Category Archives: Swedish

expatriate, Swedish

Tip for encouraging your child to speak a language

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Here is a useful tip for encouraging your child to speak in another language.

Sometimes children can be a little hesitant to speak a language which is not native to them. Well, there are some tricks to help them. For instance you can use hand puppets, teddy bears or dolls. Let them “do the talking”. This makes the children feel more confident since they use another voice – it is not “them” who is speaking.

Even if children happily speak a language bringing in another character is a fun way to stimulate and encourage a conversation.

Today I met with “Bob”. Boy, did he speak a lot, in Swedish!

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If you are interested in individual Swedish language classes for children or adults read on.

Related posts:

  1. Online Swedish language-tutoring
  2. My Playhome – useful app for teaching a language to a child
  3. To learn Swedish is to learn the Swedish culture – Swedish classes online
  4. Giveaway Swedish Conversation Classes
Swedish

Clarify your goals for learning Swedish – or any language

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Goals for Learning Swedish

Goal setting is a must. Yes you have heard it before. I know. Hopefully you also practice it. Sometimes the goal for learning Swedish is “I want to be fluent” or “I want to be able to speak without FEAR”. But being a bit more specific is a wise strategy for acquiring language skills, as well as any skill. Here is some inspiration for the language learner. One of my Swedish via Skype students was recently interviewed by Digitala Affärer about learning Swedish, and her clear and highly rewarding goal of being able to participate in a Swedish conference. In Sweden. In Swedish! Link to article at bottom of post.

 

Goals for Learning Swedish – our strategy?

  • Watching videos of speeches from for instance Webbdagarna (“the Web Days”)
  1. listening comprehension
  2. summarizing; written or oral presentation
  3. reviewing, reflecting and criticizing
  4. comparing (use of language, articulation, topics)
  • “Analyzing” web pages on the topic – anything from WebCoast to small business companies within web design

 

  • Collecting internet and web related words to build glossary

 

  • Reading newspaper and magazine articles – practicing scanning and summarizing without preparation

 

  • And most importantly working towards a high confidence in speaking the Swedish language

Since the conference was scheduled we had a time frame. The work was of course always done with an eye on grammar and structure, remembering acquiring new vocabulary, pronunciation and learning about Swedish culture and phenomena!

Here is the article over at Digitala Affärer.

Link to Christas impressions of the conference

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Related posts:

  1. What are your biggest struggles learning Swedish?
  2. Are you not practicing speaking Swedish?
  3. Learn the Swedish language by listening to music
  4. Online Swedish language-tutoring
expatriate, Swedish

Swedish children’s literature

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Swedish children’s literature

Who haven’t heard of Pippi and Astrid Lindgren? But there’s more to it when it comes to Swedish children’s literature. When I was living abroad Swedish children’s books – in Swedish – were very important to me and hopefully to my kids too. Luggage was heavy every time we returned after a visit to Sweden. I bought tons of books.

Today, being back in Sweden, we enjoy the libraries and spend less money – not time – on books. We still carry loads home every week.

Read about Swedish children’s literature here. Did you know difficult subjects are often brought up and dealt with? Personally, I love Goodbye Mr Muffin (Adjö, herr Muffin) by Ulf Nilsson.

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Related posts:

  1. What are your biggest struggles learning Swedish?
  2. Read in Swedish – website with samples
  3. Do you understand the news in Swedish?
  4. Growing up in Sweden
Swedish

Giveaway Swedish Conversation Classes

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Giveaway Swedish Conversation Classes

Did you know that September the 26th is European Day of Languages?

To celebrate I am giving away one set of 2 Swedish Conversation Classes via Skype!

Learning another language is an excellent way to achieve a greater understanding of cultures that are not yet (fully) familiar to us. So, we do not only understand each other better in terms of the languages we are speaking but also because we develop our cultural competence. The Council of Europe wants to promote multilingualism, and on its initiative the European Day of Languages are celebrated on Sept 26th every year.

What about the giveaway?

