American Association of Teachers of French

About This Association

The AATF was founded in the state of New York in 1927, the last of the major language associations to be founded. Charles A. Downer, the first president of the association, states in the very first issue of the French Review that that purpose of the AATF was devoted to “…the maintenance of the highest standards of culture among the teachers, to the study and application of the best methods of instructions, the pursuit of the best conditions for teaching and the creation of the spirit of solidarity and mutual helpfulness without which these aims cannot be realized (Vol. 1, November 1927, p. 5).” This is not so very different from our mission more than 90 years later. The AATF was incorporated in 1936 and, after many years in New York, moved to the University of Illinois under two Executive Directors, Frank Nachtmann and Fred Jenkins, where it was housed for more than 30 years. In 1997, the association moved to Southern Illinois University when Jayne Abrate took over as Executive Director, and in 2015, we moved to our own building in Marion, IL.

Publications

AATF National Bulletin (4 times/yr) no advertising French Review (6 times/year) accepts advertising, circulation 10,000 members + 1200 institutions

Conventions

Annual

Specialties:

1. Education

Information Summary