Sally Magnan

Antonia Schleicher

Dianna Murphy

Robin Worth

Methods of Teaching Less Commonly Taught Languages

Fall 2008
2 credits
French/Italian 821

Professor Sally Sieloff Magnan, (608) 262-9741

The Language Institute and the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages are pleased to announce the Fall 2008 pilot of Methods of Teaching Less Commonly Taught Languages, a new online course for post-secondary instructors of less commonly taught languages (LCTLs). Enrollment is limited!

Course Description

Methods of Teaching Less Commonly Taught Language is a fully online course developed in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Language Institute, in collaboration with the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages (NCOLCTL), to provide pre- and in-service teachers of less commonly taught languages (LCTLs) at the postsecondary level with an introduction to language teaching methods. 

The course is built around the National Standards for Foreign Language Education, with a framework that responds directly to the particular challenges shared by many instructors working in LCTLs in the United States.  The course is based on original material authored by the project team, videotaped interviews with LCTL professionals and students, videotaped exemplars of classroom practices, and readings from professional journals and other works.  In this course, you will reflect on your and other's teaching practices, learn about approaches to language teaching and research in language learning, and apply new ideas and methods to your teaching.

Course authors

Sally Magnan, Dianna Murphy, Robin Worth, Erlin Barnard

Questions about enrolling

Dr. Dianna Murphy, (608) 262-1575

Tuition and Registration for non-UW Students

Students who are not currently enrolled in a UW-Madison degree program will enroll as a University Special Student. Tuition for the 2008-09 academic year will be set by the UW Board of Regents in late July-early August. As of May 5, 2008, those rates for a 2-credit course are:
• $601 for Wisconsin residents
• $736 for Minnesota residents
• $1,788 for non-residents

Steps to register

There are five steps to enrolling in this new online methods course as a University Special Student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison:

Step 1:  Reserve a spot in the course
Step 2:  Apply for admission to the UW-Madison as a Special Student before July 31
Step 3:  Activate your NetID and password
Step 4:  Enroll in the course between August 30 – September 5
Step 5:  Pay for the course

Please read the following directions for each step carefully, and contact the appropriate office if you have any questions. 

Step 1:  Reserve a spot in the course

Enrollment for this new online course is limited.  Contact Language Institute Associate Director Dr. Dianna Murphy as soon as possible to reserve a spot: diannamurphy@wisc.edu, (608) 262-1575

Questions about the course or about reserving a spot in it for the Fall 2008?  Contact Professor Sally Magnan, Department of French and Italian, or Dr. Dianna Murphy, Language Institute.

Step 2:  Apply for admission to the UW-Madison as a University Special Student before July 31.

In order to take a class at UW-Madison, you must first be a student. If you are a current student at the UW-Madison, just enroll for the class through MyUW. If you were a Special Student at the UW-Madison during the Spring 2008 or  Summer 2008 term, you might not need to re-apply.  Call the Adult and Student Services Center, (608-263-6960) to check on your status.

Everyone else should follow the steps below.

1. Complete the University Special Student online application for the  Fall 2008 term.
   The application process takes approximately 30 minutes.
2. Select UNPS as your classification and list Elementary Conversational Chinese for Business Professionals I for your academic plans (Section 1, Question 4 on the application).
3. Submit the online application.
4. You will receive an admission letter in approximately two weeks from the Adult and Student Services Center. 

Save the letter of admission!  You will need the 10-digit Student ID number included at the bottom left-hand corner of the letter to activate your NetID.

Questions about Step 3?  Contact the Adult and Student Services Center, (608) 263-6960.

Step 3: Activate your NetID and Password

Activate your NetID as soon as you receive your 10-digit Student ID.  Previously enrolled UW students may already have completed this step.  If you have an email account that ends in @wisc.edu, your NetID is the portion before the @ sign.

To activate your NetID:

1. Go to My UW.
2. Click on the Activate your NetID link near the top right of the page.  You will need your 10-digit Student ID and your birthdate.
3. Write down your NetID and password.  You will need them to enroll.

Trouble activating your NetID?  Forgot your password?  Contact the DoIT Help Desk, (608) 264-4357.

Step 4: Enroll in the course between August 30-September 5

The earliest enrollment date is August 30. You must enroll by September 5 to ensure that you do not receive a $25 late enrollment fee. 

To enroll:

1. Go to MyUW, the UW-Madison online portal for students.
2. Input your NetID and password.  Click on Student Center.
3. Click on Add a Class link.   A new browser window will open.
4. Select the correct enrollment term from the list (Fall 2007), and click on it. 
5. Input the five digit class number in the Enter Class Nbr box, then click Enter.
6. A new screen will pop-up showing the class you have selected. 
7. Under the Class Preferences section, you will find the word Units.  Select number of credits (2) for the number of credits or units for this course. 
8. Click on Next.  A new screen will pop-up stating that you have added the course to your enrollment shopping cart.  The blue box (Fall 2008 Enrollment Shopping Cart) should appear with the course information. 
9. Click on Proceed to step 2 of 3 .  A new screen will pop-up.  Confirm that the course information is correct and then click on Finish Enrolling.
10. If you were able to successfully add the class, a green check mark should appear on the right side of the box under status.  If you were not successfully able to add the class, a red X will appear under status.  An explanation of the error is to the left of status.  You can click on “Fix Errors” to correct any incorrect information
11. Verify your schedule by clicking on the My Class Schedule button. 

Trouble with Step 4?  Contact the Enrollment Help Desk, (608) 262-0920, or the Adult and Student Services Center, (608) 263-6960

Step 5:  Pay for the course

To pay your bill:

1. The Bursar’s Office will send you a bill after you enroll for the course.  Expect the bill within two weeks of enrolling.  The bill will not identify the class for which you are being billed.
2. Pay the bill by the deadline, or you will be charged a $100 late payment fee.
3. Check the status of your bill and payment through the Student Center in MyUW.

If you decide not to enroll in this course, you must drop the course or you will be responsible for any fees or charges.

Trouble with Step 5?  Contact the Bursar's Office at (608) 262-3611.