Language classes not used as much as possible
The Language and Philosophy department hopes students at Utah State University will take advantage of the opportunity to become proficient in languages like Spanish, French and German, or minor in Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese or Russian.
Legislation was passed a few years ago in Utah requiring all freshmen entering some Utah universities to take two years of foreign language studies in their secondary education, or they have to fulfill that requirement in their studies at the university. USU doesn’t have that requirement.
“The legislation, however, doesn’t carry that much weight in principle,” said Al Smith, a French professor from the Department of Languages and Philosophy.
On average, about 20-25 percent of public school students take foreign language classes. As students continue into college, foreign language classes are considered electives, not core curriculum classes.
When USU was still on the quarter system, the language skills requirement in general education could be accomplished with foreign language studies. When USU converted to the semester system, the general education requirements changed.
Comparable institutions, however, still allow students to take foreign languages to fill their general education requirements. Diane Michelfelder, the Department of Languages and Philosophy Head, said she hopes the new administration will revisit the issue and allow students to use foreign language classes as general education work.
Smith said he would like to see students come to the university having already received a background in a foreign language so beginning courses need not be offered.
Smith said USU could offer many other disciplined classes if it didn’t have to start at the beginning.
Michelfelder said she would like to see the Department of Language and Philosophy expand its disciplines into courses such as literature and business in foreign languages. Right now, however, the program lacks funding and student interest.
The Department of Language and Philosophy conducted student surveys in the lower-division language courses in Spring Semester 2000 to determine why students in the lower-division courses do or do not persist from one language level to the next. This information is helping the department assess which areas it needs to improve.
Some USU students are helping to interpret for the 2002 Winter Olympics, Michelfelder said. The department will offer a course next Spring Semester called 2002 Olympic Translation Practicum where they can earn two credits for this educational opportunity.