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The Center for Global Languages and Cultures (CGLC) supports faculty and students in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Cultures by promoting technology-supported teaching and learning by maintaining a computer lab for classroom use, organizing professional development opportunities and overseeing an inventory of audio-visual resources.

The CGLC is open from 8 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday but can be reserved for after hour events by members of the JCU community. 

The CGLC promotes intercultural understanding and interdisciplinary collaboration by advancing the following strategic goals related to student success and faculty support furthering both the strategic goals of the Department of Classical and Modern Languages as well as the mission of John Carroll University. 

To support students, the CGLC will

  1. Provide and support educational technologies that enhance students’ language proficiency, cultural knowledge, and developing intercultural competence in different modalities.
  2. Facilitate student academic and professional achievement by organizing professional development workshops, career readiness workshops, tutoring services and student assistantships.
  3. Advance cura personalis and intercultural understanding by making the CGLC a safe and brave space for all students to co-mingle and collaborate.

To support faculty and staff, the CGLC will

  1. Provide support to faculty in the Department of Classical Languages and Cultures in course design and emerging educational technologies.
  2. Provide spaces for inclusive teaching and learning.
  3. Deliver services for the assessment, measurement and evaluation of language teaching such as administering placement exams and offering one-on-one consultations.
  4. Unite educators across disciplines by organizing professional development opportunities that allow them to leverage the wisdom and experience of colleagues and also reflect on evidence based best practices.

In this spirit, the CGLC fulfills the following broader University strategic priorities and goals:

  1. Strategic Priority 1 Goal 3: ​ Integrate the transformative power of experiential learning, including service-learning, community-based research, and project-based learning, across academic programs to deepen real world learning and promote the development of 21st century skills as a hallmark of Jesuit education.
  2. Strategic Priority 1, Goal 4​: Inspired by ​cura personalis​ (care for the whole person), facilitate academic program success by reorganizing the academic enterprise to be more effective, efficient, and supportive.
  3. Strategic Priority 2, Goal 3​: Improve campus facilities and maximize their use with enhanced technology and the resources necessary to deliver services that support student engagement and success.

The Center for Global Languages and Cultures consists of three spaces all on the second floor of the O’Malley Center which are all reservable on CourseDog. All three spaces are open during standard University business hours (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM) and are reservable on CourseDog. If you would like to reserve these spaces outside of those hours, please contact cglc@jcu.edu

OC 101 is primarily a space to complete academic work. It houses a computer lab with 24 computer workstations and a Solstice Pod ideal for instructors who want to use the space to teach their classes. It also contains flexible furniture which can be arranged in different ways for collaborative work. Moreover, there are also tables where students can bring their own devices to complete projects and print from our new campus printing station. As this space contains educational technology central to student learning, food is not permitted in this space.

OC 139 is an informal social space which can be reserved by instructors and campus student organizations. It contains an extensive humanities library as well as a theater space where students can view movies related to their coursework or where student organizations can host events. In contrast to OC 101, OC 139 is a smaller space that is food friendly and one that can safely seat 12 people and is a food friendly space.

OC 112 is both a classroom which can seat 24 people but also serves as a Cultural Activities Center where the CGLC can host guest speakers and coordinate experiential language learning.

Professional Photo of James Nemiroff-CGLC Coordinator

James Nemiroff: Coordinator of the Center for Global Languages and Cultures

Office: O’Malley Center 104

E-mail: jnemiroff@jcu.edu

Phone: 216-397-4729

 

James Nemiroff received his Ph.D from the University of Chicago in Romance Languages and Literatures with a specialty in 16th and 17th century Spanish literature and culture.  He also holds masters degrees in Spanish literature from the University of Chicago and the Spanish National Research Council in Madrid.  He is also a proud liberal arts graduate holding a B.A in Spanish from Reed College.

 

As coordinator of the Center for Global Languages and Cultures (CGLC), he strives to provide support for faculty and students in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Cultures by promoting technology-supported teaching and learning, maintaining a computer lab for classroom use, and overseeing a large inventory of books, movies and audio-visual resources.  In the future, the CGLC will also seek to promote intercultural understanding and interdisciplinary collaboration by providing a space for student club meetings and organizing professional development workshops for students, faculty and staff.  He also served as one of the project managers for the renovation of the CGLC as a collaborative hub for all campus constituencies. The re-opening of the newly renovated CGLC is scheduled for Fall Semester 2023. Furthering both the CGLC’s mission to teach intercultural competence and the University’s mission to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging,  Dr. Nemiroff also serves the University mission on a number of committees and task forces including the Cultural Programming Council and the Hillel Campus Climate Initiative Task Force.

