Welcome to Virtual Global Languages!

We are all so excited to welcome you back to class as we launch remote instruction this week. Everyone has been working hard over the past two weeks to transition to remote teaching, and we are excited by the affordances of new technologies, but we have been missing the most important part of teaching: YOU!

MIT students are without a doubt the key ingredient that makes MIT so special, and we can’t wait to see you and begin our learning adventures together again.

How are things where you are? We realize many of you might be new to online learning and the current situation poses new challenges for all. MIT has a new site with useful resources for students: learnremote.mit.edu.

Speaking for myself, online teaching is a totally new experience, and I know I’m going to have several challenges! It’s a major adjustment getting used to working from home, with my husband also teaching and working from home, and my two children out of school indefinitely, not to mention several noisy dogs in the neighborhood…My biggest fear is having a “BBC Dad” moment during class. Although my study locks, my 11-year old is quite skilled at picking it, and he loves sliding notes under my door! (Usually to bribe me for candy so he will leave me in peace.)

And what if the internet goes down?!! I know my amazing students are going to be there as always to support me if I have issues, and we will figure it all out together.

Welcome back to virtual MIT!

Professor Emma J. Teng
Director, Global Languages