Anne Squire

Position
Associate Professor
Affiliated Departments
Telephone
617-747-8507

For media inquiries, please contact Media Relations

Career Highlights
  • Coauthor of the college-level workbook En Avant (1992)
  • Producer of the song cassette "Contacts" (Valette/Valette, 1992)
  • Editor of the college-level French textbooks Qu'est-ce qui se passe? and Contacts (both from Valette/Valette, 1984 and 1985)
  • French professor, New England Conservatory
  • Professional violinist
In Their Own Words

"My teaching style is very much a communicative approach. This past year, I have started using a new textbook which uses an inductive approach to grammar. In the past, students have been used to learning languages more deductively: you learn the grammar first, and then start talking. In this new concept through listening and reading, students comprehend the functioning of the language and from this draw grammar rules."

"With this approach, my goal is to enable students to accomplish everyday-life tasks in a French-speaking country: ask directions, go in a store, make a reservation over the phone, and so on. I expect them to read and understand basic French, such as an article in a weekly magazine."

"Being in a musical environment, it makes sense to use songs as a learning tool. Singing canons, translating lyrics, and listening to popular or art songs have been fun class activities. As a native of France, I consider discussing French culture as another important aspect of my teaching. And because of the international student body of Berklee, comparing our cultures always lead to very interesting exchanges."

"Speaking a new language—pronouncing new words, making mistakes—in front of one's peers can be an awkward experience and at times even an embarrassing one. At the start of the semester, I make sure that through a number of interactive activities, students quickly get to know each other, develop a sense of trust and comfort in the class, and start participating with ease, encouragement and positive reinforcement from the teacher."