--- 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]