FRENCH STUDENTS EXPERIENCE UKIAH
Students from Le Havre welcomed to our community
There are the classical, rich, familiar murmurings of American English, sounding through the group. Intertwined with it, the euphonic fluidity of the French language — consonants strung tightly together and a lack of syllabic stress that babbles gently along. To non-French speakers, this is what one hears, however to the students in Ukiah High School’s French class, these words mean so much more.
In the midst of her week-long welcome of French students to Ukiah, French teacher Eveline Rodriguez explains, “For my students, it’s important to give them the motivation to learn French and to help them continue to practice it outside of school.”
According to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, students learning second languages have the benefits of expanding communication in personal and soon-tobe professional lives. Moreover, the demand for bilingual professionals is rising exponentially.
Cognitive benefits become incredibly enhanced with bilinguals being proven to have outstanding concentration skills, an astute ability to multi-task, and to be able to better monitor changes within the environment.
Most pressingly for these students, learning another language exposes individuals to a new world and thus a greater understanding of the lives of others, calling for empathy and acceptance.
On Feb. 3, students native to LeHavre (a city in the northern part of France) were welcomed to Ukiah. Upon arrival, theymet with high school students, and became immersed in American culture.
The arrival of these French students has been long-awaited.
Rodriguez explains, “I met these two other French teachers from across the country. One of the teachers participated in this exchange where students would go to France for one week and stay with French students. She actually connected me with a school who wanted to do an exchange.”
Rodriguez and Ukiah High students visited Le Havre in April of 2019 and accompanied French students to the school of Lycee Jeanne D’arc.
“There’s a lot of differences. For starters, the school system is different,” says Rodriguez.
At the age of 15, students in France must choose among three options to study: pure sciences, economic and social sciences, or literature and philosophy. Once the subject is chosen, all students within that subject have the exact same curriculum. Likewise, they remain in the same classroom with the same teachers. In France, students begin learning the English language varying from ages 5 to 6. Those visiting had the ability to converse and understand students speaking in the English tongue.
“My English has quite improved,” Louïc Even, a French student, states. With French being taught at a later age in America, there are contrasting language abilities.
Ukiah High student Sean Coursey says, “My French has improved a little bit, though Louïc is much better at English than I am at French.”
Rodriguez maintains that although the language abilities between the students are different, it is still exceptional practice nonetheless as the motivation to learn the language grows.
Research done at Harvard University confirms that the earlier an individual learns a language, the easier it will be. The foundations for learning are laid down at the ages of 3 to 4, which is the optimal time to begin learning new languages. This window of optimality remains open until around the age of 8, when a child is more acquainted with their own environment and has a more difficult time learning a different language.
Regardless of timing, Ukiah High French students are improving their French language skills and knowledge of the French culture.
“I learned about different cultures, but mainly the similarities of the cultures more than the differences,” comments Coursey.
This underlines one of the remarkable benefits that the exchange has on Ukiah’s students: a recognition of the world’s similarities—that is the ability to share a profound understanding of each other.
Ukiah High School student Miranda Stearns continues with this idea, “We all have similar ideas of how to have fun and be joyful. It translates no matter which country we are from.”
In addition to experiencing student life, the French embarked on trips to Montgomery Woods, Fort Bragg and Sonoma. In Ukiah, they were introduced to the Grace Hudson Museum, Schat’s bakery, downtown shops, different parks and Lake Mendocino.
“I love Ukiah,” says French student Clarisse Desharbes. “It is beautiful here.”
French student Even chimes in, “We can have fun because of the people.”