Mission Statement
Our goal is to help students use their gifts in French to serve God and others. We strive to equip them with the ability to interact as Christians with French-speaking people and cultures.
Emphasis is placed on good communication skills and on historical and cultural knowledge related to French-speaking parts of Canada, Europe and Africa. Our French teaching and learning strive to be as concrete and as authentic as possible, showing respect for the individual learner, as well as for the language and culture being studied. We try to show how world views, literary theories, and individual contributions have shaped French texts and their readings; civilization courses highlight the relationship between world views, historical events, and artifacts.
Frequent use is made of computers and audiovisual aids. Students participate also in the Quebec Summer Language Bursary Program, the Summer Student Job Exchange in Quebec and in the Redeemer in France program. These opportunities not only give students authentic linguistic and cultural knowledge but allow them to come into contact with French-speaking Christians.
Students have used their training in many fields, including journalism, missions, library science, education, tourism, business, and law, as well as for entrance into graduate school.
The French Department also offers a course on teaching French at the elementary school level (see Education Department listings) in which the theory and methods of second-language teaching are discussed and a Christian approach is developed.