Academics
International Learning
Language Learning
Language Assistant Program

Language Assistant Program

Each of our language programs select student assistants who work closely with language faculty liaisons to lead weekly conversation labs for specific language classes; to encourage students to speak the language at weekly language tables; and, in some cases, to organize events and activities to foster a sense of community through language practice and cultural celebrations.

Language mentors, also chosen by language programs, are available to students who choose to seek help in grasping the intricacies of learning a new language and becoming successful language learners.

Thanks to close collaboration between Residential Life, language faculty liaisons, and corresponding language assistants, students may also expand their linguistic and transcultural competence by electing to live on one of the language floors that are part of the current Language Living-Learning Communities.

Language assistants

Three students in the Italian Language Living Learning Community — Students in the Italian Language Living-Learning Community

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 assistants are available for Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Spanish languages.

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.

Upcoming language tables

See all upcoming language tables and open hours

Language mentors

Most languages taught at Mount Holyoke College have mentors who offer weekly Language open hour sessions in the Language & Culture Commons.

Mentors have met the language departments' criteria for language proficiency. They are trained at the start of each semester and continue to develop their language assistance skills through guided reflection, exploration, and study activities.

Upcoming open hours

Hebrew Open Hours: Contact switk22l@mtholyoke.edu.

Language assistant jobs

In order to reflect on and improve their personal performance, students hired as language assistants and mentors participate in training workshops and other program meetings throughout the year to develop their understanding of language acquisition and language teaching methods. These paid positions usually become available in the month of April for the following academic year. For more information, please contact Morena Svaldi. Current students may apply on Workday.

Language assistants lead weekly conversation sessions for designated language classes, meeting on a regular basis with language faculty to closely coordinate the content of the conversation sessions with the language course curriculum. In addition, language assistants may be assigned other responsibilities in the department, including (but not limited to) assisting with cultural activities, such as language tables and other celebrations.

The Language Mentor(s) is available to meet students during scheduled weekly Open Hours in the Language & Culture Commons, Ciruti Center. Peer Mentors guide students in understanding course material and becoming more successful language and culture learners. They create a space for brainstorming how to navigate academic projects and assignments. Depending on the student’s needs and requests, they can also work with the students to improve conversation skills, cultural awareness, and competence.

Mentors strictly follow the Academic Honor Code and do not correct assignments or edit papers.

Workshops are designed to prepare our language assistants and mentors from nine languages to create activities mostly for first and second-year language courses. Using pedagogical understanding gained during the workshops, participants learn effective ways of enriching conversation sessions with a variety of activities intended to help students make active use of vocabulary and grammar. This may involve the selection and use of authentic written, audio, audiovisual and visual materials, but in the case of language assistants, no direct “grammar instruction” per se is given. The overarching goal of all sessions is to promote interest in the languages and cultures under study through meaningful interactions, thus encouraging interpersonal and global understanding.

Faculty liaisons

Faculty liaisons work in close conjunction with language assistants regarding their work for their language programs. Further, in the case of departments with language floors, faculty liaisons serve on the Language Floor Advisory Board and collaborate with the Office of Residential Life to help shape policy and decisions regarding the language floors.