Western's Employee Language Program: Developing language skills and fostering cultural competence in the WWU community
Research Mentor(s)
Drickey, Kirsten
Description
The Western Employee Language Program—a professional development initiative funded by a grant from the President’s Office—provides university faculty and staff the opportunity to engage in weekly language and culture workshops led by upper-division students. The program’s impact extends far beyond language learning and has fostered intra-departmental relationships and integrated cultural consciousness into the workplace. The Employee Language Program also directly addresses the University’s Mission and Strategic Plan in strengthening the diversity of Western’s student, faculty, and staff population. The program workshops provide participants with a deeper understanding of the importance of culture in communication. This understanding is integral to helping faculty and staff connect with an increasingly diverse student population. These connections benefit participants and facilitators alike, as they integrate these skills into their studies or professional roles at Western.
Document Type
Event
Start Date
14-5-2015 10:00 AM
End Date
14-5-2015 2:00 PM
Department
Modern and Classical Languages
Genre/Form
student projects; posters
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Universities and colleges--Employees--Training of; Language and languages--Study and teaching (Continuing education)
Subjects – Names (LCNAF)
Western Washington University
Geographic Coverage
Bellingham (Wash.)
Type
Image
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this documentation for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Western's Employee Language Program: Developing language skills and fostering cultural competence in the WWU community
The Western Employee Language Program—a professional development initiative funded by a grant from the President’s Office—provides university faculty and staff the opportunity to engage in weekly language and culture workshops led by upper-division students. The program’s impact extends far beyond language learning and has fostered intra-departmental relationships and integrated cultural consciousness into the workplace. The Employee Language Program also directly addresses the University’s Mission and Strategic Plan in strengthening the diversity of Western’s student, faculty, and staff population. The program workshops provide participants with a deeper understanding of the importance of culture in communication. This understanding is integral to helping faculty and staff connect with an increasingly diverse student population. These connections benefit participants and facilitators alike, as they integrate these skills into their studies or professional roles at Western.