World Languages Day: Three Quick Updates

• The 2013 Application of Interest went live on Monday January 14. See Elsie Speaks for information on how schools can apply to attend WLD and a summary of the May 21 event.


• WLD is now on Twitter! Follow the event at http://twitter.com/umnwld.


• Thank you to the development team for the recent updates to the website. Best wishes to Boon Xiong, our excellent student programmer who is leaving his position to focus on academics.

Testing Staff Changes

The Language Testing Program will have several staff changes for spring semester. We are very pleased that Mary Norman is returning part-time from leave and will resume her role as Testing Coordinator for French & Italian, German, Scandinavian & Dutch, and the less commonly taught languages. Sherry Scarborough will fill the remainder of Mary's position. Sherry has worked with the Testing Program for the past two years in other roles.

Gabriela Sweet, who filled Mary's position last fall, will return to her regular position as Test Development Coordinator. We are very grateful to Gabriela for her dedication and willingness to take on different roles.

Registration Opens: Teaching a Hybrid Language Course

As language courses here at the University of Minnesota and across the country shift towards a blend of face-to-face and online instruction, most teachers find themselves in unfamiliar territory. They've worked for years developing strategies and techniques for the traditional classroom, but have little experience as either a student or an instructor in the online environment. The CLA Language Center is pleased to offer this semester a 6-week seminar on teaching a hybrid language course.

The seminar will be offered in a hybrid format, with both online components and 3 face-to-face sessions from Feb. 1st - March 14th. The face-to-face sessions will be on Fridays:
February 8th, February 22nd, and March 8th from 11:15 - 12:05 in Jones 35.

Topics to be addressed include:

• Getting into the course (course preparation, introductions, syllabus);
• Building Community (starting and maintaining discussions, fostering student peer support);
• Blending the Course (integration of online activities into face-to-face content and activities);
• Student Time Management and Coaching;
• Assessment and Feedback

Please register by Wednesday, January 30th. You will receive information via email about accessing the Moodle site before the seminar begins on Feb. 1st.