Instructions for Language House Residency Application

2008-2009 Residency Application

Instructions for Native Speaker Application

Native Speaker Job Description

Native Speaker Application

Language House, in Boldt Hall on West Campus, is Cornell’s language-learning residence. The goal of the program is to provide a setting in which students can become comfortably fluent in one or more of our target languages: Arabic, French, German, Japanese, Mandarin, and Spanish. Residents pay only the usual university housing and dining costs; there is no additional fee for the program.

As of fall 2004, Language House became part of Alice Cook House—the first phase in Cornell’s new venture to create an actively engaged community under faculty leadership on West Campus for returning and transfer students. (For more information on the Alice Cook House, visit Alice Cook Home)

Language House residents are a special group within the community of Cook House. They make language learning and multicultural interests a major focus of their social and intellectual life. Living in Language House means making connections—with others in your language section, with everyone in the house, with faculty members, and with student organizations. Your circle of genuine friends will grow, and your classes—in languages, area studies, anthropology, history, international relations—will take on new dimensions. Furthermore, you will graduate from Cornell with linguistic skills and cultural knowledge that will be especially attractive to employers and graduate programs.

Life in Language House

Language House is well known for its esprit de corps and friendly atmosphere. Members live in an attractive mix of singles, doubles, and suites. Each coeducational floor has a lounge and two bathrooms. Native speakers, who are also students, live in each language section. They serve as informal language tutors and organize activities such as the weekly coffee or tea hours, film screenings, and visits by faculty members and students. As part of their weekly activities, students might cook a meal together, play games, try calligraphy, take salsa lessons, or play intramural sports. Newspapers, periodicals, and videos in the target languages, as well as language-learning games, books, and other materials are also available to all.

The members and resident native speakers eat meals together regularly. Nonresidents looking for friendships and language practice are always welcome at the dinner tables of each section and at house events. (Click on the Dinner Schedules button to see the times and places where students gather.) At least once a week, a faculty member assigned to the language section attends dinner, often bringing guests.

Once a year each language section takes a trip to a nearby multilingual area, usually a major city such as Montreal, Toronto, or New York City. Groups from Language House frequently attend concerts, plays, and lectures together. Sumptuous brunches and parties related to celebrations of the customs and holidays of target-language countries are regular events.

Applying to the Program

All Language House members—undergraduates and graduate students—must be enrolled full-time at Cornell. Applicants for membership in the program should have at least an intermediate-level proficiency in their target language by the time they become a member. Students with advanced language proficiencies are definitely welcome, but if you already are fully bilingual, you should apply for a position as a resident native speaker, not for regular membership.

Click on the appropriate button to access the application forms for residency and for the native speaker position. Submit the completed application to the Language House Program office, 726 University Ave., Rm. 102. After you submit your application, you will have an informational interview with the program director and a brief language interview with a faculty member. You also must meet with the current residents in your preferred language section, at dinner or during some other house activity. You will be exempted from the interviews if you are not in Ithaca during the application period, but we will require clear evidence of your level of language fluency so that we can place you suitably.

The application deadline is stated on the form. Most of the admissions decisions are made before the housing lottery takes place in March. You may apply to the Language House Program and also register for the lottery, as long as you end up signing only one housing contract.

Please note: A few spaces are sometimes available after the initial round of admissions decisions are made. Furthermore, there are often a few vacancies in the spring, when some members leave to study overseas. Consequently, we will consider applications for residency received during the spring and summer from transfer students and Cornell continuing students.