Olin is hard to avoid. Unless you came to Tufts equipped with a fluency in a language other than English, chances are pretty good that you'll be spending some time in the language department's base of operations. The question is, are you spending enough quality hours there?
Currently, Tufts regularly offers 12 foreign languages: three in the Department of Romance Languages, seven in the Department of German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literature, as well as Latin and Greek in the Classics department. The Experimental College also occasionally offers other language classes, like this semester's Hindi/Urdu class.
Most elementary and intermediate language classes meet three times a week for 50 minutes each, and upper-level literature classes meet anywhere from two to three times a week. Some courses in Asian languages meet three times a week during the extended block
In contrast, Cornell University offers about 30 languages, according to the University's website. The list of languages offered at Cornell run the gamut, from traditional romance languages, to less common tongues such as Bengali, Sinhala, and Welsh. Students also spend more time in class. Introductory language classes meet five times a week during 50-minute periods, second-level classes meet four times a week for the same amount of time, and third-level classes meet three times a week for 50 minutes - the same amount of time that Tufts students in introductory levels of language spend in class.
At Columbia University, students also spend more time in class. Columbia's undergraduate liberal arts school, Columbia College, requires four semesters of language and offers 42 languages, including Akkadian, Hausa, and Tagalog. Columbia students have the option of attending language classes three, four, or five times a week - however, unlike Tufts, language classes that meet three times a week run for an hour and 15 minutes, while classes that meet five times a week run 50 minutes.
Isabel Naginski, Chair of the Romance Languages Department, feels that the language department as a whole "does a pretty good job with the time allotted." While Tufts students only attend language classes three times a week, Naginski points out that they are supposed to spend an extra hour per week at the language lab, and after the third semester of a language, they spend another hour per week in conversation group.
"We have insufficient resources to expand the number of classes per week, but also I don't think that all students would like to commit the time," Naginski said.
As for the other languages of the department, Naginski said, "The French program is strong," she said. And while students can only minor, not major, in Italian, "[the
department] hopes to have a major in the not-too-distant future."
Naginski added that Tufts students are encouraged to go abroad and become immersed in a language.
Rose Jeudi, a senior international relations major, has taken eight semesters of Japanese, and traveled to Japan his junior year. "I felt that [the Tufts language department] prepared me well. No classes can really prepare you totally for a foreign country, but I did feel I was prepared well," Jeudi said. "If you go abroad, the language lab really helps you out because it has native speakers and exposes you to the language."
Some language students also complain about overcrowding in classes, most notably Spanish classes. Professor Ewald Mooraidian, who teaches Spanish 4 and has taught Spanish 21, said that language classes are often overpopulated.
"The maximum number for a [language] class is 18. I think that's a lot, but I don't think it's an impossible number to teach to," he said. "I would prefer a class size of 14."
However, Mooraidian pointed out that enough classes exist to better balance the class sizes, and small language classes are offered - but these are scheduled in the unpopular, early time blocks.
Since students won't take classes during these early time blocks, class crowding becomes an issue. Overpopulated classes may sometimes discourage students from participating in learning the language. "It makes me uncomfortable to talk in front of such a big class," said freshman Wendy Carman, currently enrolled in Spanish 4.
Time constraints, coupled with class size, don't allow all the students to speak. "The problem is with the Spanish 22 classes," Spanish Coordinator Marta Rosso-O'Laughlin said. "These are conversation classes, and with large classes, there isn't enough time for all the students to speak, which is what the class is supposed to be."
The solution is the language lab, according to Rosso-O'Laughlin. The departments, she said, needs "a small number of students to internalize the language... that's why we stress the language lab - to supply the extra hour that [the students] need to internalize the structures that we teach. Practice is the only way students can learn a language."
A freshman who wished to remain anonymous admitted to skipping out on language lab. "I don't really go to language lab, but I make sure that I go before tests because [the professor] checks... I usually stay for five minutes, sit around and copy the answers from the back of the manual."
Despite disliking language lab, this freshman acknowledged the strength of the foreign language department. "I've learned more Spanish in one and half semesters here than in the four years that I studied Spanish in high school."
Class size is also a consideration. Rosso-O'Laughlin pointed out that English classes have smaller maximum class sizes - a change she would like to see in language departments.
In order to lower class sizes, the Romance Languages department is looking to hire more professors. "We are in the process of building the Spanish section of the department because of increased student interest. The department is getting stronger," Naginski said.
The number, duration, and size of classes has not kept some students from having positive language experiences at Tufts. Senior Geoff Rui has taken three semesters of Japanese, two semesters of Hindi, and is currently taking his second semester of Spanish. Rui appreciates his time spent in Olin. "Japanese was an extremely well-taught class, with good teachers who seemed really dedicated... most of my language teachers have been dedicated, but the Japanese teachers were extraordinary," he said.
Rui also enjoyed his Hindi class, which he took through the Ex College, and he also enjoys Spanish, though he said that often "the classes seem hurried, like the teachers do not seem to have enough control over the material they teach."
Freshman Jorge Rodriguez, a Spanish 32 student, also has also enjoyed his language class. "[The class] is kind of big, but I've had a really positive experience because my professor is really enthusiastic and I enjoy the selected literature of the class," he said.
