uncilNet enables Council members and others to learn about events, conferences, training programs, and special activities that are happening in the field of less commonly taught languages. 

If you know of events and activities that you feel would be of interest to Council members, teachers, or learners of less commonly taught languages, please send us information about these events. The easiest way to do this is to use the on-line announcement submission form at the end of this page. Council staff will carefully review suggested announcements and include those that are appropriate. 
 

Click on the announcements listed below to learn more about them.             

UCLA Language Materials Project: Request for participationPolish Language Learning Framework
 

Small Grants Awarded for Less Commonly Taught Languages 2001
 

New Strategic Development Project for Chinese Language FieldThe National Council of Organizations of Less Commonly Taught Languages, Fifth National Conference, April 12-14, 2002.

The National Council of Organizations of Less Commonly Taught Languages, Fourth Annual Conference, April 6-8 2001.

The National Council of Organizations of Less Commonly Taught Languages, Third Annual Conference, May 6-8 2000.

The Second NCOLCTL Conference on the Less Commonly Taught Languages 
& Pre Conference Workshop

 The First NCOLCTL Conference on the Less Commonly Taught Languages  
 

UCLA Language Materials Project: Request for participation

The UCLA Language Materials Project (LMP) Survey is funded by a grant from the US Department of Education. The aim of the LMP Survey is to update and expand the national picture of resources used in foreign language teaching, by providing an account of materials currently used in LCTL teaching nationwide and to gather opinions about the national need for LCTL teaching materials. The Survey results will be reported directly to the Department of Education and will also be published on the LMP web site, so they may benefit those on all levels of LCTL instruction in both the public and private sectors. Based on the results of the survey, educators will be able to share information and learn more about the breadth and scope of current materials; education planners will have an updated perspective on the resources used in foreign language teaching; and publishers, researchers, and materials developers will be able to target areas of need for teaching materials. The LMP Survey was developed in collaboration with the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL), who conducted the first large-scale comprehensive survey of language teaching materials was conducted in 1993. PLEASE PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY

• Tell us what LCTL materials you are currently using in your classroom.
• Tell us what needs you have for materials in your classroom.
• Your participation will be greatly appreciated

The LMP Survey can be accessed through the LMP website at http://www.lmp.ucla.edu.

 
Call for Applications

from U.S. Host Institutions

for the 2002-2003 Academic Year

AMERICAN COUNCILS FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION: ACTR/ACCELS JUNIOR FACULTY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (JFDP)

American Councils is pleased to announce opportunities for U.S. institutions to host participants of the Junior Faculty Development Program (JFDP) for the 2002-2003 academic year.  JFDP is a non-degree, professional development program intended to provide opportunities for university faculty from ten Eurasian countries to develop new courses, implement curriculum reform, and cultivate new teaching skills and techniques through exposure to U.S. educational methods.  JFDP participants teach at higher educational institutions in their home countries in twenty-three academic disciplines of the humanities and social sciences. JFDP Fellows are selected through open competitions in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

JFDP Fellows help internationalize their U.S. host institutions by bringing cultural diversity and new perspectives in teaching and learning.  Likewise, Fellows may serve as potential vehicles for on-going collaborations and institutional partnerships.  During the program, JFDP Fellows informally attend relevant courses in their fields of study.  As visiting scholars, Fellows may make presentations, give special lectures, co-teach courses or participate in departmental projects, if such opportunities exist.  U.S. hosts are asked to provide a faculty advisor who is willing to guide the Fellow with academic pursuits related to course development, professional networking, and research.

JFDP is a fully funded program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State.  Information and the host application are located at the JFDP Web-site: http://www.actr.org/jfdp/.

Summer Institutes for Language Teachers 2002

 
Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA)
University of Minnesota

 
Registration has begun for CARLA's seventh annual series of summer institutes at the University of Minnesota. This series of professional development opportunities reflects the center's commitment to connecting research with practice and the mission to share what we've learned with teachers and their second language learners. Each of the institutes is a highly interactive blend of theory and practical application and engages participants in discussion, networking, theory-building and hands-on activities that relate to the topic of the day.
 
NOTE: Special scholarships are available to teachers of European LCTLs to attend the CARLA summer institutes. Details can be found below.
The institutes offered during Summer 2002 are:
 
Developing Materials for Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs)
July 29-August 2, 2002
This summer institute will provide LCTL teachers with practical tools and hands-on experience in designing a wide range of materials that will improve their students' abilities to use the language for communicative purposes.
 
