The Method

"The understanding of other cultural traditions begins with language. Dartmouth Professor John Rassias' high-powered language drills reveal the values of foreign cultures more tellingly than a dozen weighty treatises. It would be easier for all of us to continue insisting that the rest of the world learn English. But such complacency has already placed Americans at a serious disadvantage in the international marketplace... We isolate ourselves from a wide range of opportunities- diplomatic, economic, and cultural."

-James O. Freedman, President Emeritus of Dartmouth College, in "American Glasnost" (Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, November 1990)

The goal of the Rassias Method is to make the participant feel comfortable and natural with the language in a short period of time. This is accomplished through a specific series of teaching procedures and dramatic techniques which seek to eliminate inhibitions and create an atmosphere of free expression from the very first day of class. Our method of language instruction places the participant at center stage and seeks to replicate the relevant, life-like situations encountered in the target language. The emphasis throughout is spoken language and familiarity with the culture of the country whose language is being studied. The classroom techniques involved are rapid-paced, theatrical, highly creative, imaginative, and necessitate great quantities of enthusiasm. Positive reinforcement is immediate.

The Rassias Foundation, a non-profit affiliate of Dartmouth College, assists academic institutions, corporations, government agencies, and individuals in their efforts to learn foreign languages through the Rassias Method of language instruction. We also have several satellites that are fully trained in using and teaching the Method.