Virginie Reali

Educational Background

Dec 2011         Ph.D. in French (SLATE option), Department of French, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign      

Dissertation:“Forms and functions of the French discourse particle hein used in everyday French conversation- A Conversation Analytic Perspective” Directors: Dr. Andrea Golato and Dr. Peter Golato

2000-2002       M.A., French literature, Department of French and Italian, University of California, Santa Barbara

1998-2000       Maîtrise de Lettres Modernes, mention Très Bien (Equivalent to Masters in French Language and Literature, graduated with highest honors), Université de Grenoble III, France Thesis:Jeu et Enjeu de l’habit dans le théâtre de Molière (Clothes and costumes in Molière’s plays)

My interests are multiple: I am particularly passionate about French literature and culture, especially 17^th Century French theater (my MA thesis focused on clothes and costumes in Moliere’s plays) as well as 19^th and 20^th French poetry and I truly enjoy teaching it, which I had the opportunity to do at the University of California, Santa Barbara. I also have a strong interest in anything that is related to learning and teaching a foreign language at all levels, hence my specialization in Second Language Acquisition and Teacher Education for my Ph.D. At last, my fascination to understand (and teach!) the fine details of conversational French and what they say about the culture led me to Conversation Analysis, especially to the study of discursive particles.

I have taught a large array of French classes at all levels in different places in the United States (UCSB, UUC, UNR) as well as in Europe for private schools and the European Institutions in Brussels, where I spent the last 3 years.

When I don’t teach, I enjoy reading, writing, watching movies, walking while enjoying the sun, and spending time with my family and friends!