At the end of Term 2 senior French students attended a French immersion day organised by the University of Canterbury.

The initial plenary session was very informative for students. A presentation by Antonio Viselli, Head of the UC French department outlined the many options available for continued study of French, as well as the possibility of studying overseas in partnership with French tertiary institutions. A representative from the French Embassy also spoke to the students.

Current UC students shared inspiring stories and their experiences of learning French at tertiary level, explaining the possibility of combining French with other degrees, such as Engineering, Law and Science.  

Morning tea was a treat for students with authentic brioche and chocolate provided by the Village Bakehouse.

The immersion workshops allowed students to work with French learners from other schools. The theme of the day was Les Pays du Couchant; French speaking countries in North Africa such as Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Activities focused on both culture and language, sharing of ideas and making connections with others.

A highlight of the day was a performance by the children from La Découverte, the French immersion class of Burnside Primary School. The high school students loved seeing the young children speaking and singing in French. The primary school students joined in with the song and dance which the older students had practised in class and performed as a whole group.

There was a competitive element to the day with a French treasure hunt around the UC campus and a plenary Kahoot with all 250 participants in the Lecture Theatre.

The day was educational, collaborative and a great deal of fun for all. 

Many thanks go to Eric Mouhica, Antonia Viselli for their organisation and hosting the day, as well as to the many teachers from Christchurch schools who contributed resources and ran workshops.