Activities of the Rassias Institute for Language and Cultural Studies (RILCS)

Dr. Joel Goldfield, Academic Director, Fairfield University

Fairfield University is proud to be affiliated with The Rassias Foundation at Dartmouth College. Since signing a letter of agreement with the Rassias Foundation in 1995, the University has pursued a variety of language and cultural programs consistent with the philosophy of the Foundation that once one begins to learn a foreign language, both the language and its associated culture(s) begin to lose their foreign and alien qualities. By learning a foreign language, we take that unmatchable step to learn about the Other and, we hope, to understand him or her. And perhaps that effort will bring us all closer together. In the spirit of that great adventure, we take pleasure in creating language immersion experiences that rely on a backbone of structural knowledge within a great body of speaking and listening for improved communication skills. Fairfield University’s programs embed cultural experiences and simulations when outside the foreign country. These are what one might call an extrovert’s language teaching techniques in both for-credit and non-credit courses and in lecture/presentations that come alive with drama and enthusiasm. Please also see the Rassias Foundation mission statement. For readers with authorial ambitions, please see the call for papers for our next issue of The Ram’s Horn, a peer-reviewed publication.

Some of the RILCS activities are linked below. Others, especially those in progress, such as the Weekend Immersion Programs (WIPs), can be found using the search engine for the pages of the University College at Fairfield University and at http://www.faculty.fairfield.edu/jgoldfield.

METHODS WORKSHOPS:

RILCS works closely with the University College (continuing education) and the Rassias Foundation at Dartmouth College to sponsor teacher workshops. The principal instructor for the Rassias Method workshops is Professor John A. Rassias of Dartmouth College. Please inquire about future programs at joel@cs.fairfield.edu. We welcome group requests.

Photos from the November/December 2007 Rassias Method Workshop at Fairfield University.

RECENT ACTIVITIES OF THE RASSIAS INSTITUTE FOR LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL STUDIES

Current: On-going Weekend Immersion Programs (WIPs) for a variety of modern languages under the auspices of the University College at Fairfield University and in partnership with the Rassias Foundation at Dartmouth College.

Sept. 2005 A language teachers’ workshop principally conducted by Prof. John A. Rassias with the collaboration of Prof. Joel Goldfield. Fairfield University.

May 2004 A lecture/presentation by Prof. John A. Rassias, “Language, Culture & Politics.” An address to Fairfield University and the Dartmouth Club of Eastern Fairfield County, introduced by Prof. Joel Goldfield and Dr. Edna Wilson, Dean, University College.

April 2002 A lecture/presentation by Prof. John A. Rassias, “Meat and Mysticism from Naturalism to Symbolism: French Theatre in Shock.”