class size

[Richard Robin]

George Washington University:
Section cap for regular track language (4 hrs/week) : 18
In Russian, we usually reach or come close to this cap for all our sections
at the beginning of the year, but we also lose about two students per
section before the end of the semester.
Cap for intensive track language (8 hrs/week): 15
Minimum amount of students required to put a new course on the books: 10
Minimum amount of students to offer a course already on the books: 7
(although pleading with the dean can save a course).

IMHO: Ideal number of students to start in a Russian language section in
Intensive: 13-14. Every intensive class has three-four weak students. If
they drop, I'm left with an ideal class of 10 - easy enough to work with,
but enough to keep the dean at bay.

Actually, the ideal number of students is 5 - 6 as in Russia. But let's be
realistic.

-Rich Robin

On Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 10:23 PM, Vardanyan, Ashot <
ashot-vardanyan at uiowa.edu> wrote:

> Dear colleagues,
>
> I am interested in information on the size of a foreign language class
> within a college / university format. Any piece would be valued, such as
> official recommendations and regulations at various colleges, your opinion
> on the (most) optimal number of students, your and your colleagues'
> experience, etc.
>
> Thank you, Ashot Vardanyan
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Richard M. Robin
Director Russian Language Program
The George Washington University
Washington, DC 20052
202-994-7081

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