A Whistled Language in Schools in the Canary Islands, Kids Learn an Ancient Whistling Language

Informative/ Card ➐ Explanatory A Whistled Language In schools in the Canary Islands, kids learn an ancient whistling language.

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l 1 n towns across a I n A the small island of t f i r c La Gomera, you can Equator i O c a hear an unusual ce an sound. It's the sound of people whistling in FRANCE the streets. But they ANDORRA aren't whistling a tune. Atlantic They're speaking a Ocean SPAIN PORTUGAL language! The language Informative/ Explanatory Azores Islands (Portugal) is called Silbo Gomero,

Madeira Islands (Portugal) or the Gomeran MOROCCO whistle. It's a whistled Canary form of Spanish. La Islands ALGERIA Gomera is one of the North WESTERN Canary Islands. This people started using telephones. West East SAHARA group of islands in the Atlantic Another reason is that more South 3MAURITANIA MALI Ocean is part of Spain. Gomerans were moving into MAPS JOE BY LEMONNIER FOR TIME FOR KIDS 2 For thousands towns. In the early 1990s, only a of years, Silbo few local whistlers remained. was the only way Gomerans could Saving Silbo communicate 3 Silbo is a big part of the island's across long heritage. The people there don't distances. want the language to die out. Whistled words That is why since 1999 Silbo has can travel up been taught in schools. Students to three miles learn the language from first across the island's grade through high school. hills. But by the 4 Francisco Correa is in charge middle of the of teaching Silbo on La Gomera. 20th century, Today, many of the 22,000 far fewer people people on the island understand spoke Silbo. Silbo. More and more young For one thing, people can speak it. Correa says the idea is not just to make more Want to speak whistlers. ÒWhat really matters Silbo? Start by is for the students to feel that it putting your belongs to them,Ó he told TFK. fingers in your -By TFK Staff

Vocabulary century (noun): one hundred years Think Like a Reader heritage (noun): traditions passed ➊ Where is the whistled language spoken? down through generations ➋ Why were fewer people speaking Silbo by local (adjective): nearby, from an area the middle of the 20th century? ➌ How do the map, globe, and photographs contribute to your understanding of the article?

Write TIME • Write a paragraph about ways people can communicate without using Think Like a Writer spoken language. ➊ Why does the author opt to conclude • Make a list of all the with a direct quote? different languages you can think of. Which ones would ➋ What other choices does the author you like to learn how to have for concluding the article? speak? Explain why.

Listen to the Author loose ends. You might want to pose a When you’re writing nonfiction for question or suggest an idea or topic the purpose of explaining something for readers to keep thinking about. or providing information, your main Your ending can re-state the main idea focus is being accurate and clear. You you want readers to understand and introduce your topic, explain what you remember. Look at the last paragraph want to explain….and then what? You of “A Whistled Language.” It brings write a really good ending. the story up to date and reminds readers that language is more than a The Importance of tool for communicating. Language is What Comes Last also an important part of the culture The last section or paragraph of an that people in a particular place share article should leave readers with a and pass on to future generations. sense of completion. It should tie up