LINGUA FRANCA A BI-ANNUAL NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY FOREIGN LANGUAGES AT SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY salemstate.edu/languages Volume 9 • Issue 1 • Fall 2011 “EVERYONE SHOULD LEARN A SECOND LANGUAGE” A CONVERSATION WITH K. BREWER DORAN, DEAN OF THE BERTOLON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS INSIDE THIS ISSUE By Elizabeth Blood, foreign languages Business and Language page 1 K. Brewer Doran, Dean of the Bertolon School of Business Hispanophile in Paris page 1 and well-known specialist in global and cross-cultural marketing and decision-making, knows first-hand the importance of Department News page 2 understanding different cultures and learning languages. Fluent MaFLA Conference page 3 in English and French, Dean Doran is also conversant in German and Swahili, and knows some Spanish and Chinese. During HOPE Award page 4 her undergraduate and graduate studies, Dean Doran studied Photo Contest page 4 and lived in Kenya, Germany, Canada, and China. She was also awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to live in Uganda. During Il Mio Destino page 5 her career in the private sector and her many business-related Salem’s Hispanics page 5 academic research projects, she has traveled to over 80 countries on all seven continents and to all 50 U.S. states. Dean Doran has, Teaching in Italy page 6 quite literally, been around the world. When asked whether today’s students should be encouraged to Arabic and Language page 7 study different languages and cultures, Dean Doran emphatically Teaching in Lugo, Spain page 8 responded “I think everyone should learn a second language. While it’s not necessary in today’s business world, not being able to speak another language puts us, as Americans, at a disadvantage. Studying Chinese page 9 The process of learning another language also helps us to learn about other cultures.” Dean Doran Canciones in Class page 10 acknowledges that, in our rapidly changing global economy, it is difficult to predict which languages students may need in the future, but argues nonetheless for language study. Learning a second or The Other Slavery page 11 third language, no matter which one students choose, starts to open the doors to the multilingual Costa Rica page 12 world in which we live. “Obviously, you can’t learn all the languages you will encounter, but you can get much better at being observant and figuring out local culture,” says Doran, “In addition, I always try to learn basic vocabulary in the language of the countries I’m visiting, as a sign of EDITORS: respect. Especially with less widely spoken languages, native speakers don’t expect you to be Jon Aske fluent, but learning a few words and being conversant in their customs goes a very long way.” Students in all fields, but particularly those who plan to work in the global economy or in our Kenneth Reeds own multilingual country, should consider making the study of languages and cultures an integral WEB PUBLICATION: part of their undergraduate and graduate studies. Doran affirms, “I firmly believe that cultural sensitivity and a keenly observant eye are the most important characteristics of successful global ssclinguafranca.wordpress.com managers. At first, learning other languages and cultures is very intimidating, but with experience, it becomes easier.” n JOIN SALEM STATE’S A HISPANOPHILE I cannot tell a lie. I did not want to go to LANGUAGE CLUBS’ MAILING EXPLORES PARIS Paris. The trip was planned as a birthday gift for my partner. Why did I not have any burning LISTS & FACEBOOK GROUPS By Laurie Meagher, Spanish instructor desire to see Paris? Although I speak un peu Visit This Page: de français and have had my spin with Camus, Beauvoir and the salons of Gertrude Stein, http://tr.im/languageclubs my heart belongs to Spain. I do not enjoy big cities either. I was not interested in seeing a sumptuously golden palace of a king and FOREIGN LANGUAGES queen who let the common people “eat cake”, TEL: 978.542.6258 nor did I believe there could be anything [email protected] remotely charming about a huge iron tower. I am not interested in haute couture nor pastries and creamy cheeses. Having experienced the continued on page 2 1 continued from page 1 Another highlight for me was the Saint SALEM STATE WELL Chapelle, Marie Antoinette’s personal chapel. magic of Granada with the flowing fountains It has a variety of stained glass windows REPRESENTED AT MAFLA’S of the Alhambra and the fairy tale Moorish that take your breath away. The main level ANNUAL CONFERENCE. architecture of Andalucía, the green hills of has a Moorish feel to it… that may explain By Kristen Artinano, MAT/Spanish Spain’s northern coasts, the austere majestic why it was my favorite. I realize that the mountains of the Sierra Nevada and the graduate predominant architecture in Spain was incredible beaches of Spain’s Costa Blanca, built in the Middle Ages when