Florence Le Baron Earle

I am a University Teacher in French and Technology at the School of Modern Languages and Applied Linguitsics

As a passionate and committed educator, I strive to foster social inclusion and intercultural dialogue in my classroom. My work is dedicated to cultivating global citizenship and building empathy among students, empowering them to become compassionate and engaged members of society. My innovative teaching pedagogies adopt Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and have been recognised at local and European levels (Regional Teaching Excellence Award and European Language Label Award). 

I have experience teaching across a number of areas in French studies to learners from a variety of backgrounds. Before joining the School of Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics in September 2014, I worked at the University of York (UK) as Teaching Fellow, the Lao National University (Lao PDR) and the University of Limerick (Ireland) where I designed, delivered and assessed new courses in French and Francophone literature, culture, linguistics, French for specific-purposes (Applied Languages, Business, Law, Politics, Engineering, Medicine, and Equine Science) and also trained teachers of French working in primary and secondary schools.

Career

· 2018-to present: University Teacher in French and Technology, School of Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics, University of Limerick. 

· 2017-2018: Part-time lecturer in French, School of Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics, University of Limerick.   

· 2014-2017: Teaching Assistant in French, School of Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics, University of Limerick. 

· 2013-2014: Teaching Fellow in French, Language for All Programme and Department of Language and Linguistic Science, University of York.   

. 2008-2012: Part-time tutor, School of Languages, Literature, Culture and Communication, University of Limerick.

· 2006-2008: Lectrice in French, Department of Languages and Cultural Studies, University of Limerick.  

· 2005-2006: French teacher, Department of Languages and Cultural Studies, University of Limerick.

· 2005-2008: French teacher, Language Centre, University of Limerick.  

· May-August 2005 French teacher and teaching resource designer, Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie, Lao National University.

· 2002-2003: Lingua, Department of Languages and Cultural Studies, University of Limerick.

Education

· 2014: PhD in French studies, Applied Linguistics and Social Media (University of Limerick, Ireland)  

· 2006: MA (Honours) in Language Policy, Plurilingualism, Information and Communication Technologies, and Teaching French as a Foreign Language (University of Angers, France)

· 2004: BA (Honours) in English Language, Literature and Culture (University of Angers, France)                 

My research interests include: French studies, Virtual Exchange, Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL), Global Citizenship, Intercultural Communicative Competence, Applied Linguistics and Translation.

PUBLICATIONS:

Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals

- Le Baron-Earle, F., Batardière, M-T. (in press) ‘Intercultural Literacy’, The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Computer-Assisted Language Learning

- Le Baron-Earle, F. and Giralt, M. (in preparation), Intercultural Encounters within EVE: Benefits, Challenges and Future Directions, Intercultural Communication Education.

- Giralt, M., Le Baron-Earle, F., Barmettler, A. and Lenahan, N., (2024) ‘Empathy Building in HE: Pedagogical Practices to Foster Communication, Listening Skills and Perspective Taking’, Irish Journal of Academic Practice, 12(1). Available : https://arrow.tudublin.ie/ijap/vol12/iss1/3/

- O'Regan, V., Le Baron-Earle, F. and Batardière, M-T. (2023) Curriculum Innovation and Intercultural Dialogue: A Transnational Virtual Mobility Project, Journal of Virtual Exchange,

- Batardière, M-T., Giralt, M., Jeanneau, C., Le-Baron-Earle, F., and; ORegan, V. (2019). Promoting intercultural awareness among European university students via pre-mobility virtual exchanges. Journal of Virtual Exchange, 2,1-6. Research-publishing.net. https://journal.unicollaboration.org/article/view/1112

- Rodgers, O., Chambers, A. and Le Baron-Earle, F. (2011) Corpora in the LSP classroom: A learner-centred corpus of French for biotechnologists, International Journal of Corpus Linguistics, (special issue on Applying Corpus Linguistics).

Book

Le Baron-Earle, F. (in preparation) Language Learning in Digital Contexts: Developing Cross-Cultural Awareness, Edinburgh University Press: Edinburgh.

