beliefs & practices

I like to set the stage for learning by starting with 'the why.'  Students brainstorm ways in which the target language topics can serve communicative purposes in a personal or professional context.  I strive to show students how the French language can serve them in both their current and future lives.  My goal is not only to motivate students to use French in the future, but also in the present.  When my students tell me that they have added Francophone singers to their playlists, watch French shows on Netflix, or communicated in French while traveling to Montreal, I feel successful.

I have always dedicated considerable time to developing a trusting classroom environment.  Prior to beginning any French instruction, I first lay the groundwork for fostering a supportive community in which all learners feel comfortable in trying something new.  I build a strong rapport with my students by getting to know them as individuals and by demonstrating that I value each of their unique personalities.  Team-building ice-breaker activities and an interest survey completed in the first week of classes give me insight into students’ pastimes.  I can then adjust course content to incorporate themes, vocabulary, or pop culture references that appeal to current student interests. 

I believe that learners excel in a cheerful environment that emphasizes play, dramatization, fantasy, music and movement.  I have set up my classroom with lots of bright posters depicting the Francophone world and strive to weave in as many songs, games, and activities involving movement as possible.  I always make a point to design varied activities that appeal to a wide variety of multiple intelligences as well as learning styles.  When feasible, I offer students a choice menu so that they can select the practice activity that they find best suited to their learning preferences.

I place extreme value in crafting fun experiences for students that result in feelings of success.  I strive to provide frequent feedback that celebrates success while supportively providing support for areas of growth.  I also develop my own materials and assessments that are designed to suit my learners’ needs and interests.  I encourage students to set goals for proficiency and reflect on their growth often, providing scaffolding as needed to help them along their journeys.

My approach to grammar instruction is changing as a result of my experience in the MAFLT program.  Grammar instruction should have a primary emphasis on meaning rather than form and always be accompanied by opportunities for students to make communicative applications.  I've embraced an inductive approach where students analyze target forms and then guess the meaning, rather than just telling them directly.  I'm working on limiting intensive grammar instruction to forms with which students tend to struggle most, where the linguistic distance between English and French is most substantial.