BLACKBELT for Schools and Teachers

What is BLACKBELT language learning software?

How can I integrate BLACKBELT into our curriculum?

What are the levels of instruction and National Standards for Foreign Language Instruction that BLACKBELT currently addresses?

How can a school, district, or association of schools subscribe to BLACKBELT for its students at an affordable rate?

How can other institutions such as businesses, non-profits, governmental agencies, missions subscribe to BLACKBELT?

What is BLACKBELT language learning software?

"BLACKBELT is simply a fun set of building blocks used to construct a new world of language."

Through a simple yet engaging multimedia game, BLACKBELT teaches basic vocabulary through reading, object and concept association, listening, and speaking (repeating after or saying with). This combination of aural, visual, and kinesthetic learning is a powerful supplement to any language learning curriculum..

By learning in this non-threatening and stimulating way students reduce the cognitive load of recalling and associating basic vocabulary as they develop the higher level skills of reading, sentence construction, grammar and conversation.

Because BLACKBELT is fundamental and supplemental, teachers can freely integrate it into their own curriculum in any way that serves their students.

The benefit of having BLACKBELT available online 24/7 is that students who have limited access to the computer lab extend their opportunity to engage with BLACKBELT to their homes after school, weekends and dare we hope...summer and other vacations.

How can I integrate BLACKBELT into our curriculum?

BLACKBELT introduces basic script and vocabulary in standard thematic groupings. BLACKBELT is not tied to any particular textbook. Therefore it can be applied to any language learning curriculum.

Rising Wave provides a printable text file with all of words in any particular language. Teachers should consult the BLACKBELT hierarchy of Belt Level:Category:Individual Word or Script.

For example: Belt Level = White Belt
                          Category = Family 1
                                Vocabulary = Mother

A simple but effective strategy we suggest is to assign students to play the BLACKBELT game at the school computer lab and at home for one week prior to introducing the same or related vocabulary from your text book. It is easy to correlate most BLACKBELT vocabulary to the units in most textbooks. For example if you are planning to cover 'Family" next week then assign the Category "Family 1" from White Belt and "Family 2" from Red Belt. Your students will come to the unit of study motivated, prepared, and ready to apply their newly acquire vocabulary and comprehension.

Look for more discussions of curriculum integration in the future from teachers who have been using BLACKBELT in classrooms from Elementary through University. To receive email regarding new tips and insights please click here.

How can a school, district, or association of schools subscribe to BLACKBELT for its students at an affordable rate?

Rising Wave Inc. is a company devoted to education. We understand that computer software is a supplement to the essential relationship of teacher to student. Therefore we strive to make our learning materials as affordable as possible by delivering value to our customers that meets their budgetary and educational needs.

We seek whenever possible to cut administrative and marketing costs by selling at the highest level whether education ministry, state level, district level, school association level, or at the individual school level according to the situation. Then we pass on the savings to the schools.

What are the levels of instruction and National Standards for Foreign Language Instruction that BLACKBELT currently addresses?

BLACKBELT is designed for the beginning and intermediate student as well as the advanced student in review. The games cover 480 foundational vocabulary, thematically grouped to provide real-world context and enhance actual usage. These games are divided into five Belt Levels, White, Red, Green, Purple and Black which gives the students a goal to reach for as they progress through the levels toward the coveted Blackbelt.

In addition there are special belts. For example, for basic English learners there is an Alphabet Belt, and for Japanese language there are Hiragana and Katakana belts.

The five National Standards for Foreign Language Instruction are Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons and Communities

BLACKBELT supports all of these standards through providing the initial entrance into and foundational vocabulary for any new language.

Specifically:

Communication: Communicate in Languages Other Than English

Standard 1.1: Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.

BLACKBELT'S thematic grouping of vocabulary is designed specifically to support meaningful communication. For example the group of Getting Together teaches words such as 'eating, drinking, phoning, meeting, waiting, what time?' ; that might be used to get together with someone.

Standard 1.2: Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.

BLACKBELT provides the building blocks for reading and speaking the language. Through the enjoyable, addictive and therefore repetitive nature of the games, BLACKBELT transforms 'drill and kill' into 'skill and thrill'. In this way students effortlessly break through the initial barriers to the new language.

Comparisons: Develop Insight Into the Nature of Language and Culture

Standard 4.1: Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.

Through access to the same set of words in multiple languages students can easily compare and contrast the words and the culturally specific images.

Communities: Participate in Multilingual Communities at Home and Around the World

Standard 5.1: Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.

BLACKBELT is part of a larger global eLearning community for language and culture. It is a game that can be shared with students around the world and can become the basis for communication and even friendships. Click the following link to find out more about Rising Wave's vision for a global eLearning community.

How can other institutions such as businesses, non-profits, governmental agencies, and missions subscribe to BLACKBELT?

Just as schools can purchase block subscriptions for their students so can other "learning" organizations use BLACKBELT to further their multi-cultural and multi-national goals. Contact us for more information.