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Reference Department Training Guide 2009 

This training guide will serve as the home for KSL Reference Department training modules
Last update: Sep 02nd, 2009 URL: http://researchguides.case.edu/KSLReferenceTrainingProgram2009  Print Guide  RSS Updates

Week 3             Print Page
  
 

FC Language Learning Center

Week 3: FC Language Learning Center Exploration and Foreign Language Contest

Week of July 6th, 2009

 

About the Language Learning Center

 

The Language Learning Center, located in the Freedman Center, is where patrons go to:

  • do online interactive language lessons for their classes
  • learn how to speak a new language
  • watch foreign language videos
  • videoconference online with other language learners
  • use various online language learning resources

Language Learning Services include:

A virtual language lab for students enrolled in courses in Case's Department of Modern Languages and Literatures.

Language learning stations equipped with region-free VCRs and DVD players capable of playing movies from all over the world, video conferencing software and webcams, and audio recording programs.

Knowledgeable and up-to-date advice on using technology in language teaching and learning.

 

Resources and Equipment at the LLC

Check out some of the things the LLC has to offer:

 

Reference Interview Tips & Notes

FC LLC Do’s and Don’ts

Doesn’t – Assist students or teachers from the ESL language school, since they are not affiliated with Case.

Does – Help with ESL activities for Case affiliated international students.

Does - Provide assistance in locating learning resources for specific languages when Case affiliated patrons inquire.

Doesn’t – Provide language-related audiovisual capture services or consultation.  Patrons with such needs are directed to MediaVision on campus.

Does – Request that all issues and questions that do not fall under the above categories be directed to the LLC Manager, Tina Oestreich

Top 5 popular activities at the LLC:

  • SKYPE-ing (communicating online with other people using audio and video technology)
  • Use of international DVD players for foreign language assignments and classes
  • Use of the Center by Case affiliated ESL learners
  • Foreign language learning with Pimsleur Chip tutorial series
  • Type and edit papers and presentations in over 30 languages using the MS Office Multi Language Pack installed on every language learning workstation.

 

Try it Out

*** Remember that that FC staff can always set you up at a workstation and help you get started ***

*** Remember also that the wiki tutorials can be accessed from any computer, including Freedman Center workstations. ***

Give the Pimsleur Chip voice interactive language series a try:

  • Look at the Pimsleur set-up wiki tutorial and try the first German lesson
  • Do the first 10.5 minutes of the first German I lesson (Lesson 1)
  • Learn to pronounce these phrases accurately:
  1. Entschuldigen Sie - "Excuse me"
  2. verstehen Sie Englisch - "Do you understand English?"
  3. nein, ich verstehe kein Englisch - "No, I do not understand English"

 

Getting Credit

Win a prize this week in our German language pronunciation contest!! 

Participants must complete the contest exercise this week in order to qualify for a chance to win a free USB storage drive sporting the KSL web address and logo.  We will be using SKYPE web communication technology which allows people to see and talk to each other over the internet.

Here's what you need to do:

  • Sign up starting Monday, July 6th for a time to use the Pimsleur German I language learing chip.  Just ask for the sign-up sheet at the FC service desk.
  • Complete the Pimsleur Chip exercise outlined in the previous section above.
  • Review the SKYPE set-up wiki tutorial.  If you have a webcam on your computer and prefer to work from your office for this exercise, download the free SKYPE application to your computer.  Otherwise, you can SKYP on one of the language learning workstations in the Language Learning Center.
  • Log onto SKYPE between 10am and 12pm any time this week through Thursday (on Thursday, however, Tina will need to log out by 11:30am) and take the German language pronunciation challenge with Tina Oestreich, manager of the LLC!  Her SKYPE username is "tina.oestreich".  Tina will ask you to pronounce the three German phrases that you learned.

Tina will record conversations so that she can evaluate each person's pronunciation and make comparisons.  This is standard practice for many language classes, and students regularly come to the FC to record their conversations.  Tina will delete our conversation recordings once she is finished with the judging.

The most accurate pronouncer wins the prize!!

 
 

Notes and Comments

Things to Note This Week

CASELEARNS 2009 SUMMER SCHEDULE IS NOW AVAILABLE

Take a moment this week to click the CaseLearns 2009 Summer Schedule tab at the top of the page in this training wiki for the schedule of upcoming multimedia workshops.  Please try to attend as many of these workshops as your schedule allows. These workshops will enhance your knowledge of multimedia and the FC tremendously!

Make sure to sign up starting Monday, July 6th for a time to use the Pimsleur German I language learning chip.  Just ask for the sign-up sheet at the FC service desk.

As Brian pointed out in his e-mail to everyone, participants don't necessarily have to complete the exercise for this module this week.  But, if you want a chance to win the prize, you must plan to sign up and do the exercise this week before Thursday morning, 11:30am.  Tina will be away for the rest of the week after that time.

Please also make sure to ask for help at the FC front desk if you have any trouble using the Pimsleur Chip equipment and software, or if you need help with SKYPE.

PRIZE UPDATE - We will be offering two prizes this week.  Since some of our staff are skilled in German pronunciation already, Tina will judge the best among our accomplished German speakers, as well as the best among us beginners.  So, don't feel like you won't have a shot at a prize.

Good luck this week, and go for the prizes!

 

Comment Summary and Overview

I'm really glad that this week's module and exercise seems to have gone well, and that people had fun!  Thanks so very much to Tina Oestreich for taking time to teach us how to use SKYPE, and testing our knowledge of German phrases. 

Sounds like some of us already have plans to brush up on a language with the Pimsleur series!

***PRIZE WINNERS***

We have a winner!  That is, we have winners!  Turns out that some of our colleagues already had some proficiency with German, and they did very well on the SKYPE pronunciation challenge.  Tina and I decided that it was only fair that we offer two prizes for this contest, one for beginners and one for experienced speakers of German.  So, here are our prize winners!:

Winner in the Beginners category - Karen Oye

Winner in the Experienced speaker category - Jeffrey Quick

Tina Oestreich said that the judging was tough, since everyone who participated in the contest did very well.  Congratulations to everyone!!

 
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