What supports are freely available to me throughout my study of a language? It is clear that fluency in a language cannot be achieved in four years of language study in the absence of any significant time spent studying or living in a place where the target language is spoken. Whether you meet with your class one or four times each week, there are still opportunities outside of the classroom to engage in language study to compliment those structured, formal classroom experiences.
In this section, we offer suggestions for learning a language “beyond the classroom.” These opportunities can be categorized as follows:
Categories for learning a language beyond the classroom
I. Campus Resources
Sometimes the most vital resources are right in front of us. Often times campus resources have been carefully selected or crafted to suit the needs of the student population on that campus. Here is a list of such resources available at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte:
II. Special Events
Throughout the year, one can benefit from attending and/or participating in special events likes festivals, guest speakers, workshops, etc. Such events can lead us to additional opportunities to practice and learn a language. Here are some examples of a few opportunities where culture and language go beyond the classroom:
