2008 Woodie Awards
Language department deserves more
More classes should be offered
Issue date: 2/8/08 Section: On Topic
Eastfield only offers one foreign language -
Spanish
. This is said to be because lack of student interest and qualified professor availability.
There's one way to fix this - a student outpour of support and pledges to enroll.
It seems a needless waste to go three or four years in high school learning a language like French and then not be able to take it as your foreign language choice in college. Especially since foreign language is a requirement at most local four-year schools, like the University of North Texas and the University of Texas at Arlington.
This is one reason why the DCCCD should push to find professors to teach languages. Sure, not all students are interested in transferring after their associate degree, but that is a big part of the DCCCD's role.
We understand that Eastfield couldn't find certified professors who had the time, but there are district schools that have the professors. Perhaps we could consider offering those professors the opportunity to teach online course through Eastfield.
Profitability was another concern. It takes 15 students to make a class profitable, according to interim dean of language and literature Don Baynham. So any class with below 15 students is taking a loss - yet we have other classes on campus with less than 15 students.
It's a service to the community and sometimes service means taking a loss.
Learning a foreign language is supposed to open one's mind and help the individual become a conceptual being. Having just one foreign language is very narrow openness - not exactly the zenith of intellectuality.
We understand limitations and feasibility - but we still implore the continued effort to bring more foreign languages to Eastfield.
Spanish
. This is said to be because lack of student interest and qualified professor availability.
There's one way to fix this - a student outpour of support and pledges to enroll.
It seems a needless waste to go three or four years in high school learning a language like French and then not be able to take it as your foreign language choice in college. Especially since foreign language is a requirement at most local four-year schools, like the University of North Texas and the University of Texas at Arlington.
This is one reason why the DCCCD should push to find professors to teach languages. Sure, not all students are interested in transferring after their associate degree, but that is a big part of the DCCCD's role.
We understand that Eastfield couldn't find certified professors who had the time, but there are district schools that have the professors. Perhaps we could consider offering those professors the opportunity to teach online course through Eastfield.
Profitability was another concern. It takes 15 students to make a class profitable, according to interim dean of language and literature Don Baynham. So any class with below 15 students is taking a loss - yet we have other classes on campus with less than 15 students.
It's a service to the community and sometimes service means taking a loss.
Learning a foreign language is supposed to open one's mind and help the individual become a conceptual being. Having just one foreign language is very narrow openness - not exactly the zenith of intellectuality.
We understand limitations and feasibility - but we still implore the continued effort to bring more foreign languages to Eastfield.
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