Nathalie M. Degroult

 A native of northern France, Nathalie Degroult is a Professor of French and current chair of the Department of Modern Languages & Classics at Siena College (New York). She holds a Ph.D in French from The University at Albany, a M.A in French from Binghamton University, and a B.A in International Affairs from The George Washington University. Dr. Degroult teaches courses in language, literature, and culture, both in French and English.  Dr. Degroult specializes in Contemporary French and Francophone Cinema and literature, and has published numerous papers on this topic as well as on the art of teaching cinema; she incorporates the content of her articles in various French courses. In addition to academic articles, book and film reviews, she also co-authored with Michèle Bissière (University of North Carolina, Charlotte) the 3rd edition of the textbook Séquences (Intermediate French Through Film). She served as the Managing Editor of the French Review for three year (2014-2017) and is now a Review editor for the journal. Dr. Degroult was named Chevalier de l’ordre des Palmes académiques in 2016 and is currently the editor in chief of the Gazette Violette, a publication from the American Society of the French Palms.

My Siena Experience

My Teaching Philosophy

As a language teacher, I strive to inspire, motivate and challenge my students to become outstanding language learners who can demonstrate both linguistic and cultural competency. Using an eclectic approach I not only focus on the four fundamental language skills (listening, reading, speaking and writing) but also integrate the study of French and Francophone cultural realities ,. I create a welcoming and nurturing environment which puts my students at ease and facilitates their desire to learn. Studying a foreign language can seem intimidating and stressful for some students and teaching it requires a tremendous amount of dedication, patience, and pedagogical innovation. In all the classes I teach in English or French, I use technology such as power points, film clips, audio recordings and blackboard as essential components of my teaching methodology. I consistently incorporate authentic and relevant material according to the level of the class. 

What I Love About Siena

 The students are the reason I love teaching at Siena. I am especially impressed by their community involvement, academic dedication, and determination to succeed.

My Favorite Courses to Teach

FREN 027- French Cinema
I teach this class in English, which allows me to interact with all majors. Students are exposed to a culturally different cinema and are better able to reflect on diversity. 
FREN 301 & 302- French Conversation I & II
I use a film based textbook which makes these classes especially fun, engaging, and lively. 
FREN 360- Introduction to French Literature
I am passionate about film and literature and really enjoy teaching both French & Francophone "classics" and more contemporay literary works.
various FREN 400 courses (Topics in French) dealing with contemporary French/ Francophone film, culture or literature.

My Professional Experience

Current Research

Contemporary French cinema: films from Northern France, beur film with a special emphasis on themes such as immigration, identity, parent-child relationship
Contemporary Quebecois cinema
Contemporary French and Francophone literature

