America the Bilingual

It’s a gift that can’t go under the tree, it can’t even be seen, but it’s one of the best gifts in life. It is, of course, the gift of bilingualism. We’ve reported on this gift many times in our first 19 episodes of this premier season of the America the Bilingual podcast. Our gift to you this Christmas season is a collection of 12 ways to experience this gift . We’re featuring excerpts from some of our favorite podcast moments of the year. Join us as we unwrap the 12 Gifts of Bilingualism. Perhaps it will inspire you to give, or receive, The Gift yourself.

This episode was written by Steve Leveen, and our producer, Fernando Hernández (who also does our sound design and mixing). Our associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Mim Harrison is the America the Bilingual editorial and brand director Carlos Plaza is our design director; and Chetley von Mutt is our bark-lingual mascot.

Our editorial consultant is Maja Thomas.

Special thanks to all our guests who have appeared on America the Bilingual podcasts this year—we are toasting you this holiday season.

Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike License by (in order of appearance):

Mystery Mammal - The first Noel

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Mystery_Mammal/Xmas_on_Tape/The_First_Noel_1206

Kevin Macleod - Quasi motion

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Global_Sampler/Quasi_Motion

Lee Rosevere - What's behind the door

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_13_Whats_Behind_the_Door

Chris Zabriskie - I should have been more human

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Chris_Zabriskie/Music_from_Neptune_Flux/ChrisZabriskie-MusicfromNeptuneFlux-09

Frederic Lardon feat Laura Palmeé

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Frederic_Lardon_feat_Laura_Palme/Jazz__la_cool_pour_les_vacances_sur_la_plage_ou__la_montagne_1678/Frederic_Lardon_feat_Laura_Palme_-_Jazz__la_cool_pour_les_vacances_sur_la_plage_ou__la_montagne_-_01_Dans_la_piscine_1244

Francisco Penilla - Chicle bombita

https://soundcloud.com/francisco-penilla/francisco-penilla-chicle-bombita

Mark Castle - Sad Xmas

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Mark_Castle/Sad_Xmas_Single_Radio_Edit/Sad_Xmas_Radio_Edit_1561

Mindseye - Let it snow

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/MindsEye/Let_it_snow/MindsEye_-_Let_it_snow

Mystery Mammal - O come all ye faithful

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Mystery_Mammal/Xmas_on_Tape/O_Come_All_Ye_Faithful_1466

Americans remember World War I, but most of us have forgotten the war within our own borders that took place during those same years. It was a war against all things German-American, including the teaching of the German language. Our internal war was so violent, destructive and cruel, that as soon as the war in Europe ended, Americans were quick to sweep what happened under the rug. The lynchings, internment camps and book burnings are not mentioned in our history textbooks. But on the centenary of that forgotten homeland war, the results linger with us still.

America the Bilingual is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

This episode was written by Steve Leveen and our producer Fernando Hernández (who also does our cool sound design and mixing). Our associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Check out the rest of our cast at America the Bilingual dot com, including Mim Harrison, Maja Thomas, Carlos Plaza and especially our bark-lingual mutt, Chet.

Special thanks to Michelle van Gilder of the Lead with Languages campaign and Kristen Gillet, who sang us into this episode.

Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike License by: (in order of appearance)

Kevin Macleod, Jorge Mario Zuleta, Rafael Archangel, Francisco Penilla and Lee Rosevere,

Bill Weir, travel correspondent and host of CNN Wonder List has his dream job. He gets to jet all over the world to capture images and weave stories together from what he finds. It’s all perfect, except for one thing--Bill is monolingual.

“I wish I could travel back in time and punch my teenage self in the face for not paying attention. I was one of those horrible language students who didn't figure I would ever need it.” He seems an odd choice to address thousands of language teachers at their annual convention. But Bill is full of praise for the teachers helping today’s American teens gain their multilingual chops, including one special teacher Bill met in the green room before she went on stage--Ying Jin. She had just won National Language Teacher of the Year--the first Chinese teacher to do so. In this episode, we’ll take you behind the scenes with Bill and Ying to hear what they hope for America.

This episode was written by Steve Leveen, our producer Fernando Hernández (who also does our cool sound design and mixing) and our Francofile French Teacher and associate producer, Beckie Rankin.

