Clifford and Reisinger publish "Community-based Language Learning: A Framework for Educators"

clifford reisinger book
New from Georgetown University Press! Community-based Language Learning: A Framework for Educators
by Joan Clifford and Deborah S. Reisinger

“Clifford and Reisinger’s book is a must-have resource for 21st-century educators. It provides important insights from current academic research as well as discussion prompts and checklists for the successful implementation of community-based activities in your classroom.”—Carmen King de Ramírez, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Spanish, University of Arizona

Community-based Language Learning offers a new framework for world language educators interested in integrating community-based language learning (CBLL) into their teaching and curricula. CBLL connects academic learning objectives with experiential learning, ranging from reciprocal partnerships with the community (e.g., community engagement, service learning) to one-directional learning situations such as community service and site visits.

This resource prepares teachers to implement CBLL by offering solid theoretical frameworks alongside real-world case studies and engaging exercises, all designed to help students build both language skills and authentic relationships as they engage with world language communities in the US. Making the case that language learning can be a tool for social change as well, Community-based Language Learning serves as a valuable resource for language educators at all levels, as well as students of language teaching methodology and community organizations working with immigrant populations.

Joan Clifford is assistant professor of the practice in Spanish at Duke University and has offered Spanish service-learning courses to undergraduates for over fifteen years. As Director of the Community-Based Language Initiative in Duke Service-Learning, she consults with faculty across disciplines and supports community-based learning in world language courses in Arabic, French, German, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Persian, and Spanish.

Deborah S. Reisinger is assistant professor of the practice in French and Director of Cultures and Languages Across the Curriculum at Duke University. She teaches service-learning courses on refugee resettlement and social entrepreneurship and is the author of Crime and Media in Contemporary France, as well as numerous articles on language pedagogy, intercultural competence, and French for Specific Purposes.

Order the book here!