Foreign Language Programs in Crisis: Programs Closing, Faculty Losing Jobs

September 30, 2010

Lately people have been sending me all sorts of news articles about enrollments dropping in second and foreign language programs in high schools and universities. Here are a few examples:

“Community, Adult Education Programs Will be Missed”, Hometownlife.com, by Susan Steinmueller, Sept. 12, 2010

“Foreign language classes unresolved” – Isureveille, by Catherine Threlkeld, September 23, 2010

Cuts hurting language classes – The NewsStar by Carlos D. Fandal, September 26, 2010

Replacing Teachers with Technology – Fox News by Meredith Orban, September 28, 2010

Strapped Schools Ax Foreign Language Programs – Milwaukee – Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, by John Schmid, October 23, 2010

It breaks my heart when I hear about programs that have decreasing enrollment or worse, under threat of closure due to low enrollment. From my experience of working with schools and programs over the past decade as a marketing consultant, I can honestly say that there is no “magic bullet” in a situation like this.

If you’ve been given notice that your program is about to close, managers and teachers essentially face a crisis situation. Not only is their passion about to be killed, and they know their students’ futures will be shaped in a very different way, but their livelihood may be gone, too.

What are language teachers, administrators and foreign language advocates to do?

The only answer it seems is find a way to revitalize not only our programs, but also interest in them. Parents and community stake holders need to see the value of second and foreign language learning and the benefits that students derive by studying them. There is no quick fix to this one, I’m afraid. If you manage or teach in a foreign language program, the best thing to do right now is to keep it vibrant and alive. If your program is under the threat of closure, there may still be time to implement a revitalization, public relations or marketing strategy to rebuild your program’s health so it doesn’t get shut down, or replaced by a computer program.

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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.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Reading strategies: Differences between summarizing and synthesizing

September 29, 2010

This semester I am teaching a course on Becoming an Effective Learner at the University of Calgary. I have asked my students to do a reading synthesis assignment on the different readings we have each week.  In today’s post I’m sharing some of the information I gave them about the differences between summarizing and synthesizing information in terms of reading strategies and research.

If you teach reading and you’d like to share it with your own students, you can download a copy here: difference-between-summarizing-and-synthesizing

Summarizing and synthesizing are both strategies used in reading and research. They are important skills, as they help learners make sense of what they reading.

Though they are both used as reading comprehension and research strategies, it is important to recognize that summarizing and synthesizing are different activities. Each has a different purpose, process and end result.

These are the main differences between them:

Summary

  • A basic reading technique.
  • Pulls together information in order to highlight the important points.
  • Re-iterates the information.
  • Shows what the original authors wrote.
  • Addresses one set of information (e.g. article, chapter, document) at a time. Each source remains distinct.
  • Presents a cursory overview.
  • Demonstrates an understanding of the overall meaning.

Synthesis

  • An advanced reading technique.
  • Pulls together information not only to highlight the important points, but also to draw your own conclusions.
  • Combines and contrasts information from different sources.
  • Not only reflects your knowledge about what the original authors wrote, but also creates something new out of two or more pieces of writing.
  • Combines parts and elements from a variety of sources into one unified entity.
  • Focuses on both main ideas and details.
  • Achieves new insight.

As you are reading information, be aware of whether you are simply re-iterating what someone else has said, or whether you are assimilating all the information in order to create one cohesive document that demonstrates your understanding of the concepts.

For both activities, it may be helpful to write out the main points, using diagrams or charts to help you.

Here are some helpful resources:

Comprehension Strategy – Synthesis / Summarization / Concluding
http://www.readinglady.com/mosaic/tools/Synthesis%20handout%20by%20Deb%20Smith.pdf

How to Synthesize Multiple Sources
http://home.cerrocoso.edu/swiridoff/Resources/Composition/how_to_synthesize_multiple_sourc.htm

What is a Synthesis Question?
http://www.passged.com/student_blogs/maria/2008/10/07/ged-reading-what-is-a-synthesis-question/

What it means to comprehend
http://www.suite101.com/content/what-it-means-to-comprehend-a72619

Reading Strategies

http://www.mindtools.com/rdstratg.html

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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.

4 Comments | education, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Are your students plagiarizing? Here’s how you find out

September 26, 2010

Plagiarism is a hot topic among educators today. The Internet has revolutionized how students research, find and relate to information. Plagiarism used to consist of copying word for word from books. Nowadays a few simple key strokes will cut and paste information from any website into a student’s papers.

There are a number of ways teachers can figure out if their students are plagiarizing. There are a number of websites and programs that will help you do just that. You type in a portion of your student’s paper and run it through a plagiarism checker to see if those words appear elsewhere on the Internet. If they do, your student may have plagiarized. Check out these free online resources:

Related posts:

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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.

6 Comments | education, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

The biggest mistake educators make when marketing new programs

September 17, 2010

My first job in educational administration was in 1989 at Saint Mary’s University. I worked in what was then the Division of Continuing Education. Part of my job was to promote current and new programs. I’ve learned a thing or two over the past twenty years of working in education. What’s the biggest challenge of marketing of new educational programs?

One word: Impatience.

As educators, we tell our students that they need to study regularly. We tell them that consistent effort over time brings results. We tell them to set aside time every day for their studies. We tell them that if they put in the work, that they’ll see results… but they just have to be patient.  If we followed the same advice, we’d be much better at promoting educational programs.

Instead, administrators want results NOW. If a program is posted in the course calendar in one semester and it doesn’t meet the minimum requirements for registrations, it’s canned. Wiped off the books. Written off.

Imagine if you saw a student giving up so easily after getting less than stellar results on a test. Would you say, “Yeah, you’re right. You bombed this first test, so clearly you don’t have what it takes…”

No, of course not! You’d sit down with the student, review the results, determine strategies to improve and then monitor their progress. We can do the same thing with educational programs. If a new program bombs the first time, examine the results and try to figure out why. Develop some new marketing strategies and go out and try them. Keep an eye on your process and watch for improvements.

If we promoted our programs with the same vigilance and patience that we have with our students, we’d have better long term results.

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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.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Every young American to become proficient in a 2nd language within a generation?

September 15, 2010

Glen Loveland at Examiner.com reports in “Foreign Language Education Targeted by Congress” that new proposed legislation in the U.S. would have American children learning a second language in school. The objective? That within one generation all Americans would be fluent in at least one other language. Loveland writes:

“On the last day of the 111th Congress, a bill sponsored by U.S. Congressional Representatives Rush Holt (D-NJ) and Paul Tonko (D-NY) was quietly introduced…. Holt and Tonko propose legislation that would allow every young American to become proficient in a second language—in addition to English—within a generation. The plan is to start language instruction in early childhood and ensure that they are able to build capacity throughout their elementary and secondary education until they gain proficiency.”

The province where I live, Alberta, tried to legislate mandatory second language classes for all students around the turn of the millennium. The Second Languages Initiative, as it was known, fell flat when there was a change in the ministry of education, following an election. In Alberta, second language study remains optional.

What would happen if an entire country – an entire, powerful, influential country – followed in the footsteps of other, smaller countries that have been mandating second language learning for years? The synergy between the “super power” of the United States and those countries who support multilingualism through policy and practice could resonate across the globe. Is that naive or a beam of hope? What do you think?

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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 | languages, leadership, second languages | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

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