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Monday, March 30, 2015

Getting to Know the Spring 2015 Multimedia Lab Student Staff


Meet the multimedia lab attendants for the Spring 2015 semester at the Language Center! Here are some short self-introductions of new and returning staff.


Hodan

Hodan Jama


Hello! My name is Hodan Jama and I am studying Nutrition and minoring in Public Health. I was born in Somalia but grew up in Minnesota. I have two brothers who are also in college. This is my second semester here, and it is good to see new faces here at the Multimedia Lab. I am planning to go to graduate school for Public Health and work as Public Health Nutritionist. In my spare time, I enjoy watching shows that center around crime investigation. My favorite channel to watch when I am not busy is Investigation Discovery, which features real life crimes. I also enjoy reading and talking to my friends.

Jonathan

Jonathan Prestrud


Greetings! I'm Jonathan and I work with the Language Center as the
assistant in the TandemPlus program, and a few times during the week I can also be found in the multimedia lab. I transferred to the University three years ago; this makes me a super senior. I finished my Linguistics B.A. last semester, and will wrap up my GSD (German) major and History minor this spring. As for languages, I've studied five--German, Korean, Spanish, French, and Norwegian--and have been fortunate to do a bit of linguistic fieldwork in Azeri through the Linguistic department. I enjoy all things done well, lightheartedness, and anything that brings about fun.



Bryce

Bryce Heller


Hello, my name is Bryce Heller. I am a first year student majoring in civil engineering. This is my first semester at the CLA Language Center. I have studied German in high school for four years. I went to Germany and Austria for a two-week long high school language trip that included a stay with a German family. I also traveled to Spain for a week and a half in a College of Science and Engineering Global Seminars program. I enjoy reading, playing video games, and working with computers.



Dathan

Dathan Cook


Hello. I'm Dathan and this will be my third semester working at the Multimedia Lab. I am from Eagan, a suburb just outside the Twin Cities, and I have lived in Minnesota for all of my life. I'm currently a sophomore and planning on majoring in computer science, but I'm also studying French while attending the U. I would love to learn several other languages as well as have a study abroad experience before finishing my time here. I spend most of my free time watching some of my favorite TV shows, spending time with my family and friends, or exploring around the city and trying new things.




Salma

Salma Bile


Hello! My name is Salma Bile, and I have worked in the Multimedia Lab for a little over a year now. I am from San Diego, California, but I've lived in Minnesota for the majority of my life. I am a junior studying Biology and plan to go to nursing school when I graduate. I love languages, but I've only studied Spanish and Arabic so far. I hope to study abroad either this summer or sometime next year to work on my Arabic. When I'm not studying, I'm usually spending time with family and friends or watching my favorite sport, soccer!

Rachel

Rachel Groe


Hello, everyone! I'm Rachel and am majoring in Management Information Systems (MIS) and minoring in Marketing. For most of my life I've lived in Bloomington, Minnesota. I've studied German for several years and completed my language proficiency exam (LPE) for German during spring semester of 2012. I studied abroad in Vienna last spring (and highly encourage those thinking of studying abroad to do so; it's a great experience!). I have worked with OFYP's Welcome Week program for the past three years. I also work with the Office of Classroom Management at the UMN, and as the Public Relations Officer for the UMN's Pokémon League. Things that I enjoy doing in my free time include reading fantasy/sci-fi novels, practicing my writing skills, watching anime, hanging out with friends, and playing video games (especially Pokémon).


Using Audio Journals for Extensive Speaking Practice and Self-Monitoring

Wednesday, April 8, 2015
1:25 to 2:15 p.m.
Nolte 140

Students learning a second or foreign language need to work on productive skills. Audio Journals are a great tool for extensive and focused speaking practice. These recordings help students work on fluency, vocabulary, pronunciation, and/or grammar, all while building their self-monitoring skills. The presenters will explain the logistics of these weekly assignments, share how they've used them in different contexts, and discuss their challenges and benefits.

