FRENengAMERICA
The FRENengAMERICA program connects students from French high schools and universities with their counterparts at partner institutions in the United States. These students meet virtually once a week (time TBA) for a total of up to 10 hours per academic semester. The meetings take place in virtual breakout rooms on the ZOOM platform, with discussions conducted in French for the first half hour and in English for the second half.
During these sessions, the program coordinator and the professors will not be present, as the students will take on the role of "tutors," guiding each other in correcting grammar and vocabulary errors while supporting language practice. This peer tutoring approach allows for mutual learning and engagement. However, the program coordinator and professors will have the ability to join the breakout rooms at any time to monitor progress and provide assistance if needed.
Weekly conversation topics will be assigned at the start of each week and will focus on practical, everyday subjects. These range from simple discussions on family, daily routines, and hobbies to more in-depth comparisons of French and American holidays, traditions, and popular culture, such as TV series or movies. Students are expected to prepare thoroughly in advance to ensure that conversations are structured, thoughtful, and linguistically precise.
The program will conclude with a final evaluation session. Professors from the American partner universities will assess the French students' proficiency in English, while professors from the French institutions will evaluate the American students' command of French. This final assessment will also include a review of the program's strengths and areas for improvement.
Students who maintain an active attendance rate of at least 80% (equivalent to 8 hours) will be awarded a Certificate of Attendance. Continuous monitoring will be conducted not only through live online participation but also through the administration of interim and final questionnaires via Google Forms.
PARTNER INSTITUTIONS (TBA)
Calendar Spring 2025
The program, from February to April 2024, will involve students who will be put in contact with as many French/American students with whom they will meet once a week, on Sunday afternoon, according to the following schedule, for a total of 10 hours:
February 2nd: Welcome session
February 9th
February 16th
February 23rd
March 2nd
March 9th
March 16th
March 23rd
March 30th
April 6th
April 13th: Final session
Please send us an email to express your interest, and we will provide you with more details as the program approaches.