LANGUAGE RESOURCE CENTER

Immersion Week: GAI In Language Instruction

The Language Resource Center (LRC), the Media and Design Studio (MADS), Teaching and Learning Technologies (TLT), and the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching, in collaboration with the Council on Language Instruction (CLI) are pleased to present this professional development event for faculty and graduate students on the applications of generative artificial intelligence in language instruction. This 4-day event will take place on December 3-6, 2024 (9-10am, Zoom) and will also feature presentations of the cutting-edge AI-based projects being developed by our colleagues Chin-Hung Chang and Eun Hee Kim, the 2024 recipients of the Alumnae Award for Curriculum Innovation, and Franziska Lys, Professor of German and published author. Interested participants may find more information about the keynote speaker, Kevin Gaugler, sessions, and registration in the button below.

GAI Immersion Week More Information

BTAA Language Education Summit 2024

The LRC attended the BTAA Language Education Summit, where language centers, language institutes, schools from 18 institutions, and representatives from the Department of Education and the State Board of Education of the member states gathered at the Big Ten Conference Center in Rosemont in October 24-25, 2024. The Summit addressed two core questions: 1) How can language centers and institutes at Big Ten Universities, in partnership with state-level K-12 world language leadership, advance language education and research? And 2) What are new forms of collaboration to strengthen language education that Big Ten universities and K-12 educators might engage in? The Summit concluded with several key action items, including the creation of an executive committee to steer the establishment of the new Language Center Alliance and several working groups. Separate working groups were set up to address partnership on proficiency, K-16 articulation, and advocacy/enrollment and retention among others. The LRC is part of the executive committee and working groups on partnership on proficiency and K-16 articulation.

Presence in the Learning Technology Advisory Committee (LTAC)

The LRC was invited to join the Office of the Provost’s LTAC and attended its first quarterly meeting on October 21, 2024. This is a three-year appointment. Any questions on language learning and instruction (course or program level) in relation to Teaching and Learning Technologies can be directed to the LRC.

Lunch and Learn Sessions (Undergraduate Education | Office of the Provost)

The Office of the Provost’s Undergraduate Education organizes the Lunch and Learn Sessions, a series of events for advisers in all undergraduate schools. The LRC was invited to present a series of sessions and share information and resources on language study at Northwestern. The first session titled Language Study Orientation for Advisers was held in June 2023. LRC is planning to lead two more sessions in Winter and Spring quarters 2025.

Language Placement Coordination Across Programs

Language Placement Coordinators and Dean’s Office Undergraduate Studies worked closely on disseminating language placement and validation testing information which helped advisors and incoming students to find resources more efficiently. Reminders to take language placement tests through the Weinberg social media over the summer also contributed to new students completing their language placement tests in a timely manner.

Canvas Accessibility Workshop for World Language Faculty

TLT has organized two in-person workshops during Reading Week to help instructors achieve a Mission Accessible alert-free status in their Canvas course sites:

December 3, 2024 | 11am-12pm | Kresge Hall 2-420 
December 4, 2024  | 1-2pm | Kresge Hall 2-420

Faculty-Led Working Groups

The LRC is excited to announce a new initiative aimed at fostering collaboration across language programs through Faculty-Led Working Groups. These groups will bring together faculty members sharing research and/or practice-based pedagogical interests and will receive funding to support their initiatives. For more information or to express interest, please email us at languageresourcecenter@northwestern.edu.

Other Resources for Language Instruction

 Hewlett Grant: Have you been thinking about a project that would enhance your students’ language proficiency? Is your program planning to embark on a transformative project or research study? Weinberg College has allocated funds for curricular innovation, so please consider applying and make your project a reality.  Continuing, teaching-track and tenure-track  faculty whose projects are language-related may apply. For more information on the guidelines and application form, please visit the LRC Hewlett Fund for Curricular Innovation webpage. If you would like to schedule a consultation prior to applying, please email the LRC at languageresourcecenter@northwestern.edu.

Event Funding: The LRC supports student-focused, non-recurring events and co-sponsors cross-discipline or multi-language events. For more information on this funding opportunity and the application form, please visit the LRC Event Sponsorship webpage.

Other Professional Development and Funding Opportunities: Check out the other resources related to funding or professional development opportunities in the LRC Language Instruction webpage.  

New Language Grant for Graduate Students

Graduate students can explore the opportunities to learn a language on campus and beyond as well as funding resources for language study on the LRC For Graduate Students webpage.  

NEW! Decoster Grant for Language Study: The DeCoster Grant is offered to graduate students enrolled in Weinberg graduate programs in the Humanities and Social Sciences who intend to study a language relevant to their research on Latin America and/or Spain. Interested students can learn more about and apply for this grant in the button below.  

ACTFL 2024 Northwestern Presenters

Our language departments and programs will be well represented at the ACTFL Convention in Philadelphia on November 21-24, where 14 faculty members will be leading 15 sessions. Congrats to Massimiliano Delfino, Margaret Dempster, Jingjing Ji, Elena Lanza, Denise Meuser, Reyes Morán, Peter Mwangi, Aude Raymond, Patricia Scarampi, Katia Viot-Southard, Ana Williams, Noriko Taira Yasohama and Ingrid Zeller for their upcoming presentations. We wish all in attendance an engaging and productive conference!