MODERN Languages

(MLG)

College of Liberal Studies

Department Chair: Donald Socha

315F Graff Main Hall, 608-785-8324

e-mail: socha.dona@uwlax.edu

Professors: Magerus, Rusterholz, Stroud; Associate Professors: Hindson, Poulton, Provencher, Socha; Assistant Professors: Calmes, Dorado, Kuderer, Lake, Olson, A.; Lecturer: Campbell; Senior Lecturer: Hanson.

A student who plans to continue a language already studied in high school must take the UW System Placement Test in order to determine the appropriate class level.

Retroactive Credit and Advanced Placement

The Department of Modern Languages does not offer an exam to establish retroactive credit or advanced placement. Instead, a student may receive retroactive credits provided a grade of “B” or better is earned in the student’s first university course above the 101 level in a particular language. However, if a student received college credit for a course taken while still in high school (through Advanced Placement, Youth Options, or other cooperative agreements between secondary schools and colleges/universities), received a grade of “B” or better (if a grade was given), and did not receive retroactive credits at that time, retroactive credits may be awarded upon completion of the next level course at UW-L  with a grade of “B” or better.

Retroactive credit may be given in one or more languages. No retroactive credit is given for FRE 220, for FRE or SPA 331, or for FRE/GER/SPA 326.

— Elementary Language II (102)

earns 4 retroactive credits plus 4 course credits for a total of 8 credits

— Intermediate Language I (201)

earns 8 retroactive credits plus 4 course credits for a total of 12 credits

— Intermediate Language II (202)

earns 12 retroactive credits plus 4 course credits for a total of 16 credits

— Any Advanced Course (except 326 and 331) earns 16 retroactive credits plus 2-4 course credits for a total of  18-19 credits

Language Proficiency for the Bachelor of Arts Degree

A student who demonstrates satisfactory proficiency in an approved language at the 202 level may waive the foreign language requirement for the Bachelor of Arts degree. (Students must complete seven credits in the General Education Program, I, B.: “Mathematical/Logical Systems and Foreign Languages”). The student’s proficiency level will be determined by the results of the UW System Foreign Language Placement Test and the department’s proficiency examination. The student will not receive retroactive credit in the language for passing the proficiency examination.

Foreign Study and Credit

The chair of the department of modern languages approves equivalencies for university study in other universities, domestic and foreign. 

 

A student pursuing a major or a minor in a foreign language at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse may earn up to 66 percent of the credit hours for the major or minor in a foreign country. Thirty-four per cent of the credit hours must be earned at UW-L. The student is required to take at least one course in the foreign language at UW-L after returning from the country of study.

 

A student has the right to petition this policy. In this event, the department chair shall appoint an ad hoc committee to evaluate the case in terms of the following criteria:    1) proficiency examinations, both oral and written; and 2) evaluation of the student’s performance prior to the study experience in the foreign country.

Please refer to university residence requirements on p. 54.

Alvida Ahlstrom Honors Program

I. Admission

A. Junior standing

B. 3.60 in French, German or Spanish course work at the 300 or 400 level

II. Program

A. Completion of the regular major or minor requirements

B. FRE/SPA/GER 495

C. Three additional credits of literature or civilization at the 300 or 400 level

D. Department approval of seminar paper or project; submission of completed paper to the department

III. Evaluation

A. A cumulative 3.60 grade point

average in the major or minor at graduation

B. Distinguished performance on a paper or project developed in the French, Spanish, or German seminar course.

C. Approval by the departmental staff.

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Minor

(All colleges) — Teacher certification programs: 25 credits plus student teaching. All other majors: 26 credits.

Core Requirements (18 credits): TSL 300, ANT 350 or CST 332, ENG 332, ENG 401; C-I 463; and three credits from the following: PSY 280, PSY 382, SOC 480, EFN 486, TSL 350 (depending on the topic), MLG 455 (depending on the topic), TSL 498 (depending on the topic).

Additional requirements:

ESL certification (7 credits) for Elementary/Middle Level, and Middle Level/Secondary Education (not K-12): SPE 431; 2-3 credits from the following: RDG 320, ENG 334, C-I 467, RDG 426, MLG 455 (depending on the topic), TSL 498 (depending on the topic); and TSL 450 (1-2 credits) or SPE 490 (taken concurrently with RDG 426), and student teaching.

K-12 ESL certification for Elementary/ Middle Level Education (eight credits): SPE 431; three credits from the following: ENG 334, RDG 328, C-I 405; and TSL 450 (1 credit), and student teaching.

K-12 ESL certification for Middle Level/Secondary, Health, and Physical Education (seven credits):  SPE 431; three credits from the following: RDG 320, RDG 324, or C-I 334; and C-I 302 (taken concurrently with RDG 324 or C-I 334) or TSL 450 (1 credit), and student teaching.

All other majors (eight credits):  three credits from the following: SPE 431, ENG 334, PSY 436; and TSL 450 (five credits).

Requirements for all TESOL minors: proficiency in a foreign language demonstrated through completion of 102-level course work or equivalent experience, and suitable proficiency in English as determined by the TESOL coordinator.

 

Also see English as a Second Language Institute on p. 142.

