In their article, “Ten Years after the MLA Report: What Has Changed in Foreign Language Departments?”(ADFL Bulletin 4, 2018: pp. 116-20), Lomicka and Lord conclude that many of the 2007 MLA Report’s recommendations remain unmet. One unrealized suggestion -- that of creating collaborations among colleagues to invigorate curricula and attract students -- is particularly compelling: 

“The work of revamping and unifying the language department curriculum can only be carried out through a sustained collaboration among all members of the teaching corps, including tenure-line faculty members and those with contingent and long-term appointments in all related fields, such as linguistics, literature, and language pedagogy.” (2007 MLA Report, p. 240).

To begin the session, Stacey Katz Bourns (a linguist), Cheryl Krueger (a literary scholar), and Nicole Mills (a language pedagogy specialist) share their insights regarding the benefits and challenges of working with colleagues from different academic backgrounds to achieve strong collaborations and develop robust programs. Their observations are based on research that they conducted for their recent book, Perspectives on Teaching Language and Content (Yale University Press, to appear in spring 2020).

Most of the session will consist of breakout groups, led by AAUSC colleagues (see below). The groups will explore various types of collaborations, both within and beyond language departments, focusing on best practices and potential initiatives. At the end of the session, the groups will share their ideas and recommendations with all attendees.

Break-out groups:

1. Collaborations with colleagues from different languages and pedagogical traditions (Stacey Katz Bourns, Northeastern U)

2. Collaborations among language and literature colleagues about curriculum development and/or pedagogy (Cheryl Krueger, U Virginia)

3. Collaborations with graduate students on curriculum development (Nicole Mills, Harvard U)

4. Collaborations with K-12 programs  (Per Urlaub, Middlebury College)

5. Collaborations between language centers and departments (Nelleke Van Deusen-Scholl, Yale U)

6. Collaborations across the curriculum (Deb Reisinger, Duke U)