Education

4 Winnipeg Free press - saturDaY, December 6, 2014 Startyourcareerinsocialmediamarketing. InquireaboutourMediaCoordinatorprogram. Language Brings neW perspectives By Holli Moncrieff For the Free Press L earning another language is an invitation into a new world. As you learn the words spoken in other cultures, you also learn a lot about the history and traditions of that country, says Erika Morin-Nett, Language Programs Co-ordinator for the Université de Saint-Boniface. "Learning two or three languages gives you a new perspective on the world. You don't learn a language in isolation — you also learn about the culture, which gives you a different way of seeing things in the world," she said. The Université offers both French and Spanish classes to the francophone community, and to non-francophones as well. "We have people taking French because they're going to travel to a French-speaking country, people taking French because of their jobs, and we have people who are taking it for reasons of the heart — for their families, because they have children in immersion, or because they're in love with the language," Morin-Nett said. "Living here in Winnipeg, we're surrounded by French in so many ways." Professional language consultants develop all of the Université's programs, which include classes for the francophone community's professional and personal development, programs for youth, and courses for non-francophones who want to learn French or Spanish. "We also have courses for francophones who want to improve their French," said Morin-Nett. "There's no other place in Winnipeg that has our experience. We've been teaching French for 25 years and Spanish for 30 years." All of the school's materials are developed with a Canadian context, which Morin-Nett says is an advantage over programs that use curriculum that was developed in France. "This is an advantage for people who are taking lessons in a professional capacity," she explained. "Everything is tailored to Canadians." The Université views its instructors as one of its greatest assets and hires accordingly. All instructors must undergo a rigorous training program before they take charge of their own classes. "We're very picky with the people we hire to be instructors. We get lots of comments about how our teachers are great, and we do everything we can to support them," Morin-Nett said. "We give our instructors materials they can use in the classroom and lots of opportunities for professional development." One of the school's Spanish language consultants is now DELE accredited. DELE is the official accreditation of the degree of fluency of the Spanish language, issued and recognized by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport of Spain. "We will now be able to offer DELE testing here," said Morin-Nett. Most of the Université's programs run for 11 weeks, and there are four terms each year. The winter session runs from January until March, and the spring session from April until June. Those who are looking for more of a challenge can enrol in Élan, a one-week immersion program. "We get our Élan students out doing things with the Francophone community. They go out to French restaurants and see French shows," said Morin-Nett. "This program is really better for people who speak a little bit of French. It's very difficult to do a week of immersion if you don't speak any French." The Université also offers programs that are tailored to those who work in certain industries. They will design customized classes for various organizations, which allows employees to learn as a group. They've developed programs for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and La Société Santé en français. "There is a big demand in the health community for people who can speak French, so we developed a special program for them," Morin-Nett said. "It's great for people who are in the working world in general, but it has the vocabulary people in the healthcare field might need." There are different levels of difficulty offered in each program. A placement interview helps new students decide which course and level they're best suited for. "There are lots of things about both French and Spanish that are similar to English, but that doesn't mean it's easy to learn the language. It all depends on your motivation," said Morin-Nett. "Like everything else, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it." For more information on the Université de Saint-Boniface's courses and programs, please see their website at www.ustboniface.ca. ● Lise Léveillé (centre) teaches a beginner French class at the Université de Saint-Boniface. Photos by Darcy Finley Students take part in a beginner French class at the Université de Saint-Boniface.

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