Posts Tagged ‘ world ’

What is the one teaching tool that makes learning about geography easy and fun? Now, this isn’t all that tough, so here is a hint, they are in most classrooms. Did you say globe? If so, you’re right. World globes are a spectacular way to teach your children about the important places of the world and for that reason, every home should have one.

The reason why world globes help teach people about geography is because they are a 3-D representation of the earth and are much better to learn from then a flat map. They make it easy to look at and point out all those important spots that people should know about including continents, mountain ranges, bodies of water, states, capitals, and cities. You can even get ones that are raised relief, where the mountain ranges and higher elevated areas are raised right up off the globe so you and your child can have a basic understanding of the difference between sea and mountain level.

Now, along with being practical, world globes also have a decorative element to them since they are crafted from a wide variety of eye-catching materials. For example, you can get one that is made out of beautiful gemstones. Yes, gemstones, which is a top quality pick for making jewelry. So, since it is highly sought after for that, then you know a globe created out of it will have a stunning appearance. Along with the gemstones, there are other gorgeous material options and those include wood, acrylic, plastic, and some can even be made out of other stones like granite along with metals including silver and gold, materials that are commonly used to build the globe’s base.

World globes are also available in many different styles, making it easy to find the perfect one for you, your family, and your space. Like, maybe you want a traditional one that can be set right on an end table or shelf, well, that is an option. Or, maybe you have an empty space in your living room or den, then a great choice for you is one that is made to stand right on the floor. There are ones designed to be book ends on shelves, others that light up, and you can even get ones that are smaller that come with pen and pencil sets, which would be a great addition to any desk. Basically, there are just a lot of options to choose from and for a great way to check them all out, just hit the Internet and do some online shopping. You can easily compare all the world globe options and do not even have to leave the comfort of your own home to do it.

So, if you want to give your kid a head start on his or her education, turn to lovely world globes to do it. Both practical, and beautiful, it is definitely a fixture that should be in every home. Get one today, when your child brings home a A-plus report card in geography, you will be glad that you did.

Thursday, May 7th, 2009

The French Language

Roughly around 200 million people around the world speak French. This number includes people who speak French as a native language, as a second language and students of all ages who do not live in a francophone (French-speaking) country but have learned French. In fact French as a foreign language is the second most commonly taught language worldwide after English. It is also the only foreign language that can be useful throughout the world as well as in the United States. French comes in second after English on the list of the world’s 10 most influential languages. Proof of this is the pivotal role French holds. It is one of the official working languages in dozens of powerful international organisations such as the European Union (EU), United Nations (UN), World Health Organisation (WHO), World Trade Organisation (WTO), and a host of other worldwide institutions.

The French language of today is a direct result of long periods of evolution. France, throughout its long history, had been invaded by different ethnic tribal groups. The most distinguished of these are the Franks. They adopted the Latin being spoken at that time. Thus, the French language is a descendant from Latin. It is also known as one of the Romance languages which include Catalan, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese. They are called such because their parent tongue Latin was the language of the Romans. Over the years, the early French language has undergone changes in words and grammatical structures. It has evolved into today’s global French.

Frenchspeak – Here, There and Everywhere

The French-speaking world spans the entire globe with its language heard in all the continents. Aside from English, French is the only language spoken as a native or first language on 5 continents.

In Europe, French is the official language of France, Luxembourg, Monaco, Belgium and Switzerland. France with a population of more than 60 million is one of the most modern countries in the world. It is one of the predominant leaders in the European Union. French is a co-official language in Switzerland. This picturesque country is one of the world’s richest countries. It is the centre of many international associations. Belgium, in the half past century, has emerged as a progressive European state. Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is home to the headquarters of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

In Africa, the French-speaking countries include Algeria, Burundi, Benin, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Comoros. Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Guinea, Madagascar, Morocco, Rwanda, Togo, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Tunisia, Mauritius, Reunion and Seychelles.

In the Americas and the Caribbean, French is spoken in Canada, Haiti, French Guiana, Martinique and Guadeloupe (these last three are French territories).

In Australia and the Pacifics, Vanuatu and the overseas French territories French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Wallis and Fortuna are French-speaking.

In many other countries, French plays a significant role either as an administrative, commercial or international language. Some of these countries are Andorra, Argentina, Brazil, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Egypt, Greece, India, Italy, Laos, Lebanon, Mauritania, Poland, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom (Channel Islands), United States particularly Louisiana and New England, the Vatican City and Vietnam. Clearly, the French language is spoken everywhere.

Convinced now to learn global French? It is quite easy. Browse through this site’s French Language Program and master French in the best place ? the comfort of your own home.

Bonne chance! Good Luck!