I’m preparing the audio files for our Phonetics labs at home, and I’ve been listening to the units in our book, Ship or Sheep?, written by two Brits about 25 years ago. I got to Unit 4 on the [æ] vowel sound and noticed the dialogue they had written using as many words as possible [...]
Full Story »I love technology, but I love it more when it actually works.
This week was the start of our language labs at the university (i.e. 9 out of 12 of my classes). They only run for 10 weeks, so we don’t start them when regular classes start. Unfortunately, our brand new computerized language lab is not working properly, so we can barely use it. Instead, we’re running [...]
Full Story »I want to be a lectrice forever.
I love my job! I work with three classes in the labs: Vocabulary, Pronunciation and Business English. In all of them, I can spy on the students with my headset and make sure they are actually doing the lessons and using English. (I have ALL the power!!!) For vocab class, I’m redoing the weekly HTML [...]
Full Story »Free English lessons for French students
BBC reports:The main teaching union in France has criticised the education minister’s plans to offer free English classes in the school holidays next year. Xavier Darcos announced the plans on Monday, insisting that speaking fluent English was the key to success. He said that while “well-off families pay for study sessions abroad, I’m offering them [...]
Full Story »CAPES d’Anglais 2009
David has decided to prepare for the CAPES d’anglais! Normally, in order to become an English teacher for l’Education Nationale in France, students do a Licence in English for 3 years and then go to an IUFM (teacher training college) where they prepare for the CAPES for a year and then do their student teaching [...]
Full Story »How to Become a Lecteur/Lectrice d’Anglais or Maître de Langue at a French University
The English Assistantship is a great way for Anglophones to work in France and gain teaching experience in elementary or secondary schools, without necessarily having a university degree. However, if you are working towards or have a graduate degree and would like to teach English at a university in France, you can apply to be [...]
Full Story »L’acquisition, l’avenir et l’argent
Not much has been happening in my life lately. I looked through the archives to remind myself of what was going on last July. Compared to one year ago, things are definitely much better. I have my residency card (good until May 2009), my French driver’s license (good until forever), and I have a job [...]
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