Learning a language can be a long, time-consuming process that needs continued practice and hard work. But a program in the School of Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics is aiming to provide a short-term experience for those who are interested in learning something new in less time.

The Intensive Foreign Language Instruction Program or IFLIP will offer classes in the winter semester, giving the opportunity for students to learn the basics of a variety of languages.

The program will offer courses in elementary German; elementary and intermediate French, Italian and Portuguese; and elementary, intermediate and advanced Spanish.

The program will take place from Jan. 4-15.

“IFLIP is an intensive two-week foreign language program, which is designed for people who are going to travel for a short time and cover basic introduction of the language,” said Marlynna Schaefer, administrative assistant in the School of Literatures, Culture and Linguistics.

The program began in 2005 and has offered instruction in a variety of languages, said Schaefer.

Schaefer said the course offered by IFLIP vary from year to year depending on the instructors available during the program period. Students pay $100 for the program, while faculty pay $125 and the public pays $150.

Raquel Goebel, instructor in the Spanish and Portuguese department, has taught Portuguese courses in IFLIP before and will continue teaching in 2016. She said that teaching IFLIP courses is a different experience compared to teaching in regular classes.

“I don’t use the same material as what I use for the regular classes during semesters, and it is always a good opportunity to learn something new,” Goebel said. “The course content focuses more on conversation, travel skills, interaction [with] students.”

Goebel said that the courses offer a low-pressure option for students and the public, who might not have time otherwise, to learn new languages.

“Students are happy to come to class and learn something new because they don’t have much pressure on doing homework and [with] attendance policy, which is flexible for people who have jobs and also for students who want to continue practicing and learning during breaks,” she said.

Elizabeth Woodburn, sophomore in bioengineering, said that she likes that the program would allow her to continue to learn Spanish again because she didn’t want to take courses for credit during the semester.

“But because it is on campus during breaks, it seems really restricted for students,” Woodburn said. “If they could offer online courses that will be more attractive to students since lots of students would like to back to their homes during breaks.”

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