Mathilde Verillaud, ELF
Mathilde Verillaud grew up in Washington D.C., Santiago, Chile and Paris, France. She holds a bachelor´s degree and a master´s degree in American Studies from La Sorbonne University and a Certificate in Art History from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. She served twice as a Peace Corps TEFL volunteer, training high school English teachers in Ecuador and teaching English at Lanzhou University of Technology in China. As a Peace Corps volunteer, she also developed a series of extracurricular activities ranging from creating a English library and running a Film club or a Photography/Writing club to working on a literacy program for children at a women’s shelter. Previously, she had taught French at Mount Holyoke College. She is passionate about Art, cultural exchanges and world cuisines and always seeks to incorporate these in her teaching.
In 2014, Mathilde Verillaud was the English Language Fellow at A.R.I.C.A.N.A., the Binational Center in Rosario, Argentina. She has renewed her fellowship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy, in 2015. Currently, Mathilde is the English Language Fellow at I.S.I.C.A.N.A., the Binational Center in Salta and her host institution.
Make It Pop! (Culture)
Students, whether they intrinsically want to study English or are pushed by extrinsic reasons, are all exposed to popular culture in English on a daily basis, may that be through T.V. shows, movies, music or advertisements. This presentation aims at understanding why it is essential to teach culture in the EFL classroom, and how pop culture is a great tool to do just that. The presenter will introduce various practical ideas and examples where still images, moving images and music can motivate students to communicate in English as well as learn about the target culture and reflect on their own in memorable ways.