Sophie Adamson, associate professor of French, attended the annual convention for the American Association of Teachers of French in Montreal July 7-9, 2011.
Adamson presented with Deb Reisinger from Duke University about community-based learning projects they recently incorporated into French courses at Elon and Duke. Adamson’s model emphasized intermediate language skill development within a distinctive cultural framework where “real life” connections were fostered through community outreach. Last spring, her Elon students were partnered with French-speaking children served by a local African refugee center. The community experience provided hands-on learning opportunities outside the classroom that boosted students’ self-confidence in their language skills and fostered an enthusiastic commitment to learning.