Modern language majors and minors in education in order to be certified to teach a foreign language, students must take C-I 467, Teaching a Foreign Language, and student teach at the appropriate levels. Prior to student teaching, students are required to 1) demonstrate proficiency at a level equivalent to Intermediate High on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Oral Proficiency Scale and 2) complete an approved foreign language immersion experience. Questions should be referred to the department of modern languages.

The modern language department incorporates a significant amount of writing throughout the required courses instead of identifying particular courses as writing emphasis courses. Students who complete the modern language major will fulfill the university writing emphasis requirement.

TSL 300 Cr. 3

Introduction to TESOL

This course provides an overview of resources available for teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). Emphasis is given to classroom applications of proficiency guidelines. Students gain experience tutoring English as a Second Language (ESL) to international students enrolled in the UW-L ESL Institute. Prerequisite: ENG 110, CST 110, and three credits from the following: EFN 205, ERS 100, SOC 225. Offered Sem. I.

TSL 350 Cr. 1-6

TSL Program Development

This course is designed for teachers or prospective teachers working toward teacher certification or re-certification in ESL. Program topics, which focus on special needs of ESL learners and teachers, include methods, curriculum development, culture, language acquisition, applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, and sociopolitical concerns. Repeatable for credit –— maximum 12.

TSL 450/550 Cr. 1-12

TESOL National/International Intern Program

Practical experience tutoring or teaching non-native speakers of English. Examples of sites are adult literacy programs, after-school enrichment programs, university-level ESL programs, and EFL programs abroad. Prerequisite: junior standing, consent of TESOL coordinator, ENG 110, CST 110. Repeatable for credit — maximum 12. Pass/Fail grading.

TSL 498 Cr. 1-3

Independent Study

Field work, research, individual projects in a specific area related to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Registration with the consent of instructor and the department chairperson. Prerequisite: junior standing. Repeatable for credit — maximum 6.

Modern Language Courses (MLG)

+ above a course number indicates a

General Education course.

MLG 101 Cr. 4

World Languages:

Elementary _______________ I

Oral and written language study, reading, grammar. A year of high school study in this language is equivalent to the 101 level.

+

MLG 102 Cr. 4

World Languages:

Elementary _______________ II

Oral and written language study, reading, grammar. A year of high school study in this language is equivalent to the 101 level as a prerequisite.

MLG 109 Cr. 4

English as a Second Language

A course designed to increase the development of four aspects of communication in English to speakers of other languages: understanding, speaking, reading, and writing. Enrollment limited to non-native English speakers. Prerequisite: ENG 050 or concurrent enrollment. Offered occasionally.

MLG 110 Cr. 3

Introduction to the Study of Language

An investigation of the nature, function, and characteristics of romance and germanic languages compared linguistically with English and other languages. Offered occasionally.

+

MLG 201 Cr. 4

World Languages:

Intermediate ______________ I

Third semester oral and written language study, reading, grammar. Prerequisite: two years of high school or MLG 102 in this language.

+

MLG 202 Cr. 4

World Languages: Intermediate ______________ II

Fourth semester oral and written language study, reading, grammar. Prerequisite: three years of high school or MLG 201 in this language.

MLG 204 Cr. 4

Heritage Language: Intermediate ______________

Taught in the heritage language specified, this course provides opportunities for students to develop intermediate-level heritage language reading and writing skills. Students learn the heritage language writing system in order to read and write short texts. Additional emphasis is placed on geographical variation within the heritage language. Prerequisite: ENG 110, native or near native speaking skills in the heritage language, consent of the instructor. Offered occasionally.

+

MLG 299 Cr. 3

Foreign Literature in Translation

The primary focus of this course is on major and representative works originally written in French, German, Russian, Spanish and Chinese. The course is team-taught in English by specialists of the respective literatures. Content and theme vary with instructors.

MLG 304 Cr. 4

Heritage Language: Advanced ______________

Taught in the heritage language specified, this course provides opportunities for students to develop advanced-level heritage language reading and writing skills. Students read authentic heritage language manuscripts, practice heritage language narrative and expository writing, translate documents in their fields, and explore heritage language features related to social customs. Prerequisite: ENG 110, native or near native speaking skills in the heritage language, intermediate-level reading and writing skills in the heritage language, and consent of the instructor. Offered occasionally.

MLG 394 Cr. 3

Translating Literature

A study of the theory and problems of literary translation. Students translate literary works from the target language into English. The student translations are used for literary as well as translation technique study in the course. Prerequisite: FRE/GER/SPA 305. (Cross-listed with FRE, GER, and SPA; may only earn credit in one department.) Offered occasionally.

MLG 398 Cr. 1-4

World Languages: Advanced____________

Advanced study of less commonly taught world languages. Instruction may be offered on an individualized basis or through distance education when a course is available on another campus. Prerequisite: MLG 202 in the appropriate language. Repeatable for credit — maximum 8. Offered occasionally.

MLG 455/555 Cr. 1-6

Foreign Language Program Development: ____________

This course is designed for teachers or prospective teachers working toward teacher certification or recertification in a second or third language and/or in ESL. Program topics include: grammar, conversation, civilization, literature and methods. Prerequisite: acceptance of an approved program by department and permission of department chair. Repeatable for credit — maximum 12.

MLG 491 Cr. 3

Films and Literature

Viewing and criticism of sub-titled films and reading their literary sources in translation. Prerequisite: one course in literature from either the foreign languages or English department.