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Published on June 07, 2022
As we entered the 3rd year of the pandemic in the fall, we all started classes on ground, everyone wearing masks and ready to tackle the new semester. Unlike many other subjects, language classes hinge on the instructors’ being able to see students’ facial gestures and reactions; face masks, though protective, can and do muffle pronunciation and hide students’ faces, so we don’t know how well they are hearing us -- Did they understand what I said? Are they reacting favorably? Do they agree or disagree? Is their attitude one of questioning, shock, apathy, etc.? The good news is that the University decided that, after spring break, we were able to remove our masks in class – what a relief, at least from the faculty’s perspective! It took a while to get used to seeing our students’ bare faces, but it was a welcome change. Back we were in our grooves, enjoying the … yes, unmasked face-to-face interaction, seeing the whole person. We could then teach better, adjust our instruction, make it more personalized.
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