Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/343577
umanitoba.ca/extended Learn anywhere. Anytime. DegreeStudies Continuing&ProfessionalEducation Access&AboriginalFocus Languages&InternationalStudies LEARNING THAT EXTENDS YOUR REACH A SUPPLEMENT TO THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS | SATURDAY AUGUST 3 Winnipeggers can get a taste of France without ever leaving the city. Alliance Française, the French language school and cultural centre, is offering a variety of bilingual French cooking classes throughout the year. The classes provide an opportunity for the public to learn the art of French cooking in a fun, relaxed atmosphere with the instructor/ chef. Class sizes are kept to six people, and tuition is usually only $39. "Our instructor adapts to the students in each class. Anyone can register for these classes and they can come with a friend. You don't have to be one of our students to regis- ter,"saysJulieNolot,instructorandteaching co-ordinator for Alliance Française. Themes for the next three cooking class sessions will be Regions of France, to be of- fered in September, Taste of Autumn, sched- uled for October, and Holiday Recipes, which is slated for November. "We're trying to be different. We offer dif- ferent things and different focuses. We pro- vide our students with an environment that is helpful for learning. It's close to the im- mersion process," Nolot says. "We have an action-oriented approach—when you want to dothings,butyouwanttobeabletodothem in French." Thiswayofteachingallowsstudentstouse what they've learned very quickly, she adds. "We have a task-focussed way of learning and teaching. Our lessons can be used as soon as you leave the classroom. For example,weteachyouhowtoorderamealat a French restaurant." The Alliance Française is part of a network of French language schools. When you enrol as a student at Winnipeg's location at 934 Corydon Ave., you are also eligible to take classes at any Alliance Française. "There are nine Alliances in Canada and several hundred worldwide, including our headquartersinParis,"explainsNolot."People who travel a lot for work or who want to start acareerinanotherprovincecangotoanAlli- ance there. We all use the same methods, the same curriculum, and the same textbooks." Allstudentsreceiveapassporttheycanuse to keep track of the classes they have taken. Thispassportenablesthemtoskiptheplace- ment test at other Alliances, Nolot adds. "Our students always go through a place- ment test unless they're complete beginners whohaveneverstudiedFrench.Studentscan take the placement test online and then ar- range a meeting with an instructor who will conduct a needs assessment," she says. "We make sure students attend the right class to meet their goals." One of the school's most popular classes is French for Breakfast, which is held on Wed- nesday mornings from 7-8:30 a.m. "We provide students with some croissants and café before they go to work. This is a conversational class. There is no homework. This is for people who want to keep up their French," says Nolot. Alliance Française holds beginner, intermediate and advanced courses. The fall session begins on the second Monday of September. "The most popular classes are our begin- ner classes. We have many levels of begin- ner classes. Some of our students have never studied French before at all," Nolot says. Along with general group classes, which are available on evenings and weekends as well as during daytime on weekdays, private classesandlessonscanbearrangedforthose with special needs. Some people book a few private lessons to brush up on their French skills before a vacation, says Nolot. "Knowing another language allows you to communicate with people when you travel. You're better able to know the people of the country you are traveling in," she adds. "It's always amazing to learn the culture as well. You see things differently—it opens your mind. Even the notion of time is different in different cultures." Aresourcelibraryisavailabletobothmem- bers and students who can take advantage of the selection of DVDs, CDs, books about Francophone culture and bilingual books. Nolot says having a team of dedicated in- structors makes a huge difference to their students' success. "All of our instructors are full-time and dedicated to the work they do here. This cre- ates a good team atmosphere because we see each other absolutely every day from Monday to Saturday," she says. "We have instructors whospecializeinteachingFrenchasasecond language.AllofourstaffspeakFrench,butof course we can help and answer questions in English as well." For more information about Alliance Française's classes and workshops, please see their website at afwpg.ca.❙ StudentstakepartinaclassatAllianceFrançaise. Submittedphoto By Holli Moncrieff For the Free Press GOODTHINGSCOOKING ATALLIANCEFRANÇAISE