By participating in these types of events, students aim to achieve proficiency in a foreign language while acquiring a cultural context.
Language departments vary in their approaches to extracurricular programming. Some require students to attend a certain number of cultural events during the course of a term, while others encourage students to organize their own activities. For the College's language departments to be competitive with those at peer institutions, students should be "eating, breathing and living" the language they are studying, rather than simply sitting in class for an hour each day, according to Jacob Sotak '13, who participates in the Arabic community. Activities outside of the classroom provide students with a different method for developing language proficiency.
"It makes students take a certain amount of ownership over their language," Sotak said. Most departments offer weekly lunch meetings for students to practice their language skills. These gatherings provide students with an informal setting to practice speaking and connect with upperclassmen or native speakers they might not meet otherwise. The Japanese lunch table, a joint effort of the student-run Dartmouth Japan Society and the Asian and Middle Eastern languages and literatures department, offers novice language students a chance to meet upperclassmen who have already completed the program's introductory courses.
Upperclassmen become mentors for new students and "nurture their path and their passion," Japanese professor Mayumi Ishida said. The table also provides professors an opportunity to socialize with their students.
Conversing in a foreign language with friends who are native speakers exposes students to a less formal register of the language, Japan Society president Christian Opperman '13 said.
Speaking with native speakers or upperclassmen who have studied abroad teaches students new words that are often different from the vocabulary included in the language curriculums.
Chinese Noodle Hour, a weekly event hosted at the Chinese Language House, has historically attracted approximately 30 to 40 students per week, according to Chinese professor Susan Blader.
Each lunch hour includes a cultural component, such as calligraphy workshops, performances by Chinese storytellers or student presentations on Foreign Study Programs. One year, students had the opportunity to meet with Taiwanese-American film director Ang Lee.
For 20 years, students taking Portuguese or those interested in Lusophone culture have attended Cafezhino, a weekly gathering with coffee and conversation, according to Portuguese professor Rodolfo Franconi. They congregate on Monday afternoons in a room in Dartmouth Hall called "Ponto de Encontro."
Practicing speaking skills is only one part of learning a foreign language. Studying history, culture and literature is essential, Hebrew professor Lewis Glinert said.
"It's as important for being able to function in the Arabic world or Chinese world to know the classic texts or folk songs as it is to be able to go out and ask for an ice cream," he said.
Faculty affiliated with the Chinese portion of the AMELL program organize public lectures and workshops to bring students together and expose them to different aspects of Chinese culture.
"We try to introduce our students to so much more than just the language," Blader said. The French and Italian department organizes a number of cultural activities for its students, according to department chair Graziella Parati said.
Next week, Italian students will meet with members of the Venice Baroque Orchestra, which is performing at the Hopkins Center, she said.
The German Club often hosts movie screenings, game nights and cooking get-togethers. The club will host a ski excursion and party on Feb. 2.
In Germany, after a long day of skiing, it is typical to head to the bar and listen to German folk music with friends. By recreating this tradition, students will gain "a unique insight into German and Austrian culture," said Kim Vahnenbruck, a German Studies department Fulbright language teaching assistant.
Membership in different language clubs fluctuates by term, according to students and professors. There are currently housing programs for Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, French, Italian and German speakers.