Spain was The Massachusetts Foreign Language I did not think the city on both banks of the an empire and the influence of the Moors Association held its 44th Annual Conference Seine would enchant me. had left its linguistic and architectural mark. at the Sturbridge Host Hotel and Conference But, I was wrong. Very wrong. Paris was Paris has less of the Aladdin magical fairy Center from October 27- 29, 2011. Lisa Lilly, exquisite. Every corner I turned had incredibly tale tone because it flourished in the Sun 2010 ACTFL Teacher of the year, kicked off the beautiful and preserved buildings with King’s 17th century and the 18th century of conference with her exhilarating opening charming balconies and detailed stone work. Enlightenment. The latter century fostered session, Accentuate the Positive: Celebrate Salem State students and faculty at the MaFLA conference I have never been to a city that had so many freedom and social improvement and was Language Teaching. It was a powerful message Program and a final session on Saturday with today’s need to address students of miles of architecture of the same period. The instrumental in helping the United States with about spreading the word about foreign morning with MaFLA Past President and Salem diverse backgrounds in the Spanish language city was planned in such a way that many its own freedom. The unity and good planning language learning within your classroom, State Lecturer Dr. Kathy Lopez Natale called classroom. Dr. Kristine Doll and grads Jennifer beautiful landmarks can be seen from a variety of the city show the reflection of the Reason district and beyond. Conference participants Negotiating the Licensure Process. Quigly, Alba Santana, and Christina Berry of points. There were enough parks and green that century was known for. A side trip five were free to choose from more than 100 Friday morning’s concurrent session presented recent research in the fields of serene places to make me forget I was in a city. hours away to Mont St. Michel in Normandy sessions and workshops that piqued their offerings included a session by Salem State’s culture, language acquisition and technology The bridges across the Seine beckoned to be was also special. Mont St. Michel, named interest and helped to meet their professional Dr. Fátima Serra along with MAT grads Mary during their Friday afternoon session. crossed, all of them each with its own special after St. Michael, is an abbey which rises from development needs. This year’s conference Giordano, Katie Lyons and Alison Carigan Conference attendees had the opportunity characteristic. Paris is a city for walking. The the pinnacle of a rock surrounded by strong theme, “Languages Connect the World,” presented a session entitled Oral Proficiency to learn how to incorporate music into their numerous cafes offer respite when the feet tides, quicksand and howling winds. It was was one that inspired and re-energized all in and Culture in the Spanish Classroom. Their language teaching at Dr. Jon Aske’s Friday are weary. There are patisseries, boulangeries, built in 708 and is accessible only at low tide. attendance. presentation focused on how to use authentic afternoon session. Dr. Aske gave examples bistros, restaurants, and crêperies where one This gigantic structure with many towers, The conference drew nearly 900 language resources to engage students when studying of level and language appropriate lyrics and can sit to refresh and people-watch. belfries and labyrinthine passageways was professionals from across the region, among culture and diversity in the Spanish speaking technological tips on how to download songs The Eiffel Tower was actually one of my truly enchanting. them a host of professors as well as past and world as well as how to provide strategies and videos for easy classroom use. Also, on favorite spots. I thought the illumination would The people were warm and friendly, present MAT/Spanish students, many of whom to increase students’ oral proficiency. The Saturday morning, MAT in Spanish graduate seem tacky and too glitzy but it was actually especially the students who enjoyed presented at the conference. Dr. Nicole Sherf session was an overwhelming success and Dr. Sara Sansoucy presented a session called quite magical standing at the top looking out practicing their English and who were very presented four sessions at the conference. Serra shared, “our presentation was very well Connecting Upperclassmen to the Spanish onto the city of lights. From there one can patient with the tourists’ French. The wine, She organized a double session panel for attended and we engaged the audience in a Language Curriculum through Spanish Film see the Notre Dame, the Louvre, L’Hospital of course, was wonderful and as it turns out, department chairs on Friday morning called very dynamic discussion that continued even centered on the curricular materials for an des Invalides and the myriad palaces.