HelloWM details

2. The overview shows that this presentation will begin with how the student organization was started, the language classes we are offering now, achievements, challenges, and possible solutions. I will also cover topics on the pragmatics and logistics of the organization, as well as read over a few student’s responses and questions for further discussion.

3. What is HelloWM?

4. Heritage Language Learners of William and Mary, or HelloWM is a student organization that works with volunteer instructors to establish language programs for languages that are traditionally underrepresented at the university.

5. The organization seeks to combine the lonely efforts of a few groups into a single and powerful voice that can speak clearly to the university the benefits of maintaining heritage languages and simultaneously calling the larger public’s attention to the demand and motivation to see these goals through.

6. As a hands-on collaborative approach to learning that involves volunteer instructors, HelloWM has roughly 180 students involved

7. The organization is set up to facilitate on-campus cultural organizations and individuals to create their own courses by helping instructors locate materials, explore different funding strategies, and work together to adapt instructional methods.

8. HelloWM was founded by two linguistics students in the spring of 2009 as a class project and is now running multiple language courses that seek to create collaborative learning spaces for college & community members who want to learn a new or heritage language.

9. HelloWM’s mission is to provide cultural networking and language programs to promote multilingualism and heritage language awareness.

10. Language Classes Underway

11. Bengali ~3-4

12. Korean ~150

13. Hebrew ~20

14. Brazilian Portuguese ~20

15. Farsi ~25

16. American Sign Language ~25

17. Tagalog ~25

19. More students on-campus are exposed to the idea of teaching or learning a heritage language, valuable experience for instructors, brings students together with similar interests.

21. Short-term Solutions

22. Ask the students in the class to write their names, contact information, and the history of their relationship to the language on index cards

23. Offer different levels (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) and contact students by E-mail with level offerings and descriptions of levels

24. Seek curriculum guides and activities for both heritage and foreign language learners

25. Long-term Solutions

26. Research further into models of heritage language instruction underway and try to adapt their curricula to the different language courses on campus

27. Invite speakers and workshops on the topic, open to all

28. Maintain a blog of teaching experiences written by past instructors

29. Finding curricula and materials that are appropriate for a collaborative learning environment for heritage or foreign language courses

30. Short-term Solutions

31. Free web site curricula like www.easypersian.com

32. Materials and suggestions from LangNet.com (Access granted by the Alliance for the Advancement of Heritage Language)

33. Education blogs; stumbling upon education blogs and keeping a track record of ones that seem to have good ideas for workshops etc.

35. Appeal to youth culture modes of communication

36. Grant proposals would be for the English and International Studies department grants

37. Short-term solutions

38. Google spreadsheet that all the instructors share

39. Facebook group is a place to post materials and ideas

40. Monthly meetings will help everyone come together with their ideas and what everyone has found and take some time to try and synthesize the information into a practical plan towards a curriculum

41. Long-term solutions

42. Invite workshop speakers to speak to the instructors and members of HelloWM

43. Locate funding for instructor training workshops

44. Research online for ideas on how to create a training program for future instructors

45. Keep a long-term log of all past activities and materials used in each lesson

46. Maintaining interest and establishing a sense of community over the semester

47. Annual Language Fair Event

48. Collaborative small events with the Modern Languages and Anthropology Department

50. Instructors’ contact information

51. Drop-box for weblinks to language-specific materials

52. Facebook

53. Individual course pages

54. Post homework’s for print-out

55. Post each lesson so students can catch up or continue to practice at home

56. Posts by instructors for additional resources and information

57. Emergency announcements (alongside emails) for cancellations, etc. 7. Setting up Classes 1.Locate and reserve classrooms 2.Establish a day and time with the instructor 3.Heavily advertise to the student population 4.Research online for free or affordable resources and materials 5.Research online for Curriculum Design guides 6.Provide volunteer instructors with materials and information on how to find more resources for teaching their classes 8. Future Goals and Community Connections 1. Creating an adjunct HL program at public schools—tutoring programs for the local youth ( A lot of professors are very interested in this idea) 2. Offering credit at the university level or at least recognition (Pass/Fail Option on transcripts) 3. To continue to establish HL programs on campus. 4.Create mini-language workshops to offer the public schools in the area, workshops ideally would introduce heritage language education in the first session, and then continue to offer language classes in the what is available and what the demand is. 9. Conclusion and Further Discussion a. Heritage language education is in demand at the College of William and Mary The organization seeks to combine the lonely efforts of a few groups into a single and powerful voice that can speak clearly to the university the benefits of maintaining heritage languages and simultaneously calling the larger public’s attention to the demand and motivation to see these goals through. As a hands-on collaborative approach to learning that involves volunteer instructors, HelloWM has roughly 180 students involved