One Voice, Many Languages: New Program Promotes Linguistic Skills and Cultural Insight

STUDENTS LEARN, OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM, FROM NATIVE SPEAKERS

University of Miami students can now learn almost any language they choose through a new program called Directed Independent Language Study (DILS). Last spring, its enrollees gained facility in Russian, Haitian Creole, Levantine Arabic, Moroccan, Hindi, and Swedish. Instituted by the Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences with funding from the Office of the Provost, DILS classes are open to all students. They are offered at no cost and are not for credit, but satisfactory completion of the program is noted on the student’s transcript.

Forgoing the traditional classroom format, DILS centers on a carefully structured relationship between the student and a native speaker of the chosen language (called a language partner), appropriate instructional materials, and an outside examiner. Students establish a daily schedule of independent work based on the materials, meet with their language partner twice a week, and are tested at the end of the semester by outside examiners who are fluent in the language and teach it at a university or college.

Students enroll in DILS primarily for two reasons: Most often to learn a language to enhance their studies or to conduct research. William Kutz, a master’s candidate in geography and regional studies who is writing his thesis on the transformative effects of globalization in Tangiers, Morocco, reported that after taking a DILS class he was able to converse in Moroccan Arabic during a research trip there. And then there are the “heritage” students, such as Simone Berger, who want to reconnect with their cultural roots. “I grew up in Brooklyn, where my mom’s entire family spoke Russian and all the kids at my school did too, but when I moved away I forgot the language,” said Berger, a sophomore majoring in electronic media. “I wanted to relearn it so I could speak to my family again, especially my grandmother.”

By way of assuring such outcomes, students and language partners in DILS classes often discuss native customs, history, and current events. “I think the trend is clear at universities,” said DILS director Maria Kosinski. “Students are increasingly involved with international/transcultural issues and they need not only proficiency in the language but also familiarity with the culture. Studying the language can introduce them to the culture as well.”

This past semester at UM, DILS received 42 applications for the program, with requests for classes in Afrikaans, Catalan, Czech, Gaelic, Korean, Urdu, and Yiddish. In principal, no language is excluded (provided it is not taught through formal courses at UM). But in reality not all applications are accepted; difficulties finding language partners can impose constraints.

Most of the language partners are recruited from campus. For example, law school student Robin Bjorkman, taught Swedish. “My student was excellent. She came fully prepared to every language session, and that is the key to maximizing the learning experience,” Bjorkman said. “It has been a lot of fun teaching Swedish to another person. It is especially gratifying to help someone who wants to learn Swedish here in Miami, considering there isn’t a large population of Swedish people in the area.”

“I think it’s wonderful to see a growing interest in foreign languages at UM,” said Kosinski. “Learning languages not only increases our base of knowledge but brings our worlds closer and enhances the institution’s effort to further internationalize its campus culture.” In that spirit, she encourages students to request additional languages for upcoming semesters.