Presenters:
  • Stephanie Hanson is a Teaching Specialist at the Minnesota English Language Program. She has used audio journals in ITA and IEP programs in the U.S. and at universities in Indonesia and Ecuador.

  • Annie Marrin is a Teaching Specialist and Academic Coordinator at the Minnesota English Language Program. She has recently implemented audio journals to target students' self-evaluation skills in their pronunciation practice.

  • Paula Bramante is a Teaching Specialist at the Minnesota English Language Program. She has used audio journals to help students tell jokes, practice paraphrasing and storytelling, revise goals at midterm, and explore online resources for language practice.


This presentation is sponsored by CARLA and the Minnesota English Language Program.


Making Sense of Educational Innovation: Finding What Works for Today's Students

Wednesday, April 8, 2015
8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
McNamara Alumni Center
Register Online

This free, on-campus conference includes several sessions of potential interest to language instructors. Here are just a few of the relevant offerings:

What Works for Today's Second Language Learners: Helping Students Build Roadmaps for Proficiency with the BOSSA Self-Assessment Project

This presentation presents a new tool for self-assessment, the Basic Outcomes Student Self-Assessment (BOSSA). The tool empowers students to create a personal roadmap for language learning that connects realistic proficiency expectations with course goals throughout the learning sequence. As they complete the low-stakes BOSSA protocol (which includes can-do statements aligned with proficiency targets in a series of language tasks throughout the semester), students specify their strengths and challenges, and come up with strategies to support language learning that work for them. Data analyses show that students make changes in their language-learning practices in response to the protocol, which includes regular practice with self-assessment using the components in the BOSSA toolkit. Attendees will learn how to adapt this tool (designed specifically for use across languages and levels) for their circumstances through the use of the standardized assessment design, accessible technology, and an articulated rubric.

Presenters:
  • Gabriela Sweet, PACE Sustainability Coordinator, Language Center

  • Sara Mack, Spanish 1004 Level Coordinator, Spanish and Portuguese

This session is included in the Afternoon Clinic and Paper Presentations.

Today's Learners: (Co)creating meaning in community
The presenters will demonstrate how students have engaged with their own surroundings by examining local public art and by increasing their knowledge of the University community.

Follow novice and intermediate language learners' step-by-step exploration and learn how this process culminated in digital projects they produced in independent groups as a final project.

Participants will gain an understanding of how art, technology and culture can be used to create student led digital stories. Throughout this process students collaborate to create their own meaning, reach consensus and work as a team, develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. Their media literacy and cultural competency are enhanced as they transfer classroom concepts to real world situations while expanding their own language abilities.

These projects culminate in a digital story in one case and a digital video blog in the other.

Presenters:
  • Angela Carlson-Lombardi, Spanish 1003 Level Coordinator, Spanish and Portuguese

  • Frances Matos-Schultz, Spanish 1022 Level Coordinator, Spanish and Portuguese

This session is included in the Afternoon Clinic and Paper Presentations.

Drop-in Moodle Clinic
Staff from Information Technology, the Center for Educational Innovation, the University Libraries, and the Disability Resource Center will be on hand to help you set up your Moodle course sites, activities and resources; help you plan how to teach with Moodle; and assist you in leveraging tools such as Lynda.com and course reserves. Bring your syllabus and course materials if you have specific questions, or just stop by to get the conversation started.

Presenters:
  • Susan McKinnell, Office of Information Technology

  • Lauren Marsh, Office of Information Technology

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Getting to Know the Spring 2015 Main Office Staff

Who are the students working at the front desk in Jones Hall 110 this spring? Here are short self-introductions from the new and returning Language Center Main Office student staff.


Chloe

Chloe Gansen


I'm Chloe, and I'm currently a senior. I'm originally from Janesville, Wisconsin, which is just south of Madison. I'm studying Journalism with a minor in Public Health. I took French throughout high school and then again my sophomore and junior years at the U, finishing 1004 last spring. Outside of school, I really enjoy being active; I love to run and swim and hope to get started doing triathlons some day.

