DATE: Thursday, October 9, 1997             TAG: 9710070140

SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS         PAGE: 05   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY DENISE WATSON, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   73 lines

TEACHER FROM SPAIN GETTING LESSONS IN ENGLISH FOR EVERY ``AZUL'' (BLUE) CARMEN ROMAN HAS TAUGHT IN HER VOLUNTARY JOB, SHE'S LEARNED HER OWN AMERICANISMS.

Pedro bounced in his seat, right arm flailing high above his head. He knew the answer.

Spanish teacher Carmen Romero Roman, who is on leave from teaching in Spain to instruct in Norfolk for a year, asked the second-grade Camp Allen Elementary students to name countries where most people would speak Spanish.

``Virginia,'' one student said.

``Japan,'' said another.

Pedro bounced out of his seat before the 27-year-old teacher looked his way.

``Mexico!'' said Pedro, who's known as Alexander Williams when the class's Spanish time is up. Roman answered with ``muy bien'' and a sticker for his good work.

Roman has spent the past month visiting with Camp Allen's second-grade classes to talk about her native culture, foods and language. The students get Spanish names and learn ``uno,''(one) ``amarillo,''(yellow) and ``sabado'' (saturday). But for every ``azul'' (blue) Roman has taught, she's learned her own Americanisms.

This cross-culture exchange is why Roman decided to come to the United States for a year to teach in an unpaid position.

``I thought it would be a good experience here for me and my students,'' said Roman who teaches English to 12- to 18-year-olds in Murcia, Spain. ``I'm getting used to the different accents. British English is taught over there, not American English, so I have a lot to learn.''

While in Spain last year, Roman wrote to Amnesty International about teaching opportunities in America. She was connected to the school system that wanted to expand its visiting-teacher program. Norfolk has worked with visiting Japanese teachers for the past eight years.

Camp Allen was picked because its transient military population has created a multicultural student body. Guidance counselor Cindy Landham jumped at the chance to host Roman.

``It's a treat getting to learn firsthand about the culture and the language,'' said Landham, who has hosted foreign-exchange students in the past.

``I have a daughter-in-law who speaks Spanish, and this is an opportunity for me to learn to say something as well.''

Roman said she's enjoying her time here. She's been to the Outer Banks and looks forward to visits to the opera, Washington, D.C., and catching the train to New York. She's often perplexed by the differences between the English she's grown up with and the English she's now immersed in.

She carries her flags, stickers and equipment from class to class on a ``cart'' and not a ``trolley.''

Americans drive trucks not lorries. They also live in apartments and not flats.

``There's a lot of slang I have to get used to too,'' Roman said. ``Such as `pooped.' Being `pooped' means tired - I didn't know that.''

The students also like testing their misconceptions. Some thought the Spanish used chopsticks when eating. Some thought she traveled home to Spain each day until Roman pointed out the distance.

Norfolk's foreign language coordinator, Ann Rolbin , said that's why programs that can give students an up-close view of a foreign culture is so important.

Roman will work with the visiting Japanese teacher to offer free language lessons to the community later in the month.

``Learning foreign language is so important,'' Rolbin said. ``Our world is getting smaller. If we want to compete successfully, we need to know the language of the customer.

``If we don't, we're at a disadvantage.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staf photo by BETH BERGMAN

Carmen Romero Roman gives a Spanish lesson at Camp Allen Elementary.

She came to the U.S. to get a taste of American life.

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