CRITICAL LANGUAGES and PEDAGOGIES

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CRITICAL LANGUAGES and PEDAGOGIES SAN DIEGO STATE
UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE ACQUISITION RESOURCE
CENTER
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• LANGUAGE ACQUISITION RESOURCE CENTER (LARC)
• Dr. Mary Ann Lyman-Hager
• Director and Professor, Department of European
  Studies (French Language)
• San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
• 92182-8305
• Telephone [phone]
• Mobile [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• http//larcnet.sdsu.edu

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I. US Department of Education Funded Projects

• Language Resource Center (LRC) Program
• LARC (Language Acquisition Resource Center), one
  of 15 centers currently funded.
• Language Testing Projects (Computer-Assisted
  Speech Tool)
• Online speaking tests of advanced level
  proficiency in a variety of world languages
  (Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, German, etc.)
• Feedback to language learners to improve language
  proficiency
• Teacher to Teacher Conferences
• Free professional conferences for language
  teachers at all levels

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LARC one of first federally funded LRCs (LANGUAGE
RESOURCE CENTERS) in 1990

• 1. LARC _at_ San Diego State University, a national
  language resource center
• 2. Capitol Language Resource Center (Georgetown
  University/George Washington University/Center
  for Applied Linguistics)
• 3. National Foreign Language Resource Center _at_
  University of Hawaii - Manoa

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Other Language Centers (1993-2006)

• Iowa State University
• Michigan State University
• Ohio State University
• University of Minnesota
• University of Wisconsin
• University of North Carolina/Duke (dropped in
  2006)
• Brigham Young University
• University of Chicago
• Indiana University
• University of Oregon
• Penn State
• University of Arizona
• University of California Los Angeles

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LARCs Four Primary Thematic Areas of Inquiry

• Community Outreach and Teacher Credentialing
• Intensive Language Training Leading to
  Professional Proficiency
• Language Testing and Evaluation
• Interdisciplinary Distance Learning and
  Technology-based Programs

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San Diego CountyLanguages Other than English
Spoken in the Home San Diego County
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II. Other Language Acquisition Resource Center
Grants

• ADLP (Advancement of Distinguished Language
  Proficiency)
• CLIP (Critical Language Immersion Program)
• Special contracts (Iraqi Arabic Courses, Afghani
  Teacher Training, etc.)
• Intensive Summer Language Programs, followed by
  Distance Education Language Maintenance Courses

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ADLP

• National Security Language Program-funded
• Research on What is a Distinguished Level
  (Level 4)?
• Distinguished Level Classes, on-line Materials
  for Arabic and Persian, considering Chinese
• Institutionalization of Program at SDSU Required
  for 3 Years after end of grant

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CLIP

• Focus on critical languages as defined by US
  Government
• Offer advanced level language and culture classes
  on a regular basis
• Reach out to teachers through Workshops,
  Institutes, and Classes
• Develop innovative materials for teaching
  language and culture, housed at LARCs Digital
  Media Archive
• Train local community members to preserve their
  language and culture
• Use of critical pedagogies to improve, reform,
  and transform language education

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CRITICAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION/INTENSIVE PROGRAM
(CLIP) Arabic Iraqi Arabic Persian (Filipino) (Ko
rean) (Chinese) LEARN ADVANCED IRAQI
ARABIC IN INTENSIVE FORMATS COMMUNICATIVE
APPROACH USING CONVERSATIONAL PARTNERS
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IRAQI ARABIC Immersion Courses

• 1-Created on-campus, on-demand advanced level
  Iraqi training for those needing high level
  proficiency and in-depth cultural understanding
• 2-Piloted an advanced level intensive Iraqi
  program in fall 2006
• 3-Repeated in spring, summer, and fall terms in
  2007
• Outside reviewer This is the best course
  offered in Iraqi in the country.

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Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) GRANT

1. Hosting intensive summer language classes to
   cadets from up to 19 campuses in the San Diego
   Region
2. Reforming the Military Science minor to include
   language and culture emphasis
3. Offering small group language study (sustainment
   and enhancement) in fall and spring terms

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Year One of the ROTC Critical Language and
Culture Program Overwhelming interest by ROTC
Cadets TO LEARN LANGUAGE.. Year One Arabic and
Persian Year Two and Three Arabic, Persian,
Russian
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Role of Chinese in American Society

• Chinese is a critical language as defined by the
  US Government.
• Chinese used to be a Less Commonly Taught
  Language (LCTL) in the US not now!
• Schools at all levels are asking for Chinese
  programs but there are very few teachers
  certified to teach in elementary or secondary
  schools.

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Chinese language education in the US

• National Language Resource Centers and other
  centers of excellence are searching for ways to
  increase the numbers of Chinese language programs
  available in the US.
• The quality of the programs adopted must also be
  documented and innovative methods used.
• The question is should we improve, reform, or
  transform Chinese language education??

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Chinese language education in the US

• 1) Improve. Build on what is.
• Improve teacher credentialing programs for
  elementary and secondary teachers
• Increase number and quality of study abroad
  programs
• 2) Reform. Tear down and rebuild from the
  ground up.
• Replace dysfunctional pedagogies with new ones.
• Replace study abroad programs with internships
  related to majors, etc.
• Transform. Reconceptualize, combining innovation
  in several areas with new and unexpected
  outcomes.
• Make language learning relevant to forming true
  global citizenship
• Utilizing peer-to-peer connections via technology
  to increase language proficiency and cross
  cultural awareness

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Transformative Technologies, Transformative
Pedagogies for Chinese

• Cultura Method
• Fifth Dimension Method
• Chinese Technologies at Tsinghua
• Elluminate, Wimba, Moodle, etc.