A Swedish Conversation Class is perfect for you who might know at least a little bit of Swedish/have studied Swedish 😉  but are not really used to speaking the language. It also suits you if you do speak some Swedish but want to work on vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar and fluency.

All you need to do to enter the giveaway for a chance to win Swedish Conversation Classes is to

  • leave a comment below telling me the best parts of learning Swedish via Skype. Don’t forget to leave your contact info
  • like Globatris on Facebook if you haven’t already
  • and share this post

One winner will be selected, at random.  If you are the winner you will be contacted via the information you have provided in the comments (e-mail, Twitter, Facebook etc.). Together we will then schedule the lessons,  which must have been taken by end of Nov 2013.

Giveaway open for entries until Oct 3, 2013.

Read more on Swedish classes here

Only one entry per person. Lessons cannot be substituted for money.

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You can read more about the European Day of Languages here.

Related posts:

  1. To learn Swedish is to learn the Swedish culture – Swedish classes online
  2. Online Swedish language-tutoring
  3. What are your biggest struggles learning Swedish?
  4. Learn the Swedish language by listening to music
expatriate, Swedish

Growing up in Sweden

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Growing up in Sweden

What does it mean to be a child in Sweden? Growing up in Sweden has many benefits.

Learn about school and vacation, family and leisure time, culture, hobbies and joining a club. What is Swedish children’s literature and do all parents work? Is there a support system for the young and how many children really play an instrument?

www.sweden.se shares the full story on Growing up in Sweden.

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Related posts:

  1. Swedish children’s literature
  2. Top Ten Tips for Moving to Sweden
  3. Swedish children’s songs
  4. What do expat people miss from Sweden?
Swedish

Quiz Swedish vocabulary

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How is your Swedish vocabulary?

Well – test it in this quiz app! Quite advanced level, but you can always learn from it! Try the version without time limit first.

Great quiz for native speaking Swedes too 😉 – race against time!

I find this app from Norstedts highly user friendly. Avoid competing against time if you feel the infamous stress! I usually recommend this app to my Swedish students, for fun and for learning.

 

Download free for Iphone

Download free for Android

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Related posts:

  1. Do you understand the news in Swedish?
  2. Swedish genealogy vocabulary
  3. Online Swedish language-tutoring
  4. My Playhome – useful app for teaching a language to a child
Swedish

Lars Winnerbäck – Swedish music

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Swedish music – in Swedish

Swedish music – in Swedish. Far more popular today than a couple of decades ago when English was the only thinkable language if you wanted to grow a career as an artist.

Music is very much a part of a country’s culture. It is a way to stay connected to the home culture and language once you move abroad, as well as an excellent way to learn a new language and connect with the culture in a hosting country.

I sometimes get questions about recommendations for Swedish music – where the singing is done in Swedish. I usually share it on twitter or e-mail, or in person. I have also done a few blog posts on the topic earlier. Today it crossed my mind; why not make it a series of blog posts? So here goes; a post in the series Swedish music – in Swedish.

Today I present Lars Winnerbäck and his song Utkast till ett brev (Draft for a Letter)

Swedish music – in Swedish for learning the lingo

Since I am teaching Swedish on-line, I sometimes make glossaries for Swedish music to give my students, together with links to videos and texts. You can find an example here.

 

Related posts:

  1. Learn the Swedish language by listening to music
  2. Swedish music in Swedish – Ken Ring
  3. Online Swedish language-tutoring
  4. Clarify your goals for learning Swedish – or any language
Swedish

Swedish genealogy vocabulary

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Swedish genealogy vocabulary

If you have Swedish ancestors and are interested in genealogy the language barrier might be a problem unless you speak Swedish. Many words found on old documents cannot be found in regular on-line dictionaries. Here is a link to a website covering many words associated with genealogy; from English to Swedish.

If you need from Swedish to English take a peek at this website.

Good luck!

 

Related posts:

  1. Learn the Swedish language by listening to music
  2. the Essential Midsummer Vocabulary
  3. Why the word out there really is international
  4. Do you understand the news in Swedish?