Chris

Chris Michaels


Hello, everyone. I'm Chris Michaels from Monticello, MN. My major is Journalism with a Professional Strategic Communication focus. I've been studying Japanese for a few years now, and after what feels like a million years of rescheduling my trip for various reasons, I plan to study abroad in Tokyo next fall. I am also taking my first Korean class this semester. Hobbies of mine include playing and watching sports, listening to music, and watching Japanese comedies.

Krista

Krista Rud


Hi! I'm Krista and I work in the Language Center Main Office. I am from Dayton, Minnesota and I am a sophomore here at the U of M. I studied Spanish in the past and completed the Spanish LPE (Language Proficiency Exam) entering the University as a freshman. Currently, I study Korean and plan on majoring in Asian Languages and Literature. I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, drawing, and playing video games in my free time.

Maya

Maya Christensen


Hi, everyone! I'm a sophomore studying Urban Studies and Youth Studies. I'm from Minneapolis, and my family lives about 10 minutes away from campus, right by Lake Harriet. I've studied Spanish since seventh grade and hope to learn more languages in my lifetime. I love being active and being outside, so biking and running are things you will see me doing often!

Nick

Nick Ott


I'm Nick Ott from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and I'm a sophomore here at the U. This is my second year at the Language Center. Since high school, I have formally studied both Spanish and German but have learned German informally from my mother since I was young. I have always loved learning foreign languages, although my favorite by far is the German language. That's why I have recently decided to major in it, along with Marketing. Outside of work, I am involved in the University YMCA and am training to compete in my first triathlon!


Rachael

Rachael Falade


I grew up in Woodbury, Minnesota. I am a sophomore hoping to major in Nutrition with a minor in Yoruba! Although I love English, I have also studied Spanish in high school and currently study Yoruba (a language native to Nigeria). I basically love everything, especially food!
Shoua

Shoua Thao



Hello, everyone! My name is Shoua Thao. I started working in the Language Center in spring semester of 2014. I was born in Minneapolis but currently reside in Brooklyn Center, MN. I am a junior this year studying Mass Communication, Political Science, and Design. I studied Korean my first year here at the U and followed on to take my LPE in Hmong, passing towards the end of the term. I love to be and stay active, so I play a lot of sports. One huge thing I did a lot this past summer--other than work extensively--was playing football with my team called Bellatrix. We competed in Hmong Festival Tournaments in July and August and got 2nd place for both. I also got on board as an Outreach Co-chair for the Hmong Minnesota Student Association student organization 2014-15 here at the University, so I met a lot with my fellow board members as well.

Dimitra

Dimitra Andreadaki


I'm originally from Rochester, Minnesota. I'm currently double-majoring in Biology, Society, and the Environment along with Global Studies with a minor in public health. My native languages are English and Greek, but I am currently studying Spanish and have studied Latin in the past. My hobbies include playing the piano, and my favorite author is Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Hunter

Hunter Slack


I'm Hunter. I'm originally from White Bear Lake, MN and I'm a junior studying Marketing and Design. This is my third year at the Language Center. I studied Spanish through high school and got through Spanish 3015 my freshman year. Outside of work and school, I play in two bands (guitar in one, vocals in the other) and run a non-profit organization called MaintaiN, which promotes the local MN music scene to those unfamiliar with its existence.


Getting to Know the Spring 2015 Classroom Support Staff

Meet the hardworking classroom support staff for the spring 2015 semester at the Language Center! Here are some short self-introductions from new and returning staff.


Molly

Molly Schloesser


Hey, everyone! I'm Molly and I'm going to be graduating soon with degrees in Early Childhood Education and Family Social Science. I have worked at the Language Center in Classroom Support for about two years now. I am not currently studying any languages at the U, but I took three years of Spanish in high school. I have had a few opportunities to travel outside of the country. About three years ago, I had the opportunity to travel to France and Spain with some of my classmates for about two weeks. It was a short trip and we did not get to spend much time in each of the three cities we went to (Paris, Barcelona and Madrid), but it was an experience I will never forget! I also had the privilege of traveling to South Africa during winter break my sophomore year. I lived in Cape Town for about a month and did some service learning there. Other than traveling, my hobbies include horseback riding, reading, and looking at videos of cute puppies on YouTube.

