I am thrilled to have recently joined the French Library as the Youth Programs Manager. I am coming to the Department of Education with years of experience in education and I am passionate about the process of second and third language acquisition at all ages. I was drawn to this role because I understand childhood and adolescence as formative years that have a long-lasting impact in one’s life. I live and breathe the incredible value of speaking French today thanks, in part, to the multilingual context in which I grew up, also speaking English and Spanish.
In my new role, I am working closely with our excellent and passionate instructors, education team and support staff to provide high-quality educational and cultural programs in French. I am glad to work with our close-knit team because I know that it takes not only individual talent and hard work but also teamwork to contribute to the development of an exceptional experience for each of our learners. The pandemic has undoubtedly changed education in countless ways but has certainly not put a halt to learning chez nous! I see this every day in our virtual classrooms where I am impressed with our students’ level of learning and engagement. Our fully online Spring session will continue to allow our students to access unique lessons, exercise their French and interact with our teachers and other learners in an authentic and collaborative way.
As we begin to transition back to face-to-face classes in our newly renovated Center (more on that soon) some of my objectives in the upcoming months are to continue to support and mentor our teachers and relaunch some of our outreach programs and initiatives. I am also particularly excited to co-lead with Dr. Karnoub (Director of Education), our signature Summer in French Program (SIF) that we are bringing back in full swing, and in-person, this year. Our vibrant program in the heart of Back Bay will be an ideal setting to either kick start or continue to immerse your child or teen in French in a fun and engaging way while offering them the opportunity to connect with other children/teens their age. Research shows, time and time again, that a key success in ensuring your child’s acquisition of French requires rich, consistent and continuous exposure, so the SIF is a perfect segway between our regularly programmed sessions.
As a language educator and scholar, I know learning French is a complex journey but also a steady process that helps pave the way for positive outcomes in life. Learning happens through consistent support, encouragement and collaboration between parents, instructors and administrators. So whether you are a prospective or returning parent, I want to thank you for choosing our Center as the exceptional environment in which your child will learn and grow.
I look forward to meeting you, welcoming you back to the Center and sharing all of the wonderful initiatives we have in store for you!
Sincerely,
Alan Gómez
Youth Programs Manager
Department of Education
Alan Gómez
Youth Programs Manager
Alan Gómez presently serves as Youth Programs Manager in the Department of Education. Alan holds an A.M. in French Studies from Brown University and an M.A. in Francophone Studies from CSU, Long Beach. Alan has also lived and studied in Paris, Corsica, and Perugia. He is trained in 2nd and 3rd+ language acquisition, FLE, foreign language pedagogy and literary studies.
Prior to joining the French Library, Alan was a lecturer of French and Spanish at Bryant University where he taught language and culture, critical thinking, and writing and composition. Co-author of the innovative textbook, Juntos: French for Speakers of English and Spanish (2015), his recent scholarly contributions include the chapter Intercomprehension of the Romance Languages in the L3+ Classroom [...] (2020).
