Oklahoma State University: Language Learning Center Provides Fun, Stress-Free Environment For Students

Press release from Oklahoma State University:

2022-02-17

A cacophony of voices fill the room on the first floor of Gundersen Hall. Some are
fluent, others not so much, but that doesn’t matter in the new Language Learning Center.

A cacophony of voices fill the room on the first floor of Gundersen Hall. Some are
fluent, others not so much, but that doesn’t matter in the new Language Learning Center.

It is a Thursday afternoon, which means the Oklahoma State University Spanish Club
is in session. More than a dozen students sprawl through the big, open space either
working on homework, talking to a tutor or even just chatting with friends.

It is a Thursday afternoon, which means the Oklahoma State University Spanish Club
is in session. More than a dozen students sprawl through the big, open space either
working on homework, talking to a tutor or even just chatting with friends.

One of the only rules of Spanish Club is to speak the language as much as you can.
And whether the students are advanced or just getting into the language, everyone
is welcome.

One of the only rules of Spanish Club is to speak the language as much as you can.
And whether the students are advanced or just getting into the language, everyone
is welcome.

“Spanish Club has been huge for me. It is an extra four hours a week outside of class,”
said OSU senior Jali Robertson, president of the club. “I was very nervous the first
few times I went. I was only in my third Spanish class and it was mostly grammar so
we didn’t have to speak a whole lot. It is a great place to get out of your comfort
zone with no judgment.”

“Spanish Club has been huge for me. It is an extra four hours a week outside of class,”
said OSU senior Jali Robertson, president of the club. “I was very nervous the first
few times I went. I was only in my third Spanish class and it was mostly grammar so
we didn’t have to speak a whole lot. It is a great place to get out of your comfort
zone with no judgment.”

Having a place for not only Spanish Club students, but any of the several clubs the
Department of Languages and Literatures offers was prudent in creating the Language
Learning Center.

Having a place for not only Spanish Club students, but any of the several clubs the
Department of Languages and Literatures offers was prudent in creating the Language
Learning Center.

A space that sat dormant for a few years, it now consists of a large classroom, as
well as a couple of smaller tutoring rooms and a common area with a snack station
for students to relax.

A space that sat dormant for a few years, it now consists of a large classroom, as
well as a couple of smaller tutoring rooms and a common area with a snack station
for students to relax.

Dr. Erik Ekman, head of languages and literatures, said the center was something the
department had thought of since 2017, when the business classes that used to be there
left for the new Business Building. 

Dr. Erik Ekman, head of languages and literatures, said the center was something the
department had thought of since 2017, when the business classes that used to be there
left for the new Business Building. 

The center was scheduled to open in Spring 2020, but then COVID-19 happened. Now,
after a slow launch, students are really starting to take advantage of the space.
Ekman said he sees students filter in and out all day.

The center was scheduled to open in Spring 2020, but then COVID-19 happened. Now,
after a slow launch, students are really starting to take advantage of the space.
Ekman said he sees students filter in and out all day.

“They make friends and they get community and a chance to practice. A chance to exchange
information about their majors,” Ekman said. “... The club is a sense of community
and makes the language a bit more real if you can’t go abroad.”

“They make friends and they get community and a chance to practice. A chance to exchange
information about their majors,” Ekman said. “... The club is a sense of community
and makes the language a bit more real if you can’t go abroad.”

With most language classes dealing with the proper grammar, having a space outside
the classroom to practice it in conversation is crucial.

With most language classes dealing with the proper grammar, having a space outside
the classroom to practice it in conversation is crucial.

“The reason we do this is they spend a lot of time in class answering specific things.
That is one form of communication that is important,” said Dr. Matthew O'Neill, a
lecturer in Spanish. “Like the formalized kind of interaction but the one thing that
you can really only imitate is actual conversational dynamics. You can only do that
by studying abroad and being in the first language environment or in an environment
where there are no grades and nobody is having points counted off or anything like
that. It is what we try to simulate while we are here.”

“The reason we do this is they spend a lot of time in class answering specific things.
That is one form of communication that is important,” said Dr. Matthew O'Neill, a
lecturer in Spanish. “Like the formalized kind of interaction but the one thing that
you can really only imitate is actual conversational dynamics. You can only do that
by studying abroad and being in the first language environment or in an environment
where there are no grades and nobody is having points counted off or anything like
that. It is what we try to simulate while we are here.”

Before the Language Learning Center opened, the Spanish Club used to meet at the Daily
Grind coffee shop off campus. Now that there is a more centralized space on campus
to meet Mondays and Thursdays, every club feels like it has a home.

Before the Language Learning Center opened, the Spanish Club used to meet at the Daily
Grind coffee shop off campus. Now that there is a more centralized space on campus
to meet Mondays and Thursdays, every club feels like it has a home.

The Department of Languages and Literatures offers several clubs along with Spanish,
including: French, German, Japanese, Russian, American Sign Language and a Cowboy
Classics Club.

The Department of Languages and Literatures offers several clubs along with Spanish,
including: French, German, Japanese, Russian, American Sign Language and a Cowboy
Classics Club.

Robertson — a native of Fairview, Oklahoma, who is double majoring in political science
and global studies with a minor in Spanish — said she became interested in learning
another language in high school. It has taken a lot of work, but she feels confident
in her fluency now and believes having a place like the Language Learning Center gave
her a place to practice that has really helped her.

Robertson — a native of Fairview, Oklahoma, who is double majoring in political science
and global studies with a minor in Spanish — said she became interested in learning
another language in high school. It has taken a lot of work, but she feels confident
in her fluency now and believes having a place like the Language Learning Center gave
her a place to practice that has really helped her.

“It is really encouraging to go and talk to other students and actually get to use
the language,” Robertson said. “You can talk about news stories or if you watched
so-and-so movie, stuff you don’t really get to talk about in the classroom. It is
a place you can go and feel comfortable with. It is a lot more intimidating to speak
up in a class in Spanish than it is to just talk in a group about things that you
talk with your friends about.”

“It is really encouraging to go and talk to other students and actually get to use
the language,” Robertson said. “You can talk about news stories or if you watched
so-and-so movie, stuff you don’t really get to talk about in the classroom. It is
a place you can go and feel comfortable with. It is a lot more intimidating to speak
up in a class in Spanish than it is to just talk in a group about things that you
talk with your friends about.”

The Language Learning Center can be found at 104 Gundersen and information on the
Department of Languages and Literatures, along with the various clubs, can be found
at languages.okstate.edu.

The Language Learning Center can be found at 104 Gundersen and information on the
Department of Languages and Literatures, along with the various clubs, can be found
at

This press release was produced by Oklahoma State University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.