Do You Have What it Takes to Save Your Language Program?

January 22, 2011

Over the past several months, I’ve heard a lot about language programs closing or being cut. This is troubling not only because I’m a strong believer in second and additional language education, but also because it means that highly trained and committed professionals are losing their jobs.

So what does it take to save a language program that’s at risk of closure?

Time

If your program is scheduled to be cut at the end of the semester or even within the next two years, the best thing you can do is buy yourself some time. You will need it to build your campaign and garner support.

A campaign to save your language program

This is a bit tricky. You don’t want to be so zealous that you turn people against you. Your campaign needs to be well-crafted and thought out thoroughly. You’ll need the help of other people. Develop the plan together and monitor it as you go. Include things like letters of support from parents, alumni, local politicians or other champions.

Support

No matter how much you may love your program, you won’t be able to save it alone. You may find support in unexpected places and no support from people whom you think should back you. Surround yourself with like-minded people. Leave behind the whiners or those who are too burnt out to care. Build those relationships. Ask their opinions and advice. Include them in your activities.

Energy

Above all else, you will need unrelenting energy and a “can-do” attitude.  You’ll need to stay positive (but not nauseatingly so) as you lead the charge.

A focus on the future

This isn’t just about closing your program today. This is also about the effect it will have on an entire generation of students and possibly even the generation after that. You’re working for them. You’re doing this so that they continue to gain all the benefits of studying a second language that you know will make them more intellectually and culturally robust.

There is a ripple effect that happens when second language programs are cut from schools and universities. It’s worth the fight.

____________________

Share this post: Do You Have What it Takes to Save Your Language Program? http://wp.me/pNAh3-hB

Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

Comments Off on Do You Have What it Takes to Save Your Language Program? | language program administration, languages, leadership, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

2010 Recap: Literacy and Language Professionals who Lead by Example

January 14, 2011

In 2010 I started a new series to showcase the amazing work of some Literacy and Language Professionals who Lead by Example. Last year, I featured the work of 6 amazing educators in Canada and the United States, whose work focused on:

Brent David Novodvorski, a Deaf teacher of ASL and ESL.

  • Literacy, ESL literacy and Deaf literacy
  • American Sign Language
  • ESL
  • German
  • Spanish
  • French
  • Mandarin

I encourage you to check out their profiles and see the difference these people make to our profession:

Cheryl Haga (USA: French, Mandarin and Spanish)

Meike Thomson, German bilingual educator

Brent Novodvorski (Canada: American Sign Language (ASL), English as a Second Language (ESL), Deaf Literacy)

Paul Rogers (USA: ESL)

Martha Urquhart (Canada: Literacy, ESL Literacy)

Meike Thomsen (Canada: German, German-English bilingual education)

Felix Wöhler (Canada: English as a Second Language)

I’m now looking for suggestions for the 2011 series.

Here are the criteria I use for the series:

  • Literacy or language professionals should have practical classroom experience.
  • Their daily practice sets them apart as people who lead by example.
  • Their work inspires you and will likely inspire others.

Send me an e-mail at saraheaton2001 (at) yahoo.ca to nominate someone today. (I prefer nominations of others to self-nominations.)

____________

Share or Tweet this post: 2010 Recap: Literacy and Language Professionals who Lead by Example http://wp.me/pNAh3-rC

Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

Comments Off on 2010 Recap: Literacy and Language Professionals who Lead by Example | languages, leadership, Literacy, Literacy and Language Professionals who Lead by Example, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Spanish, French, German and ASL: Most Popular Languages Taught in US

December 8, 2010

Dan Berrett’s article, “Getting Their Babel On” (Inside Higher Ed, Dec. 8, 2010) shares the results of a study conducted by the Modern Language Association (MLA) in terms of university students in the US studying foreign languages. Here are the highlights:

  • The rate at which students took foreign language courses in 2009 remained constant, compared to three years prior.
  • The number of enrollments in language courses grew from 1.57 million in 2006 to 1.68 million in 2009, or 6.6 percent. However, the total number of enrollments in undergraduate courses as a whole also increased. In simple terms this means that language courses account for 8.6 of every 100 course enrollments in post-secondary institutions. That number has remained the same since 2006.
  • Of every 100 undergraduate degrees earned, 1.16 of them are in foreign languages.
  • 70 % of undergrad degrees in foreign languages are earned by women.
  • The most popular languages to study (aside from English, which is not considered a “foreign” language in the US) are Spanish, French, German, and American Sign Language, in that order.
  • American universities teach a total of 232 different languages.
  • Arabic boasted the highest increases in enrollments last year, with a 46% increase over the three previous years.
  • Graduate program enrollments in languages have dropped by 6.7 percent since 2006.

__________________

Share this post: Spanish, French, German and ASL: Most Popular Languages Taught in US https://wp.me/pNAh3-pe

Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

2 Comments | education, languages | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

My favorite sites to make your own crosswords

November 30, 2010

I love using crosswords in language classes. They’re an excellent way to get students thinking about the vocabulary they’re learning, to challenge them and to help them recall words from memory. Here are a few of my favorite online sites where teachers can make crosswords for free or very little cost:

Armored Penguin Crossword maker – Multilingual. Love this site!

Teach-nology Crossword maker – A site especially for teachers.

Variety Games.com – This site is a little more complex in how the words and clues are put together, but once you get the hang of it, it’s great.

Tools for Educators: Crossword maker

The Teachers’ Corner.Net – They ask for a linkback to their site.

ESL Galaxy Crosswords – This site has pre-made crosswords, available by themes. The pages have colorful backgrounds, too.

I’ve also heard about an $8 app for Mac Users: KrossWords (a shareware app written by Jerome Foucher), though I haven’t tried that one myself.

_________________

Share this post: My favorite sites to make your own crosswords http://wp.me/pNAh3-oC

Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

Comments Off on My favorite sites to make your own crosswords | languages, second languages, teaching, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Language Learning: Restaurant visit counts as experiential learning

November 22, 2010

This semester one of my classes as a beginner-level Spanish class for adults. I’m not a native speaker of Spanish so to add an element of experiential learning to the course, we went to a local Mexican restaurant. I arrived first and spoke with the restaurant manager, requesting that our waiter speak only Spanish to the group.

As it turned out, our server was a recent immigrant from Peru. He really did speak very little English, so it was the perfect opportunity for the students to practice in a realistic environment. This is a photo taken by one of the students. At the end of the table, you see our gracious and funny server. That’s me in the purple sweater, with the glasses.

I’ve gone with classes to restaurants before. There is always a learning component, but it has nothing to do with structure or grammar. It’s about thinking on your feet and communicating ideas and information in real time, with a native speaker.

It’s about feeling the panic that sweeps over your entire being when you go blank as you realize that someone has just spoken to you and you don’t understand one word of what they’ve just said. And you’re expected to say something intelligent in response, but the words you thought you knew seem to have spontaneously combusted in your brain, leaving only fragments of gibberish. It’s about learning to become comfortable with the discomfort that is inevitable when learning a second language as an adult learner… and learning to smile, laugh and cope. It’s about learning you really can do it.

Of course, being a class of adult learners, they had the option of ordering grown-up beverages. Here’s our toast to a successful course and a wonderful learning experience. Gracias a todos. ¡Qué clase más enérgica y talentosa!

______________________________

Share this post: Language Learning: Restaurant visit counts as experiential learning https://wp.me/pNAh3-oj

Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

Comments Off on Language Learning: Restaurant visit counts as experiential learning | education, languages, second languages, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »