It’s back-to-school time, and not only for McGill’s students.
The beginning of the academic year also marks the return of McGill’s French at Work program, free and voluntary language courses tailored to the University’s administrative and support staff.
Established in the early-2000s by Organizational Development and the School of Continuing Studies, French at Work helps staff develop and improve their spoken and written French. It has enjoyed immense success, boasting nearly 600 annual registrations, positive reviews from learners and an outstanding student-retention rate of over 70 per cent.
The result is a win both for McGill and its employees.
“In the context of Quebec, McGill employees must be able to communicate in English and French; their professional success often depends on the ability to use both languages fluently,” said Manon Gadbois, a Faculty Lecturer and Program Coordinator at the School of Continuing Studies. “This is a high-quality language training program that allows staff to be linguistically equipped to succeed in the Quebec workplace.”
“French at Work participants welcome the opportunity to enhance their French skills in a stimulating, safe and supportive online environment. They appreciate the format, the engaging topics and an opportunity to build their network while improving their mastery of French – whatever their level,” said Johanne Houle, Director, Organizational Development in Human Resources.
Houle helps oversee the program along with Program Administrator Dina Diab.
Lifelong learners
Houle said the French at Work participants welcome the opportunity to enhance their French skills in a stimulating, safe and supportive online environment.
Frances A. Wheeler, Head Library Clerk at the Macdonald Campus Library, has taken three French at Work classes so far.
Born and raised in St. John’s, NL, Wheeler began studying French in Grade 3 with teachers from St. Pierre and Miquelon, the nearby territory that belongs to France. When she moved to Montreal as an adult, she had trouble adapting to the language as spoken in Quebec.
“I appreciate that McGill gave me the opportunity to improve my French,” she said. “Occasionally I have French-speaking students come to my desk and I’m able to answer them, and that’s mostly due to the program. I was happy to take the courses, and I’m glad I did.”
Heika Beatriz Silveira Villarroel, a Laboratory Co-ordinator in the Department of Biology, is a Spanish speaker from Venezuela who perfected her English when completing her post-doctoral studies in Alberta and the U.K. French is her third language. She has taken two French at Work classes.
“I applied [to the French at Work program] because French is very important to have if you live in Quebec,” she said. “Through the program, I’ve had the opportunity to practice, which is a really good tool to have. It has given me the confidence to try to use it at McGill and outside on the street.”
A record of success
After more than 10 years and 4,000 registrations, French at Work is firmly established within McGill’s employee programming. It has undergone continual revitalization during that time, and since 2020 has been hosted completely online.
“The entire program has been redesigned a few years ago to provide a flexible online experience, and it’s the flexibility that makes this program so popular,” said Gadbois.
No grades are issued, and learners are welcome to take breaks between modules.
“This greatly reduces the pressure to perform, which we do quite a bit on a day-to-day basis,” said Gadbois.
She hopes that learning French “is a pleasure and a motivation, and not an obligation. According to studies, this is the best way to master a new language.”
QUICK FACTS about the French at Work program:
- The program is online using a blended learning delivery method.
- The program consists of four levels – from Beginner to Advanced – and each is composed of two modules
- Each module lasts six weeks, and courses are offered from September to June.
- A placement test is mandatory for all first-time applicants.
For more information, please view the French at Work website or contact frenchatwork.hr@mcgill.ca