The Ever-Evolving Marketing of Language Programs: Searching for Strategies that Fit
Why do students take language classes or decide to be language majors or minors? No doubt, this answer would vary depending on the person you ask. There have been a wide variety of approaches, especially in recent years, used to encourage and promote, entice and even cajole students into enrolling in a language class. Strategies include highlighting the value of language in professional settings by designing language for specific purposes courses and programs. Some emphasize the experiential learning opportunities afforded through learning language like community engagement and study abroad. Others lean into the value of learning a language in the development of one's critical thinking, empathy, and cross-cultural competence. Still others may reject these strategies, asserting that we should not resort to marketing ploys.
How do language programs seeking to maintain their relevance know which strategy to adopt or when to change the approach and try a new one? How can language program directors and those in leadership roles reach students without compromising what they see as the inherent value of language learning? This roundtable seeks to gather language program directors, coordinators, and instructors with an interest in the topic at a programmatic level to discuss the value of different strategies for emphasizing the relevance of language learning as we engage with prospective students. In doing so, it hopes to foster a robust conversation around finding strategies, either standalone or a mix of multiple approaches, that best fit the uniqueness of each language program.
Proposals in English (max: 300 words) related to any world language are welcome and may include tried and true approaches, ever-evolving strategies, or potential innovative ways of communicating the relevance of language learning and study. Please include a short biography (max: 100 words) that also identifies your language program role (director, coordinator, instructor, etc.).