Teaching Proficiency in French

Teaching proficiency in French as a second language is a 2-week program designed to upgrade language skills, learn about Francophone cultures and practice methodologies of FSL instruction.

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This program is intended mainly for groups already in existence (or groups in formation) within the Canadian Federal Public Service or a provincial public service. Individuals wanting to join in an existing group can inquire for the availability. Participants who successfully complete the program will be given a Certificate of Teaching Proficiency. Students can obtain academic credit for the course through the Continuing Education Program at l'Université du Québec à Rimouski.

Students spend the two weeks  in Trois-Pistoles, participants will enjoy a unique experience of immersion as they share their daily lives with host families who provide meals and accommodation.

Designed specifically for teachers of French as a second language, our teaching proficiency program offers a unique opportunity for professional development. Of particular interest to teachers who are not native speakers.

During our two-week course, we work to improve your language teaching skills by developing greater linguistic competence and familiarity with the dynamics of Québécois culture. You will also participate in discussion and exchange relating to language pedagogy and methodologies of classroom instruction.

Selected for their creativity, engagement and their experience, our instructors answer to the required university standards. The program is divided into three areas or orientations :

During this part of the course, we focus on improving your communicative abilities, and assess and fortify your linguistic competence in order to address your classroom needs.

We work on fluidity, confidence, oral expression and comprehension, and explore vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and intonation. Our grammar segments are adapted to suit the needs of participants and we emphasize pronunciation and articulation. We also concentrate on developing strategies for reading and writing in French.

In these workshops we integrate practical elements of language pedagogy (structured around the specific classroom situations of participants) with a program of cultural familiarization. Through a series of lectures and seminars, students are exposed to the cultural history of Québec and of Francophone North America.

At the same time, guided by a teaching specialist, participants create their own portfolio of pedagogical activities using music and storytelling, literature and film for young people, and popular culture as themes.

This segment of the program allows students to experience first-hand the rich and varied culture and natural world of the Lower St. Lawrence.

You will immerse yourself in Québécois culture through theatre and concerts, film, evenings of storytelling and song, visits to local museums, and encounters with artists and artisans of the region.

You will also discover the natural beauty of the St. Lawrence Estuary, its stunning land and seascapes, marine life, and spectacular sunsets. Hiking and sea kayaking, whale observation and boating excursions - this is an ecological paradise like no other.

Our program in French language teaching proficiency offers an enjoyable and instructive immersion experience right at the heart of Francophone Québec. Over the past 75 years, our community has developed considerable expertise in the area of French language training and in the reception and accommodation of students.

For the last several decades, Trois-Pistoles and its surrounding region have established a tradition of welcome for visitors from different settings and cultures. The people of the Bas-Saint-Laurent are renown for their hospitality, their interest in cultural exchange, and their skill as cultural ambassadors.

The moment you arrive, you will discover a thriving community of people who appreciate authenticity and simplicity, and who will welcome you with pride and sincerity.

You will share the daily lives of local residents who carry with them the distinct traditions of their community. The setting is peaceful and safe, of outstanding natural and cultural beauty, and completely francophone.

Modernity and a sense of heritage, urban and rural life - they all come together harmoniously here. The entire region is open to outdoor adventure and exploration, with a profound respect for history, right along the seaway that helped build Francophone North America.