We've certainly started the year with a bang - and we're only just getting started! Our 33rd Alliance Française French Film Festival is now well underway, with discounted tickets for members and our beloved school screenings for an unforgettable excursion. Beyond the Tour de France, there are some exciting French sporting and cultural events coming up for you to enjoy discovering in class with our selection of teaching resources. And there's plenty more to explore, including a new French cinema masterclass series for cinephiles, our recently launched DELF Junior practice sessions, HSC Preparation Workshops, our two-day annual professional development course, a giveaway and so much more! 

Share your feedback and enter to win a prize bundle
We want to know how best to support you as a French language teacher. Share your feedback by Thursday 31 March and enter to win a double pass to travel the Francophone world at the French Film Festival, a Mystery Box game of whodunnit to enthrall your students and a French Mathematicalendar to help you seamlessly integrate numeracy into your language classroom. 

Learning opportunity: La Fête de la Musique
For almost 40 years, the French have marked the longest day of the year with an extraordinary festival of music. Discover our selection of resources to help bring the cheerful atmosphere of this celebration into your classroom on Tuesday 21 June. 

Learning opportunity: The French Open - Roland-Garros
From Sunday 22 May - Sunday 5 June, the world's greatest tennis players will descend upon Paris for the French Open. Take this opportunity to discover more about this famed Grand Slam event and explore the French language and culture.

Visit the 2022 Alliance Française French Film Festival
There is still time to delight your students with an unforgettable excursion to our annual Festival. Until Wednesday 6 April, enjoy a curated selection of fims for school students of all ages - each accompanied by a comprehensive and expertly designed teaching resource. Register your details to receive more information and updates.

Professional learning
French made fun for kids - Stages 1-4
Join us on Friday 15 April and discover ways to make the most of limited class time and engage your younger learners with a French experience they will always remember. Fine-tune your repertoire of activities and resources to more effectively excite the interests and motivations of students up to 14 years, and optimise their knowledge retention, as you network with other passionate and specialised teachers. Lunch is included!

Conversation courses - 16 hours Teacher Elective PD
Look no further than this online course for teachers needing just that little bit of help maintaining their spoken fluency. Engage in meaningful conversations on French culture and contemporary issues, presented through articles and videos from French press. 


Essentials workshops - 3 hours Teacher Elective PD
Consolidate your learning and save on our 3-hour Essentials workshops designed to help you brush-up on the key grammar and pronunciation from each learning level. Workshops are available for A1, A2 and B1 levels.

French culture workshops - 2 hours Teacher elective PD
If you can't get enough of all things French, join one of our French Culture Workshops. Perfect for a Friday night activity, these themed workshops delve into exciting and famous facets of French and Francophone cultures, including French cinema, contemporary music, literature, poetry, theatre,   art, fashion and so much more. 

For more information, visit the Alliance Française website. 

To celebrate Semaine de la Francophonie (worldwide Francophonie week) in March, the High Commission has partnered with Muma Dojo to present a special online rendition of Tiguidou! – an interactive comedy show all about French Canadian language and culture.
​Tiguidou! (a very Québécois word for 'Great!’) will be presented live ONLINE to two lucky schools across 16-17 March. The event will allow students to learn more about Canada in a unique and engaging way, meet diplomatic VIPs, and enjoy a Canadian prize bag. 

Please see here for full details

If you're interested in having your class compete to attract this performance to your school, simply register your expression of interest by Friday 11 February 2022.

COMPETITION EOI

This is simply an expression of interest towards participating in the competition – they will follow up on Monday 14 February with full details and prompts to support your students' entry.

If you have any further queries, contact Sean Murphy, Managing Director at Mama Dojo by phone 0424 066 662 or email or visit mamadojo.co

​In March 2021, Tiguidou! will be on a limited run of free performances for Australian schools, thanks to the High Commission of Canada in Australia, and we would love to include your students.

Tiguidou! – a very Québécois word for 'Great!’- is a 1-hour in-school performance for years 7 and 8  that explores French Canadian language and culture through the prism of interactive comedy. It's fresh, fun and thoroughly educational! Please see full info here.

We have availability on the following dates:

• Regional NSW –​ Friday 19 March  
• Sydney – Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 March 

If it sounds like a good fit email Melanie Porter with your preferred performance date, time and school location. As mentioned, this engagement is entirely free thanks to the High Commission of Canada in Australia.

And of course, feel free to get in touch with any questions. Some FAQ's are included below. Fingers crossed we can put on a fun day for your students to celebrate this year’s La Semaine de la Francophonie!

1. WHY THE TIGUIDOU! TOUR?
After a trying 2020, the High Commission of Canada in Australia wants to connect with communities across the country in a spirit of friendship and renewal. The High Commission has identified La Semaine de la Francophonie as an ideal opportunity to showcase Canada as a multicultural, multilingual nation.

2. WHAT DO THE SESSIONS CONSIST OF?
Tiguidou! runs for 60-minutes. Performances investigate aspects of French-Canadian culture through interactive theatre – with level-appropriate French language featured throughout. Shows are accompanied by teacher resources that offer ways to bring the show's games-led approach to classroom learning.

3. WHO IS TIGUIDOU! SUITABLE FOR?
The engagement is primarily aimed at students in years 7 and 8 who are about to embark on—or indeed, choose – a course in the French language. As part of confirming the session, the Mama Dojo will be in touch with teachers to ascertain the general level of their student's French and tailor the show accordingly.

4. WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES OF THE ENGAGEMENT FOR SCHOOLS?
There are three key outcomes we aim to achieve for schools with Tiguidou!:
> deepen student knowledge of the French language and the Francophonie
> initiate a positive connection to Canada and its national values
> introduce engaging ways for students and educators to combine physical activity with practical academic pursuits.

5. HOW CAN WE BE INVOLVED?
The Tiguidou! performance is FREE for schools. If a genuinely educational and riotously entertaining show fits the bill, email bookings@mamadojo.com.au with your preferred date and 1-hour performance time.

One of the annual collaborations between the NSW Department of Education and the Alliance Française is coming up in February – the greatly-anticipated annual teachers’ screening event.
 
French teachers are invited to a private, advanced screening of a film from our annual Alliance Française French Film Festival. This event is free for teachers to attend, and is an opportunity to come together and network while also watching an enjoyable film.

There is a 1-hour reception preceding the screening, where teachers may mingle while enjoying a selection of French cheeses.

This event is always booked-out (120 places available), with many teachers on the waiting list.
 
The  event details are as follows:

• When: Wednesday 26 February. Reception from 6:30pm, film to preview at 7:30pm
• Where: Palace Verona Cinema
• Who: NSW French teachers

 
If you have any further questions, please contact Madelyn Choong. 

The Alliance Française, in conjunction with the NSW Department of Education and the Association of Independent Schools NSW, is presenting a 2-day French immersion workshop on Thursday 23 and Friday 24 April 2020. The workshop will contribute towards 10 NESA registered hours at Proficient. Registrations will be open between 28 January and 9 April 2020.

This professional learning event will focus on:
- tasks aligned to the new syllabus and designed to motivate
- ways to overcome challenges facing French language teachers in Stages 4-5
- sourcing and exploiting authentic resources.

This is an immersion event and will be conducted in French by the Alliance Française teaching team at their venue at 257 Clarence Street, Sydney. 
​
Cost: $160
​
For more information please contact Evia Kyriacou via email or on 7814 2820.

Partial scholarships will be offered for teachers of French 7-12 from NSW public schools – information will be published early Term 1.