Our language assistants are bridges between professors and students — the energy and enthusiasm they contribute are invaluable. Learning a language is not just learning grammar and vocabulary; it is learning new ways of seeing the world and discovering new communities from the inside. As students themselves, our language assistants readily relate to our students and, while not involved directly in the teaching of grammar, they motivate our students to engage in speaking the language and exploring new cultural perspectives and ways of thinking.
Language Tables
The language tables are very informal weekly meetings, over lunch or dinner where students can practice speaking in the target language in a casual context with their language assistant(s) and faculty members.
Spring 2021
Arabic Tea: | Fridays | 5-6 pm | Contact Heba Arafah for the Zoom link |
Chinese Table: | Tuesdays | 11:30 am-12:30 pm | Contact Alice Shin-Yi Kao for the Zoom link |
Salon français: | Thursdays | 11:30 am-12:30 pm | Contact Anouk Alquier for the Zoom link |
Hebrew Table | Wednesdays | 7-8 pm EDT | Contact Stav Keshet for the Zoom link |
Pausa caffè | Wednesdays | 3:30-4:30 pm | Contact Morena Svaldi for the Zoom link |
Spanish Cafecito/lito/lillo de español: | Mondays and Wednesdays | 4:30-6 pm | Contact Esther Castro for the Zoom link |
Korean Table: | Thursdays | 8:30-9:30 pm | Contact Kyae-Sung Park for the Zoom link |
German: |
October 29, |
11:45 am-12:45 pm |
Contact Karen Remmler for the Zoom link |
Russian Vernissage/Table: | Tuesdays | 5:30 pm | Contact Susanna Nazarova for the Zoom link |
Language Floor Living-Learning Communities
Mount Holyoke College is pleased to provide opportunities for students to live in Chinese, French, German, Italian, and Spanish language communities on designated floors in North and South Mandelle. The language floors provide immersion in a vibrant and cooperative learning community and are recommended for students studying or speaking that language, as well as for those returning from or planning to study abroad. Community members are exposed to different languages and cultures through events and activities that take place both in and outside of the residence halls. Language assistants, especially those living on the language floors, play an integral role in planning these activities. Working in close conjunction with language faculty liaisons, they create a vital link between the co-sponsoring language departments and Residential Life.
Explore the MHC Social Universe >