• Course Overview
• Curation
• TalkAbroad
• Why do all this work?

In this chapter, we learn the structure of the course and the two main tasks of each unit: curation and conversation in TalkAbroad .

Course Overview

This FREN 202 course manual is divided into five (5) well-articulated teaching units, the first of which, Unit 0, is a prerequisite. Units 1 to 4 cover the typical themes of an intermediate level French course. The title of the manual, “l’Atelier RÉEL” (The REAL Workshop), emphasizes the essential role that you, the students, play in your learning, the work that you do through your own efforts. The REAL in the title is a play on words that combines Electronics (or Extraordinary or Excellent – the choice is yours!) within the REL, the “Free Educational Resources” known as OER in the English-speaking world. All the more, all this resonates well with the VCU slogan of “Make it REAL!”, that is to say, to participate in an education based on “Relevant, Experiential and Applied Learning.” This is the ultimate target of this course!

Curation

In this part, we learn what content curation is and how to do it. Curation is a 21st century communication tool. Given today’s infobesity, we all need to learn how to find and manage information in such a way that we don’t find ourselves in a state of flooding. Learning to handle information in foreign languages ​​is a highly sought-after professional asset these days. Curating is a series of actions by which the curator searches for information on a given subject, learns while searching and reading, chooses the most relevant information and sites, and compiles a captivating summary that he or she then shares online. So, in class, we learn curation in French, while noting the French-speaking cultural ways of doing the task.

TalkAbroad

More recently, thanks to technological advances, we can easily communicate instantly with interlocutors who speak other languages ​​and who are willing to learn English. Tandem conversation—also called online intercultural exchange (OIT) or telecollaboration—is a 21st-century educational affordance for teaching French as a foreign language (FLE). Tandem exchanges bring together two people who are looking to learn each other’s native language. For example, an American student who would like to learn French establishes a partnership with a Belgian, Canadian, or Malian who is looking to learn English. During their meetings (via Skype, Zoom, Google Hangouts, Adobe Connect), which last between 10 and 50 minutes, they discuss half the time in English, the other half in French. In some cases, the topics of discussion are the same; in other cases, each interlocutor discusses a topic specific to their needs. This exchange experience is organized either by two schools or by an organization like the Mixxer , which arranges contact between language students according to their level of competence.

Otherwise, not really being a “tandem”, we use a paid service such as TalkAbroad,  Boomalang , Conversifi , or iTalki . In this case, the student works with an online tutor, an employee of the service. These sessions are conducted entirely in a foreign language, in our case, then, in French. So, this semester we have access to conversations in  TalkAbroad . See below the four steps to complete a TalkAbroad task.

1. Make an appointment

For conversation sessions to work well and to get the most out of them, you need to master certain communicative functions and make preparations before each meeting. First, you need to research the native country of your correspondent to learn important facts: its inhabitants, well-known cultural products, very specific perspectives (for example, those related to the majority religion). Most importantly, you need to review how French speakers greet each other in that region. See for example: France ,  Canada ,  Belgium ,  Mali . But since COVID-19, we are learning new ways . If the exchange site offers the biographies of the interlocutors, you can prepare by reading them.

Once you have chosen your tutor, all you have to do is choose a date for your appointment. Submit a screenshot to the teacher showing that you have made the booking.

2. Preparation

For 10-15 minute conversations, it will typically take about 2.5 hours of prep work and follow-up. To prepare for your conversation, take the time to carefully formulate your questions as well as possible answers to routine questions. To complete this step, fill out the document provided by your teacher with your answers. Once written, it will be helpful to read your answers aloud.

3. Conversation

It’s time to talk to a native French speaker. Try to follow the advice in the TalkAbroad chapters in this manual. However, it’s perfectly okay to stray from the topic! Follow the lead! Finally, let your teacher know that you’re done with your conversation.

4. Reflection

Answer the questions in the document provided and submit it to the teacher.

Why do all this work?

So why do all this work? For some Americans, English seems to be enough. Today, many people learn English, so why do we need to learn their languages? First, because monolingual people, those who only speak English, are limited in their ability to think, act, and communicate in such a globalized world. Even in the United States, people increasingly speak languages ​​other than English. Monolinguals are not ready to participate widely in the 21st century, whose main characteristic is globalization. Second, a bilingual or multilingual person is better at understanding situations, better at solving problems, and better at choosing their responses in multiple ways, that is, they are more strategic, agile, and adept. The third reason is that languages ​​surround us and not just across national borders, but also in our neighborhoods, right next to us! It is important to get along with all your neighbors!