--- Forwarded Message from "Christopher M. Jones" <[log in to unmask]> ---
>Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2003 18:15:56 -0500
>From: "Christopher M. Jones" <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: "Christopher M. Jones" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #7044.1 First Year Self-Instructional Courses (!)
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>References: <[log in to unmask]>
>Originator-Info: login-token=Mulberry:01bdrgH9BET42kOC+WuDBhm7g3ZD7R+VZX+9pPDoSjOg==; [log in to unmask]
------------------
Read:
Self-instructional materials have an ambiguous reputation, to say the
least. Assuming that significant numbers of undergraduates would reach
threshold proficiencies purely through self-instruction is the sort of
accountant-hatched idea that should be squelched at birth.
That said, there are hybrid programs which involve the participation of
tutors and/or instructors in reduced roles which have been in place for
some time, including those of the Language Acquisition Institute at Pitt.
Our Language Online (mlonline.hss.cmu.edu) is a reduced-contact hybrid
which, however, requires instructor involvement similar (in time) to
standard classroom-based learning.
There's no free lunch...
-Chris
--On Thursday, February 20, 2003 5:27 PM -0500 LLTI-Editor
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> --- Forwarded Message from "Mary Morrisard-Larkin"
> <[log in to unmask]> ---
>
>> Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2003 16:01:15 -0500
>> From: "Mary Morrisard-Larkin" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Subject: Re: #7044 First Year Self-Instructional Courses
>
> ------------------
> Read - We just heard about a new 1st year program from Prentice-Hall
> called Gente. One of the ancillaries is a grammar review Cd-ROM that
> includes video of a teacher explaining grammar rules, etc. Mary M-L
>
>>>> [log in to unmask] 02/18/03 04:54PM >>>
> --- Forwarded Message from "Read Gilgen" <[log in to unmask]> ---
>
>> Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 08:40:34 -0600
>> From: "Read Gilgen" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Subject: First Year Self-Instructional Courses
>
> ------------------
> WANTED: Quality, first year self-instructional materials for French,
> German, Spanish.
>
> At Wisconsin, like at many other places, we're faced with the prospect of
> some very difficult budget cuts. Everything's on the table as far as how
> to deal with these cuts. Some ideas work well from a budget point of
> view, but not from a curricular point of view. The opposite can also be
> true.
>
> One of the ideas being floated is to stop teaching courses that make up
> for lack of proficiency of incoming freshmen. Right now we require a
> certain proficiency to pass the language requirement, which often means a
> student with four years of high school Spanish, French, or German might
> have to take a course or two here to reach desired proficiency.
>
> Three ways to compensate for not teaching "remedial" beginning languages
> would be: (1) simply give credit for high school seat time, (2) require
> them to start another language, or (3) take self-instruction courses
> until they're proficient in the language they started in high school.
>
> All of this is a long background to the question:
>
> What do you folks know of out there that are good first year
> self-instructional courses in Spanish, French, or German? If you can
> send me off-line some leads, I'll follow up. ([log in to unmask])
>
> I know how tough it is to do self-instructional language, both from an
> instructional and learning point of view. But I've written my own first
> year self-instructional text (Spanish, many years ago, but out of print),
> so I know it can be done. Any leads will be gratefully appreciated.
>
Christopher M. Jones, PhD
Principal Lecturer in French / Director, Modern Language Resource Center
mail: Baker Hall 160, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
tel: 412-268-5065 fax: 412-268-1328 e-mail: [log in to unmask]
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