Anna

Anna Sisombat


Bonjour! I'm Anna, and I'm currently a French major. I recently transferred from Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, MN, which is my hometown. I know 3 languages: English, Laotian, and French. I grew up in a Laotian family and started studying French in high school. Two summers ago, I had the privilege of traveling to France for three weeks with my classmates. I had an amazing time there and can't wait to go back again! In my spare time, I love to play phone games or video games on the Xbox, explore the Twin Cities and try new food, or play my guitar and violin.


Brandon

Brandon Adams


Shalom! I'm Brandon, a senior double-majoring in English and Jewish Studies here at the U. I'm back at the Language Center for my final year of school after studying in Jerusalem last spring. During my adventure I visited all over Israel, as well as Jordan and the Netherlands. I have studied Modern Hebrew for some time now, and I am still working on fluency, but my confidence has gone up after spending time where it's spoken daily! Living abroad and speaking to people from all over the world taught me more than any class ever can. I'm always considering where I want to visit next, who I will meet, and what I will learn!
Keerthana

Keerthana Shankar


Allo! My name is Keerthana. I am Indian by nationality but was born in Saudi Arabia, and I'm majoring in Asian Language and Literature with a focus on Korean. I speak a south Indian language called Tamil with my family. I am trying to learn Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Vietnamese, and Spanish. Although my parents are from India, we've only visited India a few times. In my free time, I love to do digital art pieces. I also participate in various martial arts. This year, I am on the board of the Minnesota International Student Association as well as the Indian Student Association, so I would love to see you at our events!

Lauren

Lauren Otto


¡Hola! I'm Lauren, and right now I'm planning to major in English with a minor in Spanish, but I'm also very interested in Global Studies and Cultural Studies, so we'll see where that takes me. I love to travel and experience new places and cultures, and I'm pretty adventurous when it comes to trying new things. I left the United States for the first time this last summer when I went on a mission trip to Honduras, which made me very excited to either study abroad or participate in service learning/ volunteering abroad. I hope to eventually set foot on every continent--hopefully even Antarctica. I obviously enjoy reading and writing in my spare time, along with listening to and playing jazz (I play trumpet), playing volleyball, and spending time with friends and family.



Amber

Amber Davidson


Hi, everyone! My name is Amber, and I'm a sophomore majoring in History with a minor in Spanish Studies. I grew up near Detroit Lakes, a small town in northern Minnesota. This is my second semester in Classroom Support here at the Language Center. I took Spanish throughout high school, and I'm continuing my studies in Spanish here at the U. I love learning the language and about the different cultures in which it is spoken, and my future plans include traveling all across Latin America. In fact, I'm planning to study abroad in Argentina within the next year. I'm also taking American Sign Language for the first time this semester, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it! In my free time I love to read, listen to music, play my guitar, and spend time with my family.



Carissa

Carissa Polo


Hello! I'm Carissa, and I am studying journalism here at the U. I studied Spanish for 9 years but I am currently studying Italian and I love it! In addition to studying abroad in the near future, I'm planning on backpacking through Italy after I graduate. In my free time I create online media content for myself and others, attend concerts, figure skate, watch copious amounts of Netflix, and cry over cute puppies.
Maxine

Maxine Kobinski


Hi! I'm Maxine, and I am a double major in German and Linguistics with a minor in ESL. I am returning to Classroom Support after an academic year in Berlin and I'm excited to be back and working in the language center! I speak German and I hope to teach English abroad once I graduate in December.


