Less Commonly Taught Languages

Instruction in Less Commonly Taught Languages is offered through the Alternative Language Study Options Program. Located in the Fries Center for Global Studies, this program is designed to extend Wesleyan’s already rich language offerings by expanding the range of opportunities for students wishing to learn a language not offered at Wesleyan through traditional language departments.

This program is well suited to prepare for study abroad experiences or to continue learning a language picked up while studying abroad. Students have also taken advantage of these opportunities to enhance their qualifications when applying for international fellowship, to pursue more personal goals like learning more about the heritage language of their family - or simply because they like learning new languages.

Students can register for regularly scheduled courses listed on Wesmaps such as American Sign Language, which includes a three semester study sequence, Modern Greek or Swahili. They can also petition to study a language via individual or group tutorials or more independently through the Mango Languages online platform. Full, partial, not for credit, graded or CR/U options are available, depending on the type of modality offered for each language.

For more information about the various options available, please visit the Alternative Language Study Options website.

Faculty

Hrissi Haldezos
Associate Director of Student Accounts and Loan Services; Adjunct Instructor in Modern Greek

Visiting Faculty

Hazza Abo Rabia
EDD, University of Hartford; MA, Hartford Seminary; MA, University of Connecticut
Visiting Assistant Professor of Arabic

John Kiarie Wa'Njogu
BED, Kenyatta University; MA, Ohio State University; PHD, Ohio State University
Visiting Professor of African Languages

Leslie A. Warren
BA, University of Vermont
Visiting Instructor in American Sign Language

Jennifer White-Jackson
BS, Gallaudet University
Visiting Instructor in American Sign Language

LANG101C Beginning Farsi I

Learn Farsi! This quarter credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills and discover Farsi language and culture. This course will help students acquire some basic speaking, listening and structural skills in Farsi through an online language learning platform. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to produce sentences to describe people, travel activities and other basic day interactions at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG102A Beginning Danish I

This courses takes place during Quarter 2. Learn Danish before you go abroad! This quarter credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills before they study abroad. This course will help students acquire basic speaking and listening skills in Danish through an online language learning platform. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to discuss topics about people and travel in Danish at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG102C Beginning Farsi I

LANG102F Beginning Modern Greek I

This course takes place during Quarter 2. This quarter credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills before they study abroad. This course will help students acquire basic speaking and listening skills in Modern Greek through an online language learning platform. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to discuss topics about people and travel in Modern Greek at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG102I Beginning Bengali I

Learn Bengali! This quarter credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills and discover Bengali language and culture. This course will help students acquire some basic speaking, listening and structural skills in Bengali through an online language learning platform. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to produce sentences to describe people, travel activities and other basic day interactions at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG103C Beginning Farsi I

This course is a continuation of Beginning Farsi I and focuses on developing language skills necessary to conduct basic conversations related to places, directions, food and transportation. Students will also continue developing an understanding of language structures and patterns as grammatical concepts.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG103G Beginning Cantonese I

Learn Cantonese before you go abroad! This quarter credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills before they study abroad. This course will help students acquire basic speaking and listening skills in Cantonese through an online language learning platform. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to discuss topics about people and travel in Cantonese at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG103H Beginning Icelandic I

Learn Icelandic before you go abroad! This quarter credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills before they study abroad. This course will help students acquire basic speaking and listening skills in Icelandic through an online language learning platform. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to discuss topics about people and travel in Icelandic at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG103K Beginning Swedish I

Learn Swedish before you go abroad! This quarter credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills before they study abroad. This course will help students acquire basic speaking and listening skills in Swedish through an online language learning platform. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to discuss topics about people and travel in Swedish at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG104A Beginning Danish I

Learn Danish before you go abroad! This quarter credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills before they study abroad. This course will help students acquire basic speaking and listening skills in Danish through an online language learning platform. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to discuss topics about people and travel in Danish at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG104C Beginning Farsi I

LANG104H Beginning Vietnamese I

Learn Vietnamese before you go abroad! This quarter credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills before they study abroad. This course will help students acquire basic speaking and listening skills in Vietnamese through an online language learning platform. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to discuss topics about people and travel in Vietnamese at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG104I Beginning Bengali I

