TA Desiree Tomasi

Who I am

I am double majoring in French-language education and Cinema & TV Production. I love learning foreign languages and learning techniques within the filmmaking process. I decided to combine my two passions after taking a History of French Cinema course at ODU and highly encourage fellow cinephiles to do the same! I plan to teach French to high school students and incorporate filmmaking into class projects or a media/film club at my future school. I am married and a mother to a 3 year old daughter, Samara.

What I know

The world is full of languages that allow humans to communicate in their day-to-day lives. Communication is what keeps us all connected. Learning about one another's language and culture can deepen our connection and allow understanding that leads to a better coexistence. Even within one's own country, there are differences in lexicon and the cadence of speech depending on the geographic location (west versus east, north versus south). Additionally, when learning a foreign language, keep in mind that grammar rules are not absolute and that there are exceptions to rules. For example, a non-English speaker learning English may be confused as to why "rough" and "through" are not pronounced the same. This tip will help ease a student's frustration with sentence structure should a grammar rule not fall in line with what they know about their native language. Students learning a foreign language will also need to work together when practicing conversation or quizzing one another on vocabulary.

What I have to learn

I need to learn about methods for students to learn French besides auditory and visual lessons. Activities that make new vocabulary and grammar easy to digest can help students that are having a hard time becoming fluent. As awesome as quick learners are for foreign language teachers, a student that easily picks up a language is not indicative of how effective a lesson may be. Some students may require more attention or a different avenue for retaining French than the rest of the class. Each class will have a different flow for lessons depending on what the students need to improve their fluency. The challenge will be to find out how long I will need to spend on a grammar lesson or new vocabulary before the class is ready to move on while improving in their listening, reading, and speaking in French. The key will be to recognize the needs of my students as quickly as I can to maximize efficiency in my lessons and their language retention.

The teacher I will become

My love for learning languages will hopefully inspire my students to continue studying French outside of class and as they progress in their education. Learning a language should be fun and a break from more rigorous courses like math (I'm still scarred from trigonometry and calculus). I firmly believe that school is meant to prepare students for real life situations they will encounter teach them how to act accordingly. They are the leaders of the world and need the tools and guidance to function independently. My students will approach learning a language as the first step to appreciating another culture. Each language has its own personality and sound. I will guide my students on their journey to become fluent in French at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. My classroom will provide an environment that is more than just rote memorization of French words and phrases. My educational philosophy aligns more with essentialism. Culture is the core of all languages. There is no getting around learning a language without understanding the culture of the people that speak it. Studying another language gives an individual a glimpse into the life of a group of people that have a different set of values, priorities, familial structure, and leisure.

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