My views about language learning are views I have lived. As an educator, as a working anthropologist, and as an official "foreigner" to the culture in which I teach, I know the best outcome requires understanding the needs and talents of every individual.

My own education is rooted in a European tradition which demands rigorous understanding of the roots of communication: grammatical, historical and empirical. I aim to give my students a firm foundation: proper grammar, correct usage and etiquette. For some examples, CLICK HERE.

The way we learn in our childhood is intuitive and reciprocal. All of us learn to speak by hearing, imitating and then forming our own understanding. My teaching methods draw upon these inherent skills. I help each student focus and refine his or her talent for French.

Most students like to have a textbook, usually accompanied by a audio CD or DVD. Even when using such guides, I customize the course of study, adding to it aids I know will help. In my classes at institutions, the text is often a given; with private students, I will suggest one of several texts.

Every student of French also needs a good dictionary and a good grammar aid such as Barrons' "501 French Verbs Fully Conjugated" or Bescherelle's "L'Art de Conjuguer".

Learning French should be an adventure and a series of discoveries; it is a recipe for enriching one's life immensely. I want all my students to integrate it into their lives, to feel increasingly comfortable with French every day, to learn not merely through repetition and exercises but also through food, film, humor, good manners and history.