• The CSL will be closed on Thursday the 26th and Friday the 27th.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

– CSL Staff

The Autumn/Winter Quarter deadline for Consortium for Language Teaching and Learning grant proposals is Friday, January 8, 2010. Proposals submitted at this time will compete at the campus level. Application forms and guidelines are available at the Center for the Study of Languages, Cobb 211 or can be sent via email as an MS Word attachment upon request (phone 2-9772 for information). Please submit completed proposals as MS Word email attachments to m-berger1@uchicago.edu; proposals will be reviewed by the Consortium Committee in January, 2010.

The proposed project must pertain to the teaching or the learning of language. We are urging those of you involved with language teaching to consider in particular a project that might explore new ways of making use of already existing technologies and materials, such as commercially available audio and video tapes or computer programs. We also encourage you to formulate projects that are aimed at developing teaching skills–your own and your colleagues–using the hardware presently in use at the University, in the Center for the Study of Languages, and in the various multimedia-equipped classrooms around campus.

Date: Friday, October 30, 2009

Time: 12:3

We are reviving the traditional Halloween pot luck luncheon at the CSL. Please come, and bring a favorite ethnic (or Halloween-related) dish to share with your language teacher colleagues: main dishes or desert.

Costumes not required, but we encourage you to wear one (or at least a mask). Beverages, snacks, paper plates, cups, etc. provided by the CSL. Scarry film screening!

Please RSVP and let us know what you plan to bring (desert or main dish)–write to languages@uchicago.edu

- CSL Staff >:-}

The Center for the Study of Languages invites you to attend a panel discussion about the uses of student video projects in the foreign language class. The panelists are teachers of language from several departments at the University of Chicago: Jason Grunebaum (Hindi); Lidwina Van den Hout (Spanish); Fangpei Cai (Chinese); Muhammad Eissa (Arabic); Sylvie Goutas (French).

The panel participants will begin with brief introductions, describing the way(s) they use student video projects as part of their language class(es). They will then add more details about the student projects as the panel discussion begins and as they take questions from attendees.

If you would like to learn more about the uses of student video projects in the foreign language classroom, or plan to have your students create videos for class projects, we encourage you to attend. If you plan to attend, please let Michael Berger (mb35@uchicago.edu) know via email.

Date: November 4, 2009

Time: 2:30 p.m.

The Center for the Study of Languages will demo recently purchased Sanyo digital camcorders. These video cameras replace the older Canon and JVC cameras, and like those will be used for pedagogical materials development projects and student class projects.

On Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 2:30 pm we will demo the cameras and provide training on their use to language teachers. The demo and training session will take place in C 210.

If you plan to create videos for teaching or have your students create videos for class projects, we encourage you to attend. If you plan to attend, please inform Michael Berger via email (mb35@uchicago.edu).

Friday 8 am to 5 pm

Closed November 26th and 27th for Thanksgiving

THE CONSORTIUM FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING

THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF LANGUAGES

 CALL FOR CONSORTIUM GRANT PROPOSALS — CAMPUS COMPETITION

 PROPOSALS DUE Tuesday, May 27, 2008

 The Spring Quarter deadline for Consortium for Language Teaching and Learning grant proposals is Tuesday, May 27, 2008. Proposals submitted at this time will compete at the campus level. Application forms and guidelines are available at the Center for the Study of Languages, Cobb 211 or can be sent via email as an MS Word attachment upon request (phone 2-9772 for information). Please submit completed proposals as MS Word email attachments to m-berger1@uchicago.edu; proposals will be reviewed by the Consortium Committee in early June, 2008. 

 The proposed project must pertain to the teaching or the learning of language. We are urging those of you involved with language teaching to consider in particular a project that might explore new ways of making use of already existing technologies and materials, such as commercially available audio and video tapes or computer programs. We also encourage you to formulate projects that are aimed at developing teaching skills–your own and your colleagues–using the hardware presently residing at the University, in the Center for the Study of Languages, and in the various multimedia-equipped classrooms around campus.

The CSL once again has some funds available to support professional development for faculty or graduate student language instructors who would like to pursue training in language teaching, assessment, and/or technology over the summer. These funds are available from the general CSL budget and especially from the generous support of the Center for International Studies.

At present, we would like to solicit proposals from those of you who would like to take advantage of summer 2008 programs. If you would like to apply, please send a cover letter describing your professional, linguistic, and scholarly interests and how the proposed program fits in with your overall academic plans or career goals to <languages@uchicago.edu>. Please provide a description of the program and a proposed budget. Applications should be turned in no later than Tuesday, April 15, 2008. We will try to expedite the review process through the Advisory Council to the CSL and make awards for Summer 2008 by early May.

For those of you looking for sample programs, here are some suggestions:

ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview training (4-day workshops)

http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3354

CARLA (Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition)

http://www.carla.umn.edu/development.html

http://www.carla.umn.edu/institutes/index.html

CLEAR (Center for Language Education and Research)

http://clear.msu.edu/clear/professionaldev/summerworkshops.php

CALPER (Center for Advanced Language Proficiency and Research)

http://calper.la.psu.edu/profdev.php?page=workshops

The South Asia Language Resource Center also has a nice selection of links for programs:

http://salrc.uchicago.edu/workshops/pedagogy.shtml

Muhammad Eissa (NELC) also recommends the following:

General:

            Professional Development  NCLRC Presentations and Institutes

            http://nclrc.org/profdev/nclrc_inst_pres/summer_inst.html

For Arabic and some other less commonly taught languages:

TEACHING ARABIC TO UPPER HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS

Mahmoud Al-Batal and Kristin Brustad:  http://nclrc.org/profdev/nclrc_inst_pres/summer_inst.html#arabic_uhsc  

And:

UNDERSTANDING ASSESSMENT: APPLICATIONS FOR FL TEACHERS

Margaret Malone, Ph.D. (Center for Applied Linguistics)

http://nclrc.org/profdev/nclrc_inst_pres/summer_inst.html#understanding_assessment

Programs offered throughout the summer funded by STARTALK.

http://www.startalk.umd.edu/program-info/2008/ 

Please let the CSL know if you have any questions. We hope many of you will have ideas for taking advantage of this opportunity for professional development.

CSL Staff