World Languages Day 2009
by Jenny Boe
It’s almost time for the 6th annual World Languages Day! On Tuesday, May 19th approximately 1,000 high students from all across the state will be on campus learning over 20 different languages. Some will get a fresh perspective on a language they are already studying, such as Spanish, French, German, or Chinese, while many will get a crash course on a language brand new to them, such as Turkish, Ojibwe, or Persian…just to name a few.
The event is a great opportunity for CLA departments to share new languages, cultures, methods of teaching and learning technology with students, as well as teachers, counselors, and parents. And this year, instead of juniors, we are inviting students in sophomore-level courses in hopes of encouraging them to keep language learning in mind at an earlier stage of the college-planning process. Also new is an increase in informative classes being offered, which will be taught by organizations such as CARLA, Admissions, and MELP. While the classes are geared for counselors, students and parents can also benefit from learning the ways a second language can create a more competitive college applicant.
If you’re interested in learning more about World Languages Day 2009 or helping out with the day, feel free to contact the event coordinator, Stephanie Treat. A full list of classes and more information is available at the World Languages Day website.