BU Global Roadmap

Picture Yourself Global!

Use Binghamton University’s Global Roadmap
and Chart Your Own Course

• Internationalize your degree by taking courses in Area Studies, adding a Global Studies Minor, enrolling in a language course, or participating in globally and internationally focused courses.

• Sign up for an LxC study group

• Apply to become a Language Resource Specialist with LxC

• Enroll in a language class

• Study Abroad!

• Become a Study Abroad Resource Alum when you return to Binghamton from abroad

• Attend the Study Abroad Fair

• Volunteer at the Study Abroad Fair

• Hang out with international students and friends at the monthly International Coffee Hour

• Take your friends to the International Student Festival

• Partner with an ESL student in the English Conversation Pairs

• Visit a meeting of a BU student cultural group

• Go to an Anderson Center

• Check out and attend some of the cultural events in the Binghamton area: (ex: SMAC, Islamic Organization of the Southern Tier, Southern Tier Indian Cultural Association, etc.)

• Check out globally-oriented career options at the Career Development Center

• Pursue a Certificate in Translation

LxC Staff Remains Unchanged for Fall 2007

This Fall, Dr. Suronda Gonzalez will continue to direct the LxC program at Binghamton University. Dr. Gonzalez also directs the Global Studies Minor (GSM) Program. Her LxC office hours will be Monday to Friday 10AM-4PM by appointment. Yu-Ling Huang will continue on as the graduate assistant for this academic year. Her office hours will be Monday 9AM-3PM, Tuesday 9AM-12PM, Wednesday 9AM-3PM, Thursday 9AM-12PM.

LxC to Offer Six Courses this Fall

LXC is excited to support six courses this Fall from a variety of disciplines and schools. Please take a moment to review which courses will be supporting LxC (some of these courses may be cross listed under another department). Think you are taking a course (or teach a course) that would be perfect for LxC, but we do not support it, let us know!

* ANTH/LING-114: Language, Culture, and Communication in the US
* ENG-227: British Literature
* HIST/AAAS-106: East Asian Civilizations
* HPE-330: Human Sexuality
* IBUS-211: World of Business
* THEA-101: Introduction to Musical Theater

University Survey Focuses on Foreign Languages

Binghamton University's International Education Advisory Committee is assessing the ways in which a "Language Resource Center" might serve faculty and students in the learning and meaningful academic use of the world's languages. Please take a moment to take this survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=500431898975.

Watch International TV on Your Computer

Students, faculty and staff can now access international television programs from their computers. Languages Across the Curriculum has purchased a licensing agreement from SCOLA, a nonprofit educational organization that rebroadcasts programs from around the world.

SCOLA features four channels with shows from nearly 70 countries in some 60 languages. Content includes current events, arts and culture, history and variety programming. Users can watch live-stream videos or save clips for later viewing. To view SCOLA, first log into Blackboard at http://blackboard.binghamton.edu. Click on view SCOLA and then click the "Watch Now" button under Videostream Service. Select "Watch SCOLA Now" to see the programming guide and choose something to watch.

Language Tables at BU

Language Tables meeting at Binghamton University

LxC students may be interested in attending a language table, where they can practice and improve their language skills in a social setting. At Binghamton University, the following language tables are meeting this semester:

Chinese Table
The Chinese Table
Wednesdays, 12-1 pm
Dickinson Dining Hall
Contact: 777-3871 or e-mail hzhang@binghamton.edu

French Table
Tuesday 5:30-7 pm
CIW-Dining Hall
Contact: 777-6507 or e-mail dpolachk@binghamton.edu

Italian Coffee Hour
Tuesdays 1:45-2:45 pm and Wednesdays 1-2 pm
The Commons Cafe
Contact: 777-4629 or e-mail stewart@binghamton.edu

Last week of classes

This week is the last chance for LxC study groups to complete their ten hour requirement. Due to the many midweek holidays this semester, it has been tight for some of the sections. At this point, most students should have LxC registered on their schedules for this semester.

Want to know more about LxC

For those interested in learning more about Languages Across the Curriculum, I wanted to pass on an older, but still pertinent article written by H. Stephen Straight. Dr. Straight is the founding director of LxC and still supervises the program here at Binghamton University. This article provides an interesting academic background to the LxC concept and is a useful resource for all interested in LxC/LAC issues. (Link)

Simple Memorizing Techniques

I found an interesting article about techniques for memorizing lists, numbers, and names on the web today. Some of the tips/techniques are pretty well known, but what I particularly liked about the article was its preface on how our minds work. The part that most caught my attention related closely to teaching, specifically the importance of creating or alluding to students' frame of reference:

"By the same token, when we want to learn something new, it is much easier if we already have a mental framework for it. This allows us to compare, contrast or otherwise connect the new information with what is already stored. If I have a good understanding of history and I am told the date of some event, I will plug it into the set of dates already in my memory. There is a good chance I will remember it. Without the framework, I'd probably forget it immediately."