1990 School Magazine

CULTURAL ENRICHMENT

FRANCE REVISITED Visiting France at any time, in any season, is, for a teacher of French, an exciting and rewarding experience. You are immersed in the culture of Europe, and you can practise and polish the language you teach your students. The bonus is that yoti begin to 'think French', and absorb the atmosphere that exists in no other country. Renewed and I'evived you return home, up to date with modern trends in language (and language teaching in my case), as well as being informed about life in France, the problems the country faces and the achievements of the French people Last January the French government allowed me to do all these tliings, by awarding me (and nineteen other Australian teachers of French) a grant to do a 'stage' of five weeks in Paris and Avignon Classes in Paris involved examining techniques in teaching French as a foreign language, use of authentic documents, use of new technology, updating of linguistic skills, and how to use newspapers and advertising for the teaching of language and culture. Classes were lield in buildings at Sevres that dated back to Louis XIV and Madame de Pompadour. Students from all over the world, including South America and New Zealand. met there to study French culture. We ate together, went out together, exchanged ideas, and learned each other's customs - of course, the common language was French

in AVIgnon the pace was slower. The emphasis was In ore o111eariiiiig the history of Avignon and understanding the problems of the area. One on hese problems was tlie lack of employment of second genei. ation Algerians. The young people resorted to stealing to get money. Bag snatching was a favourite occupation We were invited to people's homes, had discussions with local teachers of English. were taken on guided walking tours of the city. and initiated into wine tasting. Of coui. se we walked on the famous bi'Idge of Avignon As a teacher of Latin also, I was delighted to go to the Pont du Gard, the Roman arenas at Nimes and ATles, the Maison Carree at Nimes and to see vestiges of Roman civilization in other places too. With a guide who spoke French, both my teaching areas were catered for. We were all excited by the huge aqueduct (the Pont on Gard) built by the Romans so manyyears ago. ICOuldn'I wait to tell my students about the incredible feat that filled me with admiration and awe. After two weeks in AVIgnon we went by train - the fast bullet-nosed T. G. V. (train grande vitesse) back to Paris where there was an evaluation session. We discussed the good points of the 'stage' and those areas that could be improved for next year's group 0111he whole we felt Inat everyone had benefited in many ways 1101n the F1'ench government's initiative. This was to assist teachers of FIGnch to develop their skills and awareness, so that they could, after those five weeks in France, pass on their knowledge with renewed vigour and enthusiasm, to their students Lj, liene Secko/d

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Mrs Lynette Seekold in front of the Louvre Interspersed in a busy timetable were guided visits to the Louvre, and the Musee d'orsay. Bookshops sucli as Haner gave us free reign in their educational sections. Some 'stagiaires' went to the Cornedie Francaise, some had a trip on a bateau-mouche, and some visited rapidly developing areas of Paris, such as La Defense and La Villette We found that while this organisation of our time was worthwhile, we needed a rest from time to time.

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Le pont d'Avignon

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