"Back in the early 1990s, I was discussing with Christine Schulze (Concordia Language Villages Executive Director) how my responsibilities could evolve within the Villages. I wanted to start doing things there that would be publication-worthy, that would be an extension of my research and work at Georgetown." Heidi Hamilton, now the Villages' research coordinator, recalls. "I guess that's where the book really began."

Several grants later, Heidi was knee-deep in what she terms "ethnographic" research: studying life at the Villages in Minnesota's North Woods from the outside in by surveying the staff and synthesizing the six major principles that make Concordia Language Villages one of the most effective models for language education in the United States today.

Released earlier this year by Prentice Hall, her textbook, Doing Foreign Language, explains and illustrates these principles, and was co-authored by Heidi's two research assistants. The book introduces language teachers and parents to the active and engaging language learning philosophies and practices used by Concordia Language Villages.

"I certainly hope that the very experiential-based work that we do in the Villages - where kids are living the languages - will energize language classrooms in the United States," Heidi explains. "This book is for teachers who want to make their classrooms more fun and inspiring."

Heidi pauses to tell stories about her three decades of involvement with Concordia Language Villages, from her early days as a Villager at Waldsee to her current research role. Her passion for the program, as both a participant and an educator, is evident at every turn.

"It's this amazing place and the vital, energizing sense of community," Heidi says of the Villages, continuing, "As a staff member, I've seen the thousands and thousands of people who've come through and who've been changed by this experience. It's very enriching and motivating."

And now, through the first-ever textbook affiliated with Concordia Language Villages, Heidi is able to share some of that inspiration with educators and language learners who may never make it to the shores of Turtle River Lake.

"We did a lot of research trying to figure out what was successful about the Villages so we could share it," Heidi notes. Without a pang of hesitation she reveals the "secret" of the program's success: "Our best practices project led directly to this book."

You can hear the smile in her voice as she sums up the most recent milestone in her Concordia Language Villages experience: "It's just a wonderful thing! That's what teaching's all about."

For more information on how to get a copy of Doing Foreign Language for yourself or your school, click here.

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