Proficiency-Oriented Language Instruction & Assessments (POLIA)
July 29-August 2, 2002
Participating teachers of foreign languages will develop practical skills to create and adapt curriculum materials and assessment tools that are proficiency-oriented and linked to the National Standards.
 
Basics of Second Language Acquisition for Teachers - NEW!
July 29-August 2, 2002
Participants in this new institute will use basic understandings provided by second language acquisition research to examine learner language, and together consider the language teaching implications of insights gained in this examination.
 
A Practical Course in Styles- and Strategies-Based Instruction
August 5-9, 2002
This seventh annual summer institute is designed to help language teachers maximize students' ability to learn a foreign/second language through Styles- and Strategies-Based Instruction.
 
Developing Assessments for the Second Language Classroom
August 5-9, 2002
After a solid overview of the fundamentals of assessment development, participants will work together to create new assessments or modify existing instruments to fit their own classroom needs.
 
Meeting the Challenges of Immersion Education: Focus on Reading
August 5-9, 2002
This highly popular institute will take a close look the research and resources for reading in a second language. A must for veteran immersion teachers and curriculum coordinators!
 
Culture as the Core in the Second Language Classroom
August 12-16, 2002
Weaving together theory and practice, this interactive institute will help teachers develop instructional strategies and practical tools for integrating culture into an established language curriculum.
 
Immersion 101: An Introduction to Immersion Teaching
August 12-16, 2002
This institute provides novice immersion teachers with the tools and information they need to survive and thrive in the immersion classroom. The institute also includes a two-day session for administrators of immersion education programs.
 
Technology in the Second Language Classroom
August 12-16, 2002
Participants in this institute will learn how to use a wide range of technology resources and evaluate their role in enhancing language instruction. This year we will offer two sections for different levels of ability/comfort with technology.
Participants at the CARLA summer institutes have come from all over the world and have included ESL and foreign language teachers at all levels of instruction, program administrators, and curriculum specialists. All the CARLA summer institutes have been very popular, so we encourage early registration!
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For detailed information about the CARLA summer institutes and available scholarships see: http://carla.acad.umn.edu/summerinst.html.
 
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION: The University of Minnesota's European Studies Consortium (ESC) is pleased to provide a limited number of $650 scholarships for K-16 teachers of European Less Commonly Taught Languages to attend the CARLA summer institutes. Applications are due by April 27, 2002, and scholarship recipients will be announced by May 10, 2002. For details see http://esc.cla.umn.edu or contact Klaas van der Sanden by phone at (612) 625-1856 or e-mail at esc@tc.umn.edu.

POLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING FRAMEWORK

Leonard A. Polakiewski
Joanna Radwafski-Williams
Waldemar Walczyfski

              
The Polish Language Learning Framework (PLLF) is one of the language learning frameworks developed under the auspices of the National Council of Organizations of the Less Commonly Taught Languages (NCOLCTL).  The broad mission of the learning frameworks is to provide guidelines to better facilitate, promote and coordinate the teaching and learning of the less commonly taught languages in the United States (i.e., languages other than Spanish, French and German).  Therefore, the broad goal of PLLF is to serve the cause of facilitating, promoting and coordinating the teaching and learning of Polish.  In addition, the specific goals of PLLF are:

1) to provide a survey and assessment of the current state of Polish teaching and learning;

2) to provide a framework of theoretical and pedagogical guidelines for Polish language learning, together with a survey and assessment of existing methods and materials;

3) to provide recommendations to further facilitate the teaching and learning of Polish in the United States.

               In accordance with the general philosophy of the national language learning frameworks, the emphasis of the PLLF is on learning and learner-centered and learner-based methodology (including e.g., individualized study and self-study) rather than simply on language teaching.  With respect to the above goals, the PLLF:

1) examines the state of Polish language teaching, as well as the

sociolinguistic situation of Polish language learning in the US, including typical learner profiles;

2) outlines principles for setting learning and evaluates existing materials in light of these principles;

3) provides guidelines for setting learning goals within the context of learner-centered acquisition of language proficiency, as well as recommendations for the further promotion of Polish language learning in the US.

               We conclude that the prospects for Polish language teaching and learning in the United States are cautiously optimistic, but require a better coordination of effort and of information exchanges in order to optimally exploit the already existing resources and materials.

