Longtime UMUC European Division foreign language teachers say that the biggest change in their field over the years is a growing interest among Americans in learning a language other than their native English. Foreign language courses have long been a staple of the European Division's program and include Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Modern Greek, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish. Most instructors are native speakers of the languages they teach, and some have been with UMUC for several decades. Felice Maselli began teaching Italian with UMUC at the Vicenza Army base in northern Italy in 1956. He earned his doctorate in foreign languages and literature at the University of Bari, Italy.
More people are aware that it's good to know a second and even a third language.
There is more of an interest now in being more fluent in the language of the country in which you are living and working. Maselli was born in Long Island, New York, but moved to Italy with his parents when he was 10 years old. And being able to speak the language makes your time here more enjoyable. If you don't learn in the classroom, you have to learn the hard way. From the beginning, I speak more German in the classroom, and even explain things in German.