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Posted at: 08/06/2009 7:05 PM Global Language Camp(ABC 6 NEWS) - The season's first school bells are ringing in Austin. And for the five-dozen students who are spending this week in the classroom, it could mean more success when the real school year begins a month from now. In the middle of summer, school is in session. "They can practice their English and the skills they need to help them be successful," says Krist Beckman, a global language education director. It's called "Global Language” camp, and it brings together volunteers from around the country and about 60 Austin students who live in households where English is not the primary language. "The program is designed to help give them an academic jump-start," Beckman says. "Many times children that speak a second language. English as a second language, can read very well," says Jeriann Hirsch. Jeriann Hirsch is a second grade teacher in California. "But they don't understand the concepts, so I’ve been trying to work on developing vocabulary," Hirsch says. "Spanish is my primary language, because my parents speak mainly in Spanish a lot," says 6th grader Maria Hernandez. Maria Hernandez will be in sixth grade this fall, and says language can be a barrier to education. "When I was in kindergarten it was, because I didn't really understand it," Hernandez says. "We’ve seen tremendous growth in students who come in knowing no English and have made great gains," Beckman says. "It’s very good for children to have two languages; brain research says that it helps them eventually be better learners," Hirsch says. And the program goes beyond the academic. "This kind of gives them an idea of hat a typical school day is like for a student in the Austin public schools," Beckman says. "Lining up as a group, raising your hand to answer, and getting up early," Hirsch says. Because like everything else when it comes to raising children, it takes more than one person. "It does take a village, but we're creating a great little village here," Beckman says. Ten volunteers from six states are teaching the language camp this week in Austin. It's in its eight year and is part of the Minnesota-based "Global Volunteers" program.
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