2008 Woodie Awards
Taking a foreign language gives students an advantage later in life
'Knowledge of [a foreign] language opens many doors,' professor said.
Stacy Leiber
Issue date: 2/6/08 Section: News
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"The knowledge of the language opens many doors that are closed to the casual tourist," said Eckhard Rolz, an assistant professor of German in the Modern Language Department. Rolz encouraged every student to consider taking a modern language course and recommended taking a language course that relates to the student's major. He also said that any student interested in a foreign language course should sit in on a class session and see what it is about.
"We use modern teaching methods. Our classrooms are all smart classrooms with up-to-date technology. We also try to make learning fun," said Rolz. "Learning a foreign language is a lot like learning a sport. To become a good tennis player, one has to practice for many years. A student learns a lot in eight semesters and can speak very well."
Briana Wirth, a sophomore math major, also recommended taking a language class, even if it is not to learn the language perfectly. She said that the language classes really open your eyes to other cultures.
?"I definitely feel more comfortable in settings where Spanish is used," said Wirth. "I am far from fluent, but if you are even in a situation where you have to speak with someone who doesn't know English, you can tell that they appreciate you for trying."
Many students who have taken foreign language classes say they really enjoyed the structure, environment, learning and ability to understand different cultures in a greater depth.
"My professor had a lot of energy and kept things fun," said Wirth. "You could tell that she really had a passion for not only the Spanish language, but also their culture."
Spanish, French and German tend to be the most popular courses chosen as they are the three languages offered at SDSU as a major or minor. The Lakota language is only offered through an online distance-learning course, along with Arabic and Chinese, which are only offered when instructors are available.
At the beginning of the semester when students are ready to start learning the language of their choice, there is a foreign language placement test that determines which course-introductory, intermediate or advanced-is best for them. If a student tests into a higher level, they will receive credits for the lower level courses they tested out of as long as they hold a C in the upper level class. ?
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Betty Rolls
posted 2/07/08 @ 9:44 AM CST
I know Dr. Rolz and he is an awesome teacher. Learning is a lot of fun in his classes. A good teacher makes all the difference and he is one of the best in the nation!
Steven Brewer
posted 2/09/08 @ 7:49 AM CST
As someone who studied Spanish in high school and was a double-major in Spanish in college, I take issue with the substance of the article. The most valuable thing I learned by studying a foreign language was the ability to appreciate the structure of my native language from a new perspective -- my comprehension of grammar and the nature of language is much better than it would have been otherwise. (Continued…)
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