Students and faculty share tips for staying sharp in a foreign language over summer break. Photo courtesy of Carnegie-Stout Public Library.
MADDY BRODERICK | ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR | mbroderick@butler.edu
Summer break is a time to unwind, travel and take a break from the rigors of academia. However, the extended break can present a challenge for students studying foreign languages: how do you return to a classroom where the professor may not be speaking in one’s primary language?
Laura Moutarlier, a third-year French foreign exchange student majoring in English, understands the importance of staying engaged with a foreign language during the summer. While preparing to spend an entire year abroad at Butler, Moutarlier found that immersing herself in English-language media was the key to maintaining skills she had already begun building during her English courses in France.
“I watched TV shows in English, starting with French subtitles and then transitioning to English subtitles,” Moutarlier explained.
Shows like Outer Banks and The Vampire Diaries became her go-to for improving her listening and comprehension skills. Their engaging plots and relatable characters made the language more accessible and enjoyable to learn.
Despite these efforts, Moutarlier admits that it wasn’t easy to practice speaking. Moutarlier shared that French people are not particularly eager to hear English spoken in France, so her learning was strictly individual.
Without the opportunity to actively practice her conversational skills, Moutarlier felt overwhelmed when greeted by the rapid English conversations on campus. Nevertheless, she believes her preparation made a difference.
“I think it was important to continue with [learning English] over the summer because the international language is English,” Moutarlier said. “It really helped me prepare to come [to Butler].”
Charlie Biggs, a sophomore math and economics double major, maintaining and expanding his language skills involved a mix of digital tools and a disciplined approach. Biggs spent his summer focusing on Greek, while also keeping up with Spanish and starting to learn Italian in preparation for studying abroad in the spring.
When asked if he used any specific resources to continue his summer studies, Biggs mentioned the app Duolingo, a language learning app, as a fun and easy way to learn a new language. While he found it beneficial, he acknowledged that it is not a substitute for formal language classes.
“Duolingo is great as a supplement, but it’s not nearly sufficient,” Biggs said. “I wish there was a way I could learn a language like that through a classroom environment.”
Biggs also purchased a Greek dictionary to learn a few new words each day, which he recommended to anyone starting with a new language.
While these students have found creative ways to maintain their language skills over the summer, experts in the field also offer valuable insights.
Modern languages department lecturer Elisa Lucchi-Riester has been teaching Spanish and Italian for 22 years and believes that language learning should extend beyond the classroom. She encourages her students to find ways to immerse themselves in the language year-round.
She emphasized volunteer work in the Indianapolis community as an excellent way to practice language skills in real-world situations. For instance, volunteering at local clinics that serve the Hispanic community can provide Spanish students with the chance to practice speaking with native speakers, all while giving back to the Indianapolis area. She also suggests that students tailor their activities to their interests, such as watching TV shows that one is already familiar with.
Lucchi-Riester shared a personal anecdote from her language-learning journey. During her college years, she engaged in a language exchange with a native Spanish speaker from Madrid.
“We met every Saturday for two hours, no extra credit or anything, just a commitment to learning,” Lucchi-Riester said. “It was this consistent practice that allowed me to truly master the language.”
Maintaining a foreign language over the summer may seem daunting, but with the right strategies, students can walk into their first language class of the semester fully prepared. Whether it’s through watching TV shows, using language apps, or participating in cultural activities in the community, there are countless ways to stay engaged. As these students and faculty demonstrate, the key is finding what works best for the individual and staying determined to practice.