Articles & Book Reviews

• Bilan cinématographique 2018-2019: tous à l'eau!
  French Review
  2020
• "Femme à la mobylette" by Jean-Luc Siègle
  French Review, vol. 92
  2019
• "Le paradoxe d'Anderson" by Pascal Manoukian
  French Review, vol. 93
  2019
• Bilan cinématographique 2017-2018: portraits glanés, paysages composés
  French Review
  2019
• My French Film Festival
  French Review, vol. 92
  December, 2018
• La douleur by Emmanuel Finkiel
  French Review, vol. 92
  October, 2018
• Joie by Clara Magnani
  French Review, vol. 91
  May, 2018
• Bilan cinématographique 2016-2017: l'année du voyage
  French Review, vol. 91
  March, 2018
• Dossier pédagogique: Ma vie de courgette (Claude Barras, 2016)
  French Review, vol. 91
  March, 2018
• Réveillon by Pierre Mérot
  French Review, vol. 91
  March, 2018
• les hautes lumières de Xavier de Moulins
  French Review, vol. 92
  2018
• La Cheffe, roman d'une cuisinière by Marie NDiaye
  French Review, vol. 91
  December, 2017
• My French Film Festival
  French Review, vol. 91
  October, 2017
• Ce pays qui te ressemble by Tobie Nathan
  French Review, vol. 90
  May, 2017
• Médecin de campagne by Thomas Lilti
  French Review, vol. 90
  May, 2017
• The Event of Charlie Hebdo: The Imaginaries of Freedom and Control by Alessandro Zagato, ed
  French Review, vol. 90
  March, 2017
• La passion d'Augustine by Léa Pool
  French Review, vol. 90
  December, 2016
• La soudure by Alain Guyot
  French Review, vol. 89
  May, 2016
• Les héritiers by Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar
  French Review, vol. 89
  May, 2016
• Constellation by Adrien Bosc
  French Review, vol. 89
  December, 2015
• Dans les coulisses d'Intouchables by Isabelle Giordano
  French Review, vol. 89
  December, 2015
• Jacob, Jacob by Valérie Zenatti
  French Review, vol. 89
  October, 2015
• My French Film Festival
  French Review, vol. 89
  October, 2015
• Exploitation pédagogique du film Les héritiers (Marie-castille Mention Schaar, 2014)
  AATF National Bulletin, vol. 41
  September, 2015
• On ne voyait que le bonheur by Grégoire Delacourt
  French Review, vol. 88
  May, 2015
• Ame qui vive by Véronique Bizot
  French Review, vol. 88
  March, 2015
• Sur le fil by Maude Déry
  French Review, vol. 88
  December, 2014
• Entretien avec Grégoire Delacourt: dentellier des mots valenciennois
  AATF National Bulletin, vol. 40
  November, 2014
• Bilan cinématographique 2013-2014: A Holy year!
  French Review, vol. 87
  March, 2014
• Dossier pédagogique: La pirogue (Moussa Touré, 2013)
  French Review, vol. 87
  March, 2014
• My French Film Festival
  French Review, vol. 87
  October, 2013
• Un avenir by véronique Bizot
  French Review, vol. 86
  February, 2013
• Dommages collatéraux by André Bruneau
  French Review, vol. 87
  2013
• Intouchables: étude d'un film populaire à grand succès
  AATF 85th Annual Convention
  2013
• My French Film Festival
  French Review, vol. 86
  December, 2012
• Intouchables by Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
  French Review, vol. 86
  October, 2012
• Paris, je t'aime by Myriam Thibault
  French Review, vol. 85
  April, 2012
• Après l'enfance by Julie Douard
  French Review, vol. 85
  February, 2012
• Du côté de chez Philippe Chardin: entretien avec un auteur intemporel
  French Review, vol. 86
  2012
• Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis: Approche pédagogique d'un film de ch'nord
  French Review, vol. 85
  October, 2011
• Concerto pour un ange by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
  French Review, vol. 84
  May, 2011
• Le Petit Nicolas by Laurent Tirard
  French Review, vol. 84
  May, 2011
• Mon couronnement by Véronique Bizot
  French Review, vol. 84
  April, 2011
• Le Jour où Malika ne s'est pas mariée by Fouad Laroui
  French Review, vol. 84
  March, 2011
• Le Méchant Vieux Temps by Philippe Chardin
  French Review, vol. 84
  December, 2010
• La Trahison de Thomas Spencer, by Philippe Besson
  French Review, vol. 83
  May, 2010
• N'oublie pas d'être heureuse, by Christine Orban
  French Review, vol. 83
  April, 2010
• Une Ombre, sans doute, by Michel Quint
  French Review, vol. 83
  December, 2009
• Le roi c'est moi, by Jean-Benoît Patricot
  French Review, vol. 82
  April, 2009
• France
  Encyclopedia of Play in Todays Society
  2009
• Switzerland
  Encyclopedia of Play in Todays Society
  2009
• Understand the Queer World of the Lesbian Body: Using Queer as Folks and the L-word to Address the Construction of the Lesbian
  Journal of Lesbian Studies
  2008

Awards & Distinctions

• Chevalier de l'ordre des Palmes Académiques
  Category: Service-Professional
  French Ministry of the Education, 2016
• Positive Difference Award, University at Albany
  Category: Other
  University at Albany, 2005

Books & Book Chapters

• Allons au cinéma:Promoting French through films, Vol. III
  American Association of Teachers of French
  2019
• Allons au cinéma: Promoting French through Films, Vol. 2
  American Association of Teachers of French
  2016
• Séquences. Intermediate French through Film. Student Activities Manual
  Cengage/Heinle
  2015
• Séquences. Intermediate French through Film
  Cengage/Heinle
  2015
• Allons au cinéma: Promoting French through Films
  American Association of Teachers of French
  2014

Presentations

• AATF presents: Rediscovering the French Review
  2017
  MaFLA, annual Conference, Springfield, Massachusetts
• Enfants et adolescents dans les films francophones récents: a Three hour Workshop
  2017
  MaFLA, annual Conference, Springfield, Massachusetts
• "Couleur de peau: miel de Jung et Laurent Boileau (2012)". Allons au Cinema Workshop,
  2016
  AATF 89e Congrès annuel, Austin, Texas
• L'école à l'écran: quelques films récents
  2015
  AATF 88e congres annuel, Saguenay, Canada-Quebec
• Retour sur le cinéma beur
  2014
  AATF 87e Congrès annuel, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Regards de cinéastes francophones sur l'immigration
  July, 2013
  AATF 86th Annual Convention, Providence, Connecticut
• Searching for Identity in Couleur de peau: miel (Approved for Adoption), an animated film
  March, 2013
  Visual Manifestations of Cultural Intersections, Loudonville, New York
• Intouchables: le film de l'année.
  2012
  AATF 85th Annual Convention, Chicago, Illinois
• La rafle (Rose, Bosh, 2009): un film historique et pédagogique
  2011
  CIEF Conference, Aix-en-France, France
• Approche pédagogique du film québécois C.R.A.Z.Y
  2010
  CIEF Conference, Quebec, Canada
• Retour en enfance québécoise: Maman est chez le coiffeur (Léa Pool, 2008) et C'est pas moi je le jure! (Philippe Falardeau, 2008)
  2010
  AATF 83 Annual Convention, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Bienvenue chez les ch'tis: découverte d'une région, d'une culture, d'un patois
  2009
  AATF 82 Annual Convention, San Jose, California
• Jewish Identity in Contemporary French Films
  2008
  Teachers, Teaching and the Movies, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• Images of Teachers in Contemporary French films
  2007
  Teachers, Teaching and the Movies, Charleston, South Carolina