PROVO, Utah — In the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that turned the United States' focus toward the Middle East, BYU has been selected as the headquarters for the country's newly created National Middle East Language Resource Center.
The center will represent a consortium of Middle Eastern language experts and was created this month by the U.S. Department of Education to address the shortage of Americans who have a working knowledge of Arabic, Hebrew, Persian and Turkish.
Of the country's nine existing language resource centers, none was solely focused on overseeing research and development efforts associated with Middle Eastern languages in this country, said Kirk Belnap, a BYU associate professor of Arabic and director of the new center.
Charged with developing new teaching materials, creating proficiency tests, revamping techniques for training instructors and improving advanced-level summer language and study abroad programs, the center will coordinate the efforts of the country's best Middle Eastern languages professionals at more than 20 universities — including Brown, Georgetown, Harvard, New York University, Princeton and UCLA.
Brother Belnap said the goal of the program is simple: to provide better programs to more students. In essence, he said, "We want to strengthen opportunities for students to learn these languages."
He envisions the center — created with an initial grant of $360,000, with similar funds annually for the next additional three years — as a virtual gateway to the top languages experts.
Ed McDermott, program officer in the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education, said he is pleased that BYU won his office's first grant. The confirmation letter arrived at BYU Aug. 13.
"We are confident the center can serve as a cultural umbrella under which Middle Eastern scholars collaborate to successfully carry out its objectives to improve language teaching and learning in the United States," Mr. McDermott said.
The center will concentrate its initial effort on providing practical information and tools to students, instructors, and language program administrators. Building on BYU's extensive Arabic courseware and pioneering projects at other institutions, the center will create templates for delivering language-learning materials over the Internet.
Karin Ryding, who heads the Arabic Department at Georgetown University, lauded BYU's Arabic program. "BYU has one of the best undergraduate language programs in the U.S.," she said. "And as far as Arabic goes, it's produced some of the best scholars in our field."
Sandra Rogers, BYU International vice president, called the creation of the center recognition of BYU's strong language programs. "We are excited to be part of an initiative that enhances our national capacity to communicate with an important segment of the global community," she said. "The establishment and the support of this languages consortium is reflective of the leadership demonstrated by Brigham Young University's Arabic-language facility."
Nearly three-fourths of BYU's 30,000 students speak a language other than English— more than 60 languages in all. Regular classes are offered in 43 languages, with an additional 33 available with sufficient student interest.
Much of BYU's language success is a natural result of the Church's missionary program. However, no missionaries are serving in the Middle East or learning Middle Eastern languages. Brother Belnap said his students are motivated by a desire to build bridges, promote international understanding and make a difference.
Since Sept. 11, enrollment in Middle Eastern languages and culture classes has dramatically increased at BYU — and across the country.
Brother Belnap wants to ensure that the students who sign up to study Arabic, Hebrew, Persian and Turkish have a good experience by taking advantage of the best teaching methods and materials. "With the creation of the center, those same students can get the right start," he said.
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