it is wise for me to spend years in advance redesigning a program , it is probably better to really focus on studying English with my kids. If Lene has a solution I'm all ears . best wishes, Miriam
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Post by Lene Mahler Jaqua on Aug 4, 2008 18:08:54 GMT -5
Miriam,
I don't think you could adapt our program to Dutch very easily. My first language is Danish, and I would think, just off the bat, that even the grammar would not fit very well very far into the program (possibly really not beyond Aesop), since Danish has more genders than three, it uses reflexsive pronouns more extensively in terms of possessive adjectives, and creates its tenses differently. Danish puts definite adjective articles at the end of words as suffixes,... and on and on the differences go in terms of verb placement in the sentence, how to construct a question, etc. I know German, but not Dutch, but my hunch is that Dutch would be closer to Danish or German than it would be to English in terms of grammar specifics.
In terms of models, once you get into the higher levels, the models are unique to English and we give enough model-specific information that even for English speakers, to change the models would take effort.
Lene
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Post by Miriam on Aug 7, 2008 2:23:45 GMT -5
Hi Lene, thank you. I don't know Danish and only a little bit of German, so I can't really compare, but I think you're right. You stating that to change the models in the upper level of the program takes a lot of effort for English speaking parents, makes it clear that it will be almost impossible for me to adapt the program to Dutch. I'm really dissapointed, sigh. I'm going to focus on studying English with my girls and maybe - hopefully - we will be able to use CW in English. thanks, Miriam
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