There is always wonderful activity in the Language Center; various language
students coming together in one place to practice, talk, swap stories
of abroad, and, when finals arrive, offer support and extra study. It
is truly wonderful to hear the sounds of Japanese and Italian, French
and Russian, Chinese, German and Spanish drift through the Language Center.
Aside from the everyday wonderfulness, here's what's new in the Language
Center:
Masomo ya Kiswahili na Bi Wangechi
End of semester Japanese Presentations!
On May 5th, third year Japanese students gave their oral presentations on a variety of topics. It was well attended and enjoyed by all.
In March, Mary Beth Barth and Dana Hubbard attended the 2003 NEALLT conference and presented "Recreating Soundtracks: A Re-Sounding Success." The presentation highlighted the use of iMovie™ as a tool in foreign language learning by dubbing the soundtrack of a selected clip of television, movie or commercial. Japanese 200 used a clip from the movie Meet Joe Black, click here to view their work.
Videos for your enjoyment(requires Quicktime plug-in)
Third Term Russian Class Reinvents Soundtracks - Working individually and in groups, students selected a favorite tv commercial to dub in Russian using iMovie, a perfect ease-of use- tool, enabling focus on the language learning aspect and not the technology. Students enjoyed selecting the material and undertaking a creative project which promoted involvement and a sense of "ownership". Students wrote scripts, practiced, and recorded. Culminated in an iMovie fest in the Language Center complete with popcorn and soda.
French Practice - Although the Language Center boasts the latest and best in computing technology, the humble teacher console and student carrels of the traditional lab are still called into action. When the old technology just makes more sense in meeting a pedagogical need, the newfangled technology takes a second seat.
Language Center Mix - Something is always going on in the LC. The variety and richness of activities and interactions occurring day in and day out (faculty holding classes or meeting students in small groups, students working together and mingling) creates a sense of excitement and community. With students of all languages and levels working and hanging out, the place has a life and rhythm all its own.
Sentimental Supervisor - The students who work as assistants in the Language Center are difficult to say goodbye to. They become an integral part of the place and in our minds and hearts remain.
End of year silliness - Language learning is hard work, but no matter how busy we and the students are, we never miss an opportunity for a good laugh.
Chinese Language students busy at work - Students studying Chinese call the Language Center their second home. It is amazing to watch them work together--diligent, focused, intense. All quietly working, then the interruption of a question, discussion, then back to work.
Introducing the Language Center! - Why are those teal Language Center balloons floating around the LC? They, along with earth motif foil-wrapped chocolates, were part of the Fall Semester 2001 launching of the Language Center's new website. The goal of redesigning the Language Center website was to give a deeper dimension to the site by moving beyond presentation of information to representation of the Language Center itself--a place, its rhythm, and its people--to capture the look and feel and identity of the Language Center--not just as a state-of-the-art learning environment-- but as a microcosm of the language curriculum and a community of learners. The impetus for the project was the realization that while looking outward into the language field (finding resources, reading journal articles on technology and second language acquisition theory etc...) was interesting and important, it was the looking inward which was most intriguing and fascinating of all. There was so much to be learned and appreciated in what was happening right in our own LC day in and day out. The goal was to try to bottle and communicate this to others by capturing and projecting through the website the essence of a unique place on campus. The site was reconceptualized with two main goals in mind. The first was to provide a window on the dynamic life, rhythm and energy of the LC to reflect the myriad goings-on of a place which is both sophisticated and multifaceted learning center and natural rendezvous for students and faculty of all languages and levels. The second was to spotlight "the experience" of language learning through the eyes of individual students-- to take a close-up look at a student's language learning experiences--to listen to the student. The web medium lent itself well to creating a living document and tribute to the hard work and sense of purpose of the students learning languages.
Lei Chen's Parting Interview - Lei Chen was the first student featured in The Experience, a space created on the Language Center website for students to recount their personal experiences in learning foreign languages. She dubbed the Language Center "my second home", a term which many subsequent students of Chinese adopted. Read her ejournal entries in "The Experience". In this parting interview she is the warm, natural, enthusiastic person we all came to know and enjoy.