Finding My Voice: Teaching French Across Cultures
I still remember my first day observing classes as a teacher-in-training at the AF Pune. I was observing an A1 class, the students were an over-enthusiastic bunch and the teacher that I was observing was prodding the students over their weekend plans. The students were happily sharing their planned outings and one thing led to another and the students along with the teacher wound up talking in detail about a movie and the controversies that surrounded it, and references were made to Indian mythological characters and all I did was stare awe-struck by all that the students had managed to acquire linguistically in a span of less than 100 hours of learning French. I cannot say that this was when I realised I wanted to become a teacher, but I can easily say that this was when I knew that I wanted to be a student again ! And thus began my learning-teaching journey of teaching French as a Foreign Language or FLE as I will end up referring to it along the course of this blogpost.
I started studying French in junior college as a hobby and well of course in order to do something worth wile with ALL the spare time that being in junior college offered me. I was pretty set on wanting to learn 2-3 foreign languages because I had hoped one day to work within the UN, a dream I held onto for quite a while in my growing up years. A dream that realised itself in part, and I soon realized that is not where I am meant to be.
After having spent almost 5 years learning French, I seized the opportunity to go to France as an English Language Assistant, a program that is offered by the Ministry of Education and is managed by France Education International (FEI) world over but by IFI in India. Shortly after my first contact with teaching as an English language assistant in a small and sleepy town in Hauts-de-France, much before phones and AR/VR technology invaded the classroom, I was introduced to a whole new world of teaching. An immersive, slow, yet impactful methodology that stayed with me for a very long time, until I realized that that is what education needed to look like. I have a feeling I am maybe overselling schooling in France here, but the idea that a teacher has a keen interest in a subject and wants to tell the students a story as they journey along the year resonated with me pushing me to venture into teaching French as a side-gig while I worked on my Economics Degree.
After a few failed attempts at jobs as an analyst, I decided to pursue my “side-gig” of teaching French in a more formal manner. I chose to train at the AF Pune and since my first class I have been working on incorporating immersive teaching techniques, which ensure that the students are not just being introduced to yet another language but a whole new world with the hope that I can work towards decoding and building natural language acquisition patterns for all my students.
I have since taken on teaching learners of various age groups, backgrounds and skillsets. I used to pride myself in working with young learners, in the recent years I have taken a very keen interest in wanting to work with learners having learning disabilities which is an experience that has helped me shape my belief in wanting to grow more as an educator and one that I still hold close to my heart. But my penultimate moment of pride till date is playing a pivotal role in the life of a visually impaired student to help her learn French from scratch and ace the DELF A1 Junior and this experience will always rank amongst my proudest achievements and one which continues to humble me every single day.
Being someone who likes to take on challenges head on, after having worked with boisterous young learners, reticent adolescents, adults who want to expatriate and new mothers who look at learning a language as a sort of a short-term escape from reality, I found myself veering towards wanting to do more as a teacher. I was granted various opportunities by the AF to work within the AF India network and train teachers across the AFs in India on honing their skills for online teaching. In a pre-COVID world, my love for all things tech, did not find ways to segue into my routine. So while everyone has had a different experience during and post-COVID times, I for one find myself thanking the pandemic for letting me shine on that front and for allowing me to explore all that I can achieve as a trainer for trainers.
A post-COVID world also means, a world that has to accept that tech in teaching is a thing, was always a thing and will become omnipresent in the years to come. It also means knowing that being surrounded by AI is in no way going to replace me as a teacher, but only going to make it imperative for me as a teacher to go over and above mastering pedagogy or perfecting lesson plans and developing how to be a cultural bridge-builder, a motivator, and sometimes even a counsellor.
My decade of teaching FLE has helped me find my calling and pushed me to become the best version of myself and even more so as an educator. It goes without saying that each student that has passed through my virtual or physical classroom has contributed to this version of myself, helping me understand that language teaching is far more than conjugations and vocabulary lists.
Looking ahead, I see language education evolving into an increasingly immersive and personalized experience. The future of language teaching lies in blending traditional methodologies with emerging technologies, while never losing sight of the human connection that makes language learning transformative. Virtual reality may soon allow students to stroll through French streets from their living rooms, while AI could provide instantaneous, contextual feedback. Yet, my role as a teacher will remain crucial – not just as an instructor, but as a guide helping students navigate between cultures and worldviews.
This vision excites me, but it also reminds me of the importance of continuous evolution in my teaching methods. What worked five years ago may not serve today’s learners, who are increasingly digital natives seeking authentic, real-world connections. And as a teacher, I must remain a curious learner myself, constantly experimenting with new approaches while staying grounded in what I know works: authentic interaction, meaningful context, and the joy of discovery.
My journey has taught me that the most effective teaching methods are those that adapt and grow with both teacher and student. Whether it’s incorporating podcasts, social media exchanges, or collaborative online projects, each new approach I’ve adopted has added another dimension to my teaching repertoire. Yet, the core remains the same – creating an environment where students feel confident enough to take risks, make mistakes, and gradually find their own voice in French.
Looking back, I realize that every challenge, every moment of doubt, and every breakthrough has contributed to the teacher I am today. But more importantly, they’ve shaped my understanding of what language teaching can be tomorrow. I’m excited to keep growing, learning, and helping my students discover their own voices in French.
Here’s hoping to see you soon in a classroom with us at the AF Pune !
À très vite !
