Issue Date: 5/11/09
Palomar offers a variety of language courses
By Javier Tovar
The spring semester at Palomar College is now in its final week and students interested in learning an additional language can plan to enroll in a course next semester.
Palomar College offers a variety of foreign languages that are transferrable to four-year schools including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. In addition, Palomar offers Native languages and American Sign Language.
"Learning other languages altered gray matter - the area of the brain which processes information - in the same way exercise builds muscles." according to researchers from University College London, who studied the brains of 105 people - 80 of whom were bilingual.
Palomar College student Geovanny Cuenca said, "The Chinese teachers at Palomar have very good techniques to teach Chinese." Cuenca expressed his desire to learn Chinese comes as a result of having several friends living in China. Cuenca knows English and Spanish, Chinese is his third language
Among the extra curricular activities is the French Club whose purpose is to promote interest in the French language and culture and the Japanese Culture Club whose purpose is to participate in social activities.
Both are student organizations at Palomar for those who want to take an active role on campus and are tied to language and culture for further enhancement.
Carlos von Son, a professor at Palomar, offers a summer theater class where students can participate in the play "Espanglish." The Spanish used in the play is relatively simple, thus making is easy for beginners to practice and gain confidence.
Students who enroll in the class can practice their Spanish and the same time will be exposed to others speaking it.
Other then clubs and plays, opportunities are limited at Palomar for students to apply their newly learned language skills on campus. Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Luiseño, Cupeño and Nahuatl are among those languages.
Rachel von Wistinghausen, a student at Palomar, said the opportunities for practicing the language outside the classroom were "pretty limited." Wistinghausen is learning German at Palomar and at home with family members. Wistinghausen added, "They definitely need German tutors here."
Palomar College offers a variety of foreign languages that are transferrable to four-year schools including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. In addition, Palomar offers Native languages and American Sign Language.
"Learning other languages altered gray matter - the area of the brain which processes information - in the same way exercise builds muscles." according to researchers from University College London, who studied the brains of 105 people - 80 of whom were bilingual.
Palomar College student Geovanny Cuenca said, "The Chinese teachers at Palomar have very good techniques to teach Chinese." Cuenca expressed his desire to learn Chinese comes as a result of having several friends living in China. Cuenca knows English and Spanish, Chinese is his third language
Among the extra curricular activities is the French Club whose purpose is to promote interest in the French language and culture and the Japanese Culture Club whose purpose is to participate in social activities.
Both are student organizations at Palomar for those who want to take an active role on campus and are tied to language and culture for further enhancement.
Carlos von Son, a professor at Palomar, offers a summer theater class where students can participate in the play "Espanglish." The Spanish used in the play is relatively simple, thus making is easy for beginners to practice and gain confidence.
Students who enroll in the class can practice their Spanish and the same time will be exposed to others speaking it.
Other then clubs and plays, opportunities are limited at Palomar for students to apply their newly learned language skills on campus. Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Luiseño, Cupeño and Nahuatl are among those languages.
Rachel von Wistinghausen, a student at Palomar, said the opportunities for practicing the language outside the classroom were "pretty limited." Wistinghausen is learning German at Palomar and at home with family members. Wistinghausen added, "They definitely need German tutors here."
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