Faculty Support

Conversation Groups

Curriculum embedded conversation groups are tutor or TA facilitated sessions during which students review the previous 2 - 4 weeks of course material in a conversational format. 

Professors and Language Center staff (Rachel or Claire) collaborate to develop scenarios and materials that embed vocabulary, grammar concepts, and cultural norms, typically at the 110-140 levels (though these groups could also be developed for 200 & 300 level courses). 

The scenarios embed vocabulary, grammar concepts, and cultural norms, thereby providing students the opportunity to refine their recall, circumlocution, and conversational negotiation skills.

Held in the Language Center during class time, these conversation groups also provide Tutors and TAs  the opportunity to develop their facilitation skills, as they circulate, gently correct, and participate in the conversations, providing their real life experiences from study abroad. 

Tutors and TAs are trained by Language Centers staff to foster conversation, using elaboration, circumlocution, active listening, modeling and other techniques. 

Contact Rachel Martinie, Language Center Coordinator, if interested!

Non-Language Specific Resources

• BBC Languages - news, tv & radio programming resources
• Canva - infographic and poster creator for research projects
• Storyboard That - illustrator platforms
• Dollar Street - realia and socio-economic comparisons from around the world
• Forvo - online dictionary
• How to Pronounce - multilingual pronunciation dictionary
• Linguee & WordReference - contextualized dictionary sites
• TuneIn - podcast library with categories like arts & culture, entertainment, music, news & politics, and religion & spirituality
• Vocaroo - free online recorder