Bryant introduces new Modern Languages Department

Course offerings include Spanish, Italian, French, and Chinese.

In an increasingly global environment, it is crucial for the next cadre of professionals to understand and be conversational in multiple languages.

Bryant has created a new Modern Languages Department with course offerings in Spanish, Chinese, French, and Italian. Previously, the foreign language minors were part of the English and Cultural Studies Department.

Yun Xiao, associate professor of Chinese, is the new chair of the department that offers minors in Spanish, Chinese, and French, along with a growing program in Italian. The goal, in the near future, is to expand Italian into a minor and Spanish into a major.

Tony Houston, associate professor of modern languages and the romance language coordinator, who, along with Xiao, is a recognized expert in second language acquisition and pedagogy, was also hired to teach in the new department.

Currently, 382 students are learning a foreign language, with more than half of these studying Spanish. All students majoring in International Business are required to minor in a foreign language.

“In today’s globalized world, foreign language and business are two inseparable elements for international competition and success,” says Xiao.

In the United States, Spanish is the second most popular language spoken by about 32 million people, and French is an official language of the United Nations. Chinese trails only English and Spanish in terms of speakers in the U.S. It was recently named one of the three critical languages by the U.S. Department of State, making it eligible for language training grants.

Bryant students who want to study a language must first take a placement exam to gauge their abilities. In the introductory courses, students learn more about the culture and the basics of a new language. They also have a chance to practice their skills in the language labs, which simulate real life interaction like talking on the phone or listening to the radio, in which you cannot rely on body language or facial expressions to interpret what someone is saying.

“We give the students a lot of opportunities to use the language they learn,” said Xiao.

Qualified students can then take an advanced class like “Spanish for Business” or “Chinese for Business,” which provide a practical forum to practice a new language and better understand different customs and traditions.

“When the information is particularly meaningful to the students for their careers, they are more likely to retain it,” explains Houston.

The department kicked off the first in a series of language days earlier this semester with Italian Language Day, which included the showing of Cinema Paradiso and a discussion afterward. Similar events dedicated to learning more about Spanish, French, and Chinese are planned for later in the fall semester.

The department will also work closely with Bryant’s John H. Chafee Center, the U.S.-China Institute, and the recently created Confucius Institute, along with groups like the International Student Organization and the Multicultural Student Union.

In the end, students will be well prepared to apply their new skills in a variety of careers and have a valuable addition on their résumé: being bilingual.

“By the time you finish a minor, you should be conversant in the language,” says Houston.

To learn more, visit the Department of Modern Languages page.