Best Practices Conference in June, 2001

Participants:

• Julius Coles
• Gwen Wade

Project Title: The Atlanta University Center Intensive Foreign Language Program, based at Morehouse College

Project Description:

I. Program Objective

The purpose of the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Intensive Foreign Language Program is to train selected students, faculty and staff of the AUC and other Atlanta metropolitan institutions of higher learning to a high level of oral proficiency in a relatively short period of time in one of the six languages (Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese or Arabic) being offered in the program.

II. Participating Institutions

The program is designed as an Atlanta University Center language program and will serve all of the Center institutions, including Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, Morris Brown College, Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC), Morehouse School of Medicine and the host institution, Morehouse College.

III. Access and Eligibility for Program

The Intensive Foreign Language Program will be open to all AUC students, faculty and staff as well as other institutions of higher learning in the Atlanta metropolitan area (ARCHE Institutions) on a space-available basis. All persons desiring to participate in this program, regardless of their major field of concentration, will be selected for the program based on an evaluation of their scholastic achievement, tested aptitude for language learning, letters of recommendation, interviews and assessment of motivation.

IV. Brief Description of Instructional Program

The program will offer two levels of intensive language learning as follows: novice-to-intermediate and intermediate-to-advanced (mid) levels. The academic year will be a three-semester program, including summer, fall and spring semesters. The summer semester will be used to begin the teaching of the intensive language chosen or to take an advanced language study program or internship program abroad. In the fall and spring semesters the program will offer intensive language instruction during the course of the academic year.

V. Class Size and Structure

The class size will not exceed twelve students for each language at each learning level. These classes will be further broken down into smaller classes of six students each for laboratory or drill exercise classes.

VI. Hours of Instruction

Classes at the two instructional levels in all languages during the academic year will be taught for four hours (two hours of instruction and two hours of drill exercises) a day for a total of five days a week. Participants will also be required to eat lunch at their chosen language table. During the summer semester, there will be a total of five hours of instruction and two hours of practical exercises or drills.

VII. Credit Hours Earned

For the fall and spring semesters the participants will earn 10 credit hours each semester and will be permitted to take up to nine credit hours from this college's core curriculum. The participants in the summer semester will receive 12 credit hours.

VIII. Cost of Program for Participants

Students enrolled in the program will pay regular tuition fees at their home institution for the total number of credit hours taken.

IX. Minor or Major Concentration

Participants spending at least one year in the program will earn a minor in the language chosen and will receive a certificate of participation in the program. Participants completing a total of two years will receive a diploma in intensive language studies.

X. Mandatory Study Abroad Program

Participants completing the first year of the program will be given a full scholarship to study abroad in a foreign language institute in the language studied. Advanced participants completing two years will be given the opportunity to study in their major field of study in a foreign university program or will be allowed to work as interns in a company or voluntary agency in their language of study.

XI. Language Houses

Each language will have its own language house (dormitory or residence), where participants will be required to speak the language of that house at all times. The participants will also share dinner and other evening cultural language programs or activities.

XII. Foreign Language Technology Center

A new foreign language technology center will be built that will house classrooms, language laboratories, interactive drill classes and instructional and curriculum development resource materials.

Participants:

Name: Julius Coles

Title: Director of the Center for International Studies

E-mail: jcoles@morehouse.edu

Biographical Information:

Name: Gwen Wade

Title: Director of International Student Services and Study Abroad Programs

E-mail: gwade@morehouse.edu

Biographical Information: