Department of Languages and Literatures Self-Study Report 2021

FOREWORD  

The purpose of the current self-study is to focus on significant program revisions that were approved in Fall 2020.  The nature and scope of these revisions took shape during discussion at department meetings and subcommittee work over several years, in response to assessment results and to the evolving needs of students.  This document addresses revisions to our majors, minors, and concentrations (for Early Childhood and Childhood Education majors), as well as to the General Education SUNY Geneseo Foreign Language requirement.

I. INTRODUCTION

The Department of Languages and Literatures at SUNY Geneseo currently offers two majors (French, Spanish) and three minors (French, German, Spanish), as well as collaborates on six interdisciplinary programs (Asian Studies minor, Black Studies major, European Studies minor, International Relations major, Latin American and Caribbean Studies minor, Medieval Studies minor).  We also provide instruction leading to initial New York State teacher certification in French or Spanish, to fulfillment of the Childhood Education concentration in French or Spanish, and to completion of the M. S. in Adolescence Education in French or Spanish.  Finally, we offer elementary through intermediate language courses in eight languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Latin, Russian, and Spanish. Further support of the College is provided during orientation, prospective student days, and open houses. There are currently four tenured faculty (one full professor and three associate professors), three tenure-track faculty, two full-time lecturers, and eight adjuncts (Spring 2021), along with one full-time Administrative Assistant.

II. THE COLLEGE

Mission

Dedicated to learning, SUNY Geneseo is a premier public liberal arts college with 50 undergraduate degree programs, 25 interdisciplinary minors, and graduate programs in accounting and education. We combine a rigorous curriculum, transformational learning experiences, and a rich co-curricular life to create a dynamic and inclusive scholarly environment. The entire College community works together to advance knowledge and inspire students to be socially responsible and globally aware citizens who are prepared for an enriched life and success in the world.

Values

• Learning: embracing high expectations for intellectual inquiry, scholarly achievement, and personal growth
• Creativity: affirming a spirit of innovation that inspires intellectual curiosity and problem-solving
• Inclusivity: fostering a diverse campus community marked by mutual respect for the unique talents and contributions of each individual
• Civic responsibility: promoting ethical local and global citizenship
• Sustainability: advancing just principles of ecological, social, and economic stewardship

III.  THE DEPARTMENT

Mission

To provide a dynamic and challenging environment where knowledge and appreciation

of the world's diverse cultures and principal languages other than English are fostered and

enriched.

Goals

• To train students for careers in languages other than English and/or related fields;
• To prepare students for graduate work;
• To provide undergraduate courses necessary for future teachers to earn initial New York State teacher certification in French or Spanish;

• To offer the graduate courses necessary for teachers to complete the M.S. Ed. and thus earn professional (permanent) New York State teacher certification in French or Spanish;
• To meet the Geneseo Learning Outcomes for Baccalaureate Education (GLOBE);
• To prepare students to be successful in today’s interconnected, multicultural and global world.

In order to meet our goals and support the College’s mission, the Department offers a B.A. in both French and Spanish, minors in French, German and Spanish, along with coordinating the interdisciplinary minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies and contributing courses to the programs listed in the above Introduction.  Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Latin, Spanish, and Russian serve the General Education population. Finally, our courses support the programs leading to provisional New York State certification (K-6 and 7-12) and the Masters of Science in Education degree.

In further support of the College’s globalization mission, department faculty have regularly provided study abroad opportunities for language majors, minors, education concentrators, and the student body at large, in a wide range of destinations: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Hungary, Mexico, Peru, Senegal, and Spain.

IV. CURRENT ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

A. in French or Spanish 

Requirements (all in a single language): 30 credits total 

• 301 Written Communication 
• 302 Introduction to Literature 
• One course in the survey of literature (from FREN 450, 455, 460, 474, 475  or SPAN 303, 304, 305, 306)  
• One course in literature (from FREN 450, 455, 460, 474, 475 or SPAN 450, 452, 453, 462, 463, 472, 473, 482)  
• One course in grammar (from FREN 335, 416 or SPAN 316, 335)  
• One course in linguistics (from FREN 317, 423 or SPAN 324) 
• One course in civilization (from FREN 312, 313, 314, 325, 326 or SPAN 312, 313,  314, 325, 326)  
• Three electives at the 300 level  

Notes: A minimum of thirty credits of foreign language at the 300 level is required for the major. A minimum of 15 credits (including 301 and 302) must be  taken on the Geneseo campus. Study abroad and the study of a second language are recommended. 

Minimum Competence Requirement: A grade of C- or better is required for each of the following courses: all 300- and 400-level courses in fulfillment of the 30-hour  requirement for the major.  

Department Writing Requirement: During their junior year, students will write  a 500- to 600-word essay in the target language under examination conditions.  Students will have two hours to write on a topic provided at the time of the examination. Students may use bilingual dictionaries and/or dictionaries of the  target language. Written proficiency must be at or above the Advanced Low proficiency level as described in the Proficiency Guidelines of the American  Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. To take the examination, students must  contact the Department’s Administrative Assistant at (585) 245-5247 or write to skinnerm@geneseo.edu. Students are encouraged to contact their advisor and/or visit  the Department’s website for further information.  Those  who do not score at least Advanced Low on the examination will be able to develop a plan of remediation and work with their instructors and/or advisors prior to retaking the examination. The examination can be attempted only once per semester.      

B. Certification in Adolescence Education (7-12): French or Spanish

Requirements of the Bachelor of Arts degree in Adolescence or Elementary  Foreign Language Education include FREN or SPAN 320 and specified  professional preparation courses which must be completed for New York State initial certification (see School of Education program description). Currently, all Foreign  Language Adolescence Education student teachers are required to take the Oral  Proficiency Interview and rate at the American Council on the Teaching of  Foreign Languages’ Intermediate High level or above. Effective Fall 2015, student teachers are required to take the OPI and pass at the Advanced-Low level or above, as prescribed  by ACTFL in order to be eligible to student teach. Students who are planning on student teaching in Fall of 2015 or later are  encouraged to take the OPI at the end of their first semester of junior year, so those  who do not score Advanced Low will be able to develop a plan of remediation,  work with their instructors and/or advisors and have another opportunity before student teaching to take the OPI and achieve the required  level.  

C. Minors: French, German, or Spanish (Total credits: 18) 

                        Basic Requirements (all in a single language):

                        301 Written Communication 

                        302 Introduction to Literature 

                        Four electives at the 300 and/or 400 level  

A grade of C- or better is required for all courses applied to fulfillment of the requirements for the minor.  

D. Minor in Central and Eastern European Studies (Total credits: 24) 

NOTE: No more than three courses from one department can be applied to the Central and Eastern European Studies minor. No more than nine hours submitted  for the minor may overlap with the student's major or other minor. Directed  Study, Slot, Experimental, or New Courses concerning Central and/or Eastern Europe may be applied to the minor with prior approval from the Coordinator. Students should note that some 300-level courses have prerequisites.

E. Minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies (21 credits)  

NOTE: No more than three courses from one department can be considered as fulfillment of the Latin American and Caribbean Studies program's basic and elective requirements. 

F. Participation in General Education

The Department of Languages and Literatures participates in General Education in the following two areas:

  i. L/Foreign Language Requirement 

This requirement can be satisfied through college-level coursework or an approved  normed test that shows student proficiency through the first intermediate level of a foreign language. Courses that fulfill this requirement have the designation L/ in their  titles. General Education courses in a foreign language help students achieve proficiency in listening, reading, speaking, and writing as well as familiarity with other cultures. Not all students will require the same number of courses to achieve proficiency. The various options for demonstrating proficiency are: 

1. Successful completion of four complete years of a high school level foreign  language (i.e., completion of a high school language sequence through Level IV). 
2. A score of 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Examination in a foreign language. 
3. Placement beyond the first intermediate level on Geneseo’s language placement  examination. This examination is offered at orientation, at designated times during the  semester (see the Department's website for dates), or online (this option may  require a pre-approved proctor and a fee may be assessed by the testing agency). 
4. Completion of college-level work in a foreign language (at Geneseo or another  institution) through the first intermediate level. For students seeking certification  in Education, the language requirement may be met by three semesters of  American Sign Language.  Students who entered Geneseo Fall 2012 or later are grandfathered into this new  policy. All members of the Department participate in the L/Requirement. 

ii. H/Humanities (and Western Civilization):  

This requirement is fulfilled through one course in the humanistic transition  emphasizing the search for moral, social, and political alternatives and meaning as embodied in the institutions, culture, and literature of Western Civilization: Western  Humanities I (beginnings to 1600) or Western Humanities II (1600 to present). The  courses are factual as well as conceptual. For the most part, readings consist of  "Great Books," and instructors are expected to present them from the point of view of  the moral and/or political alternatives that they put forward. Requirements for either of the two courses include (a) two essay examinations during the semester and a final  essay examination, and (b) two papers of approximately 1000 words each, one of  which must be analytical in nature and one of which may be a short research paper or  an oral active learning project. The Departments of English, History, Languages and Literatures, and Philosophy are primarily responsible for offering these courses. Currently, four members of the department participate in the H/Requirement. 

V. DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT PROCESS

A. Overview of Assessment Process

The assessment methodology in place from 2014-2018 was adapted from the 2012 ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines: speaking, listening, writing and reading. 

The two student learning outcomes assessed were: 

1. Oral proficiency at the Intermediate High to Advanced Low level
2. Proficiency in writing at the Intermediate High to Advanced Low level

To evaluate these two learning outcomes at the intermediate level, each professor had to evaluate each student based on a series of categories, such as discourse development, discourse strategies, vocabulary, language control or target language style. Most of the time, rubrics were cumbersome because a numeric score was entered for each individual student and produced inflated results, with no student materials collected to correlate and prove those results. The methodology and the results of the assessment process in place from 2014-2018 were problematic and in need of review.

The curriculum and assessment committee in our department meets regularly to evaluate the process, the results and to plan strategies for the future. 

After a careful review of previous assessments (2016-2018), we proposed the following strategies:

1. Assess at a variety of levels instead of primarily the 300-level. 
2. Assess before and after study abroad
3. Update the rubrics
4. Require the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI, official or unofficial) for all majors
5. Diversify and standardize instruments of assessment
6. Include an instructor self-reflection component in the assessment process
7. Require submission of a sampling student materials (written or voice recordings)

B. Most Recent Assessment of Learning Outcomes 

During AY 2019-2020, our department was in Phase 1 of our new assessment protocol, which is aligned with the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages. We focused on the five goal components–communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities–because they are perfectly aligned with Geneseo Learning Outcomes for Baccalaureate Education (GLOBE)

(https://www.geneseo.edu/provost/globe-geneseo-learning-outcomes-baccalaureate-education). 

In an effort to streamline the process and to incorporate strategies 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7 from evaluations from years 2017-2018, the Assessment Committee asked instructors to submit a report that provided a global assessment of the entire class, including whether or not there was any correlation between level of students' success gaining specific knowledge assessed and their relative level of success in the course as a whole. In order to have a clear picture of the student learning outcome assessed, instructors uploaded examples of student work that were "meeting standards", "approaching standards" and "developing." Finally, instructors briefly reflected on how they taught the specific skill assessed and what students did or did not respond to in the teaching of that skill.

To facilitate this process the Assessment Committee created the following:

• shortened rubrics 
  • focus on whether students are "meeting standards," "approaching standards" or "developing"
  • specific skills are listed in each category    
• sample tasks that can be modified for use in the assessment
• Google Forms survey where all material could be submitted

i. Assessment Process

During AY 2019-2020, and continuing into AY 2020-2021, our department is assessing students’ proficiency in Cultural Knowledge. At least a third of our Program Learning Outcomes include a Cultural Knowledge component. These include: recognition of social and regional linguistic variation; knowledge of distinctive features of the history, institutions, economy, society, culture, etc. of the country or countries where the target language is spoken; critical understanding of the patterns of social interactions, as well as the meanings, attitudes, values, and ideas of the target cultures; knowledge of the main authors, literary trends, and styles connected with a given course’s focus and time period. This intended student learning outcome was developed in alignment with the college’s GLOBE framework, mentioned above. For example, a student who has attained Intermediate High proficiency in cultural knowledge has done so as a result of integrative and applied learning. Proficiency in cultural knowledge enables intercultural communication in a language other than English, which is a tangible and valuable practical skill. The relevant Geneseo Strategic Plan Focus Areas include: Learning, Access and Success, and Advancing the Public Good. 

In order to communicate effectively, oral and written skills must be mastered. Our department requires all majors who will be language teachers to attain the level of Advanced Low oral proficiency on the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). The OPI is an interview-based test that is conducted by an independent testing agency. For all B.A. students in French or Spanish as their first major, a Writing Proficiency Examination is required. The examination must be taken before the end of the junior year or, if the individual is studying abroad, immediately after returning to Geneseo, but not earlier than the junior year. Students must pass at the Advanced Low level or above of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

ii. Results of Assessment

Results from these two learning outcomes assessed in AY 2017-18 showed that most French and Spanish students were able to score at or above the required level on the OPI. Four students in Spanish attained the Advanced Low level, three students attained Intermediate High, and one attained the Advanced Mid level. The one student in French who took the OPIc (computerized OPI) attained the Advanced Mid level.  Of the 17 students in total who took the OPI, 15 passed.  The average score of students who passed the test was 77.29%, which is the equivalent of the Advanced Mid level.

Moving online for the second half of Spring 2020 and Fall 2020 has had an impact on the speaking and writing skills acquired by our students.  Immersion in the language is a fundamental part of language acquisition and, despite innovative and unconventional efforts to make the target language as real and as present as possible, students scored a little lower than in previous years on both the OPI and the Writing Proficiency Examination. From Spring 2019 to Fall 2020, in Spanish, five students who took the OPI passed at the Advanced Low level, one student attained the Advanced Mid level, one student attained the Advanced High level and three students did not pass (Intermediate High). Eight of the 17 students who took the Writing Proficiency Examination attained the Advanced Low level. In French, two of the four students who took the OPI passed at the Advanced Mid level, one student attained Advanced High, and one student, who achieved only Intermediate High, did not pass. All seven students in French who took the Writing Proficiency Examination passed.  

In addition to taking the OPI and the Writing Proficiency Examination, Adolescence Education candidates in French and Spanish take Content Specialty Tests (CST) (Interpretive Listening, Interpretative Reading, Presentational Listening, Presentational Speaking, Pedagogical Content Knowledge). The results from 2017-2020 were very positive: all of the candidates passed the Spanish and French CST’s over all three program years.  For AY 2018-2019, 100% Spanish Geneseo Test-Takers passed the five CST’s with a mean of 582.2 compared to 567.4 for New York State Test-Takers. In the case of French, the mean for the Geneseo Test-Takers was 567.7 and 567.4 for New York State Test-Takers. Notably, competency 02 (Interpretive Reading) has increased in score from 3.4 in 2017-2018 to 4.0 in 2018-2019 to 3.7 in 2019-2020.   However, French students at Geneseo scored lower in Competencies 1 (Interpretive Listening) and 4 (Presentational Speaking) as compared to Geneseo Spanish CST test-takers and overall NYS French CST test-takers, so more support is needed for French Adolescence Education candidates.

  C. Reflection on Assessment

AY 2019-2020 was the first academic year for our new assessment protocol. Reflection on these results, as well as on the results of the OPI and the Writing Proficiency Examination taken by B.A. students with French or Spanish as their first major, has underscored our commitment to redesigning our curriculum to fit the needs of our students. Our soon-to-be-implemented new curriculum (see section VI of this document) will reinforce our students’ basic skills in oral and written communication and further develop their specialized knowledge of the cultures in which the languages are used. Our students will greatly benefit from opportunities to incorporate integrative and applied learning within the classroom through workshops, digital media and project-based learning. 

From the data on 169 students from courses in Spanish, French, and German (102, 201, 314) that we collected in the AY 2019-2020 assessment, we discovered the variety of resources that instructors used to incorporate cultural knowledge into their courses, which in turn showed that teaching cultural knowledge focuses on a wide variety of tasks: speaking, writing, lexical variations, general cultural understanding, the pragmatics of language and comparing cultures. Therefore, instructors’ inventory ranged from selections found in textbooks to other formats such as movies, visual art, magazines, newspapers or news reports. The combination of the variety of formats with focus on function (in writing, speaking, watching or listening) creates a rich approach to target this learning outcome. Overall, students were exposed to a broad range of materials that engaged them in expanding their cultural knowledge in the target language. 

The results show that TV shows, news broadcasts, videos embedded in the textbook, round-table discussions and music videos increased student interest in learning about culture through real and current events about the countries and the languages they were learning about. One instructor noted that “interest increased when the discussion [was] contextualized at their interconnectedness level (global interdependence).” This aligns with our learning outcomes and Geneseo’s Global Awareness and Engagement (GLOBE learning outcome). 

D. Need for a New Curriculum

Our assessment results have revealed that students achieve the greatest proficiency in cultural knowledge by engaging in active learning with authentic cultural texts and media. Student-centered teaching and active learning lead to proficiency in cultural knowledge and align well with the College’s mission of offering the "rigorous curriculum, [and] transformational learning experiences" that are referred to in the College Values of Learning and Creativity. Additionally, students who achieve a high level of cultural proficiency are most often those who study abroad. Our department faculty members actively encourage students to participate in study abroad programs as a way to deepen their linguistic and cultural knowledge; proficiency in cultural knowledge therefore promotes “ethical global citizenship.” Consequently, students will be even better positioned to meet and exceed departmental learning outcomes and the college’s GLOBE learning outcomes once our newly designed curriculum is in place. 

The changes we have introduced in our curriculum, as stated below, are aligned with the results of our assessment. We have created a scaffolded structure of courses from lower to upper levels that reinforces writing and speaking skills by working on cultural knowledge, comparisons and communities. Furthermore, two new study abroad programs in Canada and Equatorial Guinea will be implemented to open up more opportunities for the students.  Finally, assessing students’ success after graduation helps us to understand how demographics, academic careers and the job market are changing. Thus, we will be able to fine-tune our courses accordingly. To do so, we are working on a survey for alumni which will help us to better advise students regarding career plans and professionalism. In sum, assessment drives our department’s strategic plan, helps us to attain our outcomes and provides feedback on components identified by the College’s GLOBE learning outcomes.

IV. PROPOSED ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVISIONS   

A. Rationale

In order to effectively prepare our students for the 21st century, we have reimagined and redesigned our curriculum to meet their needs. Considering our increasingly diverse world, principles of inclusion and civic responsibility go hand in hand with effective communication. Our program needs to substantially reinforce our students’ basic skills in foreign languages’ oral and written communication while further developing their specialized knowledge of the cultures, global systems, and historical contexts in which the languages are used. For our department’s minors and majors, 4-credit courses will open the door to more integrative and applied learning opportunities within the classroom through workshops, digital media and project-based learning. 

Changing our department’s courses from 3 credits to 4 credits will also positively impact students who take basic language courses for their General Education requirement.  In fact, the change will provide them with more cultural knowledge and “time on task” per course in the target language. Enabling an increased integration of media and technology will also contribute to the quality of students’ intake, an essential step toward putting them on the path to meeting the GLOBE learning outcomes of “skill in another spoken language” and “global awareness and engagement.” Finally, research has demonstrated that the development of skills in a foreign language has a significant impact on  improving communication skills in the students’ native language (Cunningham and Graham, 2000), Thus, increased proficiency in the target language will develop marketable life and career skills.

While we have made changes to our programs over the years (adding or deleting classes, tweaking course titles and descriptions, etc.), our curriculum has not been thoroughly reviewed in at least 15 years, maybe longer.  Assessment results and surveys from faculty, students, and external reviewers revealed that our curriculum lacked key components that our students need to be successful after graduation.  A more modern model, in terms of content, a more profession-oriented focus, and continued development of critical thinking skills will allow students to feel confident that they will be able to use their language and cultural proficiency in their future career.  

Over the past 18 months, we have studied our curriculum in depth, analyzing our current courses/materials, learning from our assessment tools, and investigating what our benchmark colleagues are offering. Our studies showed us that an overall reimagination of our program was necessary to meet the Communication and Global Awareness and Engagement goals of the Geneseo Learning Outcomes for Baccalaureate Education (GLOBE). Two departments within humanities at our own institution have already moved to 4-credit courses, English and History.  Additionally, various peer institutions, including SUNY Binghamton, already offer 4-credit courses. 

The Department of Languages and Literatures will move to the 4-credit hour model for the following reasons:

1. The increased number of contact hours will allow us to expand course content into new areas that support both our GLOBE curriculum and the Geneseo 2021 Strategic Plan.  The 4-credit model will allow us to "to explore innovative approaches to teaching, learning, and research."  Some examples might include: project-based collaborations that have real life implications (Critical Thinking, Creativity and Creative Thinking, Leadership and Collaboration); mini in-class workshops to address specific needs, using, for example, digital humanities to facilitate learning with authentic linguistic and cultural material (Informational and Digital Literacy), or possibly expanding our international partnerships with online projects or exchanges (Diversity and Pluralism, Global Awareness and Engagement). While we currently include some of these activities in our courses, it is usually a small component, due to a lack of time.  The 4-credit model will allow educators to further enrich the classroom experience.
   
   

2. Achieving proficiency in a foreign language needs regular and continuous exposure in order to develop proficiency in the four skills in the target language (reading, writing, listening, speaking) in different contexts. Thus, the new 4-credit model will allow our students an extra hour of in-class time that can be dedicated to working on specific skills without compromising the content of the course. With the proposed curriculum changes, the General Education foreign language requirement will now be successful completion of a 102/L course (8 credits total, if students start at the 101 level) instead of successful completion of a 201/L course (9 credits total, if students start at the 101 level). We are revising the 101 and 102  levels to reflect what students need in order to better understand the diversity of our world and to communicate in our globalized society. To this end, we are updating intended learning outcomes and also focusing more than had previously been feasible on communication and real-life scenarios. These improvements strongly support the GLOBE initiative.  (http://springinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/How-Long-Does-It-Take-To-Learn-A-Second-Language.pdf) (https://www.coerll.utexas.edu/methods/modules/technology/01/index.php). 

3. The newest materials for language courses offer the newest technology.  Students need more time to work with this technology.  The extra hour would allow for this crucial component of language learning to be more fully exploited.  Indeed, over the last 20 years, the internet has expanded  exponentially, allowing our students to be exposed like never before to material in the target languages.  For example, at the elementary and intermediate levels, students will be able to practice their oral skills with partners and have quality feedback from the instructor (Communication).  At the advanced level, students will use digital humanities and other tools to work on projects that have real-world implications. 

4. Moving to 4 hours would allow faculty in the Department of Languages and Literatures to collaborate more efficiently with English and History, allowing for courses that could be co-taught.  

B. Revised French Program

Total Credits Required to Complete Major: 32-36

• Note about changes: 
  • Current program: 10/11 classes @3 credits = 30/33 credits, depending upon placement
  • Proposed program:  8/9 classes @4 credits = 32/36 credits, depending upon placement

Basic Requirements        

FREN 202  - Intermediate French II

FREN 213 - Intermediate French Grammar, Culture, and Communication or placement at the advanced level via examination 

• Note about changes: In light of our redesigned elementary-level courses, we took the opportunity to redesign our intermediate-level courses.  This course will cover not only the fundamentals of grammar, but it will also encourage students to explore cultural topics and will focus on improving their oral communication skills. 

FREN 301 - Written Communication                                                                                         

FREN 302 - Introduction to Literature                                                                                       

FREN 477 - Senior Seminar: (subtitle)

• Note about changes: This course was instituted at a time when the College was moving in the direction of having senior capstone courses. Given that enrollment has declined, we no longer have enough seniors to populate this course.      

Two One courses course in Literature from: 

FREN 450 - Medieval and Renaissance French Literature

FREN 455 - French Literature Classical Period and Enlightenment

FREN 460 - French Literature from Romanticism to the Present 

FREN 474 - Francophone Literature, Africa and the Caribbean 

FREN 475 - French-Canadian Literature 

• Note about changes: The Literature requirement was reduced, as this seemed reasonable in light of the increase from 3 credits to 4 credits per course.

