1. What
is LxC?
LxC
stands for Languages Across the Curriculum, a curricular enrichment
program unique to Binghamton University. LxC allows
you to use existing skills in languages other than English
in courses outside of language departments. With LxC
you can obtain intercultural information and international
perspectives on course subject matter. Keep in mind,
though, that LxC is not a language instruction program, nor
a translation program. It is best described as a language-use
program. |
2. How
does LxC work?
LxC
enlists international graduate students as Language Resource
Specialists. These LRSs, who possess both (a) knowledge
in the discipline of the LxC-supported course and (b) proficiency
in a language other than English, prepare LxC assignments
with course-relevant materials in your chosen language. |
3.What
languages does LxC support?
LxC
aims to support any language for which there are at least
six student requests in a given course. Since 1991 we have
supported study groups in Cantonese, French, German, Greek,
Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese,
Russian and Spanish. |
4. Will
LxC mean extra work for me?
LxC
assignments replace assignments that you would otherwise be
responsible for in your course using only materials in English.
Thus, LxC is not an add-on, but substitutes for some portion
of your class workload. |
5.
How will LxC affect my grade?
Course
instructors have exclusive authority regarding how LxC participation
contributes to your course grade. In some cases, grades on
LxC assignments are simply factored into the course grade
along with all other assignments. In others, LxC assignments
serve as the partial basis for a term-paper, or as background
information, or simply as content enrichment. Your instructor
will make the role of LxC participation clear to you at the
beginning of the course. |
6. Will
study-group meetings be conducted entirely in the LxC language?
No,
but LxC study groups will offer you opportunities to practice
your speaking and listening skills. These opportunities will
emerge on the basis of your interest and the listening-skill
levels of the other study-group members. LRSs will ensure
that discussion takes place in English to the extend necessary
for everyone in the study group to understand everything that
is said. |
7.
Do I have to demonstrate proficiency
in a language in order to participate in LxC?
No,
but LxC assignments generally assume intermediate reading
proficiency, which most students attain by the end of 3 or
4 years of high-school or 3 or 4 semesters of college-level
language instruction. |
8.
What if I'm not sure my language skills
are strong enough? Can I drop LxC?
Yes,
but in order to guarantee that you will have a fall-back option
the instructor may set limits on when and how you can opt
out of LxC. Any such limits appear in the syllabus you will
receive during your first study-group meeting. |
9. What
if I already speak another language fluently? May I
select the LxC option?
Yes.
You will find that you can learn much about the subject matter
of the course from materials available only in your primary
language. You can expect to benefit greatly from the
discussion of LxC assignments relative to the subject matter
of the course. You can also expect your content-specific
vocabulary to increase in the process. |
10. If
I know more than one LxC-supported language, can I participate
in more than one LxC component in a single course?
Yes,
but probably only as a voluntary "extra." All of the
LxC components replace the same 10 to 20 percent of the
non-LxC assignments in a course. So if you participate in
more than one LxC component you will have to do more than
100% of the required course assignments, unless the course
instructor determines that a second LxC component can replace
some additional portion of the non-LxC workload. Ask,
but don't count on it.
|
11.
How will I know if my language is offered, and if I'm enrolled?
Watch
for information from your instructor, as well as E-mail communications
from the LxC office. You can also check the webpage
which will have the most up-to-date information on language
offerings and study-group meeting times. |
12. When
does LxC begin?
LxC
begins in the fifth week of the semester. At this time,
you will meet for one hour each week in a study group led
by your Language Resource Specialist. This meeting will
be scheduled in accordance with your needs, but will not replace
any of the other class meetings you may have for the course,
including discussion sections or laboratories
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13. How
will my participation in LxC be formally recognized?
Binghamton
University transcripts includea ermanent notation for each
successfullycompleted LxC study-group component. The
notation will indicate the course and the language for which
you did LxC. To receive theis transcript notation you
must attend and participate in AT LEAST 80% of your scheduled
LxC study-group meetings.
|
14. The
LxC course I want to take this semester does not fit into
my schedule. Will it be offered as an LxC course in
a later semester?
Maybe,
but there's no guarantee. The LxC program director
invites instructors to include an LxC component in their
courses on the basis of (a) the anticipated demand for such
a component in a given course and (b) the expected availability
of necessary LxC resources, including qualified Language
Resource Specialists. The list of LxC-supported courses
therefore changes each semester.
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