|
ACADEMIC ADVISING : WHEN TO BEGIN A LANGUAGE
Regardless of students' high school language
background or whether they are continuing with a language
they studied previously, students should understand that for
most individuals the best way to master a foreign language
is continuous study. For many students allowing a period of
time to intervene between high school language study and college
language study will make college language study more difficult.
While many Kalamazoo College students may not be able to continue
their language studies during their first year at Kalamazoo
because of other curricular requirements (for example if they
are pre-med students and need to take two science courses
during their first term, in addition to the required first
year seminar), -- we recommend that all students begin their
college language study at the earliest available opportunity.
For other students the most effective way to continue foreign
language study and move toward true foreign language capability
will be to move into the appropriate foreign language course
in their first term at K. In any case, students must take
Kalamazoo College placement tests during Orientation Week
in any languages they have studied previously.
| Some groups of students
should absolutely begin their language studies during
their first year, including: |
| |
• Students interested
in Chinese, Greek, Japanese, or Latin, in order to be
prepared for study abroad. |
| |
• Students interested
in majoring or minoring in language, those who wish to
take more than one language, or who know they want a higher
level of proficiency than the 201 level. |
| |
• Students who hope
to participate in a GLCA program and thus may need to
work with the appropriate language department to explore
options for completing the 101, 102, 201 sequence. |
| Sometimes there are real
advantages to going beyond the minimum level of proficiency
required by the College. Having more than the minimum
required level of proficiency: |
| |
• Prepares the student
for a richer study abroad experience (but this needs to
be considered in light of the qualifications for each
study abroad site). |
| |
• May strengthen the
student's record for graduate or professional work in
many fields such as international commerce and area studies,
environmental science, medicine, human development and
social relations, the social sciences, fine arts, and
humanities. |
| |
• Leaves open the
possibility of a major in the study of foreign language,
culture, and literature. |
FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDY AND THE STUDY
ABROAD CONNECTION
Study abroad programs are offered in all languages taught
at Kalamazoo, as well as many languages not taught at Kalamazoo.
English-language study abroad programs are also available.
Some programs are organized at specific competency levels,
so students should check with the Center for International
Programs early in their Kalamazoo College career to find out
the level of language competence necessary for specific programs
in which they are interested.
The policy of the Center for International
Programs is that students who have already taken the required
minimum level of foreign language for their study abroad program
are encouraged to maintain their level of proficiency during
the time before departure. Note, too, that there is a maximum
allowable level for some foreign-language programs. Students
should consult with language departments about ways to maintain
their level of language proficiency outside the classroom.
|
