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Sunday school lessons in foreign language via satellite

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2010 9:05 pm
by pkthor-p40
Many wards and stakes have a handful of members that do not speak the resident ward language. Those members are encouraged to 'mainstream' and learn the native language. However, many of them struggle to learn the gospel in a foreign language. Local leaders many times do not have the resources to teach these brothers and sisters well.
How difficult would it be to video the current Sunday School lessons in multiple languages by someone experienced in the gospel and make them available via satellite for use during Sunday School time?
I envision a whole database that could be used as a resource to teach typically new converts to help anchor them in the doctrine of the gospel.
Any insights?

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2010 10:46 pm
by jonesrk
pkthor wrote:Many wards and stakes have a handful of members that do not speak the resident ward language. Those members are encouraged to 'mainstream' and learn the native language. However, many of them struggle to learn the gospel in a foreign language. Local leaders many times do not have the resources to teach these brothers and sisters well.
How difficult would it be to video the current Sunday School lessons in multiple languages by someone experienced in the gospel and make them available via satellite for use during Sunday School time?
I envision a whole database that could be used as a resource to teach typically new converts to help anchor them in the doctrine of the gospel.
Any insights?
I think there is some merit to the idea, but my first thought is that often as a teacher the lesson changes based on the promptings of the Spirit. Thus the lesson is 'customized' to those in attendance.

Also one of the other wonderful parts to me of a good lesson is the interactions of the comments, where as a group we build on each others thoughts and learn from the variety of experiences of the whole group.

These would be harder to do via a prerecorded satellite lesson.

Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 12:59 pm
by russellhltn
If pre-recorded, I think a DVD would be better distribution as it can be played as needed and the lesson schedule will always match the main group.

I'd think some type of conferencing would be a better plan for lessons as it would provide the interactivity needed to be effective.

Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 10:42 pm
by pkthor-p40
ryan jones wrote:I think there is some merit to the idea, but my first thought is that often as a teacher the lesson changes based on the promptings of the Spirit. Thus the lesson is 'customized' to those in attendance.

Also one of the other wonderful parts to me of a good lesson is the interactions of the comments, where as a group we build on each others thoughts and learn from the variety of experiences of the whole group.

These would be harder to do via a prerecorded satellite lesson.
Thanks for the feedback.

I agree about the interaction. The teacher could have a class with him/her. Teachers do better with a class. Interaction with the class would provide some customization. Perhaps follow up questions via email/other during the week could provide 'customization' for those not in attendance.

I think that even though there wouldn't be interaction, it would still be better than sitting in the back of the room tuning out a language that you don't understand.

Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 10:55 pm
by pkthor-p40
RussellHltn wrote:If pre-recorded, I think a DVD would be better distribution as it can be played as needed and the lesson schedule will always match the main group.

I'd think some type of conferencing would be a better plan for lessons as it would provide the interactivity needed to be effective.
Thanks Russell.

DVD would be easier, or online. However, there is something cool about tuning into a satellite feed. Online would probably be the easiest to access. No DVD's would have to be acquired, burned or searched for on Sunday. No satellite technician would be needed either.

You know, this idea could be used to help teach English as a second language also. This could really help those stakes that don't have resources to help foreign speakers to assimilate.

Conferencing would be a good idea, but would require staffing. Pre-recorded could be done in 'studio' and produced on a schedule.

This idea is growing on me.

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 12:03 am
by russellhltn
pkthor wrote:DVD would be easier, or online. However, there is something cool about tuning into a satellite feed. Online would probably be the easiest to access. No DVD's would have to be acquired, burned or searched for on Sunday. No satellite technician would be needed either.
The problem with satellite is how many different schedules are involved. Depending on if a given ward is on the "A" schedule or the "B" schedule, Sunday School may start on the hour or 20 minutes past the hour. Then add in all the different block starting times and it gets ugly.

Secondly, while satellites can carry many languages, if the needs are so small that the ward doesn't have a teacher in that language, then they probably don't have their equipment set to receive that language either. And don't forget, for all the audio tracks carried on satellite, there's only ONE video track. I doubt if the church owns enough bandwidth to run individual lessons for each language. Many times I see our system shut down due to some ward having a regional conference.

On-line is much more practical, but I'm not sure as all that many wards have broadband yet.

Audio conferencing need only a speaker phone to link a student into a class that does speak his or her language.

DVDs would have to be obtained in advance, but require little more then rolling out a TV from the library to be plugged in.

But moving on to your idea of English as a Second Language, I think that's much easier to do. As long as it's all conducted in English, you only need the main channel of a satellite feed and the time can be coordinate to work across one or two time zones at a time.

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 12:09 am
by russellhltn
pkthor wrote:This idea is growing on me.
Oh, one more thing - the plan as proposed would require the church to run with it. Maybe it will happen, but most ideas that I have been floated here that requires the church to run with it didn't go anywhere. (Not all, just most.)

If you can do something within your own area and establish a track record of success, then it may grow from there. That's one of the reasons I suggested conferencing.

Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 5:26 pm
by dennisn
An alternate idea to address the interaction issues would be: call one class member to wear a throat mike (usually costs $50-$100 last time I checked) and very quietly (soft whisper) repeat / summarize the instructors words as well as comments from class members. His verbal words could feed into a speech recognition program, such as Naturally Speaking, and be converted to English text. This could then feed into a language translation program, and be transmitted to a laptop held by the foreign language speaking member. He/she could then read these comments in his/her native language. There may be a small delay in this flow, but probably only a few seconds.