Learning a language in a modified self-instructional language program is probably unlike any other course you have taken before.

In a regular language course, students come to class to receive instruction from a teacher. Then at regular intervals, students are expected to demonstrate what they have learned. In other words, students take a test. In this class, you are responsible for accessing your own information. Each time you come to class you are to be prepared to demonstrate what you have learned. In other words each class session is a test of whether or not you have mastered the assigned material.

In this course, students meet with native speaking tutors for intensive drill sessions, practicing material that the student has learned from working with audio and text. At the end of the semester, an accredited examiner will test each student and assign grades. The responsibility of learning falls directly on the student. Because of the nature of this program, you will find it requires a great deal of time, energy, self-direction, and self-discipline.

Over the years many students have achieved admirable success in self-instructional language programs at UNO as well as many other colleges and universities. Self-instructional language study really does work. Whether or not it works successfully for you depends on how well you understand and adapt to the unique nature of the program.

There are several things to keep in mind as you begin your study:

• You are your own teacher. Thus, successful language mastery depends on you - on your attitude and participation, and especially on your self-discipline and work habits.
• The tutor is not a teacher. The drill session should not be equated with a typical class. Do not assume, as you might in a normal course, that you are coming to the drill session to be taught. The drill session is for the practice and correction of material that you have already learned through audio work.
• Language learning in this program is based on audio work. The audio learning is supported by the text and by the drill session with the native tutor.
• The number of hours per week devoted to language practice will determine your success. It is important to devote time to your language practice on a daily basis - especially including actively drilling the audio material, practicing the material with another student in a different setting, or even going through the material aloud to yourself at different times during the day. If you let yourself get behind, relegate your language practice to weekends, or try to cram before the exam, you will fail.
• Patience and perseverance are two of the most important elements in language learning. Do not expect to speak or understand the foreign language at first try. Do not expect to be able to carry on a sophisticated conversation after a few weeks or months, or even a semester or two. But with much patience and constant practice for automatic, smooth, and comprehensible mastery you will be able to attain your objective of building a solid oral/aural foundation in your chosen language.

Most of this information was gathered from:

CSU Stanislaus
Department of Modern Languages
California State University, Stanislaus
801 West Monte Vista Avenue
Turlock, CA 95382
(209)667-3117

For more information on CSU Stanislaus, visit their site at: http://www.csustan.edu