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SMALL GRANTS AWARDED FOR LESS COMMONLY TAUGHT LANGUAGES

The National Council of Organizations of Less Commonly Taught Languages (NCOLCTL) is pleased to announce the awarding of mini-grants to the following individuals and organizations:

American Council of Teachers of Russian (ACTR)

Materials Development in Support of the U.S. Olympiada of Spoken Russian

Alla Nedashkivska, University of Alberta

Instructional Materials for Advanced Ukrainian

North American Association for Celtic Language Teachers (NAACLT)

Celtic Language Field Survey and Analysis

North American Association of Teachers of Czech (NAATC)

Guest Speaker at the International Roundtable on Czech Language Teaching Methods

Ellen Rafferty, University of Wisconsin

Website of Indonesian Photographic Images

Faye Valtadoros, Lakeview High School, Battle Creek, Michigan

Professional Development Support (The Japan Foundation

               Intensive Training Program for Teaching of Japanese)

Etsuyo Yuasa, The Ohio State University

Individualized Instruction Materials for Advanced Japanese

While the purposes for which the grants will be used vary, the principal criterion for every award was its use for a project that promotes field building in the Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs). Each of these one-time only grants is for $2000 or less. All awardees have provided a significant personal and/or institutional contribution to the success of the proposed project. The grant recipients are required to submit a final report describing how the grant was used, the results of the project, and a copy of any product stemming from the project.  Final reports that recipients have submitted electronically may be accessed by clicking on the author’s name.

To the extent that Council resources permit, the Council hopes to be able to announce similar annual mini-grant competitions in future years to continue to provide seed money support for educators and scholars in the LCTLs. It is anticipated that competition for such grants will henceforth be announced in the spring, with the results known by the end of May.

Inquiries may be directed to the Council Executive Director, Scott McGinnis, at smcginnis@nflc.org.

New strategic development project for chinese language field

The Henry Luce Foundation has recently made an award to the National Council of Organizations of Less Commonly Taught Languages (NCOLCTL) to fund a field-wide research and development program to strengthen Chinese language instruction in the US. The Luce Foundation grant will encompass a three-year period of time and will total $360,000.

The project, The Chinese Language Field Initiative, will be led by the
Chinese Language Teachers Association (CLTA) and the Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools (CLASS). Administrative support will be provided by NCOLCTL and consultative expertise by the National Foreign Language Center. The initiative will strengthen the architecture of the Chinese language field at the post-secondary level, and ultimately in all instructional settings, by (1) enabling and sustaining field-based collaborative strategic planning, (2) performing critical research on the strengths and needs of the Chinese language field, and (3) developing a national collaborative mechanism for field and program development through resource sharing.

Acknowledging the Luce grant, Dr. Richard Brecht, NFLC Director, noted that “ChineseNet possesses the potential to become a genuine means of
transforming the ways in which resources are distributed throughout the
field of Chinese language pedagogy.” Given the undeniable evidence of the
role of China in global affairs and the resultant demands for American
expertise in the Chinese language, The Chinese Language Field Initiative is
expected to enhance significantly the strategic growth of the Chinese
language field.

More information: Scott McGinnis

Some Upcoming Professional Conferences and Meetings 2002

June 17-19

National Association of Professors of Hebrew (NAPH) International Conference on Hebrew Language and Literature.  Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel. Contact: NAPH, 1346 Van Hise Hall,1220 Linden Drive, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706-1558. Tel. 608-262-3204. Fax 608-262-9417. E-mail naph@mhub.facstaff.wisc.edu.

June 27-29
International Dyslexia Association (IDA): Multilingual & Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Dyslexia Conference, Washington, DC. Contact: Judy Dudek, IDA, 382 Chester Building, 8600 LaSalle Road, Baltimore, MD 21286-20044. E-mail: info@interdys.org; URL: http://www.interdys.org/conference.stm.

July 12-14
Council of Teachers of Southeast Asian Languages (COTSEAL)/SEASSI Annual Conference on Southeast Asian Applied Linguistics and Language Teaching, Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact: Prawet Jantharat, Foreign Service Institute. E-mail: jantharatp2@state.gov.

