Building Effective University Language Programs

I’m quite proud of this one. Here’s my talk from the seminar yesterday, entitled “Building Effective Language Instruction”. It’s actually about how to think about university language programs, what they should include and, more importantly, not include.

The outline is below for anyone who doesn’t like videos.

Introduction: the world has changed

Students, employers, and most importantly, language learning techniques have all changed in the new millenium.

What is effective foreign language instruction?

What are the desired outcomes of foreign language instruction? How can they be achieved?
Proficiency, independence

Things students don’t need

Foreign language instruction often includes extraneous material or goals that reduce its effectiveness: technical and social skills

A model program

What would an ideal foreign language program look like atTohokuUniversity? How could it be implemented? Blended learning, serve different types of students, lifetime learning

How to measure results

How should language learning outcomes be measured? How can the effectiveness of a program be judged? Not just standard language tests