LANG104K Beginning Swedish I

LANG104L Beginning Yiddish I

This quarter-credit online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills. This course will help students acquire basic speaking and listening skills in Yiddish through an online language learning platform. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to converse at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG105A Beginning Danish I

This course takes place during the Summer. Learn Danish before you go abroad! This .25-credit online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills before they study abroad. Students will acquire basic speaking and listening skills in Danish through an online language learning platform. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to discuss topics on people and travel at an elementary level of proficiency in Danish.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG105B Hindi

This quarter credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills before they study abroad. This course will help students acquire basic speaking and listening skills in Hindi through an online language learning platform. By the end of the semester, students will be able to converse in Hindi at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG105C Beginning Farsi I

LANG105G Beginning Cantonese I

Learn Cantonese before you go abroad! This quarter-credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills before they study abroad. This course will help students acquire basic speaking and listening skills in Cantonese through an online language learning platform. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to discuss topics about people and travel in Cantonese at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG105J Beginning Norwegian I

This courses takes place during the summer. Learn Norwegian before you go abroad! This quarter credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills before they study abroad. This course will help students acquire basic speaking and listening skills in Norwegian through an online language learning platform. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to discuss topics about people and travel in Norwegian at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG105T Beginning Turkish I

Start learning Turkish! This quarter credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills and discover Turkish language and culture. This course will help students acquire some basic speaking, listening, and structural skills in Turkish through an online language learning platform. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to produce sentences to describe people, travel activities, and other basic day interactions at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG106A Beginning Danish I

This course takes place during Winter Session. Learn Danish before you go abroad! This quarter credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills before they study abroad. This course will help students acquire basic speaking and listening skills in Danish through an online language learning platform. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to discuss topics about people and travel in Danish at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG106C Beginning Farsi I

Learn Farsi! This quarter-credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills and discover Farsi language and culture. This course will help students acquire some basic speaking, listening, and structural skills in Farsi through an interactive online language learning platform. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand and produce sentences related to the description of people, living environments, travel, and will be able to handle basic interactions at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: HA-LANG
Prereq: None

LANG106G Beginning Cantonese I

Learn Cantonese! This quarter credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills and discover Cantonese language and culture. This course will help students acquire some basic speaking, listening, and structural skills in Cantonese through an interactive online language learning platform. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand and produce sentences related to the description of people, living environments, and travel and will be able to handle basic interactions at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG106K Beginning Swedish I

Learn Swedish! This quarter credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills and discover Swedish language and culture. This course will help students acquire some basic speaking, listening, and structural skills in Swedish through an interactive online language learning platform. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand and produce sentences related to the description of people, living environments, and travel and will be able to handle basic interactions at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG106N Beginning Thai I

Learn Thai! This quarter credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills and discover Thai language and culture. This course will help students acquire some basic speaking, listening, and structural skills in Thai through an interactive online language learning platform. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand and produce sentences related to the description of people, living environments, and travel and will be able to handle basic interactions at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG106P Beginning Malay I

Learn Malay! This quarter credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills and discover Malay language and culture. This course will help students acquire some basic speaking, listening, and structural skills in Malay through an interactive online language learning platform. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand and produce sentences related to the description of people, living environments, and travel and will be able to handle basic interactions at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG106R Beginning Haitian Creole I

Learn Haitian Creole! This quarter-credit, online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills and discover Haitian Creole language and culture. This course will help students acquire some basic speaking, listening, and structural skills in Haitian Creole through an interactive online language learning platform. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand and produce sentences related to the description of people, living environments, travel, and will be able to handle basic interactions at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG111C Beginning Farsi II

LANG112C Beginning Farsi II

Learn Farsi! This quarter credit online course is intended to prepare students with fundamental language skills and discover Farsi language and culture. This course will help students acquire some basic speaking, listening and structural skills in Farsi through an online language learning platform. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to produce sentences to describe people, travel activities and other basic day interactions at an elementary level of proficiency.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG113C Beginning Farsi II

This course is a continuation of Beginning Farsi II and focuses on developing language skills necessary to conduct basic conversations related to places, directions, food and transportation. Students will also continue developing an understanding of language structures and patterns as grammatical concepts.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.25
Gen Ed Area: None
Prereq: None

