After a number of years in the teaching profession, one feels the need to recharge one's knowledge and explore new classroom methods to make the subject more captivating to the pupils. I wanted some kind of training that would give a boost to my teaching.
I sought the help of the Socrates office which directed me to a database containing various courses in a number of European countries, with funding available.
A course for teachers held in a university in Leige, Belgium, caught my eye. I purposely chose Belgium as I wanted to become acquainted with a French-speaking country other than France.
The course description proposed this and much more: the role of the intercultural dimension in the teaching of French, the use of literary texts and even the use of the internet. After a few weeks I was thrilled to receive a positive reply to my application from the Socrates local agency.
Held in August, the 60-hour course covered use of culture, grammar and media in the realm of FLE (francais langue etrangere).
I was a little disappointed with some of our teachers. For a start, a number of sessions were delivered like lectures and practical activities were non-existent.
Furthermore, the feedback we obtained in different sessions overlapped. This was a sign that there was not a lot of co-ordination between the teaching group.
On the other hand, I really savoured the sessions we had on the French language itself. I was introduced to everyday Belgian expressions which to me were unheard of in the French spoken by the French. Not surprisingly, after three weeks, my ears were attuned to the Belgian accent!
Liege's historic centre is a brilliant place to spend the afternoon, with its two imposing cathedrals, shops, restaurants and an infinite number of 'sandwicheries'. But the weekends also offered an opportunity for me and my foreign colleagues to get familiar with other towns, made possible through the university itself.
A visit to Bruges/Brugge was inevitable - I had heard so much about it! I also went to Gant, larger and with more character than Bruges. Namur, the capital of Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium, was home to an impressive citadelle, a medieval construction surrounded by ramparts... definitely worth a visit.
I left Belgium with a lot of positive memories: I was fortunate enough to have had pleasant, friendly colleagues with whom I spent most of the time and shared the moules and frites.
Frankly, I did expect more from this course. On the other hand, I am glad that I was able to discover another French reality with the unusual flavour of eccentric French expressions, easy-going people, a very pronounced French accent and of course, Belgian chocolate!