Back to the Drawing Board? Articulation and Outreach Revisited

Using Contests to Connect: A View from the Collegiate Level

“…By contrast, among those who had previously been contestants, that reason was tied for fourth (or fifth) with “to support high school students” after “for personal enjoyment,” “to help the department,” and “to support high school teachers and schools.” This suggests that, in addition to rating the benefits of the contest for both high school and collegiate programs more highly and identifying its positive impact in their own engagement with German, the former contestants surveyed here needed less external motivation than other volunteers to assist in hosting the event. These responses are in keeping with the kind of positive investment undergraduates have articulated in similar contexts, even when volunteering did not contribute directly to their own language acquisition (Melin, ). Furthermore, these responses highlight the aspects of the language contest that are perceived as beneficial both to the high school programs and to the collegiate program.…”

“…For the college students who volunteer for the event, it can also be a conduit for reflecting back on their high school experience, including connecting with the teachers and students from their former high school, yet another element that speaks to the importance of affect in learning languages. In addition, even if the substance of such contests or similar “high school student field days” is not directly tied to secondary or post‐secondary curricula, the events offer the opportunity for communication between educators from both levels, something that many researchers suggest is highly desirable (Curtain, ; Melin, ; Schuller, ).…”

“…Some, such as “German Day” events, are planned and hosted predominantly by an academic department at a post‐secondary institution. Melin () provides URLs for twelve such initiatives. Others are designed and managed primarily by the secondary teachers who host the events themselves or with assistance from a college or university department.…”

German Day: A Practical Guide to Connecting High School and Post‐Secondary Programs

“…A high‐profile event such as German Day has benefits for the university host as well: In response to reports of modest enrollment growth, Melin () suggested improving the outreach profile of collegiate language departments. She emphasized the need to engage in sustained dialogues with a variety of audiences, and, among other things, to plan and implement targeted outreach events.…”