100 High School Students Spend World Language Day on Campus

By Hannah Grijincu, Director of the Language Learning Center

On March 5, the World Languages and Cultures Department welcomed to campus 100 high school students and teachers from all over northeastern Pennsylvania when The University of Scranton hosted its first World Language Day. 

From learning how to sound like a German to ordering croissants in a French bakery, these high school students learned six languages from the World Languages and Cultures Department’s Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants (FLTAs) and visiting instructors. Students learned to distinguish Chinese tones and practiced reading Japanese hiragana, katakana and kanji through manga. They learned what Argentinians value (futbol, mate, and time with family and friends) and practiced finding Arabic letters in different parts of the word.

Their studies expanded beyond the instructors’ languages: Students also had the chance to learn about the FLTAs and visiting instructors’ countries through interactive displays. Attendees explored cuisine and the beautiful décor of Tunisia, as well as traditions and festivals of Germany. They practiced Japanese calligraphy and watched a Ghibli movie. They guessed Chinese characters and learned about Taiwanese culture and geography. They explored France’s overseas territories and delicious cuisine and learned about iconic Argentinian people, landscapes and food.

World Language Day served to motivate and inspire students to continue in their language learning journeys by demonstrating how languages create opportunities for engagement with other cultures and communities around the world. Languages open doors to other people, other opportunities and ultimately, other worlds, and this event aimed to inspire students to continue learning languages and exploring other cultures.