This summer, the 74th annual Summer Language Workshop at Indiana University (IU) continued its strong tradition of language instruction with more than 300 participants studying twenty-four different languages – Chinese had the highest enrollment, followed by Russian, Japanese, and Korean. Sixty-six instructors led the intensive eight-week courses for 158 online participants, 116 participants on IU’s Bloomington campus, and 34 in Taiwan and Budapest.
Workshop classes are small, accelerated, and intensive. In two months, participants complete the equivalent of a full year of language study. “The Language Workshop is definitely a challenge, with each day of instruction covering a week’s worth of material,” said Evans. “But the dedication and enthusiasm of students who accept this challenge make workshop classes some of the most dynamic and exciting courses that students will encounter in their time at IU.”
On-campus immersion programs are offered in Arabic, Chinese, and Russian. Participants in these programs sign a language immersion commitment, promising to use the language of study throughout the eight weeks. They engage in 20 hours of class instruction per week, regular one-to-one tutoring, independent study, and extracurricular cultural activities. Meanwhile, living in a residence hall with others studying the same language provides even more opportunities for language practice.
Online program participants engage in eighteen hours of instruction per week. Specifics vary by language, but common elements include tutoring, self-study, and extracurricular activities. People join the online workshop for a range of academic, professional, and personal reasons, but are united in their strong interest in learning the language.
The workshop also offers overseas immersion programs. Reserve Officers’ Training Corp (ROTC) students can study Chinese in Taiwan instead of Indiana. Finally, for speakers of Hungarian, including students who learn Hungarian in the workshop, the workshop offers a Budapest-based immersion program on Central European culture.
One participant in the online program this year was University of Kansas graduate student Naomi Galindo, who is pursuing an M.A. in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies. Her research focuses on central Asian, and she has a true passion for language learning. “English is my second language, and I’ve studied Russian, French, and Spanish, said Galindo. “Right now, I’m studying Uyghur at the University of Kansas, and I studied some Tajik on my own as well.”
Galindo first learned about the Summer Language Workshop several years ago when she was a senior in high school. This summer, she finally had the chance to enroll. “I completed the first year of beginning Kyrgyz language,” she said, “and I took two supplementary courses – one in Chinese history, and one in finding career opportunities in Russian language and other less commonly taught languages.”
The opportunity to study Kyrgyz opened new possibilities for Galindo’s research. “I got to learn a lot of new things about the language and culture that created new ideas for me to branch out my research,” she said.
Galindo is considering a career in academia and is currently applying to Ph.D. programs. Wherever she ends up, she would like to take part in the workshop again. “I definitely want to learn a Baltic language,” said Galindo, “and you can’t really find that anywhere else in the U.S. except for Indiana.”
Hamilton Lugar School Dean John Ciorciari concurs that Indiana’s language expertise is unique. “IU offers over 80 languages – more than any other university in the U.S.,” he said. “Most of these languages are housed in the Hamilton Lugar School, and our Summer Language Workshop is one of the important resources we offer to share our school’s language expertise with learners across the nation.”
Although most workshop participants come from outside the university, it also attracts IU students interested in pursuing international careers.
“I think the Summer Language Workshop offered me more opportunities to develop my speaking and listening skills, and participate in cultural activities,” she said. “We signed a language immersion commitment and really tried to keep to that – living in the residence hall with other Arabic learners really helped.”
Another 2024 participant was Kelsey Clouse, an IU sophom*ore majoring in Business Management and International Business with a minor in East Asian Languages and Cultures. Clouse is part of the Chinese Language Flagship program and plans to pursue a career in business or government that will utilize her language skills.
“I thought a whole summer of just focusing on Chinese would be great,” she said. “The experience was truly amazing. It was so much fun. It was a lot of work, and oftentimes exhausting, but I got eight credits of Chinese, which would typically take a whole year.”
Thanks to its dedicated instructors and staff, the workshop has trained well over 10,000 participants in its first 74 years. “The Summer Language Workshop continues to have a national impact, equipping its alumni for careers in diplomacy, military service, academia, and more,” said Ciorciari. “As we look forward to the 75th workshop next year, it will continue to be a vital part of our school, supporting our aim to be a place where students come to learn language skills and much more, preparing them to understand and engage effectively with diverse communities of people around the world.”
