Lynne deBenedette

Lynne deBenedette is Associate Teaching Professor of Slavic Studies at Brown University, where she has taught since 1995. She leads the Russian language curriculum, teaches Czech, and advises students on study abroad programs in Russia. She is also a Faculty Advising Fellow and academic advisor for first-year and sophomore students.

Research Interests: Her scholarship focuses on second language acquisition, particularly Processing Instruction and Structured Input as alternatives to traditional grammar teaching. She is deeply involved in curriculum and textbook design, foreign language teacher education, and integrating technology into language learning. Her work emphasizes intercultural awareness and task-based instruction in Russian.

The recent publications highlight a strong trend toward evidence-based pedagogy in Russian language instruction, with a focus on comprehension-driven methods, curriculum innovation, and digital intercultural exchange. Her co-authored textbook Между нами exemplifies a shift toward open-access, interactive, and input-rich materials used across numerous institutions.

Scientific Awards:

• John Rowe Workman Award for Teaching Excellence in the Humanities (2010–2011)
• President's Award for Excellence in Faculty Governance (2013)
• AATSEEL Best Book in Language Pedagogy (2018)
• AATSEEL Distinguished Service Award (2019)

Advising and Grants: deBenedette regularly advises undergraduate students and study abroad participants. She has secured funding for curriculum development, including a Brown Curriculum Development Grant for the 'Cultura' project and grants from the Consortium for Language Teaching and Learning and CLEAR (Center for Language Education and Research) for CALL materials and teacher training research.

Labs and Teams: She co-developed and implemented the 'Cultura' intercultural exchange program at Brown, collaborating with colleagues across French, Spanish, and Russian programs. She works closely with an interdisciplinary team including Beth Bauer and Shoggy Waryn, and maintains national collaborations with William J. Comer, Alla Smyslova, and Jonathan Perkins on textbook development and pedagogical research.