Middlebury Language Schools

 

The Middlebury-Brandeis Connection

Vardit Ringvald, director of the School of Hebrew, is the principal author of the School’s core textbook, Brandeis Modern Hebrew.

By combining the complementary expertise of these two institutions, the School of Hebrew is able to provide students with the best of both worlds. Brandeis University, home of the nation's leading Modern Hebrew language program for more than a decade, boasts highly experienced instructors who offer Hebrew language courses at all levels on topics such as literature, art, theater, cinema, and linguistics. In addition, Brandeis has recently published its own textbook based on the Hebrew-in-Hebrew method; Brandeis Modern Hebrew, of which the Director of the School of Hebrew, Vardit Ringvald, is the principal author, has become the core text for teaching Hebrew in many institutions across the U.S.

The Middlebury Language Schools, on the other hand, have set the international standard for intensive language immersion programs for nearly 100 years. Central to the Middlebury philosophy of language instruction is the Language Pledge, a formal commitment made by all students to speak, listen, read, and write in only the language of study for the duration of their program. The Language Pledge ensures that every moment of the day is an opportunity for students to truly live the language and the culture—practicing and imprinting the skills they have learned in the classroom while navigating everyday, real-world situations. "No English Spoken Here" is the mantra of the Language Schools, and it is adhered to by one and all—students, faculty, and staff.

Ultimately, the total immersion environment of the Middlebury Language Schools and the formidable pedagogical expertise of the Brandeis faculty combine to create an unmatched language learning experience—one that results in remarkably rapid language acquisition, as well as the development of deep cultural fluency.

• For those seeking a shorter intensive-language program, Brandeis University will conduct its Hebrew Language Summer Institute on its Waltham, Massachusetts campus in June. For more information on this one-credit, four-week program, please visit the program's Web page.