--- Forwarded Message from Deanne Cobb <[log in to unmask]> ---

>From: Deanne Cobb <[log in to unmask]>
>Sender: [log in to unmask]
>Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2003 10:57:04 -0600
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum    <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #7044 First Year Self-Instructional Courses
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>References: <[log in to unmask]>
>Disposition-Notification-To: Deanne Cobb <[log in to unmask]>
>Return-Receipt-To: Deanne Cobb <[log in to unmask]>
>Priority: NORMAL

------------------
Hi!
Your request is an intriguing one.  Many of our students come to the 
University of Regina not having studied any languages and, therefore, 
many of our courses begin at the alphabet.  As a University course, a 
certain amount must be self-study, and therefore, we try to find 
textbooks that are easy to use as study manuals.

For German, I would make one recommendation.  Though the 
textbook is not primarily designed as a self-study program, I could see
its merit as one.  It is Treffpunkt Deutsch, by Widmaier and Widmaier 
(Pearson Education/Prentice Hall). The fourth edition that is just 
being released appears not only to lay out the lessons well for 
self-study, but it appears that all of the workbook audio, etc. 
will soon be available via the web from the publisher's website as 
well. This then allows students who may not have access to a language 
laboratory during scheduled hours the opportunity to use the same 
audio materials.  I would assume that an access code will be printed in
the textbook.  There is also an Answer Key ot the Arbeitsbuch which 
preumably could be placed in a library's reserve.  

I hope that this information is of some assistance.

Sincerely,
Deanne Cobb
 

On Tue, 18 Feb 2003 16:54:34 EST LLTI-Editor <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> --- 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.

Deanne Cobb
Language Lab Manager
Language Resource Centre
University of Regina

Recommended CALL article:
Yoshii, M. & Flaitz, J. (2002). Second Language 
        Incidental Vocabulary Retention:  The Effect 
        of Text and Picture Annotation Types.  CALICO 
        Journal, 20 (1), 33-58.

Quote: 
"All programmers are playwrights and all computers are lousy actors." 
-Anon.