Building Bridges - Learning Languages at Eaglebrook

The Eaglebrook World Languages Department gave an assembly on December 11 to highlight the department and the work done by students to learn each of the languages Eaglebrook offers, French, Chinese, Spanish, and Latin. Chinese teacher Richard DeSalvo had said earlier in the year, “Learning language is a form of bridge-building. By learning foreign languages and cultures we become bridge builders – we build bridges outward toward others to better understand them, to meet them and see the world from their perspective, and to comfort them so they don’t feel alone. And we build bridges inward that lead toward a better understanding of ourselves as learners and world citizens.”

Students at Eaglebrook are asked to do much more than just learn a language. Yes, learning how to write and translate are important skills when learning another language, as evidenced by this video explaining how students learn to write Chinese characters and this video about how to translate Latin, but learning about the culture is important, also. One way to learn about a culture is to become familiar with its stories. Watch some students in French classes perform a short French fable here. Once each term for two weeks, tables in the dining hall are designated as places where students can speak in one of the four languages offered at Eaglebrook for the whole meal, learning how to carry on a conversation and understand one another. Sally Laubin, chair of the World Languages Department, closed the assembly by saying “learning another language is a daunting challenge and you can be the bridge or the passageway to the success of another Eaglebrook student by offering a sympathetic ear.”

Learn more about the Eaglebrook World Languages Department at www.eaglebrook.org/academics.