Fulbright teaching assistants connect cultures through language

Fulbright teaching assistants connect cultures through language

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When you meet Amelie Plachot (pictured above, left) and Ana Revale (pictured above, right) one thing is clear - they love being ambassadors for their respective countries, France and Argentina. The two are the 2024-25 Fulbright foreign language teaching assistants (TAs) in Salve's Department of Modern Languages.

Under the program, they teach languages and take courses at Salve and teach introductory language instruction at Newport's Pell Elementary School. They also plan cultural events on campus and host 'language tables,' where Salve students can sit down casually and practice their conversational Spanish or French.

"France is not just about Paris," Plachot said. "It has so many beautiful, wonderful places - urban, mountains, countryside and the people are nice. They are very open to communicating if you show interest and try to pick up a few words."

For Revale, building an understanding of her native Argentina means sharing how warm and welcoming its citizens are, and how resourceful. "We're used to finding ways to get things done in the face of adversity. It's a country of hard workers," Revale said.

Different paths to the Fulbright program

Revale graduated in 2018 from the Joaquin V. Gonzalez Teacher Training Institute in Buenos Aires and had been teaching English at institutions in and around the city for seven years when she learned about the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (TA) Program.

"In Argentina I studied and taught mainly British English, so I wanted to deepen my knowledge on North American culture. I very much wanted to come here and experience that in person. I'm curious about other cultures and I love teaching. It seemed like the perfect combination."

As an undergraduate at Université d'Artois in Arras, Plachot had studied U.S. politics and culture. She graduated in 2022 and began her master's program at Université de Lille, where her thesis director introduced her to the Fulbright program. "I decided to take a break to study abroad. I was very interested in women and gender studies in the U.S., and Fulbright was the only program that proposed experience in the U.S. Since I eventually want to teach English in France, it's ideal. I can discover the campus culture and share my own culture while I gain teaching experience," said Plachot.

Similar reasons drew them to Salve

The Fulbright program presents foreign language TAs with a selection of six to eight campuses to rank and choose. Plachot and Revale both picked Salve for similar reasons - as it is a smaller community, they would be able to develop relationships with their students, teachers and peers. They both appreciated being at a school where they would not need a car to get around on campus and in the city. Being in a historic, oceanside city also drew them to Salve.

"Another Fulbrighter had told me that Salve is the best choice you could make and she was right," Revale said. "The people are friendly, the campus is beautiful and teachers are willing to help you make the most of your experience. Students here are polite and respectful. The ocean is a bonus."

Upon learning about Salve's mercy mission at Convocation, both TAs felt an immediate connection. "I had done a lot of tutoring, volunteering and blood drives in France," Plachot said. "Giving back is a great value to teach to college students." Eventually, she plans to return to France to teach.

Revale appreciates that Salve is open to people of all religions. "While I don't share the same religion, I share the same universal values," she said. "I want to teach English in the public schools in Argentina. I want to give back to my country. I also want to help my students be open to other cultures but embrace their own and speak their minds to the world. Knowing how to do that in English will make that easier for them."

For more information on the Fulbright U.S. Student program, please go to its website. Salve students and graduates seeking more information about applying to the Fulbright program can contact Erin FitzGerald, director of the Center for Global Education and Fellowships, at [email protected].