Book Chapters

- Le Baron-Earle, F. (2012), Social media and the acquisition of intercultural communicative competence: A focus on discussion forums in Alderete-Diez, P., Incalcaterra McLoughlin, L., Ni Dhonnachadha, L. and Ni Uigin, D., eds., Translation, Technology and Autonomy in Language Teaching and Learning, Bern: Peter Lang, 291-315.

- Le Baron-Earle, F. (2011), Quality in Language and Culture Teaching - A State of the Art Review in Murray, L., Hourigan T. and Riordan, E., eds., Quality Issues in ICT Integration: Third Level Disciplines and Learning Contexts, Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 47-71.

Academic Journal Special Issue

- Le Baron-Earle, F. and O'Reilly, C. (eds) Virtual Exchange and the Development of Transferable Skills: a Review of Practices Across Disciplines (upcoming winter 2023). Journal of Virtual Exchange, Special Issue.

Book reviews

- Le Baron-Earle, F. (2014), 'Social Networking for Language Education, Marie Noëlle Lamy and Katerina Zourou', Language Learning and Technology, 18(3), 52-55.

- Le Baron, F. (2010) Learning Language and Culture via Public Internet Discussion Forums, Barbara E. Hanna and Juliana de Nooy, ReCALL, 22(2), 266-269.

Corpus

- Chambers, A. and Le Baron, F. (eds.) Le Corpus Chambers-Le Baron darticles de recherche en français / Chambers-Le Baron Corpus of Research Articles in French. 2007, Oxford, University of Oxford: Oxford Text Archive. Available at: http://ota.ahds.ac.uk/desc/2527PhD

Dissertation

- Le Baron-Earle, F. (2013), 'Social media and language learning: Enhancing intercultural communicative competence'. unpublished PhD dissertation, available at: http://ulir.ul.ie/bitstream/handle/10344/3589/LeBaronEarle_2013_social.pdfsequence=5

Media

- Le Baron-Earle, F. (2023) 'He proposed on our first date': my experience of Irish culture shock, RTÉ Brainstorm, available: https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2023/0322/1364404-culture-shock-ireland-language/

- Le Baron-Earle, F. (2022) ‘Food, Self and identity with Donal Ryan’, Limerick Voice, Available: https://www.tyos.ie/read/donal-ryan

- Le Baron-Earle, F. (2022) ‘Food, Self and identity with Sandrine Ndahiro’, Limerick Voice, Available: https://www.tyos.ie/read/sandrine-ndahiro

- Le Baron-Earle, F. (2022) ‘Food, Self and identity with Mahmoud Adda Djeffal’, Limerick Voice, Available: https://www.tyos.ie/read/mahmoud-adda-djeffal 

- Le Baron-Earle, F. (2021) ‘Food, Self and identity with Mamobo Ogoro’, Limerick Voice, Available: https://www.tyos.ie/read/mamobo-ogoro 

LATEST CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS:

- Le Baron-Earle, F. (2023) ‘Crossing Borders: The Role of Languages, Culture and Identity’ presentation delivered as invited panel member at the ‘Engaging Cross Borders: perspectives from Ireland and Europe’ conference, Centre for Irish-German Studies, University of Limerick, November.

- Le Baron-Earle, F. (2023) ‘Culture Shocked!: Using Visual Arts depicting Critical Incidents to Develop Intercultural Awareness’, paper presented at the Centre for Transformative Learning Webinar Series: Teaching, Learning and Assessment – What do you do?, University of Limerick, November.

- Le Baron-Earle, F. (2023) ‘The UL Visual Diaries: Impressions of Cultural Encounters’, poster presented at the Languages Connect Summit, Dublin Convention Centre, October.

- Le Baron-Earle, F. (2023) ‘Fostering Collaboration and Internationalisation of the Curriculum through CALL’, paper presented at the BAAL conference, University of York, August.

- Le Baron-Earle, F. (2023) ‘Culture Shocked!: Using Comics Depicting Critical Incidents to Develop Intercultural Awareness’ paper presented at CALS Research Day, University of Limerick, May.

- Le Baron-Earle, F. (2021) ‘Introducing a Virtual Mobility Project in the Language Curriculum at Third-Level’, paper presented at the Regional Learning and Teaching Conference: Celebrating Innovation, Opportunities and Inspirations in Learning and Teaching, University of Limerick, May.

