Every registration period this department is flooded with "graduating
seniors" who have not completed their foreign language requirements. Until
now we have allowed their problem to become ours and stuffed our already
maximally enrolled classes with them. As we analyze our Student Outcome
Assessment data, we have noticed that over-enrolling these classes is
detrimental, and I imagine it is so not only for the late-comers, but for
the class as a whole.

Therefore, I would like everyone who advises students who have a foreign
language requirement in their program to remind them of our recommendation
about these courses that appears in the catalog (p. 33 of the current one).
That recommendation reads: "Every student is advised to begin or to
continue foreign language study during the student's first year at the
University or his or her first year as a candidate for the degree."

This applies especially to students who take the FL placement test and
place higher than the first year. Even if a student places into the third
year, they should be encouraged to enroll in their foreign language class
their first year at UTC. That way they can meet the challenges of the
higher level courses while they still remember what they learned in their
high school classes. Even if they place into a third year class, they
should be encouraged to get into a that class that first year.  There are
forms that can be signed to allow Freshmen to take upper-division classes.

With appreciation for your help in getting students to finish their foreign
language requirement without going into the emergency mode,

Lala


Please notice the new prefix on the phone numbers.
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"No hay libro tan malo que no tenga algo bueno."
         -Miguel de Cervantes- Don Quijote de la Mancha
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"I divide all readers into two classes: Those who read to
remember and those who read to forget." -William Phelps
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Oralia Preble-Niemi, Ph.D.
Professor and Head
Foreign Languages & Literatures
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Chattanooga, TN 37403
Telephone: 423-425-4273
Fax: 423-425-4097
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