October 18-20
Heritage Languages in America Second National Conference, Washington, DC.  Contact: Scott McGinnis, NFLC, 7100 Baltimore Ave., Suite 300, College Park, MD 20740. Tel. 301-403-1750 x18. Fax 301-403-1754. E-mail smcginnis@nflc.org. Web site http://www.nflc.org/

November 22-24.
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Annual convention, Salt Lake City, UT. Contact: ACTFL, 6 Executive Plaza, Yonkers, New York 10701-6801. Tel. 914-963-8830. Fax 914-963-1275. E-mail actflhq@aol.com. Web site http://www.actfl.org/.

November 22-24
Chinese Language Teachers Association (CLTA).   Meeting in conjunction with ACTFL, Salt Lake City, UT. Contact: Center for Chinese Studies, Moore Hall #416, University of Hawai’i, Honolulu, HI 96822. Tel. 808-956-2692. Fax. 808-956-2682.
E-mail cyndy@hawaii.edu. Web site http://clta.deall.ohio-state.edu, meeting program http://clta.deall.ohio-state.edu/meeting.htm
.

November 22-24
National Council of Japanese Language Teachers (NCJLT).  Meeting in conjunction with ACTFL, Salt Lake City, UT. Contact: NCJLT, P.O. Box 3719, Boulder, CO 80307-3719. Tel. 303-492-5487. Fax. 303-492-5856. E-mail ncjlt@hotmail.com. Web site http://www.colorado.edu/ealld/atj/ncjlt/.

November 23
American Association of Teachers of Arabic (AATA). Meeting in conjunction with Middle East Studies Association, Washington, DC. Contact: John Eisele, Department of Modern Languages & Literature, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795. Tel. 757-221-3145. E-mail: jceise@facstaff.wm.edu Web site www.wm.edu/aata/.

November 23-26
American Association of Teachers of Turkic Languages (AATT), Meeting in conjunction with Middle East Studies Association, Washington, DC. Contact: AATT, Princeton University, 110 Jones Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544. Tel. 609-258-1435. Fax 609-258-1242. E-mail ehgilson@princeton.edu. Web site http://www.princeton.edu/~ehgilson/aatt.html

December 27-30
American Association of Teachers of Slavic and East European Languages (AATSEEL) & American Council of Teachers of Russian.  Location to be announced.  Contact: AATSEEL, 1933 Fountain Park Dr., Tucson, AZ 85715. Fax 520-885-2663. E-mail: aatseel@compuserve.com. Web site http://clover.slavic.pitt.edu/~aatseel/ 

December 27-30
North American Association of Teachers of Czech (NAATC). Location to be announced.  Contact: Masako Fidler, Department of Slavic Languages, Box E-Brown University, Providence, RI 02912. Tel.  401-863-3933. Fax 401-863-7330.  E-mail: masako_fidler@brown.edu. Web site http://www.language.brown.edu/NAATC/

December 27-30
Modern Language Association of America (MLA). Location to be announced.   Contact: MLA, 26 Broadway, 3^rd floor, New York, NY 10004-1789. Tel 646-576-5000. Fax 646-458-0030. E-mail convention@mla.org. Web site http://www.mla.org.

For conference registration from, and hotel and transportation information, click here.
 

National Council of Organizations

of Less Commonly Taught Languages

Fifth National Conference

April 12-14, 2002

Arlington, Virginia

Expanding Our Capabilities: Focus on Teacher Preparation and Professional Development in the LCTLs

FRIDAY 12 APRIL, 2002

Foreign Service Institute, National Foreign Affairs Training Center

SATURDAY 13 APRIL, 2002

Holiday Inn Arlington at Ballston

SUNDAY 14 APRIL, 2002

Holiday Inn Arlington at Ballston

For conference registration form, and hotel and transportation information, click here.

National Council of Organizations

of Less Commonly Taught Languages

(NCOLCTL)

Fourth Annual Conference

April 6-8, 2001

 (Papers and poster sessions that authors have submitted electronically may be accessed by clicking on the author’s name.)

FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2001

Foreign Service Institute, National Foreign Affairs Training Center

PLENARY PRESENTATION

David Ingram (Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia)

          “Innovations in Methodology for the Teaching of Heritage and Other

          Languages”

COLLOQUIA

Elizabeth M. Bergman, Danko Sipka, and  David Zorc (Language Resource Center, McNeil Technologies) and Yuling Pan (Georgetown University), 

“Linguistic Variation and Its Lexicographic Treatment: A Hands-on Account”

Hsiao-mi Chu, Siu Lun Lee, and Weiping Wu  (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

“ITTTT: Information Technology in Text, Teaching and Testing”

Michael E. Everson (University of Iowa), Frederick H. Jackson (Foreign Service Institute), and David L. Red (Fairfax County, VA Public Schools)

“Reading in Truly Foreign Languages: What the research seems to say”

Vijitha Eyango & Thomas J. Hinnesbusch (University of California, Los Angeles), Dora Johnson (Center for Applied Linguistics), and Louis Janus & Nancy Stenson (University of Minnesota)

“Databases as Resources for LCTL Programs, Students, and Teachers”

Gerald Lampe (National Foreign Language Center), Laurel Rasplica Rodd (University of Colorado), and  Antonia Schleicher (University of Wisconsin)

“LangNet for the 1990s: A progress report”

PAPER PRESENTATIONS

Presentations preceded by an asterisk (*) also offered demonstration and poster sessions on Saturday April 7.

Jianhua Bai (Kenyon College)

“Curricular Innovations in Advanced Chinese through Distance Learning Collaboration”

Min-hsun Chiang (University of Texas, Austin)

“A Study of the Adolescent Ethnic Language Class”

Carol Compton (University of Wisconsin)

“Developing a Heritage Language Program for Speakers of Hmong and Lao”

Alvino Fantini (School for International Training)

“Developing intercultural competence in the LCTLs”

Louis Janus (University of Minnesota)

“Norskklassen: Distance ed course without a teacher?”

Heekyeong Lee (McGill University, Montreal, Canada)

“Language, Culture and Individual Voice: Issues in foreign language teaching”

*Elizabeth Mazzocco (University of Massachusetts at Amherst)

“LangMedia: A WorldWide Tool for Language and Culture”

John Spiridakis (St. John’s University)

“Greek Heritage Language Learning in the USA: A National Reconnaissance”

Yun Xiao (University of Massachusetts at Amherst)

“Voices from Chinese as a Foreign Language Classroom”

SATURDAY, APRIL 7, 2001

Holiday Inn Arlington at Ballston

PLENARY PRESENTATION

Richard D. Brecht and William P. Rivers (National Foreign Language Center)

“National Security, the New Economy, and the Less Commonly Taught Languages in 2001”

COLLOQUIA

Helen Carpenter, Margaret Malone, and Paula Winke (Center for Applied Linguistics)

 “Innovations in Language Proficiency Testing”

Anna Uhl Chamot (The George Washington University), Dorry M. Kenyon  (Center for Applied Linguistics), and Antonia Schleicher

(University of Wisconsin)

“Resources for the LCTLs from the national Language Resource Centers”

Xiao Lan Curdt-Christiansen, Arminee Yagheijian, and Reiko Yoshida (McGill University, Montreal, Canada)

“Multiliteracy in Three Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Heritage Language Schools”

Julie Cain and Leslie M. Schrier (University of Iowa)

“Providing the Appropriate Mentoring for Developing Precollegiate Teachers of Chinese, Japanese, and Russian: Voices from            the Field”

PAPER PRESENTATIONS

Presentations preceded by an asterisk (*) offered demonstration and poster sessions on Saturday April 7

Qinghai Chen (University of Michigan)

“Analysis of Mandarin Tonal Errors in Connected Speech by English-Speaking American Adult Learners”

H. Lin Domizio (Brown University)

“Retrospective Interviews: My Speech Behaviors and Native Speakers’ Norms”

Beatriz Fantini (School for International Training)

“Teacher-Student Guides for In-country Field Learning in the LCTLs”

Thomas Ihde (Lehman College, CUNY) and Ming Jian (William Paterson University)

“The role of the teacher in computer-assisted language learning”

Nichlolas O. Jungheim (Aoyama Gakuin University) & Sayoko Yamashita (Tokyo Medical and Dental University)

“Nonverbal Behavior across Proficiencies in JSL Interlanguage Refusals”

Yuko Nakahama (Georgetown University)

“Cross-linguistic influence on topic management in L2 Japanese oral narrative”

*Susan Oezel (Indiana University)

“Meeting Turkish Students: A CD-ROM for Listening and Learning”

Tetsuya Sato (University of Arizona)

“Learner interaction during pair communication activities”

Helen Shen (University of Virginia)

“Character learning strategies”

