Crafting Citizens of the World
Today’s language students immerse themselves in political and cultural realities

Bernard Planchon’s seniors plunged into discussions about Algeria, Islam, the rise of fundamentalism and the Taliban. Speaking French throughout, they were reacting to Née en France, written by a young Muslim girl (of Algerian descent) living in Paris, who is torn between two radically opposed systems of values.

L’Enfant Noir, a classic of African literature by the Guinean author Camara Laye, raised other issues, both timeless and timely. Students explored, in French, man’s relation with nature, the conflict of cultures, the importance of rites and ceremonies.

Their course, “Francophone World,” considers issues important to countries that have the French language in common.  “That’s plenty of countries, 20 in Africa alone,” Bernard notes, and 150 million people worldwide.”

While these students have reached an advanced level, their class discussions are not serendipitous outcomes. Driven by a revised philosophy, remarkable new “tools” that have revolutionized the learning environment, the diversity of students in Milton’s classrooms, and professionals who are at once innovative and rigorous, the modern language department has forged a new role on campus.

“We use learning language,” says Ana Colbert, “as a vehicle for learning other cultures, rather than learning language as an end in itself.” “Without devaluing the importance of learning foreign languages in one’s linguistic and intellectual development” Bernard explains, “we have been placing a much greater emphasis on communication and on culture, which means using elements of history, geography, politics, philosophy and sociology to teach; current events are brought into the classroom almost daily.“