LANG114C Beginning Farsi II

LANG115C Beginning Farsi II

LANG141 Elementary Modern Greek

The course is an introduction to the language and culture of modern Greece. The fundamentals of reading, writing, and speaking are taught. We start by learning the Greek alphabet and sounding out basic words and expressions. We then progress to acquiring useful vocabulary; practicing in-class dialogue exercises; and eventually constructing original sentences for use in conversation. In addition, we examine different aspects of Greek culture including modern Greek literature in translation, the Mediterranean Diet, contemporary Greek history, and Orthodox Christian spirituality and holiday customs.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.50
Gen Ed Area: HA-LANG
Prereq: None

LANG142 Elementary Modern Greek II

The course builds upon the language skills acquired in LANG 141. Students learn how to count, tell time, and give directions in Greek; compose short descriptive essays in the target language; and translate passages into English. Student-led conversation hours outside of class provide further opportunity to practice speaking and to explore interests such as Greek music, social media, and travel. In class, we also examine historical and cultural topics including life in contemporary Athens, the Greek War of Independence, and the story behind the modern revival of the Olympic Games.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.50
Gen Ed Area: HA-LANG
Prereq: None

LANG151 Elementary Swahili I

This course is an introduction to the study of the Swahili language, the most widely spoken language on the African continent, and focuses on the development of all four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). The course includes regular meetings with a remote instructor, independent work, and weekly sessions with a teaching assistant.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.50
Gen Ed Area: HA-LANG
Prereq: None

LANG152 Elementary Swahili II

This course is a continuation of Elementary Swahili I, an introduction to the study of Swahili language, the most widely spoken language on the African continent, and focuses on the development of all four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). The course includes regular meetings with a remote instructor, independent work, and weekly sessions with a teaching assistant.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.50
Gen Ed Area: HA-LANG
Prereq: None

LANG160 Introduction to Tamazight: The Native Language of North Africa and Beyond (CLAC.50)

This course will introduce students to the language (sounds and script) and culture of the Amazigh people, an ethnic group (commonly known as Berbers) native to North Africa and West Africa, specifically Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania, northern Mali, and Niger, with some oases in Egypt and the Canary Islands.

The Tamazight language--the alphabet of which is called Tifinagh--has been a written language for almost 3000 years, although it was disrupted throughout history due to various invasions and conquests of the area. The Tuareg people of the Sahara desert in Northern Africa, and as of late Morocco and Algeria, have been using the Tifinagh alphabet (oldest dated inscription from about 200 BC) and the Tamzight language as a secondary national language.

The objectives of this course are: 1. To introduce students to the sounds and script of Tifinagh; 2. To teach students basic conversation and essential elements of the Tamazight language; and 3. To familiarize students with the culture of the different Amazigh peoples.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 0.50
Gen Ed Area: SBS-CGST
Identical With: CGST240
Prereq: None

LANG190 Elementary American Sign Language I

This course is the first (1st) of six American Sign Language (ASL) courses encompassing two terms for Elementary, two for Intermediate, and two for Advanced. The two Elementary ASL courses are an introduction to communication in ASL. You will acquire a beginner's vocabulary and grammar while starting to build a preliminary understanding of the Deaf perspective on life. The course will be taught primarily in ASL and with clarifications in written English as needed. Interactive activities in class and homework assignments will provide you with ample opportunities to practice communication in ASL as much as possible. Because of the absence of a standardized written system for ASL, you will complete many of the assignments by recording yourself on video.
Offering: Host
Grading: Amp Graded
Credits: 1.00
Gen Ed Area: HA-LANG
Prereq: None

LANG233 Introduction to ASL / English Interpretation (CLAC 0.5)

Having completed course work in Beginning ASL l, Il and Intermediate I, II, students who have demonstrated a strong interest in continuing their studies at a more sophisticated and challenging level may find this course work interesting pursuant to becoming a professional, credentialed Sign Language Interpreter.

This experience will provide students with a working knowledge of the profession of interpreting including the Code of Professional Conduct, certification criteria, the roles and responsibilities of a professional interpreter and discussions of the role of the interpreter in a variety of professional settings including educational, medical, legal, the performing arts, counseling, and rehabilitation.

Students who attend this course demonstrate that they are able to express in ASL, with some confidence, routine and everyday experiential topics within a conversational format with some elaboration. They demonstrate clear and accurate signing and fingerspelling at a moderate rate of speed.

