Mission and Goals

The Center for Language Excellence (CLE) looks forward to continuing working with all campus units that deal with language learning, teaching, and research. The Center supports efforts to streamline language-related activities in language departments, programs, and resource centers. CLE promotes, supports, and enhances the learning and teaching of languages at Indiana University through the following activities.

Proficiency-based and Standards-based Instruction

Promote the attainment of proficiency-based and standards-based instruction in all languages taught at the university

Support proficiency-targeted outcomes at all language instruction levels

Support learners in the process of life-long language learning

Support and promote best practices in planning, techniques, and artifacts for language learning

Professional Development

Provide professional development workshops, institutes, seminars for all language instructors to incorporate effective language learning and teaching principles and strategies in their classroom activities

Promote professionalization of language teaching staff through funded research, and curriculum and course development

Provide support and training in best practices for evaluating language teaching faculty and staff

Online Language Education

Support the development and coordination of online language education courses

Support online language learning, including the development of online and hybrid language courses and online language learning materials

Provide training for language instructors to teach online and to use online assessment tools

Support research in online language education

Language Advocacy and Outreach

Engage in outreach opportunities and practices

Raise public awareness on the benefits of language learning and support language proficiency recognition programs

Promote intercultural competence and develop global learning outcomes 

Increase areas for collaboration, interdisciplinary curriculum development, and curriculum internationalization

Language Learning Outcomes Assessment

Identify and support the development and use of the best tools to assess language learning outcomes based on authentic tasks and goals.

Provide training for language faculty and staff to use alternative assessment tools such as performance rubrics, role-playing scenarios, e-portfolios, oral performances, and creative writing.

Research on Language Learning and Teaching

Provide support and sharing research findings of the benefits of language learning with the language teaching faculty and staff

Support language teaching and learning research, applied linguistics, and pedagogy through lecture series, demonstrations, and model classroom-based research