How Classes Are Run

Each class must meet a minimum enrollment of three students, and times are decided upon by Program officers after students and tutors have been assembled into groups. Each class meets for a total of three hours per week during the Fall and Spring semesters. CLP courses are not offered during the summer semester.

Students are expected to study the text and corresponding taped material on their own and be prepared to drill with the tutor, who utilizes the Audio-Lingual Method to help the students practice and to guide them through the instructional material.

The Audio-Lingual Method (ALM) is a method of teaching that concentrates on oral proficiency and listening rather than writing and grammar. The tutor speaks ONLY the target language in the classroom and utilizes repetition and body language to facilitate communication. This method has enjoyed great success when implemented properly. Within one semester, students can be speaking a target language with relative fluidity!

For more information on how to study for these classes, please read the Student Study Guide.

Grades are based upon the results of the final examination and attendance. This final is a "prochievement" exam conducted at the end of each semester by a certified examiner of the target language. For detailed information, see the section of the Student Study Guide on Oral Examinations and Evaluation.

Languages Offered

Since the inception of the Program, we have offered the following languages (some at several levels):

ARABIC, CREOLE, CZECH, DUTCH, GREEK, HEBREW, INDONESIAN, KISWAHILI, KOREAN, NORWEGIAN, POLISH, PORTUGUESE, ROMANIAN, RUSSIAN, TURKISH, & VIETNAMESE.

Of course, CLP is not limited to these languages. We have the resources to offer many others.

Tuition

For full-time UNO students, self-instructional languages are covered by regular tuition rules. Part-time students, or those from other campuses, must pay the regular tuition for a three-credit course. Due to state budget cuts, we are no longer able to offer non-credit enrollment options. All students must also purchase their own course materials, which are to be selected in consultation with the CLP coordinator.

About The Tutors

Our tutors are native speakers hired to drill the students in the target language. Most are undergraduate and graduate students at UNO. The tutors are an integral part of CLP. They are purposely not trained instructors. Consequently there should be no grammar instruction in the classroom. Rather, students obtain the grammar explanations from the text, or through that tried-and-true teaching method: personal discovery! The tutors provide an environment for practice and use of the target language, which are essential to attaining proficiency in a foreign language.

If you are interested in finding out more about our tutors, or are interested in applying for a position, please contact us for an appointment via telephone (504) 280-6388 or e-mail at clp@uno.edu. Otherwise, send us your resume and cover letter.