International Learning Community connects language learning, living

It’s 6:30 p.m. on a Monday, and nine American students are learning how to prepare okonomi yaki, the Japanese version of a pancake.

The instructor, Nobuyoshi Asaoka, is the floor coordinator of the Nihongo Hausu, the newest addition to the International Learning Community (ILC), a foreign language immersion residence in Adams Hall.

The University of Wisconsin–Madison launched ILC in 2002-03 with a German language house, Stockwerk Deutsch. Since its inception, the program has quickly expanded from 66 to 131 residents.

The ILC, in cooperation with University Housing, offers four residence programs in German, Spanish, Italian, and Japanese. In 2006-07, the Arabic floor will be added.

“The dorm provides students with an opportunity to use language in an informal setting outside the classroom — it’s like an ongoing German class,” says Charles James, faculty director of Stockwerk Deutsch, the German community.

While on the floor, residents are highly encouraged to speak in their target language.

“This semester, students have agreed to speak Japanese 60 percent of the time,” says Charo D’Etcheverry, faculty director of Nihongo Hausu. “Speaking Japanese is challenging for first- and second-year students — residents speak on a range of levels. Some have prior experience with the language and others enter the university with no knowledge of the language.”

The ILC offers students the opportunity to immerse in the language and culture of a foreign country without leaving campus.

“This floor is the best exposure to Japanese in the Midwest,” says D’Etcheverry.

“But you have to be committed to learn Japanese. The students living on the floor are ambitious and willing to put in larger number of hours.”

Many residents chose to live in the ILC as a preparation for a semester or academic year abroad.

“Living on the floor is conversational and conversational skills are critical. I’ve really improved my fluency,” says Peter Kaminski, a sophomore resident of Stockwerk Deutsch. “That’s something you cannot learn in the classroom.”

Residents are required to enroll in an Integrated Liberal Studies (ILS) course in a topic related to their target language. These informal, discussion-based courses enhance cross-cultural understanding.

“In the fall, I taught a course on Switzerland. We analyzed newspaper articles, lyrics, movies, and personal experiences to explore the concept of ‘Swiss’ identity,” says Chris Weber, Stockwerk Deutsch floor coordinator. “This semester, we’re watching a variety of German films that deal with young people grappling with society. We’ve seen everything from feature films to comedies, soap operas, and sitcoms.”

This semester, D’Etcheverry is teaching an ILC course with a focus on the literal, visual and newspaper accounts of Japanese monsters.

Residents maintain close contact with faculty, staff and peers engaged in language study. Each floor hosts weekly roundtable dinners, offering students the opportunity to engage in dialogues about cultural topics.

“The dinners help me with the language — it’s a great opportunity to speak in a no-pressure environment,” says Alicia Groh, a freshman resident of Stockwerk Deutsch.

ILC activities aim at enhancing students’ awareness of world affairs. The ILC also hosts guest speakers, educational trips, panel discussions and social events.

“I try to teach the pragmatics of language through activities. I want students to gain, maintain and improve Japanese fluency,” says Asaoka. “We have karaoke and movie nights. In the fall, I had a calligraphy workshop.”

UW–Madison has five total-immersion living-learning communities. Learning communities offer students social, cultural, and educational activities and opportunities. Others include:

• Bradley Learning Community, 246 freshmen;
• Chadbourne Residential College, 815 undergraduates;
• Multicultural Learning Community, 54 undergraduates;
• Women in Science & Engineering (WISE): 94 undergraduates.