Department of Foreign Languages, Literatures and
Cultures
Mission Statement
The Department of Foreign
Languages, Literatures, and Cultures provides strong language programs that open
areas of the non-English speaking world and their cultures to our students;
supports efforts to create a more international environment on campus by
promoting study abroad and the recruitment of international students and
faculty; and engages in and disseminates research through regional, national,
and international scholarly communities.
Goals
Toward this end, the
Department of Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Cultures shall:
·
provide students with the
communicative skills needed to interact effectively in a global society through
high-quality academic programs at all levels
·
facilitate the internationalization
of Central Michigan University through study abroad programs
·
participate meaningfully in research
and creative endeavors at regional, national and international scholarly
conferences
·
expand knowledge and skills by
providing workshops for elementary and high school foreign language teachers
·
foster multicultural awareness in
the community at large through sponsorship of programs in film, music, the arts
and humanities, including our annual Foreign Language Day
·
provide an M.A. program in Spanish
whose graduates make significant contributions to the discipline and society
Standards
In order to expand and
enhance communication in our multicultural, multilingual society and among other
communities throughout the world, the department will help students develop the
following competences in the target language in the following areas. These
standards are derived from the goals for the Michigan Test for Teacher
Certification.
·
syntax and usage:
The understanding,
appreciation, and use of social and cultural meanings reflected in sounds,
words, and grammatical constructions.
·
listening and speaking:
Communicative competence
(situational, social, and cultural) in creating and perceiving messages and
information, and the ability to interact effectively in conversation.
·
reading:
Comprehension and
interpretive skills to respond effectively to authentic materials (e.g.,
instructions, newspapers, reference works, menus, transportation schedules,
travel guides), and at more advanced levels, comprehension of literary works in
the target language.
·
writing:
The ability to produce
organized coherent texts that carry out a specific task such as narration,
description, analysis, or argumentative persuasion.
·
cultural awareness:
The identification,
discussion and/or analysis of: (1) major developments in nations associated
with the target language, as well as their significance within the world
community; (2) interconnections among geographic features, economic systems,
political and religious institutions, and daily life within those cultures; (3)
cultural perspectives and behaviors and communication patterns relating to those
perspectives; (4) contributions of the target language in literature, arts,
science, and technology; and (5) the influence of the given cultures on the
United States.
(approved at FLLC meeting
on 12/5/2003)