Teaching Philosophy
I have fifteen years experience teaching languages in natural and classroom environments from kindergarten through adulthood. Though my specialization is in French, I have also formally taught English, Spanish, and German. I identify as a lifelong language learner and am constantly thrilled to encounter new words, idioms, and ways of thinking through language.
To each new teaching context, I bring curiosity, compassion, expertise in linguistics and language pedagogy, high standards, and a commitment to ensuring that every student has what they need to access language learning. My task as an educator is to create and facilitate an environment in which students can access their passions, stories, and full selves, and can make connections with the world and with one another through the target language. Learning a language requires constructing new identities and relationships in community and through engagement in meaningful activities.
I am continually inspired and supported by my brilliant colleagues at The Multicultural Teaching Institute and Teaching While White as we work to “make the implicit explicit” by fostering awareness of educators’ own identities and how these impact our teaching.
Teaching Experience – Higher Education
French 500: Writing and Speaking French I (2 sections) (Spring 2022)
Teaching Associate & Course Chair; Brown University
Teaching a high intermediate course that engaged students in multimodal explorations of varied texts from the francophone world, including poetry, songs, comics, and a novel, working towards mastery of language functions such as debate, description, and narration.
French 101: Elementary French (Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021)
Teaching Fellow & Associate Lecturer; University of Massachusetts Boston
Designed and taught introductory language courses focusing on the development of multimodal communicative competencies, critical thinking, and digital connection with francophone cultures through imagined communities.
French 301: French For Singers (Fall 2021 & Spring 2022)
Instructor; Longy School of Music at Bard College
Designed and implemented an innovative introductory French course tailored for master’s level vocal students that pairs oral communicative competency with the analysis of French song texts, building students’ comprehension, expression, and ability to translate songs while also preparing them to work as musicians in French-speaking contexts.
Applied Linguistics 601: Linguistics (Fall 2020)
Teaching Assistant; University of Massachusetts Boston
Assisted instruction, technology, and assessment of a masters-level linguistics course, including providing lectures on syntax and Systemic Functional Linguistics.
French B001-B002: Intensive Elementary French (Fall 2007 & Spring 2008)
French B003: Intermediate French (Spring 2008)
Teaching Apprentice; Bryn Mawr College
Designed and ran structured oral practice sessions for students in French at the elementary and intermediate levels.
K-12 Teaching Experience
Foreign Language Teacher (2012–2018)
Meadowbrook School of Weston
Designed and taught communication-intensive language courses that fostered positive academic, social, and emotional development for students with diverse learning styles, building to an immersion environment.
- French, Grades 6, 7, and 8 (equivalent to high school French I and II)
- Spanish, Grade 5
- German (elective)
English Teaching Assistant (2008–2010)
French Ministry of Education, Concarneau, France.
Designed and taught active, play-based English language classes to children grades 1-5 towards attainment of A1 level competency (CEFR).
Julia D. Spiegelman 