Monday, March 23, 2015

TandemPlus Goes on the Road to St. Paul

The next TandemPlus activity is Small World Coffee Hour on Friday, April 3, 2015 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m at Coffey Hall. TandemPlus is co-hosting this popular event along with International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) in the most daring and exotic locale yet -- the St. Paul Campus! Everyone is invited to venture to the "other" twin city (quickly and easily reached via the free Campus Connector buses which run every 5 minutes) and join us for food, multilingual conversation, and of course coffee. Like all TandemPlus events, this is free and open to all language learners. We hope to see you there.


PACE Swap Shop on Tuesday: Language Technology - Tips & Tricks

Tuesday, March 24, 2015
3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Jones 35

Do you have any cool, classroom-enhancing technology tricks? Are you looking to add some to your collection? Have you ever accidentally stumbled across something cool that you've been wanting to share with your colleagues?

Join language instructors from around the college for an exchange of handy, easy to implement tech tips and tricks to add some pizzazz to your classroom!

Swap Shops are short, informal opportunities for language instructors from all departments to share activities and learn from one another.

The PACE Project is funded by a grant from The Language Flagship.


Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Seeking Summer Student Staff!

Students: If you love languages and plan on taking classes on campus this summer, consider working at the Language Center! We currently have openings for work study student staff on three teams; please visit the websites below to learn more and apply.

Instructors: Do you know any students who love language and technology and are seeking summer work study employment? The Language Center is hiring! We have open positions for May/Summer 2015 on three teams; interested students should visit the following sites to learn more and apply:


Monday, March 16, 2015

PACE Swap Shop: Language Technology - Tips & Tricks

Tuesday, March 24, 2015
3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Jones 35

Do you have any cool, classroom-enhancing technology tricks? Are you looking to add some to your collection? Have you ever accidentally stumbled across something cool that you've been wanting to share with your colleagues?

Join language instructors from around the college for an exchange of handy, easy to implement tech tips and tricks to add some pizzazz to your classroom!

Swap Shops are short, informal opportunities for language instructors from all departments to share activities and learn from one another.

The PACE Project is funded by a grant from The Language Flagship.


TandemPlus Goes Bowling

Despite the lovely pre-spring weather, or perhaps due to it, TandemPlus participants flocked to Goldy's Gameroom at Coffman Memorial Union on Friday, March 6, 2015, to throw down lanes, chow on appetizers, and to practice that uniquely human skill: speaking languages. Talent and the results of hard work could be witnessed from one end of the hall to the other in both bowling prowess and language capacity. Portuguese, Arabic, English, German, French Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese are among the languages that could be heard from the nearly sixty participants who were conversing and having fun. For those involved, it was an encouraging time to witness a number of polyglots code-switching while bouncing from lane to lane.

If you missed out on the fun, don't despair! Tandem will be hosting a Small World Coffee Hour on Friday, April 3, 2015, in St. Paul. This event will be catered. Stay tuned!


ELI Grant Builds on Self-Assessment Project

Thanks to a new Experiments in Learning Innovation (ELI) grant from the Provost's Office and the Center for Educational Innovation, language students will be able to chart their developing proficiency through the language curriculum, using self-assessment with other evidence of their language competence as progress markers. Two major, overlapping self-assessment initiatives are already in progress: the Basic Outcomes Student Self-Assessment (BOSSA), and the PACE Project, which funds BOSSA development and integrates it with traditional assessment.

Anna Olivero-Agney, who also serves as the PACE Assistant Developer, will take the lead in this project, collaborating with instructors and students to expand the utility of the self-assessment protocol and integration within the curriculum using identified students' strengths and challenges to inform classroom practice. The project will also explore the option of developing an online portfolio for students, a virtual space to archive artifacts that demonstrate progress in acquiring the language: self-assessment results, video or audio recordings, written samples, goals vis-à-vis course outcomes, and a personalized proficiency road map, among others.

The project has three phases:

  • Phase 1, Spring 2015: Beginning with instructors in German and Italian, explore what is useful, meaningful, sustainable, and manageable in the existing self-assessment protocol (currently in use by nearly 1500 CLA students in 8 languages). Collect feedback on how the BOSSA experience works in support of second language proficiency in their classrooms.

