class size

[Krafcik, Patricia]

Holy mackeral, Rob--more interesting stuff about 
language class size. 
Pat


-----Original Message-----
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list on behalf of Melissa Smith
Sent: Tue 8/31/2010 9:02 AM
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] class size
 
At Youngstown State University, an open-enrollment institution, we have 
a cap on all Foreign language courses of 25 (4xweek), and haven't maxed 
out since the late 1980s. The official YSU policy is minimum of 15. 
Since ONE year of FL is the language requirement and therefore the 
second term MUST be offered, we are allowed to go MUCH lower on the 
second term, and often do. The drop-out rate in the first term varies 
greatly.

I teach the students who go on to second-year and above. This is a 
stable(?) population of 2-5 students, so the "workload hours" assigned 
to the course can vary from 1-3, depending on enrollment. I have a part 
-time instructor at the first-year level, because this is the only 
course that can justify the hire, then my workload gets adjusted in 
various ways (thank heavens for tenure!).

Rich is right about the ideal figures. Since at a commuter campus, 
despite all efforts, attendance can be very erratic, I find seven 
preferable to five, since it's easier to keep up the pace!

Good luck on your ventures,

Melissa Smith

On 8/31/10 8:54 AM, Richard Robin wrote:
> 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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------------------------------------

Melissa T. Smith, Professor
Department of Foreign Languages and 
Literatures  
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, OH 44555
Tel: (330)941-3462

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