In addition to serving as the coordinator of the CGLC, Dr. Nemiroff also teaches courses in the Classical and Modern Languages and Cultures Department in both Spanish literature and culture but also courses in English that complement the mission of the CGLC.   In Fall 2023, he will be teaching a course in Business Spanish and he is currently designing a course in English focused on intercultural competence which will be offered in the coming years.   In all of his classes, he tries to promote animo, or the ability to make mistakes in a brave and collaborative space.  One of the ways in which he achieves this goal in his classroom is by assigning collaborative projects that employ educational technologies ranging from augmented reality posters to virtual reality technologies to collaborative essays written as Wikipedia entries. 

 

Student Assistants

 

Ciara Daugherty Headshot

Ciara Daugherty

cdaugherty25@jcu.edu

Hi everyone!! My name is Cici Daugherty. I’m a junior at JCU majoring in International Business Languages and Cultures and minoring in French. I am excited to be a part of the Student Assistant team for The Center for Global Languages and Cultures (CGLC). I am from Akron, Ohio and aside from working at the CGLC I also am the Vice President of French Club and have a passion for learning new languages and learning about new cultures. 

 

I’m excited to be working with the CGLC team to help develop additional programming for the CGLC. I am going to be organizing meetings and events to help others gain interest in the French and Spanish  languages and cultures. My responsibilities as an assistant for the CGLC program is moderating the French conversation tables as well as organizing mixers to help connect more student clubs with our center.

 

Photo of Rafaella Di Cesaro

Rafaella Di Cesaro

rdicesaro27@jcu.edu

Hello everyone! My name is Rafaella Di Cesaro. I’m a second year student majoring in Political Science in the Pre Law track, and I’m part of the Student Assistant team for The Center for Global Languages and Cultures (CGLC). I was born and raised in Lima, Peru and arrived in the country about a year ago. Aside from working at the CGLC, you can generally find me at a nearby coffee shop sipping some chai, listening to music, painting, playing video games or watching horror movies. Ever since arriving in the country I’ve been very excited to share my love for my culture and languages with everyone I know. I’ll be in charge of planning all the activities and space management of the CGLC. I’m very excited to participate in everything we have planned for the semester!

 

 

Heinzmann Headshot

Quincy Heinzmann

qheinzmann27@jcu.edu

My name is Quincy Heinzmann. I am a first year student studying chemistry and Spanish. I am from Avon, Ohio and I've lived in the Cleveland area my whole life. I am passionate about working in the Center for Global Languages and Cultures because I see the importance of exposure to other cultures to make people more well-rounded individuals. I want to be able to help people use the Center to be more social and to grow in their language learning. I hope that studying Spanish and working in the CGLC will help prepare me to someday live in Spain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fatima Professional Photo

Hi everyone! My name is Fatima Hashim. I'm a first-year student at JCU majoring in Political Science, minoring in Peace Justice, and Human Rights, and I am a part of the Student Assistance for The Center for Global Languages and Culture (CGLC). I am from Khartoum, Sudan, but I was raised in Qatar and recently moved to Ohio for college. Aside from working at CGLC, you can also find me in The Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion (CSDI) office, or at the student center relaxing and listening to some music. 

I am excited to work with the CGLC team to introduce JCU to more of the world. As someone who was not raised in the United States, I am always eager to learn more about the culture and to share some of my culture with everyone. If you see me around campus feel free to say Hi, I am always up for a fun conversation. 

 

The CGLC Media Library includes more than 700 videos (digital and hard copy) and the library is always growing. The media titles cover a wide range of topics applicable to language and culture courses taught in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Cultures. 

Here is a link to our searchable media catalog. Students, faculty and staff are more than welcome to check out materials for events or for the classroom. Please consult with CGLC staff if you wish to check out an item for these purposes.

The CGLC hosts a series of co-curricular events that support language learning and intercultural competence at JCU.  For questions regarding these events, please contact the CGLC staff.

 

October 31: Visit the CGLC as part of the Campus Wide Trick or Treat from 2 PM-5 PM in OC 101. 

