Summer Travel Program
Les Saveurs du Sud-Ouest
A Workshop in Toulouse, France for Educators
UMass Boston is pleased to partner once again with The French and Spanish Traveler, Inc. to offer a unique, intensive French language and culture experience in Toulouse & Sarlat-la-Canéda, capital of the Midi-Pyrénées région and located in the département of Dordogne, France, a popular region rich in beauty, culture and history.This two-week workshop, designed exclusively for educators, increases familiarity with current French thought, cultural institutions, and society, as well presents methods for teaching contemporary French culture in the secondary school. Morning seminars, conducted entirely in French, cover various aspects of the country’s burning issues, and afternoon excursions highlight places of cultural and historical fascination and serve to reinforce seminat topics and readings. Outside the classroom, learning continues through immersion in the various activities and interaction with local intervenants whom The French & Spanish Traveler has arranged for participants to meet. Professor Mathilde Sitbon, of Dartmouth University’s Paris Foreign Study Program, will direct the academic portion of the program.
Participants will actively build on their academic and field experiences to think through new language and culture teaching strategies and to boost their lesson plans, as they enhance their mastery of French. Participants in this workshop will be actively involved in thematic, communicative lessons in French culture and society which can be adjusted and applied to any middle or high school class which integrates language, content, and culture. Educators are sure to come away with an experience to remember and share with their students.
Academic Credit
Participants desiring graduate credits through the University of Massachusetts Boston will be expected to write a scholarly paper reflecting extra reading and research on one of the subjects covered in the workshop, selected in consultation with the seminar leader. This research will include, for example, articles in scholarly journals, books, or other sources appropriate for the chosen subject, as well as, perhaps, interviews or discussions with ‘native informants’ during the workshop itself.Upon successful completion of course requirements and a final paper, participants earn three graduate credits in the UMB course French 500. UMass Boston Professor Brian Thompson will mentor students, read and grade papers.