Addressing the Growing Trend in Foreign-Language Education
The University’s new Language for Professions curriculum not only teaches students career-specific vocabulary but also encourages greater empathy and a deeper appreciation for diverse cultures.
Foreign-language courses have always been focused on communication; two Saint Joseph’s faculty members are taking this one step further with their newly developed Language for Professions curriculum.
“There is a growing trend in language education that prioritizes practical, profession-specific language skills over general language studies,” says Enrique Téllez-Espiga, PhD, associate professor of Spanish.
Both he and Professor Kristin L. Burr, PhD, are committed to keeping SJU students ahead of the curve with courses like Spanish for Health Professions, Economic and Business French, and French for Healthcare. The two explain that this approach provides students with a specialized focus on language skills and cultural competencies, which are tailored to their respective areas of study.
Multilingualism helps students build deeper connections and expand their perspective.”
Kristin L. Burr, PhD
Professor and Co-Director of the Medieval, Renaissance and Reformation Studies ProgramCultural competency, Burr and Téllez-Espiga explain, includes items as simple as greetings — what is polite and expected varies from one country to the next — and what subjects may be taboo. Burr says her students studied different negotiating styles and expectations in one of her courses.
“Americans negotiate differently from the French, who negotiate differently from the Cameroonians,” Burr says. “Sensitivity to such cultural differences is critical to be effective in a professional setting. That is why employers often seek candidates who speak more than one language. Multilingualism helps students build deeper connections and expand their perspective."
Burr recalls working at an African Health Promoter clinic where patients from Francophone countries in Africa were asked if they preferred to speak with providers in English or in French with the assistance of an interpreter.
“Even patients who knew some English often chose to speak in French, with an interpreter mediating,” says Burr. “They felt more comfortable expressing themselves in the language they had spoken in their home country and voiced their gratitude for this possibility.”
This, both Burr and Téllez-Espiga agree, shows the importance of this curriculum.
“Language proficiency offers much more than just the ability to translate words,” says Téllez-Espiga. “It's a real asset in a global economy.”