Global Romance Languages

Global Romance Languages

Develop new Certificates in the Department of Romance, German, and Russian Languages and Literature (RGRLL)

Modern languages at CSULB are largely taught either through the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies (AAAS) or through the Department of Romance, German, Russian Languages and Literature (RGRLL). RGRLL will develop four “certificates” based on language acquisition. Certificates are valuable tools because, in contrast to minors, they are a way of recognizing and rewarding student achievement based on competency without mandating rigid unit requirements. The four certificates include:

  1. French/Italian/Portuguese for Spanish Speakers.
  2. RGRLL already offers first- and second-year courses entitled “French for Spanish Speakers”and “Italian for Spanish Speakers”. RGRLL will create a Certificate that can be earned with a maximum of 18 units (6 of which must be at the upper-division level). With the funds RGRLL will develop the necessary 6-unit upper-division courses in Italian and French and add Portuguese.
  3. Intercomprehension
  4. Since Spring 2012, RGRLL has been working on the adaptation of a foreign language teaching method called “Intercomprehension” (EuRom5 methodologies for developing baseline reading and communication skills across Romance languages based on knowledge of one of them) to the current language teaching paradigm in the US (the Communicative Approach). Given the large number of Spanish Speakers and, given the 2-year language requirement for admission (Competitive Preference #2), the Intercomprehension Certificate proposes an attractive path toward advanced-level reading and comprehension knowledge in 5 Romance languages. RGRLL proposes an Intercomprehension Certificate that can be earned with a maximum of 18 units.
  5. Language-Culture Certificate
  6. CSULB requires students to have completed two years of a foreign language in secondary school for admission to the university (Competitive Priority #2). Yet, very few of these students pursue foreign language studies on our campus due to time and financial constraints and the pressure created by timely graduation policies. To address students in high-unit majors whose language background is not addressed in Path 1 or 2, RGRLL will develop a Language/Culture Certificate that can be earned in 18 units (6 of which must be at the upper-division level). There is already sufficient coursework in French, Spanish and Italian. This initiative will include developing one 6-unit upper-division courses in German and Russian.
  7. Spanish Heritage Speakers Certificate
  8. There are approximately 7500 Spanish Heritage speakers on the CSULB campus, yet less than 3% of those students major or minor in Spanish. Language ability varies widely amongst Heritage speakers but they commonly lack reading and writing skills, a solid grammatical foundation, and professional-level abilities. The real opportunity for them is to become truly bilingual for professional purposes relatively quickly through specialized coursework. RGRLL already has in place SPAN 250 (Spanish for heritage Speakers) and SPAN 300 (Advanced Composition and Writing for Spanish Heritage Speakers). As part of this grant effort it will develop a third-year course (Spanish for Professionals). Such a course will target students in (high-unit) majors such as nursing who need to demonstrate advanced levels of language skills for their careers but who cannot pursue a traditional minor or double major due to time or unit restrictions.