Raphael Bloch-Laine

After graduating from Sciences Po (Paris) with a master's degree in political sciences and civil administration, Raphaël Bloch Lainé entered a curriculum in linguistics and education which resulted in a master’s degree in teaching French as a foreign language. After working for different institutions in Thailand and France, he taught summer courses for graduate students at the French Petroleum Institute (IFP School) and contributed to the edition of digital resources in scientific French, specifically designed for the oil industry. Having served as a primary school teacher for five years, he finally joined The American University of Paris in 2008 to design a new French course for graduate students. He has taught since then all levels of French and co-designed a new introductory course on French culture.

He draws the core ideas of his instructional philosophy from his own experience as a learner and a teacher: learning a foreign language means much more than deciphering new signs and being able to communicate. It challenges perspectives, expands social and intellectual capacities and enables the learners, if they feel secure and confident, to attain new goals.