FAQs

The Language Center has direct reservation access to LDC 201, 203, 204, and 241, with additional access to LDC 242, 243, and 244 in the afternoon. However, the latter set of rooms are booked first for courses via the registrar’s office. The Language Center lounge, Huddle Space, and private computer room are can also be reserved. For more information about Our Rooms and how to reserve them, please visit the Our Rooms page.

If you are in the LDC, you can contact the Language Center for basic classroom technology or printer support. However, anything that needs more than a simple solution will require the help of ITS (x5999).

The Language Center is responsible for adding paper to the printer in LDC 220, as well the printer found in the 2nd floor hallway. If you notice that a printer needs paper, please let a Language Assistant know.

Once you have been accepted (congratulations!) and decided to come to Carleton, you will receive an email with steps you will need to take, which will include information about language placement testing. For more information regarding deadlines and other information for new students, please visit the New Students site.

Each language department will have its own testing system. For more information, please visit our Language Placement Testing site, and click on the language you are interested in pursuing.

Avant is the company that supplies us with the placement exams (PLACE) that Spanish, French, and German currently use as a second layer of testing for students who originally received a TBA or TBD from their WebCape language test. These PLACE exams takes place during New Student Week.

Avant also provides us with language assessment exams (STAMP). Occasionally, a language course may have students take the STAMP assessment test. This is free for students when done through their language class, and it will provide a general assessment of their language abilities.

Both PLACE and STAMP are adaptive, language tests that are used by a large number of academic institutions.

Discover more information on Avant.

Currently all testing is done through the language programs at Carleton and scheduling is done directly through the language departments.

If an individual student wishes to complete their own assessment they may do so at their own cost. Please note that this is NOT a substitute for, nor will the results exempt you from, your language requirement at Carleton.

For any other questions about these or other language proficiency tests, contact the Director of the Language Center.

All films are initially located at the library. If you are just looking for any film, please search through the library database and reserve your copy as normal.

If the film was part of your language class and the Language Center ran the showing of the film, the Language Center will hold onto films until the end of the term for individual showings. If you missed a film screening for your class, you can come by the Language Center and watch the film in the LDC. Films must remain in the LDC.

Currently, the Language Center plays no role in exemption other than occasionally proctoring an exam. Please see the Language Requirement Exemption page for more information and petition documents.

Yes! Departments and/or interested students should contact the either the Director or the Assistant to the Director for more information.

The Language Center has a number of resources that we offer Carleton students, faculty, and staff. For information about current resources, please visit the resources page or stop by the Language Center.

If you have suggestions for resources you think the Language Center should consider providing, please reach out to the Director.

Discover from Lifeware how to switch your Windows computer to an international keyboard and use accent shortcuts. Scroll to the bottom for types of accents. View a full list of Windows shortcuts in the numeric code format.

Change your keyboard layout and language input source in Windows.

Change your keyboard and language input source on a Mac.

Yes, please see our calendar for our Language Center specific spaces here.

*Please note, this is ONLY for our Lounge spaces, the Huddle Space, or our private computer room (LDC 221). All other spaces in the LDC can be viewed through campus scheduling, or by contacting the Director or the Assistant to the Director.

We are happy to hear you are interested in working at the Language Center! We think it is a great place to work 🙂

We generally hire for the upcoming academic year during the summer break. Occasionally, we will hire mid-year for winter or spring terms, but this is not guaranteed. We always post an ad on the Student Employment Job Postings page whenever we are hiring.

When we hire, we typically look for students who speak at least one language other than English, with a preference for students who speak a language taught at Carleton. If you have any questions about working at the Language Center, you can contact the Director of the Language Center.

The Language Center has direct reservation access to LDC 201, 203, 204, and 241, with additional access to LDC 242, 243, and 244 in the afternoon. However, the latter set of rooms are booked first for courses via the registrar’s office. The Language Center lounge, Huddle Space, and private computer room are can also be reserved. For more information about Our Rooms and how to reserve them, please visit the Our Rooms page.

If you are in the LDC, you can contact the Language Center for basic classroom technology or printer support. However, anything that needs more than a simple solution will require the help of ITS (x5999).

If you need instructional help with DiLL (language lab software in LDC 241), please contact the Language Center.

The Language Center is responsible for adding paper to the printer in LDC 220, as well the printer found in the 2nd floor hallway. If you notice that a printer needs paper, please let a Language Assistant know.

DiLL is a software that allows an instructor to monitor their students during language class, and can be found on the computers in LDC 241. They allow you to hear, record, speak to, and control your students screens. You can pair students up to talk to each other as well as listen in without them knowing. There are a variety of tasks that can be accomplished with this software.

For more information or to reserve LDC 241 for one of your classes, please contact the Director.

French students can gain access to a web version of Antidote. They need to be currently enrolled in a French language class. Please contact ITS for access.

WebCape is a language placement exam from Emmersion. Currently, Carleton uses WebCape to place students into German, Spanish, and French classes. Students who score a TBA will directed to take a second placement exam (PLACE by Avant).

For more information on WebCape, please contact Mary Tatge.

Avant is the company that supplies us with the placement exams (PLACE) that Spanish, French, and German currently use as a second layer of testing for students who originally received a TBA or TBD from their WebCape language test. These PLACE exams takes place during New Student Week.

Avant also provides us with language assessment exams (STAMP). Occasionally, a language course may have students take the STAMP assessment test. This is free for students when done through their language class, and it will provide a general assessment of their language abilities. Students who score high enough on their assessment, will also receive a certificate for the Global Seal of Biliteracy.

Both PLACE and STAMP are adaptive language tests that are used by a large number of academic institutions.

Discover more information on Avant.

Please contact the Director for pricing and scheduling information. Currently, all testing is done through collaboration between the language programs and the Language Center at Carleton.

For smaller groups of students, we have students either schedule a time with us or simply drop-in. For larger groups of students, we will establish specific dates and times and the Language Center will provide a digital signup sheet for students to register.

If an individual student wishes to complete their own assessment they may do so at their own cost. Please note that this is NOT a substitute for, nor will the results exempt any student from the language requirement at Carleton.

Currently, Avant charges $22.90 (summer 2023) if tests are purchased in bulk. The Language Center pays for exams through funding from the Office of the Provost and arranges the proctoring of the exams.

Currently, the Language Center plays no role in exemption other than occasional exam proctoring. Please see the Language Requirement Exemption page for more information and petition documents.

To arrange for the Language Center to screen a film for your class, please contact the Assistant to the Director. Before the screening, you will need to request your movie from the library (Maggie Epstein: meptsein) and have it delivered to the Language Center. Please make sure to note in your email that the film is to be brought to the Language Center so the library can separate film requests properly.

The Language Center will hold onto films until the end of the term for individual showings. If a student missed a film screening for your class, they can come by the Language Center and watch the film in the LDC. Films must remain in the LDC.

The Language Center arranges the orientation schedule for the Language Associates, provides some of the training during orientation week and is available to answer questions pre-arrival as well as during the academic year (or direct the LA to a different contact). We can also help arrange spaces for office hours or tutoring in the LDC.

LA job responsibilities are primarily with the individual language departments to which the LA belongs.

Yes! Please contact the either the Director or the Assistant to the Director for more information.

Please visit the Our Rooms page to learn more about our spaces. Food may be brought into the Language Center and we have a coffee maker and kettle available, if desired.

You must be signed in to view this form.

Sign In

The Language Center has a number of resources that we offer Carleton students, faculty, and staff. For information about current resources, please visit the resources page or stop by the Language Center.

If you have suggestions for resources you think the Language Center should consider providing, please reach out to the Director.