This coursework uses a process-oriented approach for applying the essential cognitive strategies for interpretation. These strategies include organizing and manipulating visual images, analyzing message for meaning, and self-monitoring for message accuracy. This experience serves as a transition from language learning to beginning interpretation.
Offering: Host
Grading: A-F
Credits: 0.50
Gen Ed Area: HA-LANG
Identical With: CGST233
Prereq: LANG191

LANG250 Visual Gestural Communication

The Visual Gestural Communication course (VGC) is an introduction to communication mostly based on iconicity via gestures. Students will use body movements in performance-like activities to model people's actions in the real world or in imaginary universes, facial expressions to convey feelings and emotions as well as some ideas and concepts, hand gesticulations to represent objects and concepts. Students will practice their non-verbal (aka not based on language) communication in diverse settings on a variety of topics taking into account different perspectives and sensibilities in the world: countries, cultures, languages, minorities, genders, ages, etc. Students will also be exposed to a stylized form of signed language used by the Deaf community in international settings, commonly called International Sign Language. This course does not require previous exposure to American Sign Language.
Offering: Host
Grading: OPT
Credits: 1.00
Gen Ed Area: HA-LANG
Prereq: None

LANG290 Intermediate American Sign Language I

This course is the third (3rd) of six American Sign Language (ASL) courses encompassing two terms for Elementary, two for Intermediate, and two for Advanced. The two Intermediate ASL courses are an introduction to communication in ASL. You will expand your vocabulary and enhance your grammar while starting to get a basic understanding of the Deaf experience. The course will be taught primarily in ASL and with clarifications in written English as needed. Interactive activities in class and homework assignments will provide you with ample opportunities to practice communication in ASL as much as possible. Because of the absence of a standardized written system for ASL, you will complete many of the assignments by recording yourself on video.
Offering: Host
Grading: A-F
Credits: 1.00
Gen Ed Area: HA-LANG
Prereq: LANG191

LANG291 Intermediate American Sign Language II

This course is the fourth (4th) of six American Sign Language (ASL) courses encompassing two terms for Elementary, two for Intermediate, and two for Advanced. The two Intermediate ASL courses are an introduction to communication in ASL. You will expand your vocabulary and enhance your grammar while starting to get a basic understanding of the Deaf experience. The course will be taught primarily in ASL and with clarifications in written English as needed. Interactive activities in class and homework assignments will provide you with ample opportunities to practice communication in ASL as much as possible. Because of the absence of a standardized written system for ASL, you will complete many of the assignments by recording yourself on video.
Offering: Host
Grading: A-F
Credits: 1.00
Gen Ed Area: HA-LANG
Prereq: None

LANG310 Beginning Pequot Language and Culture I

This course is designed to provide participants with an introduction to Pequot language. Pequot is an Algonquian language spoken by many of the Native American people indigenous to Connecticut, including the Wangunks who lived in the area that is now Middletown. This course will focus on acquiring linguistic concepts aimed at developing conversational proficiency but will also include readings and discussions about Wangunk history and culture.
Offering: Host
Grading: OPT
Credits: 1.00
Gen Ed Area: HA-LANG
Prereq: None

LANG311 Beginning Pequot Language and Culture II

This course is the continuation of Beginning Pequot Language and Culture I. This course is designed to further develop conversational proficiency in Pequot language. Pequot is an Algonquian language spoken by many of the Native American people indigenous to Connecticut, including the Wangunks who lived in the area that is now Middletown. This course will focus on acquiring linguistic concepts aimed at developing conversational proficiency, but will also include readings and discussions about Wangunk history and culture.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U
Credits: 1.00
Gen Ed Area: HA-LANG
Prereq: None

LANG419 Student Forum

Student-run group tutorial, sponsored by a faculty member and approved by the chair of a department or program.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U

LANG420 Student Forum

Student-run group tutorial, sponsored by a faculty member and approved by the chair of a department or program.
Offering: Host
Grading: Cr/U

LANG466 Education in the Field, Undergraduate

Students must consult with the department and class dean in advance of undertaking education in the field for approval of the nature of the responsibilities and method of evaluation.
Offering: Host
Grading: OPT

2023-2024 Edition

Academic Catalog

Less Commonly Taught Languages

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