Bio

Nearly all foreign language educators will say that they strive to create a student-centered class. Nearly all university-level educators will say that they try to incorporate their research into their teaching. For over 20 years I have been extremely fortunate to work with both highly capable students and highly productive scholar-colleagues. Being student-centered means that I expect my students to teach me something, either through independent research or by providing insights into how they learn French.  My colleagues and I constantly challenge and inspire each other through demonstrations and discussions of new research and new pedagogies. This is a highly talented environment, and it is a both a privilege and a challenge to live and work in this department. All of us are committed to fostering the growth of skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking) while at the same time helping to develop critical thinking and expression (oral and written). Our efforts are focused on the development of different competencies, from the linguistic to the cultural. We take a broad definition of culture ranging from "large-C" culture (literature and fine arts) to more broadly based forms of popular culture (newspapers and magazines, current films, internet media).

Department Member Since 1989