CRITICAL LANGUAGES and PEDAGOGIES SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE ACQUISITION RESOURCE CENTER

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 Telephone: (001) Mobile: (001) Fax: (001)

United States Department of Education LANGUAGE LAB US Department of Defense

I. US Department of Education Funded Projects l Language Resource Center (LRC) Program – LARC (Language Acquisition Resource Center), one of 15 centers currently funded. l 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 l Teacher to Teacher Conferences –Free professional conferences for language teachers at all levels

LARC one of first federally funded LRCs (LANGUAGE RESOURCE CENTERS) in 1990 l 1. San Diego State University, a national language resource center l 2. Capitol Language Resource Center (Georgetown University/George Washington University/Center for Applied Linguistics) l 3. National Foreign Language Resource University of Hawaii - Manoa

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

LARC’s Four Primary Thematic Areas of Inquiry 1) Community Outreach and Teacher Credentialing 2) Intensive Language Training Leading to Professional Proficiency 3) Language Testing and Evaluation 4) Interdisciplinary Distance Learning and Technology-based Programs

San Diego County Languages Other than English Spoken in the Home: San Diego County

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

ADLP l National Security Language Program- funded l 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

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

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

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 Repeated in spring, summer, and fall terms in 2007 Outside reviewer: “This is the best course offered in Iraqi in the country.”

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

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

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

Chinese language education in the US l 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. l The quality of the programs adopted must also be documented and innovative methods used. l The question is: should we improve, reform, or transform Chinese language education??

Chinese language education in the US l 1) Improve. Build on what is. –Improve teacher credentialing programs for elementary and secondary teachers –Increase number and quality of study abroad programs l 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. l 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

Transformative Technologies, Transformative Pedagogies for Chinese l Cultura Method l Fifth Dimension Method l Chinese Technologies at Tsinghua l Elluminate, Wimba, Moodle, etc.