MTSU once again is offering the community a chance to quickly learn a foreign language this summer through its Center for Accelerated Language Acquisition.

In this 2013 file photo, Spanish instructor Brian Roberts, left, chats with student Winston Joffrion during class at the Summer Language Institute inside the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building at MTSU. (MTSU file photo)

Registration is open for classes at this year’s Summer Language Institute, which includes various levels of Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Latin and Spanish — all taught in a fun, interactive atmosphere. Classes for Chinese begin in mid-May, with the majority of classes scheduled for June, with some also offered in July and August.

Classes are for residents age 13 and older. For a full schedule, to register and to view a video, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/cala and click on the “See Our Classes” button.

“We often have students who are completely new to the language,” said Dr. Shelley Thomas, an associate professor of foreign language and founder and director of the institute. “After two five-day classes, complete beginners have tested out of anywhere from one to four semesters of college-level language classes on MTSU’s foreign language placement test.

(Watch this video about the class structure.):

Click the image to see class offerings and to register for 2015 Summer Language Institute.

“The classes are fun and effective, so students are highly motivated to continue their language study. One student was so impressed with the results and reasonable cost, he actually took three different languages in one summer!” — Dr. Shelley Thomas, founder and director of the MTSU Summer Language Institute

The center, also known as CALA, is the official language training operation of the University Honors College at Middle Tennessee State University. Classes are held in the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building.

CALA has spent more than a decade researching how the brain learns language best with the experts in the field of psychology and brain research.

Research shows the best way to learn a language is the same way you learned your native language — with lots of hands-on methods that are enjoyable and take place in a fun, low-stress atmosphere using movement, songs, games and stories.

For more information, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/cala.

— Jimmy Hart (jimmy.hart@mtsu.edu)

Dr. Shelley Thomas, an MTSU Foreign Languages and Literatures professor, teaches a French class during the 2013 Summer Language Institute at MTSU. (MTSU file photo by Andy Heidt)