The CLA : Popular but awfull lessons Past Review
By Jean-Michel P (Teaching French As A Second Language, University of Franche-Comté) - abroad from 09/01/2014 to 06/26/2015 with
Universite de Franche-Comte: Besancon - The CLA
Studying in France in a good experience. Besancon is a nice city. But just DON'T CHOOSE THE CLA
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Good "Welcome" service, nice logo and folders. But there is just no organization for planning the lessons. Even if some teachers are skilled, there is no interest from the school into the lessons planning and progression. You can do the same exercices in different levels, given by different teachers. Then there are many hours in the "IT lab", where you just complete online activities (TV5monde), corrected online by the program (the teacher just read the newspaper in the back of the classroom). AWFUL |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
the canteen is ok |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The CLA offers many opportunities to go out and visit the aerea, meet other foreign students or locals. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The CHU (hospital university) is free and avaiable. |
| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
It's difficult to say, I lived with my husband who is a french worker. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | It's difficult to say, I lived with my husband who is a french worker. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | It's difficult to say, I lived with my husband who is a french worker. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
The CLA lessons were just awful. But Besançon is a nice city and there are a lot of opportunities to meet people and practice French |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | B1 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | In France you can find a lot of "associations" which provide free French lessons for foreign people, mainly immigrants. In my experience, it was free and even better than the 800€pm CLA! |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | DO NOT ATTEND FRENCH COURSES AT THE C.L.A. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Frenche Language A1/ A2/ B1 |
| Course Department: | CLA |
| Instructor: | CLA |
| Instruction Language: | CLA |
| Comments: | Some single teachers were good, but the CLA's lack of planning and organization is incredible. At the beginning of each level, no plan was given to the students (communicative/grammar objectives). It happened 3 different teachers, on three different levels, gave the same exercize files. This means they just don't meet each other in the beginning of the year to discuss the objectives of each levels. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
