--- Forwarded Message from Dennis Magnuson <[log in to unmask]> --- >Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 09:58:00 -0500 >To: [log in to unmask] >From: Dennis Magnuson <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Language Graduation Requirements Neteros, While Daniel Tom has opened up a major thread that should concern many, if not all, of us, I would like to pose a related question that has surfaced several times in the past two years here at Luther College. Although we have a three semester language req, we are getting requests from SS who have studied languages that we do not offer to accept their "experiences" in those languages. Example, an Asian student from India who has grown up here in the States and is studying pre-medicine, coming from a home where we are told that his parents speak Bengali, wants Luther to OK his having met the FL requirement. Assuming that there is an Oral Proficiency Interview, or some similar evaluation instrument/procedure, he is asking that to be accepted. (BTW, we have interepreted "proficiencying out" of the requirement to mean that a student can READ, WRITE, and handle ORAL communication on an intermediate-mid level. We doubt that he is able to do the graphic skills, but, of course, we have no way to evaluate that here.) So, my question: what does your institution do for students who are completing the FL req: just accept completion of FLs that you teach--either from HS or at the college level-- or do you allow other possibilities? As we will be discussing this in the next two days in our department, I would appreciate a brief reply ASAP; I will summarize these replies and post them here. Thank you. Dennis M. end Dennis D. Magnuson Assoc Prof of Span & Dir, Lang Lrng Ctr Luther College Decorah, IA 52101 tel (319) 387-2160 [log in to unmask]