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Home / Academics / Academic Divisions / Literature & Languages / World Languages / Resources
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| Resources |
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| If you find that you're having problems understanding and/or retaining the material in your language course, the best thing you can do is address those problems as soon as possible. Do not wait until late in the semester, when it will be harder or perhaps impossible to find the remedy or remedies that will work for you. Do not even wait until you feel completely overwhelmed in the classroom. While a little bit of confusion in a language class (or any class) is normal-- you are, after all, dealing with material that is new to you-- before you get too frustrated, here are some suggestions on where to go to get help: |
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This Website. Review the study hints found on the Getting Started page in the Resources section of this website. In addition to trying out specific strategies, you may want to evaluate your current level of effort and commitment. All World Languages courses are worth 4 or 5 units. Each unit assumes 1 hour in the classroom, and 2 hours of preparation outside of class. Are you spending the average 8 to 10 necessary hours weekly outside of class; and, if so, are you dividing the time up throughout the week in order to have consistent, daily practice? If you're taking a high number of units and/or working many hours at a job, and this is keeping your from being able to put in the time necessary for you to achieve the success that you desire, you may need to rethink your schedule. |
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Your Classmates. Other students can be a wonderful resource in a couple of different ways. First, since language courses are all about communicating with others, they lend themselves especially well to group study. Try to arrange study sessions with your classmates, even if it's just a half hour before or after class once or twice a week. Also, find out from your classmates if there are any specific study strategies that they use that they've found especially successful, and share your experiences with them. Sometimes, it's just a matter of finding the technique that works best for you, so try to stay open to trying out different techniques, and don't let yourself get too frustrated if one in particular doesn't work so well for you. Chances are good that there is another that will. |
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Your Instructor. Take advantage of your instructor's time and knowledge! If s/he has an office here on campus, make yourself a frequent visitor. If not, arrange to speak with her/him before or after class, or during the break. In addition to required assignments, ask your instructor if there are any additional activities that you can do in order to practice the material. S/he may have extra handouts or recommendations about websites to visit. S/he may also have additional suggestions about study techniques. When speaking with your instructor, try to be as specific as possible in identifying what problems you are having. This may involve some self-reflection beforehand: try to be able to communicate how often you are studying, what specific techniques you are using, and where you're having problems (understanding grammar? retaining vocabulary? comprehending the spoken language? etc.). |
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The Tutorial Center. All OCC students that have paid their College Service Charge are entitled to free weekly tutoring services as needed. Tutoring is provided by trained student tutors and volunteers who have taken the course in which you want tutoring and/or who have knowledge of the course content. Click here to find out more. | |
| Once again, your best strategy for dealing with problems is identifying and addressing the problems early. We hope that the information presented above will help you do just that. Good luck! |
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