French teachers to improve skills

During a cocktail gathering at Alliance Française Kampala(AFK) rooftop, Xavier Sticker, the French ambassador to Uganda, who was the chief guest, said this programme, would centre on improving the teaching of French at secondary school level.

Sticker added that it would support innovative and harmonised French teaching methodologies.

“Learning a language has to be lively for learners using methodologies included in the project. It is also one of the ways of joining hands in building Uganda-Francophonie friendship in education,” he said.

The project activities will be implemented by AFK and Association of French Teachers in Uganda(APFO).

Eric Touzé, the director of AFK, said the French school will be implementing modern ways of teaching and the teachers will also be taught how to build class sequences. The facility will also visit schools and organise fun French activities that can be adapted to large groups to boost the teaching of French as a foreign language.

“There will be follow-ups on the progress, producing podcasts and videos to help enhance oral French and the teachers that will have learnt these pedagogies will train their peers in the different regions of the country,” Touzé said.

Agatha Tumwine, the chairperson of APFO in Uganda, said this programme started with a two-day workshop with French teachers from Arua, Kisoro, Gulu, Lira, Masindi, Mbarara, Masaka, Mbale, Kasese, Jinja, Mukono, Kampala A and B.

This, Tumwine added, will consequently be followed by discussing lower secondary curriculum, holiday camps for French students and more training for teachers.

“French teachers in different regions of Uganda were invited to take part in the training at Alliance Française de Kampala and in turn pass on their knowledge to other regions and create a virtuous circle of trainers and trainees,” Touzé says.

The two-day training covered the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), DELF exams / practical application, building a session according to the CEFR requirements and included gender issues and inclusivity.

The programme will feature professionals, teachers and students who have learnt French or studied in France. 

Importance of a second language

Prof Edith Natukunda Togboa, head department of European and Oriental languages at Makerere University, said with global digitisation, students can work on projects from anywhere, even across countries.

“As we become more familiar with technology, it is imperative that students learn multiple languages for easier communication. You may be a scientist but having soft skills with an extra language can help a long way,” Prof Natukunda says.

She adds that modernised methods of teaching such as creating voluntary French clubs help students communicate more in the language leading to studying not only to pass but also for lifestyle.

Challenges in learning French in Uganda

“The structure of learning is basic without activity and it also needs to be student-based. This becomes a hiccup as many schools do not have the resources to use for a fun-filled learning,” Prof Togboa says.

In the new curriculum, she adds that many small projects need various equipment. For example, some projects require smartphones, but not many schools allow them on the school premises. There is need to move with the times for certain things to work better.

Background of programme 

“We wrote a proposal to the French government through the embassy to assist with the learning of French, especially in secondary schools. The proposal was finally approved,” Tumwine said.

She added that it is meant to improve the teaching conditions of French, make it attractive, train teachers and sensitise Ugandans and head teachers about the importance of another language, in this case, French.

How it will work

Starting from Central Uganda, the implementors of the programme will be going countrywide organising major trainings in the West (Maryhill High School), North (Lira), Westnile (Arua), Central (Kitovu- Masaka) and in the East (Mbale) to train more teachers.

“For students, we shall have camps for different regions and hope to mobilise at least 300 students in each camp. We have already situated one that will happen in Seeta High School in Mukono Campus. They will be doing French activities outside the classroom and tasks for practical activities,” she said.

Different political figures in the regions such as the DEOs, and LC 5 will also be invited for sensitisation about the importance of French, and not just as a second language, but as a new way of getting more than one job.

The camps begin in August and September and during different termly holidays in different regions. It is believed that there will be a huge difference by the end of the two years.

“National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) produced books without audios. Audiovisual materials help a learner get more out of what one is teaching, so we want to work hand in hand with NCDC to record some audio-visual materials for the secondary school learners,” Tumwine said.

Beneficiary

Moses Muhiwa, a teacher of French at St Henry’s College Kitovu, one of the pioneer beneficiaries of the training for Masaka Sub region, says this is a big opportunity since he has also started a new school.

“The Alliance Francaise seminar  helps us learn how to teach French at an international level. After this seminar, we are going to have another one on incorporating French in the new secondary curriculum,” Muhiwa says.

Through the coordination of the association of French teachers, he learnt about the programme and was sure it would benefit their French students.

Lessons

“We used to have the old methods of teaching where students would come to class, learn new words, make sentences, create an essay and get ready for exams. I have learnt of a new method that is more practical as the student speaks and practices the language using all the competency skills which all work with action,” he says.