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German Immersion Weekend

May 16, 2005

CARROLLTON, GA - The University of West Georgia’s German program is flourishing just two years after its approval by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, and its success can be attributed to the continued efforts of its faculty: Drs. John Blair and Muriel Cormican, associate professors of German.

In addition to offering various German activities, including film festivals and readings, the two recently held their second annual total immersion weekend for German students, native speakers and faculty at John Tanner State Park.

Over the weekend, participants spoke only German as they cooked, cleaned, worked on homework and projects, watched German films and participated in games and discussions. In addition to strengthening German language skills, the weekend provides preparation for students who will be studying abroad during the summer.

Because Blair and Cormican donate their time for the event and it is subsidized by the UWG Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, the weekend immersion experience costs students only about $25, making it an affordable addition to the department’s study abroad programs.

Although a weekend might not seem like enough time to become more comfortable with a different language, Cormican said the hours add up.

“If you deduct sleep time, you still end up with 32 full hours of exposure to the language in a weekend,” she explained. “That’s almost as many hours as students spend in a class in a semester.

“The students who participate, with few exceptions, comment on a reduction of the fear factor when hearing only German spoken to them,” she continued. “They say they become more comfortable with the sounds of the language and better understand the fact that they do not have to understand every word to manage.”

For more information about the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures or the UWG German program, contact the department at 678-839-6515.

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