*Rama Sohonee (Foreign Service Institute), and Terry Weston

“Working Around LCTL Fonts: Taking the Alternative Route”

Kaija Wilson & Ulf Grahn (Foreign Service Institute)

“Using cartoons to introduce and analyze culture in less commonly taught languages”

POSTER AND DEMONSTRATION SESSIONS

Sungdai Cho (State University of New York, Binghamton)

“CALL Project for Intermediate Language Instruction”

Alexander Dunkel (University of Arizona)

“The Critical Languages Series: Multimedia CD-ROM courseware for LCTLs”

Yumiko Guajardo, Zachary Hickman, & Kathy O’Brien (United States Air Force Academy) and Ryoko Keaton (Transpacific Business Resources)

“Technology-Based Courseware and Language Maintenance: Processes and Outcomes”

Eun Joo Kim  (Princeton University)

“Link-based Korean vocabulary learning through a web site”

Sylvain Lelarge (Narwal Learning & Language Institute, The Netherlands) & Katalin Smideliusz (Berzsenyi College, Hungary)

“Brain-friendly language teaching for intercultural communication”

Sachiko Matsunaga (California State University, Los Angeles)

“Webfolios in Non-Alphabetic Scripts: A Case of Japanese”

Marmo Soernarmo (Ohio University)

“Quicktime movies and Javascript for online language learning”

Liang Tao, Zinny Bond, and Michael Beutner

“Advanced Technology Applications: Application and Adaptation”

Miao-fen Tseng (University of Virginia)

"Students' Chinese Web Publications as Supplementary Materials: Process and Results"

SUNDAY, APRIL 8, 2001

Holiday Inn Arlington at Ballston

PLENARY PRESENTATION

J. David Edwards (Joint National Committee for Languages) and Miriam Kazanjian (Coalition for International Education)

“Challenges in Establishing National Policies on Foreign Language and International Education”

COLLOQUIA

Gerald Hill (Indigenous Language Institute), Catherine W. Ingold (National Foreign Language Center), Akira Y. Yamamoto (University of Kansas),  and Ofelia Zepeda (University of Arizona) 

“Teacher development in heritage language maintenance: challenges and strategies”

Frederick H. Jackson (Foreign Service Institute), Ruth Mabanglo (University of Hawai’i), Elizabeth Riddle (Ball State University) and Adelwisa Weller (University of Michigan)

 “Priorities in Teacher Development in Southeast Asian Languages”

Eva Prionas (Stanford University), and Yoo-Sang Rhee  (Defense Language Institute)

“Design and Implementation of Staff Development Programs for the LCTLs”

PAPER PRESENTATIONS

Li-jen Kuo (University of Illinois)

“Learning Strategy Use of Multiple-language Learners of Mandarin”

Jin Sook Lee (Rutgers University)

“The Role of Cultural Identity and Heritage Language Maintenance”

Kazue Masuyama (State University of New York, Buffalo)

“Diffusion of Pre-collegiate Japanese Language Instruction: Oregon and Indiana Cases”

Naoko Nemoto (Mount Holyoke College)

“Expressing plurality in languages without a plural marking rule”

Gautami Shah (Yale University)

“Rethinking the LCTL Curriculum: Positioning LCTLs in the Undergraduate Intellectual Experience”

H. Stephen Straight (State University of New York, Binghamton )

“Less Commonly Taught Languages Across the Curriculum”

The Third NCOLCTL Conference
was held on
May 6-8, 2000

Less Commonly Taught Languages in the Working World:

Needs & Responses

Saturday, May 6, 2000

In Conjunction with the 51^st Georgetown University Round Table of
Language and Linguistics

Intercultural Center, Georgetown University

GURT Plenary Speakers:

Allen Bell, Auckland University

Richard Frankel, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

Shirley Brice Heath, Stanford University

Lee Lubbers, Satellite Communications for Learning (SCOLA)

John Rickford, Stanford University

Roger Shuy, Georgetown University

NCOLCTL Conference Presentations and Panels [1] :

Ludmilla Dutkova, University of Mississippi
               “The future of Czech in Texas: How can you learn something if it’s not offered to you?”

