Celebrating La Francophonie at ISCT

Published 24th April 2021 · Updated 30th April 2021

In the last week of Term 1, our French students and staff worked tirelessly to create a day to celebrate International Francophonie Day at ISCT. Students created posters to showcase all the different cultures of countries belonging to the International Organization of La Francophonie, while educating the rest of the school about the diversity that the French language holds.

In an interview with our Year 13 French student, Jimi, Phocus took the time to learn more about the experience of learning French at ISCT:

1. What do you know about the International Francophonie Day?

“From my understanding, the day is celebrated on the 20th of March each year. In fact, this year marks the 23rd edition of it. Perhaps, on face value, people would perceive it as pertaining to France exclusively – failing to recognise how widely spoken the French language truly is. Therefore, what actually is celebrated is the ability that language possesses to foster environments of mutual understanding; to create a sense of unity amongst its speakers.”

2. What was your experience learning French at ISCT?

“My experience of learning French at ISCT has been nothing short of valuable. When I joined the school in Year 9, I was quite intimidated, but also pleasantly surprised, by the way which French was taught. I was the furthest thing from fluent, with little knowledge about the language as well as culture. That being said, after having learnt it for four years now, and being taught by incredible teachers, my level has exponentially improved to a point where I can speak the language with confidence. Of course, my own initiative cannot be overlooked, but I owe a lot to ISCT as well.”

3. Why did you choose this language to study?

The first major reason that I chose to study French is due to the fact that I have had an aptitude for languages for as long as I can remember. The prospect of being bilingual has always appealed to me.

From this, several doors can be opened such as the ability to interact with more people around the world through travels and social media. Furthermore, I think that it will permit me to widen my opinions concerning studying and eventually working on an international stage.”