Education

6 Winnipeg Free press - saturDaY, December 5, 2015 NewPrograms, NewPossibilities 204.775.8175� herzing.ca/winnipeg UniveRsiTé de sainT-bonifaCe dive into fRenCh language By Holli Moncrieff for the free press Students from a French class at Université de Saint-Boniface take part in a potluck meal for their last day. photo by darcy finley Students can study a language for years and still feel awkward about engaging in conversation with native speakers. l 'Université de Saint-Boniface has created two different programs designed to address this issue by improving the confidence of its French language students. Élan is a week-long French immersion program that includes workshops, cultural activities and plenty of opportunities for interaction with the local Francophone community. Each week of Élan has a different theme so participants can choose the one that most interests them. The next session will be offered Feb. 16-19, and has the theme of Joie de Vivre, which will focus on maintaining good mental health. "We'll have some of our university professors present their latest research on mental health, and we'll explore different ways of maintaining good mental health, such as yoga and meditation," explains Mona Dupré-Ollinik, co- ordinator of Immersion Programs. "We'll also incorporate some of the activities of the Festival du Voyageur so people get to experience the festival." Élan students will have free reign of the university's fitness centre during the week. "Élan is great for either intermediate or advanced French-language students. If you're a complete beginner, a very intensive course like this would be a challenge," Dupré-Ollinik says. "However, if enough people were interested at the beginner level, I would offer an Élan designed for them." Not sure which level you're in? The university offers a free placement test for prospective students. According to Dupré-Ollinik, it's the unique social and culture aspects of the immersion programs that make them so successful. "Our students get to see that cultural aspect of the Francophone community— there are many more opportunities to interact with the community in this course. They get to practice their French in a real-life setting and have fun doing it," she says. "They'll see how active and welcoming our Francophone community is. We hear our students say, 'I didn't know this existed in the community' a lot." Élan runs from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. for an entire week. There are also two evenings of cultural activities included. "Our participants benefit from increased confidence once they've been speaking the language for eight hours a day for an entire week. This is something they don't normally have the opportunity to do," says Dupré-Ollinik. "They're all impressed at how much they've learned." The program is offered in the fall, winter and spring. Dupré-Ollinik can take about 40 or 50 students per session. "The more people I have, the more interesting it is," she says. "Some are taking it as professional development, but I've had retirees as well." Explore is a more intensive five-week immersion program for students age 18 and up. It accepts both bursary and non-bursary students. People of all ages can apply for a bursary, as long as they've been a full-time student for one term during the year and are a Canadian citizen or full-time resident. The application deadline is Feb. 28, and those interested can check out myexplore.ca to apply. "We take true beginners to those who are very advanced," says Dupré-Ollinik. "It always amazes me how much the beginners can learn in five weeks." Bursary students will live in one of the university's two residences. The bursary covers meals and outings in addition to tuition and board. Non-bursary students can choose to take the program for two-and- a-half weeks or the full five weeks. "This program is perfect for somebody who is really passionate about learning French and who believes in the benefits of bilingualism," Dupré-Ollinik says. "Students will explore Winnipeg through a different lens, and make friends from across the country." Bursaries for the program are limited to 45 students per year, and are selected through a lottery system. "Those spots do fill up fast, and there's always a waiting list," says Dupré-Ollinik. The Explore program will start in mid-May next year and run until mid-June. ■

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