  • Phase 2, Fall 2015: Work with student focus groups to further explore what additional options would strengthen the protocol and empower students in their language learning. The BOSSA team will continue to shape the instrument, responding to student input, and will look at the connection between self-assessment and performance in the second language. Explore digital options for collecting, archiving, organizing, and presenting student work.

  • Phase 3, Spring 2016: Operationalize the student- and instructor-driven BOSSA revisions. Based on these data, the team will develop a strategic plan according to stakeholder needs, circumstances, and response to the project. Pilot options for electronically storing and maintaining evidence of student work.

ELI team members will regularly meet with other ELI grant recipients over the course of the year for collaborative feedback and discussion of next steps.

The ELI grant project will be supported by the following members of the BOSSA and PACE teams:

  • Anna Olivero-Agney, ELI Coordinator & PACE Assistant Developer, Language Center

  • Gabriela Sweet, PACE Sustainability Coordinator, Language Center

  • Sara Mack, Spanish 1004 Level Coordinator, Spanish and Portuguese

  • Joanne Peltonen, Testing Coordinator, Language Center

  • Diane Rackowski, Technical Coordinator, Language Center


ELI grants are funded by the Provost's Office and the Center for Educational Innovation. These awards are intended to support innovative undergraduate teaching and learning at the course or curricular level. They provide substantial financial and staff support to design, deliver, and measure the impact of novel approaches by University of Minnesota faculty, P&A instructors, and academic leaders.

The PACE Project is funded by a grant from The Language Flagship.

Monday, March 9, 2015

PACE February Workshop: Integrated Performance Assessments

Dr. Francis Troyan of Ohio State University joined us on February 27, 2015 for our third PACE workshop of the 2014-2015 academic year. An expert in the development and use of Integrated Performance Assessments (IPAs), Dr. Troyan led participants through a detailed explanation of the major components of an IPA. In the afternoon, the group examined examples of IPAs in action by watching various videos that Dr. Troyan shared. These examples highlighted the powerful impact of IPAs on student learning and assessment around authentic tasks. During the last hour of the day, Dr. Troyan conferenced with both individuals and teams on the IPAs that they had created, giving feedback and supporting them in extending their work.

A total of 66 language instructors attended, representing the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish; several staff members from the Language Center also participated.

Over lunch, members of the PD Peer Team led small groups in discussions to brainstorm the focus topics of future workshops. Have an idea? We would love to hear from you! Send an email to Caroline Vang at cevang@umn.edu.

Integrated Performance Assessments are powerful ways to see what your students can do with language! Curious to learn more? We invite you to check out CARLA's webpages on IPAs. Also, stay tuned for a forthcoming podcast from a few of the workshop's attendees!


Spanish Certificate: Now Accepting Critical Reflection Essays

Students pursuing the Certificate of Advanced-Level Proficiency in Spanish who have completed the first four required steps and whose self-assessment results indicate a readiness to achieve an advanced-low or higher on the ACTFL Advanced-Level Exam may submit a Critical Reflection Essay this week. The deadline for submission is Friday, March 13, 2015. Students must pass the essay in order to register for the ACTFL exam and there is only one submission window per semester.

The Critical Reflection Essay instructions and form are online. Candidates are encouraged to read the instructions carefully and to consider visiting the Center for Writing before submitting.

The PACE Project will continue to provide funding for three of the four ACTFL tests this semester. The project is funded by a grant from The Language Flagship.

Monday, March 2, 2015

TandemPlus Bowling this Friday!

TandemPlus is hosting a bowling event this Friday, March 6, 2015 at Goldy's Gameroom in Coffman Union from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. Shoes are free on Fridays. The lanes are on us, and so are the appetizers! This event is open to all current TandemPlus participants, partnered or not; come, meet more Tandem friends, have fun, listen to and speak other languages, and enjoy some bowling. The appetizers are first come, first served and they go quickly!