la Francophonie.
The word francophone describes anyone who speaks French. "La Francophonie" is the global collective of French speakers, which unites a wide range of nationalities, races, and communities. La Francophonie is unique in that it has such a broad reach. Indeed, the "Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie" is represented on 5 continents and includes 57 member countries. Additionally, French is a widely-learned second language, taught in every country in the world. I have used French to communicate with Canadian, Swiss, German, Spanish, Italian, Syrian, and Haitian individuals, many of whom spoke French as a second language. Whether spoken as a native or second language, French unites people on a global scale.
How is French useful to our students?
There is a common misconception that French is not useful to Americans because it is not widely spoken in the United States. I disagree (surprise surprise). I have used French for work, while traveling, and in my studies. Granted, I'm a French teacher, so it's not hard to believe that the ability to speak French has been important to my career. But French can be useful in many other areas. For example, professionals in the fields of Engineering, Medicine, and Technology are likely to benefit from a command of French, as many business and research organizations have their home in the Francophone world.
The possibilities for using French are limitless--if you think globally. In Chapel Hill, we prepare our students to become global citizens. We do not know where our students will go, what they will want to study, or which careers they will pursue. All we know is that we want them to have options, to be enabled to explore, and to be empowered to innovate. The ability to speak French is a special gift, precisely because it is something many Americans do not have. It can endow our students with a unique perspective, give them a leg up in their careers, and prepare them to make a singular impact in their fields. We teach French in Chapel Hill because we believe this language can become a ticket to the world and because we want our students to have the option of taking that trip.
For more information on the value of learning French, please consult the following resources:
The possibilities for using French are limitless--if you think globally. In Chapel Hill, we prepare our students to become global citizens. We do not know where our students will go, what they will want to study, or which careers they will pursue. All we know is that we want them to have options, to be enabled to explore, and to be empowered to innovate. The ability to speak French is a special gift, precisely because it is something many Americans do not have. It can endow our students with a unique perspective, give them a leg up in their careers, and prepare them to make a singular impact in their fields. We teach French in Chapel Hill because we believe this language can become a ticket to the world and because we want our students to have the option of taking that trip.
For more information on the value of learning French, please consult the following resources:
- The American Association of Teachers of French
- 10 Good Reasons to Learn French by the French Consulate in Houston