Revitalizing Foreign Language Teaching & Learning in American Universities
Subject Area
Second Language Acquisition
Abstract
Across the United States we are witnessing an unprecedented movement away from the commitment of offering a variety of language programs to prepare our students for professions in an increasingly globalized world. A number of institutions of higher educations have been reducing, cutting and in some cases outright eliminating foreign language programs. In spite of growing need for specialists with second language skills in various fields, some Universities and Colleges with budgetary constraints choose to cut language education programs and redirect funds to other programmatic needs. The alleged argument in favor of language program cuts is the steady reduction in enrollment in the past few years. This report offers a possible solution to the current crisis, by proposing an organic approach to language, literature and culture teaching and learning, and the need to reconsider some of the current SLA methodologies and practices in institutions of higher education.
Brief Bio Note
Alexander Selimov is associate professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies and ACTFL-certified full tester and a faculty senator for the Dept. of Linguistics and Cognitive Science at the University of Delaware. Dr. Selimov specializes in Hispanic Enlightenment and Romanticism and his publications include literary and cultural studies topics on prose, poetry and theater of José de Espronceda, Manuel José Quintana, Pedro de Montengón, Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, José María de Heredia e Ignacio Altamirano.
Keywords
education, pedagogy, learning, teaching, innovation, motivation, second language acquisition
Location
Room 210
Presentation Year
March 2017
Start Date
3-23-2017 2:15 PM
Embargo
10-25-2016
Recommended Citation
Selimov, Alexander, "Revitalizing Foreign Language Teaching & Learning in American Universities" (2017). South East Coastal Conference on Languages & Literatures (SECCLL). 20.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/seccll/2017/2017/20
Revitalizing Foreign Language Teaching & Learning in American Universities
Room 210
Across the United States we are witnessing an unprecedented movement away from the commitment of offering a variety of language programs to prepare our students for professions in an increasingly globalized world. A number of institutions of higher educations have been reducing, cutting and in some cases outright eliminating foreign language programs. In spite of growing need for specialists with second language skills in various fields, some Universities and Colleges with budgetary constraints choose to cut language education programs and redirect funds to other programmatic needs. The alleged argument in favor of language program cuts is the steady reduction in enrollment in the past few years. This report offers a possible solution to the current crisis, by proposing an organic approach to language, literature and culture teaching and learning, and the need to reconsider some of the current SLA methodologies and practices in institutions of higher education.