Check out the rest of our cast at America the Bilingual dot com, including our brand and editorial director Mim Harrison, editorial consultant Maja Thomas, design director, Carlos Plaza and finally last and least, our bark-lingual mascot, Chet.

Special thanks to Marty Abbott, Michelle van Gelder and Erin Well cher of the Lead with Languages campaign, as well as all the teachers and administrators who came by to be interviewed; we’ll hear their voices in future episodes.

Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike license by (in orden of appearance):

Hank - Dark Country

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Hank/AckrillVenning_91/Dark_Country

Kevin Macleod - Quasi motion

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Global_Sampler/Quasi_Motion

Jason Shaw - Travel light

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Shaw/Audionautix_Acoustic/TRAVEL_LIGHT______________________1-53

Jason Shaw - Wheels

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Shaw/Audionautix_Acoustic/WHEELS_________________3-30

Mystery Mammal - Foreign Produce

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Mystery_Mammal/Latent/Foreign_Produce_1368

Paulina Jedrzejowski was five years old when two airliners slammed into the World Trade Center. She was just a few miles away in Brooklyn and wondered why ashes and bits of paper were floating down from the sky. Despite growing up in an America with a heightened concern for attacks from the outside, Paulina has devoted her young life to helping outsiders. She has lived in several other countries and learned their languages. Hear her story, and the story of a promising trend in America in which young people are redefining what their parents called a “gap” year, into something far more meaningful.

This episode was written by Steve Leveen, our producer Fernando Hernández, who also does our sound design and mixing, and our associate producer, Beckie Rankin. Our brand and editorial director is Mim Harrison. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio.

Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike license by (in orden of appearance):

Demoiselle Döner - Rien n'a vraiment changé

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Demoiselle_Dner/Dcapitation_de_lHydre_Alpha/Demoiselle_Dner_-_Dcapitation_de_lHydre_Alpha_-_05_Rien_na_vraiment_chang

Kevin Macleod - Quasi Motion

https://exit.sc/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffreemusicarchive.org%2Fmusic%2FKevin_MacLeod%2FGlobal_Sampler%2FQuasi_Motion

Francisco Penilla - Chicle Bombita

https://soundcloud.com/francisco-penilla/francisco-penilla-chicle-bombita

Nctrnm - Friction

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Nctrnm/ACUERDO/Friction111Bm

Lee Rosevere - More on that later

https://exit.sc/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffreemusicarchive.org%2Fmusic%2FLee_Rosevere%2FMusic_for_Podcasts_4%2FLee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_08_More_On_That_Later

Lee Rosevere - Sad marimba planet

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_02_Sad_Marimba_Planet

Komiku - Ambiant wait

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku/The_Binge_Watchers__Score_1/Komiku_-_The_Binge_Watchers_-_Score_1_-_16_Ambiant_Wait

Demoiselle Döner - La descente by

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Demoiselle_Dner/Dcapitation_de_lHydre_Alpha/Demoiselle_Dner_-_Dcapitation_de_lHydre_Alpha_-_03_La_descente

Komiku - Action discovery

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku/The_Binge_Watchers__Score_1/Komiku_-_The_Binge_Watchers_-_Score_1_-_12_Action_Discovery

Juanitos - Hola hola Bossa Nova

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Juanitos/netBloc_Vol_24_tiuqottigeloot/Hola_Hola_Bossa_Nova

When older adults learn another language, they don’t have the advantages of toddlers, whose minds are wired to learn two or three languages simultaneously. Nor do they have the flexibility of young adults who can acquire a native sounding accent. But this episode tells the story of adults who deploy the abilities that come with age and experience, that not only make them effective language learners, but also agents of some great blessings to others.

This episode was written by Steve Leveen, and our producer Fernando Hernández (who also does our magical sound design and mixing). Check out the rest of our team at America the Bilingual dot com, including associate producer, and French teacher, Beckie Rankin, our brand and editorial director Mim Harrison, editorial consultant Maja Thomas, design director, Carlos Plaza and last and least, our bark-lingual mascot, Chet--A.K.A., Chetley von Mutt.

Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike License by:

Kevin Macleod — Quasi Motion

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Global_Sampler/Quasi_Motion

Francisco Penilla — Chicle Bombita

https://soundcloud.com/francisco-penilla/francisco-penilla-chicle-bombita

Lee Rosevere - Sad marimba planet

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_02_Sad_Marimba_Planet

Lee Rosevere - More on that later

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_08_More_On_That_Later

Lee Rosevere - Keeping stuff together

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_11_Keeping_Stuff_Together

Komiku - In the restaurant

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku/THE_GIRL_WITH_THE_BASEBALL_BAT/Komiku_-_THE_GIRL_WITH_THE_BASEBALL_BAT_-_03_In_the_restaurant

Fernando Air-nandez - No es un corrido

Loyalty Freak Music - People are spinning

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Loyalty_Freak_Music/TO_CHILL_AND_STAY_AWAKE/Loyalty_Freak_Music_-_TO_CHILL_AND_STAY_AWAKE_-_06_People_are_spinning

Nctrnm - In media res

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Nctrnm/In_Medias_Res_-_Single/In_Medias_Res

He was rich, persuasive--and wrong. But Ron Unz succeeded in leading our most populous state down a dark path in the history of world language education. Yet his very success planted the seeds of change that are yielding a harvest of good in the nation today. Hear the origin story of the Seal of Biliteracy, which began in California and is now transforming America.

America the Bilingual is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

This episode was written by me, Steve Leveen, our producer Fernando Hernández (who also does our sound design and mixing) and our associate producer, Beckie Rankin. Our brand and editorial director is Mim Harrison. Editorial consultant is Maja Thomas. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio.

Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution License by (In order of appearance):

Jorge Mario Zuleta - Intro

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jorge_Mario_Zuleta/Fauxette/Intro_1982

Komiky - Action Discovery

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku/The_Binge_Watchers__Score_1/Komiku_-_The_Binge_Watchers_-_Score_1_-_12_Action_Discovery

Kevin MacLeod - Quasi Motion

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Global_Sampler/Quasi_Motion

Lee Rosevere - More on that later

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_08_More_On_That_Later

Lee Rosevere - Sad marimba planet

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_02_Sad_Marimba_Planet

Jorge Mario Zuleta - Temporal

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jorge_Mario_Zuleta/Fauxette/Temporal

Francisco Penilla - Chicle bombita

https://soundcloud.com/francisco-penilla/francisco-penilla-chicle-bombita

Lee Rosevere - Keeping stuff together

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_11_Keeping_Stuff_Together

Lee Rosevere - New day

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_04_New_Day

In his junior year of high school, Doug Renfield-Miller was flunking out. It didn’t help to also get ejected from school for passing out anti-war posters. To escape, Doug took his mother’s suggestion and applied for a year of study abroad. Hear the story of how a young man was changed by the full measure of a school year away, and of a kind of immersion that is fading from the American tableau.

The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

This episode was written by me, Steve Leveen, our producer Fernando Hernández (who also does our sound design and mixing) and our associate producer, Beckie Rankin. Our brand and editorial director is Mim Harrison. Editorial consultant is Maja Thomas. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio.

Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution License by Komiku, Kevin MacLeod, Lee Rosevere and Francisco Penilla

We were halfway into the production of episode 13 but then Hurricane Irma happened. However, our host Steve Leveen still was able to call and give us an overview of the situation in Delray Beach, Florida. We’ll be back with a new episode in two weeks, but in the meantime, we are re-broadcasting “Little Ketchup Girl”.

Here’s the description for said episode:

How hard can it be to go up to the counter at McDonald’s and ask for ketchup? The answer might depend on how confident you are in English.

Michelle Bazargan was a little girl when bombs began exploding outside her home in Tehran. It was then that her mother decided it was too dangerous to remain. Thus begins the story of one Iranian family and their challenges of becoming American. Sometimes trauma can leave people irreversibly damaged. Other times, trauma can leave people irreversibly dedicated to helping others.

America the Bilingual is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

This episode was written by me, Steve Leveen, and our producer Fernando Hernández who also does sound design and mixing. Our editorial consultants are Maja Thomas and Mim Harrison, research assistance from Associate Producer, Beckie Rankin.

Graphic Arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio.

