UW to Offer Free Language and Culture Sessions via Zoom This Fall

Registrations are now being accepted through Saturday, Sept. 9, at noon for the popular World Language and Culture Program (WLCP) offered at the University of Wyoming this fall. A total of 26 nonformal world language and culture sessions are available free via Zoom.

Informal sessions in Arabic, Armenian, Bengali, Burmese, Chinese, French, Georgian, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Kazakh, Russian, Sinhala, Spanish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Uzbek and Yoruba -- along with aspects of culture -- begin Monday, Sept. 11, and end Sunday, Dec. 10.

Sessions will be offered virtually throughout the day and early evening, generally once a week. To view the schedule or to register for a class, go to www.uwyo.edu/wlcp/index.html. The schedule also can be found on Facebook.

The WLCP is a volunteer and service-learning program that offers free world language and culture sessions to members of the UW community and to those interested throughout the state.

The WLCP is committed to 21st century linguistic and cultural literacy to cultivate lifelong learning, appreciation and enthusiasm for world languages and cultures. The program views language and culture as being inseparable and strives to integrate the teaching and learning of both simultaneously. The mission is to provide access to adults who want to learn world languages and gain awareness of world cultures in a nonformal setting.

Dilnoza Khasilova, a UW alumna who earned her doctoral degree in literacy studies and curriculum and instruction, developed the WLCP in 2013. She is a UW permanent visiting scholar and is the volunteer WLCP director.

The WLCP serves as an example of a graduate student program that turned into an alumni service program that collaborates closely with UW’s Global Engagement Office. The program was launched in 2014 with the support of Khasilova’s adviser and mentor, Amy Roberts, an associate professor in the UW College of Education.

The WLCP provides opportunities to build a community of learners; connect with global alumni; develop cross-cultural understandings; provide service learning and teaching; develop volunteerism; leverage engagement and internationalization efforts; and bring language and culture exposure. The volunteer WLCP facilitators include both local and international students; UW faculty and staff members; exchange students; Fulbright scholars; visiting scholars; UW international alumni; UW community members who travel overseas or speak a world language; and community members.

Three years ago, courses were first offered through Zoom because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Going virtual in 2020 allowed us to be inclusive, add more diverse languages and offer our service to the entire state of Wyoming,” Khasilova says. “Some learners even are joining our sessions from different states and countries.”

For more information, email the WLCP at wlc@uwyo.edu or Khasilova at dkhasilo@uwyo.edu.