French language assistants from Dijon and Strasbourg complement faculty classroom instruction by meeting with students in supplementary sessions called practica. These practica are convened twice a week in the elementary course, once a week in the intermediate course, and once a week in the composition and conversation course, over and above the regular course contact hours with the faculty member. The purpose of these sessions is to reinforce and consolidate the skills that students acquire in the classroom. This is done through a variety of lively exercises focusing on oral fluency.
The French language assistants are recent graduates of French universities. In addition to their regular duties in practicum sessions, they continually serve as valuable live resources outside the classroom to answer questions relating to French language and culture. They play prominent parts in such co-curricular activities as the weekly French Table, the French Club, and study abroad workshops. In short, French language assistants are always available to Holy Cross students for help in any and all aspects of their French studies.