Music and sounds in this episode, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike License, by:

Kevin Macleod - Beach Party

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Global_Sampler/Beach_Party

Kevin Macleod - Quasi motion

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Global_Sampler/Quasi_Motion

Francisco Penilla - Chicle bombita

https://soundcloud.com/francisco-penilla/francisco-penilla-chicle-bombita

Jorge Mario Zuleta - Falta seis

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jorge_Mario_Zuleta/Fauxette/Falta_Seis

Monplaisir - terror party

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Monplaisir/Cheap_Imitation/

Mystery Mammal - upright

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Mystery_Mammal/Risk_Society/Upright

Sounds and Fx

Yle Arkisto - Bombing, air raid alarm, mix

http://freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/sounds/242598/

Danielson III - Rumble bass

http://freesound.org/people/DanielsonIII/sounds/68396/

Paisagemsonoraunila - At the bus terminal near the bus with the engine running

http://freesound.org/people/paisagemsonoraunila/sounds/334658/

Dggrunzweig - Sound of bus

http://freesound.org/people/dggrunzweig/sounds/341550/

Stevious42 - Inside moving bus

http://freesound.org/people/Stevious42/sounds/259647/

Noise collector - Mcdonalds

http://freesound.org/people/NoiseCollector/sounds/80767/

Nick Staffa was meant to become a rock star —but not the kind with a guitar on stage. This kid from Long Island of Italian heritage, would become a rock star language teacher with a reputation that would spread well beyond the United States.

America the Bilingual is a storytelling podcast for people who think bilingualism is good for themselves, for their families, and for their country.

The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

This episode was written by Steve Leveen, our producer Fernando Air-Nández (who also does our sound design and mixing) and our associate producer, Beckie Rankin. Our brand and editorial director is Mim Harrison. Editorial consultant is Maja Thomas. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio.

Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution License by (in order of appearance):

88 Down - Down

Kevin MacLeod - Quasi Motion

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Global_Sampler/Quasi_Motion

Francisco Penilla - Chicle bombita

https://soundcloud.com/francisco-penilla/francisco-penilla-chicle-bombita

Lee Rosevere - What's behind the door

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_13_Whats_Behind_the_Door

Komiku - Action investigation

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku/The_Binge_Watchers__Score_1/Komiku_-_The_Binge_Watchers_-_Score_1_-_06_Action_Investigation

Lee Rosevere - More on that later

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_08_More_On_That_Later

With millions of Latinos wanting to improve their English and millions of Anglos wanting to improve their Spanish, you’d think there would be lots of programs in America for them to help one another. There aren’t. Steve Leveen has looked. That’s why He was thrilled when his friend Caroline Doughty alerted him to a fellow in Denver who had started one.

The America the Bilingual podcast is part of the Lead with Languages campaign of ACTFL — The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

Check out our episode notes at Americathebilingual.com where you’ll find links to Sharelingo, photos of the people we’ve interviewed, and, as usual, some bonus material.

This episode was hosted by Steve Leveen, and our producer Fernando Hernández, who also does sound design and mixing. Associate producer is Beckie Rankin. Editorial consultant is Maja Thomas, Editorial and Brand director is Mim Harrison. Graphic arts are created by Carlos Plaza Design Studio.

Music in this episode with a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike License by(in order of appearance):

Lee Rosevere - More on that later

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_08_More_On_That_Later

Kevin MacLeod - Quasi Motion

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Global_Sampler/Quasi_Motion

Francisco Penilla - Chicle bombita

https://soundcloud.com/francisco-penilla/francisco-penilla-chicle-bombita

Lee Rosevere - Sad marimba planet

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_02_Sad_Marimba_Planet

Komiku - Point of no return

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku/The_Binge_Watchers__Score_1/Komiku_-_The_Binge_Watchers_-_Score_1_-_21_Ambiant_Point_Of_No_Return

Komiku - Action time attack research

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku/The_Binge_Watchers__Score_1/Komiku_-_The_Binge_Watchers_-_Score_1_-_02_Action_Time_Attack_Research

Komiku - Action discovery

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku/The_Binge_Watchers__Score_1/Komiku_-_The_Binge_Watchers_-_Score_1_-_02_Action_Time_Attack_Research

Lee Rosevere - Small steps

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/Music_for_Podcasts_4/Lee_Rosevere_-_Music_for_Podcasts_4_-_03_Small_Steps