One course in Grammar from:

FREN 335 - French for Business the Professions: (subtitle)   

FREN 416 - Advanced Grammar and Syntax 

One course in Linguistics from:

FREN 317 - Phonology

FREN 423 - Selected Topics in Linguistics

One course in Civilization from:

FREN 312 - M/Modernity in West Africa 

FREN 313 - Contemporary French Civilization

FREN 314 - M/Contemporary Francophone Civilizations

FREN 325 - French Civilization

FREN 326 - M/Early Non-European Francophone Civilizations

            Three Two electives at the 300 and/or 400 level

NOTES: A minimum of 33  32  credits of FREN at the 300 and/or 400 level is required for the major. A minimum of 15  16 credits (including FREN 301 and FREN 302) must be taken at Geneseo.

Recommended:   Study of a second language and/or study abroad

Minimum Competence Requirement: A grade of C- or better is required for each of the following courses: all 300 and 400-level courses in fulfillment of the 30-hour requirement for the major.

Department Writing Requirement:  During their Junior year, students will write a 500- to 600-word essay in the target language under examination conditions. Students will have 2 hours to write on a topic provided at the time of the examination. Students may use bilingual dictionaries and/or dictionaries of the target language. Written proficiency must be at or above the Advanced Low Level of Proficiency as described in the Proficiency Guidelines of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. To take the examination, students must contact the Department secretary at (585) 245-5247. NOTE: The examination can be attempted only once per semester. For further information, please contact your advisor or visit the Department's website.

C. Revised Spanish Program

Total Credits Required to Complete Major: 32-36

• Note about changes: 
  • Current program: 10/11 classes @3 credits = 30/33 credits, depending upon placement
  • Proposed program:  8/9 classes @4 credits = 32/36 credits, depending upon placement
    
    

Basic Requirements

SPAN 202 - Intermediate Spanish II 

SPAN 203 - Accelerated Intermediate Spanish 

SPAN 213 – Intermediate Grammar, Culture, and Communication or placement at the advanced level via examination 

• Note about changes: In light of our redesigned elementary-level courses, we took the opportunity to redesign our intermediate-level courses.  This course will cover not only the fundamentals of grammar, but it will also encourage students to explore cultural topics and will focus on improving their oral communication skills. 

SPAN 301 – Oral and Written Communication 

SPAN 302 - Introduction to Hispanic Literatures  Transatlantic Hispanic Cultures and Readings

SPAN 401 - Senior Seminar in Hispanic Studies: (subtitle) Advanced Oral and Written Communication 

• Note about changes: These core classes (required for all students) will establish a foundation that will be scaffolded throughout other courses and will culminate in the advanced-level course.  By combining oral and written skills into one course (previously two), we will be able to offer the course more frequently and will be able to work on both skills at the advanced level.  This course serves as a bookend to the revised SPAN 301.  

One course in Applied grammar from: 

SPAN 316 – Applied Advanced Grammar and Syntax: Subtitle 

SPAN 335 - Spanish for the Professions: (subtitle) 

• Note about changes: As many students are interested in studying grammar, we added a subtitle to allow students to take the course twice with different subtitles. By changing the name and the focus of the course, it will allow for greater flexibility of content.

One course in linguistics from: 

SPAN 317 - Phonology 

SPAN 309 - Language Field School in Afro-Hispanic societies. 

SPAN 323 - Introduction to Linguistics Credit(s)

SPAN 3 424 - Selected Topics in Spanish Linguistics Seminar: (subtitle)

• Note about changes: The specialized phonology course was eliminated in favor of offering the Spanish Linguistics Seminar on a yearly basis.  This course will allow students to focus on current trends while also exploring more in depth the topics explored at the 300-level.  A Language Field School in Equatorial Guinea was added.

One course in civilization from: 

SPAN 308 - Communication and Culture in Spain 

SPAN 312 - M/Latin American Civilizations I: Pre-Columbian Era to Conquest 

SPAN 313 - Peninsular Civilization II: Contemporary Era: Subtitle 

SPAN 314 - M/Latin American Civilizations III: Contemporary: Subtitle 

SPAN 325 - Spanish Civilization I: Origins to the 19th Century 

SPAN 326 - M/Latin American Civilizations II: Colonial Period to Independence 

• Note about changes: In an effort to move away from chronologically focused courses towards a more thematic approach, we reduced our offerings from five courses to two courses (that can be repeated with different subtitles), as well as the addition of a summer study abroad program in Spain. This will give students the opportunity to delve deeper into relevant topics and to explore areas that were not covered in other classes.
  
  

Two electives: one at the 300 level, one at the 400 level 

• Note about changes:  We have eliminated the Literature requirement, as many of our students did not express an interest in this type of course.  Students do have the opportunity to take the newly redesigned and subtitled (repeatable courses) literature courses as electives: SPAN 307 (Topics in Hispanic Studies), 472 (Peninsular Literature) or 473 (Latin American Literature).

One experiential learning opportunity: In order to fully embrace the GLOBE areas of Broad and Specialized Knowledge, Intellectual and Practical Skills, Integrative and Applied Learning, all students must complete an experiential learning opportunity.  The experience must have a Spanish language component and be pre-approved by the Spanish faculty. Recommended opportunities: study abroad, classroom assistant, volunteering, tutoring, internship, undergraduate research, portfolio.

