Category Archives: New York

[Interview] The Personal and Global Benefits of Language Learning – Woman Around Town

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I was thrilled to chat with Maria-Cristina Necula during this interview for Woman Around Town where we touched on the benefits of language learning both personally and globally, and why we should encourage our children to become multilingual. Maria-Cristina is a true example of this: She speaks six languages, two of which she honed at the Sorbonne University in Paris and the University of Vienna, and she holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from The Graduate Center. Woman Around Town was founded by Debra Toppeta and Charlene Giannetti to help other women — natives and recent arrivals — get the best out of New York and Washington, D.C. Read the interview here.

French Dual-Language Program in Jeopardy in NYC

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Following the recent decision by New York City’s Department of Education to drop a French dual-language program in Manhattan, as reported by various media (Batch, NY Post, TapInto), I wanted to express my full support to the parent-led effort that has involved hundreds of diverse families and dozens of nationalities united to create a new French dual-language program in Manhattan.

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St. John’s University Talk: On The Experience of Bilingual Education

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St. John’s University hosted my talk on the Bilingual Revolution and the future of education and I enjoyed every minute of it! I was asked to present in French so that everyone in the audience, which included students and faculty from all over the world, could put themselves through an immersive experience in a language that was not theirs. Professor Puig was there to provide some translation when I felt the students needed some help. This bilingual talk idea worked out well. The students seemed to play along and accepted the challenge. They experienced bilingual education firsthand. The next day, I heard from one student from Colombia who said she was able to understand everything. This is what she writes: “I took two courses [of French] in college but until last night I had not been able to prove to myself whether or not I could actually understand the language in a real life setting – and I could….” Kudos to Dean Katia Passerini and Basilio G. Monteiro for coming up with this idea and for inviting me. You might have started a new kind of experience!

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Bilingual Revolution in Manhattan

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Parents in Manhattan won an important victory and were able to convince schools authorities about creating a French dual-language program in a public school in the Upper East Side. Their journey, which started two years ago, has culminated in a series of recent meetings with elected officials, school leaders, and community leaders. Hailing from a number of countries, some parents want access to English or French and the equal opportunity they provide. Others want to sustain their heritage, and utilize bilingual education as a tool to do so. Others are interested in the benefits of bilingualism for cognitive development. Others are interested in the acquisition of a second, third, or fourth language because of the professional opportunities and advantages it will yield. Ultimately, these perspectives share the same goal: to create a multilingual society with greater access to languages and cultures.

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Multilingual Education and Bilingual Revolution at the Consulate of Poland

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Photo credit: Tomasz Jakubowicz

Multilingual education and the Bilingual Revolution were the focus of an event which took place at the General Consulate of the Republic of Poland in New York and provided the perfect setting for launching Rewolucja dwujęzyczna, the Polish version of my book, The Bilingual Revolution.

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The James W. Dodge Foreign Language Advocate Award

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I am honored beyond words to be the next recipient of The James W. Dodge Foreign Language Advocate Award from NECTFL, and to be the first French national to receive this prestigious prize. Past recipients include the Hon. Paul Simon, President Jimmy Carter, the Hon. J. William Fulbright, Sesame Street, blues musician Taj Mahal, and journalist Diane Rehm. The addition of my name to this list gives me immeasurable pride. The ceremony will be on February 14, 2020 during the NECTL conference in New York.

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Révolution bilingue à Manhattan

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Full house in support of more French dual-language programs in New York organized by Stephane Lautner, a French-American parent who has worked tirelessly to create a new program in Manhattan. Salle pleine pour les programmes bilingues de New York avec une réunion organisée par Stéphane Lautner, un parent franco-américain qui travaille sans relâche pour créer un programme à Manhattan.

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