Debate team

ALCNY’s Mission Statement, Pedagogical Model, and Overall Objectives

The mission of ALCNY, the American Learning Center New York, is to provide full-immersion English language enrichment activities for children, teenagers, and adults with a twist. Embracing the spirit of New York City, ALCNY’s enrichment activities are themed and crafted to provide an effective, impactful, and rich learning experience centered and fully built on a communicative, learner-centered model that stands apart from traditional teaching practices typically seen in France.

Contrary to a traditional lecture course in which the teacher is the main focus of every lesson, ALCNY’s curriculum aims at eliciting active participation from students who are at the front and center of each language activity within each session. Participants will put their knowledge of English into use on a daily basis through varied group activities (role-plays, grammar exercises, games, videos projects, peer-review, presentations, group work, etc.) adapted to different learner needs and styles (aural, kinesthetic, audiovisual, etc.)

ALCNY’s language enrichment program is designed for students to build on their existing knowledge of English gained in tandem via their regular courses at school or at work. Students will be guided in developing five language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing and cross-cultural competence) in the context of such main program activities as Debate Teams, Model UN, Career Development Elevator Pitch. They will also be familiarized with culturally acceptable modes of oral and written communication in English, some fundamentals of American history, and selected current social and political issues.

For information on Learner-Centered Pedagogy, please refer to Moate, Randall M. and Jane A. Cox. “Learner-Centered  Pedagogy: Considerations for Application in a Didactic Course.” The Professional Counselor (5.3): 379–389 https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1069427.pdf; and also “What is Learner-Centered Pedagogy,” IGI Global https://www.igi-global.com/dictionary/placing-technology-in-learner-centered-design-through-blended-learning-in-post-secondary-education/16795.

[1]    For information on CEFR levels adopted and enforced by the Council of Europe, please see https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/level-descriptions. 

[1]    For examples of different learning styles, please see Lightbrown, Patsy M. and Nina Spada. How Languages are Learned. (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2011): 59.