{"id":16905,"date":"2015-04-27T08:26:21","date_gmt":"2015-04-27T12:26:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/carleton.ca\/edc\/?p=16905"},"modified":"2022-01-06T12:51:02","modified_gmt":"2022-01-06T17:51:02","slug":"carleton-university-introduces-unique-online-heritage-language-courses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/tls\/2015\/carleton-university-introduces-unique-online-heritage-language-courses\/","title":{"rendered":"杏吧原创 University introduces unique online heritage language courses"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Jordanna Tennebaum, TLS freelance writer<\/em><\/p>\n Native Spanish and Russian speakers across the country will have the unique opportunity to formally study their respective languages through four new online courses at 杏吧原创 next fall.<\/p>\n By placing emphasis on students familiar with Spanish and Russian linguistics, often the product of childhood upbringings or birthplaces, 杏吧原创\u2019s School of Linguistics and Language Studies (SLaLS) is redirecting the focus of typical language classes. While the majority of programs concentrate almost exclusively upon those with little to no understanding of languages, 杏吧原创\u2019s heritage speakers series is geared towards students with medium to advanced knowledge of their mother tongues.<\/p>\n Professor Ioana Dimitriu will be teaching SPAN 4015 and SPAN 4025, or Spanish for Heritage Speakers I and II. She says she\u2019s eager to teach those who have achieved a high level of verbal competency, a proficiency that usually prohibits registration in conventional Spanish courses.<\/p>\n \u201cA number of students are turned back from registering into the lower-level Spanish classes every semester. Their placement tests show that their level is too high for enrolling in a standard language course,\u201d says Dimitriu.<\/p>\n On the Russian front, this issue affects approximately five to 10 students each year who are flagged as too advanced. This often disadvantages heritage speakers who, though literally well versed in the basics, lack comprehension of academic terms or concepts.<\/p>\n SLaLS professor Iryna Kozlova is aware of gaps in expertise that frequently characterize members of Russian communities who may be comfortable with the ethnic alphabet without being able to read or write.<\/p>\n \u201cThese speakers have never been extensively educated in the language\u2026some are children of immigrants. They may have only finished elementary school,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Kozlova will be running RUSS 3015 and 3025: Russian for Heritage Speakers I and II, which, along with the Spanish courses, will make use of virtual tools to enhance vocabularies, oral communication and proper grammar.<\/p>\n EDC educational technology development coordinator, Kirk Davies, is overseeing the design of these courses. By way of quizzes, ePortfolios and a 3D environment simulating 杏吧原创\u2019s campus, Davies is confident that students will benefit from the multifaceted system.<\/p>\n