• Note about changes: We feel that it is very important for our students to use their language skills in the real world; therefore, we decided to implement this requirement.
  
  

Recommended: study abroad and LANG 150

LANG 150:  Introduction to World Languages

This course, taught in English, introduces the student to the Languages and Literatures academic and co-curricular programs and will provide opportunities for interaction with members of a diverse body of instructors from different languages and cultural backgrounds. Using a variety of instructional methods such as presentations, workshops, and discussions, the student will explore contemporary topics, career opportunities, ways to maximize global language and soft skills in professional and personal life, as well as learn about research, international work, and study abroad opportunities. This class is open to any first year or transfer student at the college interested in majoring in French or Spanish or concentrating in these languages (Elementary Education majors), minoring in French, German, or Spanish or studying global languages at the elementary/intermediate level. The course will also provide advising, planning, and problem-solving assistance to the student while navigating the first semester at Geneseo. 

Credit(s): 1

Lecture: 1

Non Lecture: 0

Offered every fall

Graded: S/U

NOTES: A minimum of 32 credits of foreign language at the 300 level and/or 400 level is required for the major. A minimum of 20 credits (including 213*, 301, 302, and 401) must be taken at Geneseo. *Students who place at the advanced level via examination do not need to take SPAN 213.

Minimum Competence Requirement: A grade of C- or better is required for each of the following courses: all 300- and 400-level courses in fulfillment of the 32-36-hour requirement for the major.

Department Writing Requirement: During their Junior year, students will write a 500- to 600-word essay in the target language under examination conditions. Students will have 2 hours to write on a topic provided at the time of the examination. Students may use bilingual dictionaries and/or dictionaries of the target language. Written proficiency must be at or above the Advanced Low level as described in the Proficiency Guidelines of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. To take the examination, students must enroll in SPAN 401.  NOTE: the examination can only be attempted once per semester.

D. Revised German Minor

Total Credits Required to Complete Minor: 20-24, depending upon placement

• Note about changes: 
  • Current program: 18 hours if placement is in 300-level courses *6 courses at 300-level);  21 hours if continuing on to or placement into GERM 202 
  • Proposed program: Proposed program: 20 hours if placement into 300-level courses; 24 hours if continuing on to or placing into GERM 213
  • Current program:  In light of our redesigned elementary-level courses, the intermediate level has also been redesigned.  The new intermediate-level course, GERM 213, will cover not only the fundamentals of grammar, but it will also encourage students to explore cultural topics and will focus on improving their oral communication skills. 

Basic Requirements 

GERM 202 - Intermediate German II

GERM 213 -  Intermediate Grammar, Culture, and Communication

GERM 301:  German Composition 

GERM 301: Written Expression in German

GERN 302: Readings in German 

GERM 302:  Introduction to Literature

Three electives:

GERM 313 - Contemporary German Civilization

GERM 316 - Grammar and Syntax   

GERM 318 - Advanced Grammar and Composition

GERM 325 - German Civilization

GERM 335 - German for the Professions

GERM 382 - Selected Topics in German Literatures and Cultures: (May be repeated once with different subtitles)

Study abroad in a German-speaking country is strongly recommended. LANG 150:  Introduction to World Languages is recommended. It is also recommended that the student take at least one European course in Political Science and/or History.   Some courses may have prerequisites or require departmental approval.  

A grade of C- or better is required for all courses in fulfillment of the requirements for the minor.  

Please contact the Coordinator for credit information regarding internships, study abroad, or credit from another institution. 

E. Revised Coursework in Less Commonly Taught Languages

• Note about changes:

o   Current Program for General Education:  ARAB, CHIN, JAPN, LATN, RUSS through 201/L  (Intermediate I, 3 credits - Language Requirement)

o   New Program: ARAB, CHIN, JAPN, LATN, RUSS 102/L (Beginning II, 4 credits - Language Requirement)

Beginning and Intermediate Course Changes 

• Current program for ARAB, CHIN, JAPN, LATN, RUSS 101

 (Beginning I, 3 credits):

ARAB 101, CHIN 101, JAPN 101, LATN 101, RUSS 101: 

Introduces the structure and sound of the target language. Develops the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Culture-based readings and collateral laboratory assignments. This course is designed for the student who has never studied the language before.  

Offered on regular rotation

• Proposed course description for ARAB, CHIN, JAPN, LATN, RUSS 101 (Beginning I, 4 credits):

Introductory communication-based language course. Develops the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Intensive practice of real-world communication and cultural knowledge. For the general education requirement, it is recommended that 102/L be taken the following spring semester.   Prerequisites: placement into course by placement examination or no previous training in language.

Offered every fall 

• Current program for ARAB, CHIN, JAPN, LATN, RUSS 102 (Beginning II, 3 credits):

A continuation of 101

Prerequisite(s): (LANG) 101 or its equivalent.  placement into course by language placement examination.