- Le Baron-Earle, F., ORegan, V., Batardière, M-T. (2021) Virtual Mobility in Higher Education: Appraising the Impact of a VE Project during a Pandemic, paper presented at the IVEC 2021 conference, New York, October.

- Le Baron-Earle Florence (2021) Internationalisation Projects: Introducing the Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange (EVE) and the Transnational Virtual Exchange Projects (TEP), paper presented at MLAL Teaching Day, UL, June.

- Le Baron-Earle, F. (2020) Testimonial about Virtual Exchange, paper presented at the UNICAEN Webinar, Université de Caen, October.

- Le Baron-Earle, F. and Giralt, M. (2020) Ready, Mobility, Go! A Pre-mobility VE project to prepare European university students for the period abroad, paper presented at the UNICollaboration Symposium, IVEC 2020, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, September.

- Le Baron-Earle Florence (2020) LiPS Online : Capitalising on students mixed competencies in an intercultural virtual exchange, paper presented at MLAL Teaching Day, UL, June.

- Batardière, M-T., Giralt, M., Jeanneau, C., and Le Baron-Earle, F. (2018) Ready, mobility, go! : A series of cross-disciplinary telecollaborative projects promoting intercultural awareness among European university students, paper presented at the Telecollaboration and virtual exchange across disciplines: In service of social inclusion and global citizenship conference, Pedagogical University, Krakow, Poland, April.

- Batardière, M-T. and Le Baron-Earle, F. (2018) Wiki tips and tricks for the modern foreign language classroom, paper presented at the Digital tools for MFL: Moving forward conference, Maynooth University, Ireland, March.

- Giralt, M. and Le Baron-Earle, F. (2018) Authenticity and multimodal communication in online intercultural exchanges, virtual paper presented at the 6th international conference on the development and assessment of intercultural competence, University of Arizona, USA, January.

- Batardière, M-T., Giralt, M., Jeanneau, C., Le Baron-Earle, F. and ORegan, V. (2017) Fostering intercultural thinking (FIT) for globalisation, paper presented at the MLAL Research Day, University of Limerick, Ireland, December.

- Le Baron-Earle, F. (2017) Insight into a telecollaborative project embracing multimodality and overcoming asymmetrical participation, paper presented at the international conference on intercultural communicative competence: A competitive advantage for global employability, Prague, Czech Republic, June.

CONFERENCES AND EVENTS ORGANISATION

- VE in Higher Education: Charting the Irish ExperienceInterdisciplinary online conference co-hosted by UL and UCC, 17 September 2021- Looking Back and Looking Forward: Innovative Practices in our Transition to Online/Remote Teaching and LearningAnnual MLAL Teaching Day, UL, 17 June 2020

- Applied Linguistics in the Era of Globalisation: Opportunities, Challenges, PracticesAnnual Irish Association for Applied Linguistics (IRAAL) conference, UL, 18 November 2017

- Thinking Outside the Module BoxAnnual Learning and Teaching Conference, University of York, 18 June 2014 - Applied Linguistics and Materials DevelopmentMaterials Development Association (MATSDA) conference, UL, 29-30 June 2012

- Web 2.0 and Language Learning One-day symposium on Computer-Assisted Language Learning, UL, June 2011

- Languages WeekA series of language-related activities (taster classes, workshops, film screenings, themed lunches), UL,21-25 September 2009 and 26-30 September 2016.

My teaching and research interests include: French studies; Applied Linguistics; Intercultural Communicative Competence; Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL); Internationalisation at Home; Social Media for Language Learning/Teaching Purposes; 20th-21st Century French and Francophone Literature, Graphic Novels, Translation.

Modules taught:

FR4143: French Language and Society 3

FR4247: French Language Culture and Society 5

FR4923: French for Business 3

FR4925: French for Business 5

FR4621: Literature and Culture 1. Twentieth-Century Literature in French (to 1945)

FR4148: French Language Culture and Society 6

FR4622: Literature and Culture 2. Twentieth-Century Literature in French (after 1945)

BR4911: Beginners French

BR4012: Communication across cultures