Dr. Kathryn Chenoweth, Washington and Lee Unversity’s own French professor, presented a workshop entitled “Teaching Foreign Language with Film.” The TMC hosted and facilitated this FLAVA/FLTWS-associated workshop with 13 attendees, including Washington and Lee, Southern Virgnia University, and Rockbridge County Schools’ foreign language educators.
At our second FLAVA workshop for the 2011-2012 academic year, Norah Jones presented on “Learning for the Inhibited Language Learner.” The workshop was broadcasted online throughout the entire state; language educators had the option of viewing the workshop in locations such as Roanoke, Lynchburg and Norfolk in addition to the TMC. Mrs. Jones was nothing less than fantastic, as she demonstrated techniques on how to assist struggling language learners as well as teaching methods to improve language learning in general.
The TMC hosted an open house on October 28 as part of Washington and Lee’s Parents’ Weekend. Students and their parents had the opportunity to stop by and get a feel for out language learning facilities and technologies. It was a great event, complete with cookies, coffee, and great company. Here are some photos.
The class puts to use many of the resources available in the TMC
- Professor Gonzalez Spanish Class in TMC
Three days a week Professor Gonzalez and her students meet in the Tucker Multimedia Center to discuss and learn about current events, societal changes, and cultural phenomenon in Latin American countries, particularly focusing on journalism and Spanish press. The course, entitled The Contemporary Latin American Press: Journalistic Writing & Analysis, is taught in Spanish and allows students ample opportunity to use and practice their Spanish speaking skills in discussions and presentations.
Here’s how Professor Gonzalez describes the course:
The public space in Latin America is a complex site where ideological negotiations and social changes constantly take place. Researchers and journalists have compared the archives of the press produced by different countries to grasp the most recent dynamics in the region. Thanks to the simultaneity and globalization provided by the Internet, people can capture the pulse of the planet from home and in real time. This phenomenon can be described as the institutionalization of the global village. This course aims to take advantage of the epistemologies of global communication created by new technologies in order to feel the pulse of Latin America as portrayed by the local press. This is an advanced course in composition in which students improve their writing skills and acquire tools to understand contemporary Latin American politics, economy. and society.
Potential Washington and Lee students of Spanish, French, Russian, German, Portuguese, and Italian got a chance to meet with modern foreign languages faculty and current W&L students and look around the Tucker Multimedia Center on Wednesday, April 27, 2011. They were able to discuss and ask questions about foreign language course offerings, curriculum requirements and major, minor and study abroad options.
- SAIL Advisory Chair and TMC Assistant Nay Lin assists students with their tax forms.
The TMC and the Student Association for International Learning hosted a program on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 for international students to receive assistance with tax information and filling out tax forms. Members of SAIL and the Washington and Lee community were on hand to help out.
Current Johnson Scholars, Annie Zhang (Center, in white) and Daniel Hsu (second from right in blue), talk with finalists about their W&L language experience
- Current Johnson Scholars Brooke Sutherland, Chris Washnock and Clark Hildabrand talk with finalists
Current Johnson Scholars Nico Gioioso and Annie Martin discuss their foreign language experiences with finalists
Johnson Scholarship Finalists and potential Washington and Lee students of Spanish, French, Russian, German, Portuguese, and Italian got a chance to meet with Modern Foreign Languages faculty and look around the Tucker Multimedia Center on Wednesday, March 9.
Upon first glance, our language learning center may seem small and limited. One therefore, might be surprised to discover that in our three learning areas, although unseparated, can be used simultaneously. Just last week two Washington & Lee professors, Susan Dixon and Dan Kramer, taught their classes at the same time in the TMC. Regardless of their close proximity, neither one was hindered by the other class’ activities.
As a small facility under the umbrella of a small institution, we know how to work closely and successfully with one another.
- Bus 195 Students video conference
Students from the Williams School came to the TMC this morning to video chat with a field professional, co-founder and CEO of Pandora Tim Westergren (http://www.pandora.com). Business 195, a new course this term taught by Professor David Touve, is described as “one part Entrepreneurship 101 and one part Amazing Race.”
Students utilized the TMC’s facilities to take exams in language classes such as: French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, German, as well as in other subject areas like Latin America and Caribbean Studies. Students accessed video and audio portions of exams on the TMC computers, while completing the written parts on the computers or using the desk space at the computer stations.