Offered on a 3-semester rotation

• Proposed Course Description for ARAB, CHIN, JAPN, LATN, RUSS102/L  (Beginning II, 4 credits) 

Communication-based language course. Continuation of the development of the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Intensive practice of real-world communication and cultural knowledge.

Prerequisite: (LANG) 101 or placement into course via language placement examination.

Offered every spring

• Current program deletions:

o   (LANG) 201/L Intermediate I (Intermediate I, 3 credits)

o   (LANG) 202 Intermediate II, 3 credits)

Proposed New Course for all less-commonly-taught languages (replacement for former 201/L and 202)

(LANG) 213 Intensive (LANG) Language, Culture, and Communication

Intermediate (LANG) Grammar, Culture, and Communication or placement at the advanced level via examination.

• Note about changes: In light of our redesigned elementary-level courses, we took the opportunity to redesign our intermediate-level courses.  This course will cover not only the fundamentals of grammar, but it will also encourage students to explore cultural topics and will focus on improving their oral communication skills. 
  
  

New Professional Course as of Spring 2020  

RUSS 205:  Russian for Reading Knowledge was offered as an experimental course in Fall 2019 as RUSS 288 (Experimental). In Spring 2020 it was proposed and accepted as part of the department’s offerings. 

The course will prepare students for research in the Russian language and/or the workplace where a reading knowledge of Russian could be a vital addition to the student’s skill set.  Students will learn to write and read the Russian language, both print and handwritten, and work with various types of readings (scientific, literary, political, philosophical, historical.) The course cannot replace the 201/L language requirement and is not available to students who have taken previous Russian language courses, are native or near-native speakers of Russian, or who have knowledge of any other Cyrillic-based language. Due to the focus on training for students unfamiliar with the Cyrillic alphabet and the Russian language in general, the course will cap at 15. 

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor required. 

Offered fall even years.

Credits: 3(3-0)  4(4-0)  

F .  Revised General Education  L/ Requirement

Total Credits Required to satisfy the L/requirement: 0-8 (depending upon placement by examination or high school background) 

Note about changes: 

• Current program (9 hours): 101, 102, or 201 (L/requirement), depending upon placement
• Proposed program (8 hours, entirely reinvisioned two-semester plan): 101, 102 (L/requirement)  depending upon placement
• In addition to the ideas mentioned above (#1-3), we also took into consideration the recent initiatives to reduce overall general education requirements and to offer more classes as part of a program of study. With our proposed changes, students will be able to begin studying for a major, minor or concentration sooner.
  
  

VII.  CONCLUSION

Departmental efforts during the period addressed by the current report enabled us to finish the work referred to in the conclusion of our 2010-15 Self-Study Report: “... the revision of our curriculum and learning outcomes, and the creation of our curriculum map, is nearly complete.   

 [ . . . ]  The final piece of the puzzle, assessment, is the key to evaluating the success of our new directions and will allow us to efficiently and effectively run our programs.”  Upon the addition of the “final piece of the puzzle” to the overall picture, in AY 2019-2020, we were able to finalize the revision of our majors, minors, and concentrations, so that students will experience more integrative and applied learning opportunities. A direct upshot for our language learners will be to most effectively meet the Communication and Global Awareness and Engagement goals of the Geneseo Learning Outcomes for Baccalaureate Education (GLOBE). Furthermore, by changing from 3-credit to 4-credit courses, all students who study languages at Geneseo will benefit from increased contact hours with instructors. 

In broader terms, the Department is proud of the role it plays in support of the Geneseo’s Mission to shape “globally aware citizens who are prepared for an enriched life and success in the world.” The diversity of our language offerings unquestionably builds tangible, valuable, and sustainable bridges between our students and the interconnected emerging world communities of Arabic, Chinese, French German, Japanese, Latin, Russian, and Spanish cultures. We are, for example, one of the few SUNY colleges that offer Intermediate-level courses in several less-frequently-taught languages on a regular rotation.  Knowledge of these languages and cultures also enables our students to be viable applicants for Critical Language stipends, Fulbright awards, civil service positions, and top-notch graduate programs.  We remain committed to opening as many opportunities to all language students, at all levels, as budgetary and staffing considerations will allow.  The challenge for the future will be to maintain the excellence of our programs in the face of declining demographics, national trends in high school and higher education, and the financial impact of the pandemic.

Respectfully submitted by:

Dr. Beverly J. Evans, Distinguished Teaching Professor of French and Chair, Review Committee

Dr. Kodjo Adabra, Department Chair

Ms. Elizabeth Adams, Lecturer in Spanish

Dr. Lori Bernard, Associate Professor of Spanish

Dr. Susana Castillo-Rodriguez, Assistant Professor of Spanish

Dr. Wesley Costa de Moraes, Assistant Professor of Spanish

Dr. Kathryn Fredericks, Assistant Professor of French

Dr. Cynthia Klima, Associate Professor of German

Dr. Elizabeth McManus, Lecturer in French

Please click here to view a pdf of the 2021 Self-Study Report.