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The first reading of an article is usually prompted by the question: "What benefit can I derive from the reading of this article, the title of which has attracted my attention?" In this "palabrita al lector," the writer wishes to state that the project herein described has been of unusual benefit to the language classes at this institution, and so, by way of introduction, here is a brief statement of the language set-up at Birmingham-Southern College. Those interested in adapting this program to their own needs will be able to visualize a workable plan as they read. We operate on the quarter system, and classes are scheduled on the basis of five recitation days a week. The program outlined below calls for one day a week in the Work Shop, that is, one-fifth of the time allotted to each class is spent in the Work Shop under the supervision and direction of the instructor regularly in charge of the class. This represents the minimum of time that should be given to the program, and it is the opinion of the writer that two days out of five would give still better results. Classes that meet three times a week could not afford to have less than one period a week in the Work Shop, and this might even be required over and above the regular recitation time, as in the case of compulsory laboratory periods in the sciences. This, however, would entail added difficulties of scheduling, and should be avoided rather than encouraged. In the fall of 1943 I took the initial steps to institute a plan to activate the instruction of foreign languages here. (This was with the approval of the administration, the officers of which were all interested in the experiment.) The "Record Room" was created as a beginning, and with the aid of colleagues and student assistants there was born a feeling that the spoken foreign language was at last coming into its own. The initial equipment was very scanty: a phonograph and three sets of records, all of the spoken variety.' Certainly there was nothing sensational about the beginning of the project, merely a desire to move forward sanely and with the conviction that the idea would eventually bring good results if allowed a little time and if the right kind of open-mindedness were allowed to filter into the program. All this took place! At first there was no pressure brought to bear as to whether students would voluntarily go to the "Record Room" or not. Frankly speaking, the majority of them did not go at first. Then the individual instructors began to require nominal attendance, five or six hours each quarter, for example, but nothing really constructive developed that first quarter, except, perhaps, a better feeling toward the spoken language. After using only spoken recordings during that first quarter, we have learned the shortcomings of this type when used exclusively, and have now expanded to the point of having certain "open house" periods, that is, periods open to all, rather than those periods assigned to regular classes. There are two |
