Contact Information
LCLB 2130
Office Hours
Biography
Lisa recently completed her Ph.D. in the summer of 2024 in the French Second Language Teacher Education (SLATE) program at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. Previous studies include a Master's Degree from Illinois State University in French Pedagogy and a double major in Music and French as an undergraduate at Illinois Wesleyan University. In addition to her work as a Teaching Assistant and a Course Coordinator from 2019-2024 at the U of I, she previously taught for approximately 15 years at other midwestern universities such as Knox College, Bradley University, Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan University, and Heartland Community College as an adjunct instructor. Additionally, she has also maintained an in-home piano studio for over 35 years. Her combined interest in music and French fueled her interest in her dissertation work which examined, among other things, the relationship between a musical background and French pronunciation.
Research Interests
Second Language Acquisition
French Pronunciation
Intelligibility vs. Nativelikeness
Correlation between a musical background and French pronunciation
Perceived Fluency vs. Utterance Fluency
Musical Aptitude vs. Musical Training
Research Description
The title of my dissertation was "The Relationship between a Musical Background and French Pronunciation for Adult Novice Learners: A Mixed Methods Study". In this study, I examined the correlation between a musical background and French pronunciation. Additionally, I examined the correlation between Intelligibility and Nativelikeness as well as the correlation between Perceived Fluency and Utterance Fluency and Musical Aptitude and Musical Training. Results indicated no relationship between intelligibility and nativelikeness. However, there was a relationship found between musical aptitude and musical training. Additionally, a positive relationship between perceived fluency and utterance fluency as well as intelligibility and perceived fluency was discovered. No direct correlation was found between a musical background and French pronunciation. However, the study was successful in determining an indirect influence between a musical background and French pronunciation as well as clearly establishing a difference between intelligibility and nativelikeness.
Education
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Ph.D. in French SLATE |
2024 |
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The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, IL Dissertation title: The Relationship between a Musical Background and French Pronunciation for Adult Novice Learners: A Mixed Methods Study Committee Members: A. Mroz (chair), Z. Fagyal, R. Shosted, and X. Yan
M.A. in French |
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Illinois State University, Normal, IL
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2003 |
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B.A. in Music and French, magna cum laude |
1983 |
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Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL |
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Awards and Honors
SLATE Conference Travel Award
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) – College of Liberal 2023
Arts and Sciences (LAS) – Second Language Acquisition Teacher Education Program (SLATE).
- Awarded for presentation at a conference.
K.A. Looney Senior Award for Excellence in 2023
Teaching French
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) – College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences (LAS) – Department of French and Italian (FRIT).
- Awarded for excellence in teaching.
Knudson Fellowship 2023
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) – College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences (LAS) – Department of French and Italian (FRIT).
- Awarded to continue research.
Departmental Fellowship 2022 2022
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) – College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences (LAS) – Department of French and Italian (FRIT).
- Awarded to continue research.
Reed Fellowship 2021
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) – College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences (LAS) – Department of French and Italian (FRIT).
- Awarded to continue research.
Montserrat Vilarrubla Award for Excellence in Teaching 2002-2003
Illinois State University, Department of Foreign Languages
- Awarded for excellence in teaching.
Courses Taught
UIUC: Elementary French 1 & 2, Intermediate French 3 & 4, Elementary Italian 1
Knox College: Elementary & Intermediate French, French Conversation, French Theatre
Bradley University: Elementary & Intermediate French
Illinois State University: Elementary & Intermediate French
Illinois Wesleyan University: Elementary & Intermediate French
Heartland Community College: Elementary French, Adult Education French
Additional Campus Affiliations
Course Coordinator for French 2, 3, and 4 2022-2024
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
- Oversee 9 sections of 2 different classes each semester, 9 teaching assistants, 130 students.
- Prepare course syllabi for teaching assistants prior to the start of courses.
- Update course websites in Moodle, both prior to and throughout the semester.
- Regularly communicate course expectations, procedures, and policies to teaching assistants and students.
- Schedule and facilitate course meetings with teaching assistants.
- Guide teaching assistants in developing summative assessments throughout the semester.
- Conducted a quiz writing workshop.
Recent Publications
Brittingham, L. (2023). Musical Background and French Pronunciation: A Mixed Methods Study. 2023 Report of the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, 103-123. https://www.csctfl.org/about/central-states-report