November 1: CGLC's Dia de los Muertos Celebration from 2 PM to 4 PM in OC 112

November 1:  Classics Social Hour from 3:30-5:00 PM in OC 139

November 3: Staff Council First Friday Coffee Hour 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM in OC 112

November 8: CGLC Game Day from 2 PM to 3 PM in OC 112 (Theme: Kahoot Trivia)

November 15: CGLC French and Spanish Conversation Table (Theme: My Routine) from 2 PM to 3 PM in OC 112

November 15: Mask-Making with Dr. Gwendolyn Compton Engle from 3:30 PM to 5 PM in OC 112  

November 29: CGLC Game Day from 2 PM to 3 PM in OC 112 (Theme: Bingo)

November 29: Classics Social Hour from 3:30 PM to 5 PM in OC 139

December 6: Spanish and French Conversation Table from 2 PM to 3 PM in OC 112 (The Future) 

 

Currently, the CGLC is not accepting applications for the Fall 2023 semester.  Please feel free to check this website again in case new positions open up.

 

 

 

It is our pleasure to announce the publication of our quarterly newsletter.  Please check back to this section of the website for future newsletters.

CGLC Newsletter November 2023

 

JCU currently offers placement testing in French, German Italian Latin and Spanish.  It is customary for students to take these tests the summer before their first semester at JCU either remotely or during New Student or Transfer Student Orientation.

 

Once the test is completed, it will be scored to determine an appropriate placement.  This placement will then be added to the student's Banner profile at JCU.  Your advisor will have access to your language placement when you register for courses.

Answers to many frequently-asked questions regarding placement are on JCU's webpage on the Core Language Requirement:

In addition to the pedagogical and cultural services we offer, the CGLC also offers training in intercultural competence.   If you or your office is interested in our intercultural competence training, please feel free to reach out to Dr. James Nemiroff, Coordinator of the CGLC at jnemiroff@jcu.edu

 

During Academic Year 2022-2023 we offered training to the following offices on campus.

 

The Office of Student Engagement

The Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion

The  Division of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

 

Of particular note is the ongoing intercultural competence training we are offering to students traveling to Spain as part of the GYP-NEXTGEN program, a program financed by the National Science Foundation’s International Experiences for Students Program.  This grant opportunity allows students from John Carroll University, Oberlin College and New Mexico State University to engage in science projects abroad in Spain. 

 

Faculty Resources

The Center for Global Languages and Cultures (CGLC), through the generous support of the Gerald Sabo, S.J. Fund, offers two Pedagogy Microgrants per academic year of up to $1000 each.  These Pedagogy Microgrants are open to both full and part time faculty members who wish to use the CGLC to enhance their teaching practices.  Microgrant winners could apply these funds to using the CGLC space or CGLC services in a pedagogically ingenious way.  Teams of faculty members can also apply.  Depending on the nature and the scope of the project, the microgrant funds can either function as a stipend for faculty members or to purchase essential materials.

To apply, faculty members should complete the following Google Form. The microgrants will be judged on a rolling basis by the CGLC Coordinator and the Department Chair until all funds are awarded.  Winners will be expected to present on their projects in the CGLC upon completion of the grant.

The CGLC and the Gerald Sabo S.J. Fund will be offering two (2) microgrants per year to part-time faculty members in CMLC of up to $500 each for participation in a conference, workshop or other professional-development opportunity that would enhance their classroom teaching.

To apply, please complete this Google Form. Applications will be judged on a rolling basis by the CGLC Coordinator and the Department Chair until all funds are awarded. Questions about the microgrant process can be directed to the CGLC Coordinator, Dr. James Nemiroff at jnemiroff@jcu.edu.

As technology becomes a more important and refined tool in our world, we want to educate faculty on how they can use it to enhance their language teaching. We created these Tech Tips in an effort to give faculty ideas and summaries of various online resources.  Please contact cglc@jcu.edu should you have an idea for a tech tip which we can feature on our website.

Tech Tip for Partner Chat Applications

Tech Tip for Social Learning Platforms

Student Resources

Learn about current events and issues in the language of your choice. You can select from beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. 

Talk in French Podcast with Frédéric Bibard

  • Talk in French offers loads of cultural information about France and the French language, including topics such as verlan (a form of French slang) and how the French celebrate birthdays and Christmas. The topics are interesting and diverse making it a great supplement to your French studies. Some examples of these topics are weird French superstitions, the French school system, and French New Year’s traditions. There’s also plenty of information – including vocabulary and expressions – on the website to complement each episode.

