Spring 2005 BLC Fellows Instructional Development Research Projects
How Do You Teach Translation?
Anna Livia, Lecturer, French
What is the place of translation in the communicative approach to second language pedagogy? For many years translation has been pushed aside in favor of direct communication in the L2. Use of the L1 by learners is often classified as “interference,” a problem to be solved rather than an essential set of linguistic intuitions which can be articulated and used to advantage. In this talk, I discuss the place of an Upper Division course on the techniques of translation within a Major in translation Studies, and the different skills which are involved.
Grammatical Estrangement: Drawing on the Russian Formalist sense of “Defamiliarization”, and the Brechtian sense of “Estrangement”
Jeremy Ecke, GSR, English
This talk argues that a broader philosophical conception of grammar emphasizes the role that grammar plays as a mode of logic and as a force for the differentiation of emergent and potential meanings.
Whither ‘Communities? An Appraisal of Foreign Language Education in Light of the National Standards
Robert Schechtman, GSR, German
This presentation examines aspects of foreign language education in light of ‘communities,’ one of the five content standards outlined in the National Standards for Foreign Language (1996;1999). First, an attempt is made to clarify the intent of the so called “fifth C.” Next, six recent textbooks in German and French are reviewed to evaluate their approaches to this standard. Finally, a notable gap in both the theory and practice of communicative language learning with regards to ‘Communities’ is discussed.
A case Study of a Multigenerational Ethnic Community: Implications for the Teaching of Less Commonly Taught Languages
Natasha Azarian, GSR, School of Education
In an effort to answer questions regarding language and identity, this paper’s focus is a community of Armenians in Fresno, California. Few would argue with the notion that language is an important vehicle for establishing collective identity and protecting the values of communal cohesion; but what unites an ethnicity when the ancestral language is no longer fluently spoken by the younger generations? This project used interviews with three generations of Armenians to establish what practices and artifacts remain in this community. Secondly, the project reports on how a notion of “cultural inheritance” (Lantolf 2000) can inform the syllabus design for less commonly taught languages.
May 13, 2005
3:00 – 5:00 pm
B-4 Dwinelle Hall