Vijay Gambhir, University of Pennsylvania
“Background, Needs, Motivation, and Attitudes of Heritage and Non-heritage learners of Hindi in America”

Maria Lekic, American Council on the Teaching of Russian
“Textbook Design: Content-Based Materials for Russian for Distance Delivery”

Margaret E. Malone, Joseph Brynes and Justin Ickes, Peace Corps
               “Language Needs in Peace Corps: Design, Assessment and Ongoing Learning”

Scott McGinnis, National Foreign Language Center

               “Heritage Languages in America: A Research Agenda Report”

Antonia F. Schleicher, National African Language Resource Center (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

               “A CD-ROM Template for LCTL Learning”

Sunday, May 7, 2000

Holiday Inn Rosslyn Westpark Hotel

Plenary Presentations:

Gary Weaver, American University

               “Developing Cross-Cultural Effectiveness in the ‘Truly Foreign’ Cultures”

James Alatis, Georgetown University

“The Less Commonly Taught Languages in the American Educational Context”

Paper and Panel Presentations:

Daniel Beeby and Lisa Frumkes, Tri-College Mellon Language Project

               “Creating Interactive Web-based Exercises using the Makers Templates”

Joaquim Camps, University of Florida

“Learning Catalan: The Role of Previous Knowledge”

William Leben, Stanford University & Russell G. Schuh, University of California at Los Angeles

 “Two Learner-Based Computerized Courses for Hausa”

Sachiko Matsunaga, California State University, Los Angeles

“Learner Needs Arising From Different Backgrounds: Performance-Based Analyses”

Elizabeth Mazzocco, University of Massachusetts at Amherst

               “LangMedia: A Worldwide Tool for Language and Culture”

John Mugane, Ohio University

               “Learner Autonomy and Teacher-Facilitation: Swahili and the Internet”

Xueling Qu, School District of Philadelphia, Weiling Wu, West Windsor-Plainsboro (NJ) H.S., and  Shuhan C. Wang, Department of Education, State of Delaware

               “Innovative K-12 Programmatic Responses to the Field”

Leslie L. Schrier & Michael E. Everson, University of Iowa

               “Preparing K-12 LCTL Teachers: A Case Study in Statewide Teacher & Program Development”

Rama Sohonee, Foreign Service Institute

               “Testing as Teaching: A Hands-on Model for Designing Multimedia-based Tests”

Jun Yang, University of Arizona

               “Diversified Needs in a Multicultural Language Classroom: A Case of Chinese”

Demonstration and Poster Sessions:

Jianhua Bai, Kenyon College

               “Curricular Innovations in LCTLs through Web-based and Distance Learning Instruction”

James Bauman and Mark Schiavone

               “Programming a Word Processor as a Language Learning Tool”

Erika Gilson, Princeton University

“Learning Turkish at Princeton: Sample Use of the Internet for Language Instruction”

Tae Kunisawa, Wake County (NC) Community College

               “Multicultural Education with Japanese Performing Art, Storytelling, and Technology”

Nancy Stenson and Louis Janus, University of Minnesota

               “The Virtual Picture Album and Virtual Audio Video Archive”

Yoshimi Yamagata, North Carolina State University

“Japanese as a Foreign Language for Adult Learners”

Monday May 8, 2000

Foreign Service Institute

National Foreign Affairs Training Center

Plenary Presentation:

H. David Argoff, Frederick H. Jackson, and Marsha A. Kaplan, Foreign Service Institute
“Some Lessons Learned from 50 Years of Teaching and Testing the Less and Least Commonly Taught Languages at FSI”

Featured Activity:

Open Group Discussion of Conference Themes, Implications, and Next Steps.

Paper and Panel Presentations:

Sungdai Cho, Stanford University

               “Computer Power in Language Instruction”

Frederick H. Jackson, Foreign Service Institute

               “Longitudinal Study of the Development of L2 Reading Proficiency in Thai”

Sahie Kang, Defense Language Institute

               “Learner-Centered Approaches with Traditional LCTL Textbooks”

W. Mary Kim, Foreign Service Institute

               “FSI’s Korean Curriculum Design: Learner Needs and Future Directions”

Luba Koyfman, Vera Gorokhov & Marsha A. Kaplan, Foreign Service Institute

               “Outcomes-Oriented Outings: Immersion Programs for Adult Foreign Language Professionals”

Eckhard Kuhn-Osius, Lorena Ellis & Derlin Chao, City University of New York

“Foreign Languages in the Workplace: Assessment, Achievement, and Change”