LanguaTalk Slow French: Learn French with Gaëlle

  • Learn French with Gaëlle, an experienced French teacher. 99% in French and designed for students with a basic level (A2) or higher. Gaëlle speaks slowly to make it easier to understand. If you have an intermediate level, you can always increase the playback speed in your app. Each week, you’ll improve your French whilst also learning about French culture, society, history, and much more. Some specific topics include the most controversial debates in France around Christmas, weddings in France, and climate change.

The Naked French Podcast

  • Fast-track your French. Tired of textbook French? Our French course breaks down real conversations between everyday Parisians so you can get fluent faster. Candid French conversations. Ordinary people, extraordinary stories. This bilingual podcast is spoken in French and narrated in English for easy French listening practice.

Little Talk in Slow French

  • Improve your French listening skills or get familiar with the French language through hearing interesting conversations.

Podcast Français Facile

  • A lot of different topics are available to learn : dialogues, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, verb conjugation, questions in French. For beginning students, these podcasts are useful for improving recognition of French words  and improving their pronunciation. For intermediate and advanced students , these podcasts are useful for expanding cultural knowledge and improving listening and reading comprehension.

Deutsche Welle

  • Offering brilliant language learning podcasts in German, Deutsche Welle is  full of resources for German learners. From news to motoring, fitness to football, there is something to suit everyone. If you’re a beginner, try the Warum Nicht? or Radio D series to get you started. If you’re more advanced, Kultur.21 is worth checking out for its range of international topics, and is often presented in video format. The Deutsch Lernen section of the website is also worth a look for its huge range of materials for all levels.
  • https://www.dw.com/de/podcasts/s-100976

Coffee Break German

  • Learn German in coffee-break lessons from the Radio Lingua Network. In each lesson they focus on the language essential to becoming understood by native German speakers. Some available topics range from conversations about German travel to music to famous authors, while other episodes focus on instructing beginners how to introduce themselves and start conversations in German.

German Stories l Learn German with Stories

  • Learn German with the only podcast that picks you up at your level, leads you to your goal in small steps, and has an ongoing story that makes you hungry for more. This audio drama will have 100 lessons, a cast of more than 30 voice actors, and one full-blown story. Just start with the first episode, and enjoy your way up.

Learn German Podcast

  • Become fluent and confident in speaking German with this podcast. The podcast focuses on teaching you German grammar and vocab for daily life and career. The podcast is suitable for beginner and intermediate speakers.

This is Fútbol

  • Fernando Evangelio, sports news anchorman from Spain, talks about football. He uses clear Spanish with a Castilian accent, his words are clear and very understandable. This podcast would be useful for those who want to travel to Spain so that they can become accustomed to the Castilian accent. Moreover, he talks in a conversational manner about favorite teams, their performance, new players, coaches and football history. Sometimes he invites players, coaches or other fellow news anchors to talk. He asks their opinion and also gives his. It is like listening to a conversation between football experts sharing their knowledge and opinion about this very popular sport. The public is also allowed to send their own questions which will receive answers in the podcast or by email.

Spanish Stories for Kids (Spotify)

  • Created to share some of my favorite bedtime stories read in Spanish by my mom. At the end of each episode we leave you with new words to add to your Spanish vocabulary. 

 Coffee Break Spanish

  • Each series is slightly different in the way in which it is presented and in the materials provided. There are absolute beginners, intermediate, upper intermediate, and advanced levels that help individuals learn how to better communicate in Spanish. 

Intermediate Spanish Podcast

  • This podcast uses comprehensible and engaging content in Spanish for Intermediate Students. Led by a certified teacher of Spanish as a foreign language. The podcast not only focuses on teaching the language, but also on bringing you closer to Spanish culture. Additionally, the podcast presents language-learning techniques appropriate for each learning stage, as well as the appropriate tools for each student. It covers topics such as the motivation behind language acquisition, how to pronounce RR, or roll your r’s, and fictional characters in Spanish pop culture.

The CGLC also subscribes to a Spotify playlist French and in Spanish to enjoy and also enhance your listening comprehension skills. Press the button below to suggest a song to add to the playlist which will be played at future events organized by the CGLC.