Eva Prionas, Stanford University, Vijay Gambhir, University of Pennsylvania & Sam Mchombo, University of California at Berkeley

“Creating Effective Environments for Learning and Teaching LCTLs”

Teresita Ramos, University of Hawai’i at Manoa

               “The Advanced Filipino Abroad Program: Description and Assessment”

 The Second NCOLCTL Conference on the Less Commonly Taught Languages  was held on September 25-27, 1998 Sponsored by  Temple University Program Venue: The DoubleTree Hotel Broad and Locust Streets; Philadelphia, PA September 25-27, 1998

Friday, September 25, 1998  
8:45 a.m.  Conference Commences 
8:45 a.m.-9:00 a.m. Opening Address 
    Dr. Carolyn T. Adams, Dean College of Liberal Arts 
    Temple University, Philadelphia 
9:00 a.m.-9:15 a.m. Conference Orientation 
    John Means, Temple University 
9:15 a.m.-10:15 a.m. Plenary Address: 
    The New Shape of Language Learning in LCTLs 
    Richard Brecht, Director, NCOLCTL 
10:15 a.m.-10:45 a.m. Discussion 
10:45 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Refreshments 
11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Breakout Discussion Groups 
12:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m. Lunch and Write-up 
1:30 p.m.-2:15 p.m. Panel Reports on the Discussion Groups 
2:15 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Refreshments 
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Sharing: Demonstrations and Discussion 
    Gilead Morahg, University of Wisconsin 
    Antonia Schleicher, University of Wisconsin 
3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Discussion Groups 
4:30 p.m.-5:15 p.m. Panel Reports on Discussion Groups 
5:15 p.m.  Conclusion of Day One of Conference 

Saturday, September 26, 1998 
9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. Reports from 1997 NCOLCTL Conference Projects 
    Carol Compton, University of Wisconsin 
    Alexander Dunkel, University of Arizona 
10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Customization: Demonstrations and Discussion 
    Galal Walker, Ohio State University 
11:00 a.m.-11:15 a.m. Refreshments 
11:15 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Discussion Groups 
12:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m. Lunch and Write-up 
1:30 p.m.-2:15 p.m. Panel Reports on Discussion Groups 
2:15 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Refreshments 
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Sources and Standards Presentations 
    Michael Everson, University of Iowa 
    Yashy Tohsaku, University of California, San Diego 
3:30 p.m.-4:45 p.m. Discussion Groups 
4:45 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Panel Reports on Discussion Groups 
5:30 p.m.  Conclusion of Day Two of Conference 

Sunday, September 27, 1998 
9:30 a.m.-10:30a.m. NCOLCTL Future Directions 
10:30 a.m. -11:30 a.m. Plenary Session: Conference Assessment & Suggestions for 1999 Conference 
11:30 a.m.  Conclusion of 1998 Conference 

Pre-Conference Technology Workshop  Thursday, September 24, 1998
Notes

Presenters: Lisa Frumkes, Director of the Tri-College Language Learning Attila Lantos, Hungarian Section, Foreign Service Institute Nina Garrett, Yale University   

Dr. Frumkes began with a general discussion of technology in language learning, and touched on the issues of making technology work for students and for teachers' classroom philosophy; what support is required for using technology; and developing basic skills to use the Web. She presented several useful tips for using the Web, such as coping with Web addresses that don't work, making bookmarks, and using search engines for foreign language resources. She discussed getting students to use Web sites, and using exercise handouts with appropriate addresses. She also provided a handout of useful materials and URLs, which you may receive upon request by contacting her at lfrumkes@haverford.edu 

Mr. Lantos presented the practice of the Hungarian Section at FSI in using the Internet to supplement the regular 44-week course. The following questions were discussed: why and how to incorporate Internet applications in the language classroom; catering to individual needs and customizing the learning process; overcoming the lack of materials in the LCTL's; and injecting variety into the language classroom. At FSI, using Internet resources includes reading on-line with pre-assigned tasks; listening to downloaded news broadcasts with listening comprehension exercises; using the Internet to find specific information; and downloading audio broadcasts with texts. Mr. Lantos noted that individual activities on the Internet also allows teachers to conduct one-on-one tutorials with learners. 

Dr. Garrett presented on using technology to meet the diversity of learner needs and goals. She noted that very focused learning goals, as well as wide range of learner abilities (especially considering Heritage learners), are typical of the LCTL's.