French teachers encouraged to adopt “French-for-fun” method to boost enrollment

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | French teachers have been advised to adopt the “French-for-fun” method to make their classes more enjoyable and attract more students, thereby enhancing the country’s proficiency in the French language.

This is one of the recommendations that came up on the closing day of the 11th Congress of French Teachers, held at Makerere University Business School (MUBS) in Nakawa. The week-long event drew over 350 participants from around the world.

For years, the Association of French Teachers in Uganda has struggled to persuade the government and private school owners to prioritize French in the curriculum, saying that it has significant benefits to students and the broader population.

Currently, French is offered as an elective subject at the lower secondary level in Uganda, primarily in private schools and urban areas, due to a shortage of qualified teachers. However, even in schools where French is available, few students choose to study it, often citing its difficulty.

Professor Edith Natukunda from Makerere University, speaking to URN on the sidelines at the congress’s climax, said that it is important for French Teachers to think about integrating French into fun activities to motivate students.

Natukunda noted that teaching French traditionally can be daunting for students due to complex terminology. However, incorporating it into playful activities and open play can enhance students’ language skills and reduce anxiety.

Agatha Tumwine Magezi, President of the Association of French Teachers in Uganda, shared that the French-for-fun method had been tested before the COVID-19 pandemic, and it yielded positive results.

Although initially implemented outside the classroom, Magezi mentioned doing the same in classes would be good, before adding that the association has since embarked on organizing interactive camps where students engage in various co-curricular activities using French as the medium of communication.

She believes these camps can introduce new learning styles and attract students who previously showed little interest in French.

Magezi also warned teachers to be vigilant over students using artificial intelligence to learn French. While she acknowledges AI’s benefits in teaching, she cautioned against students relying on AI to complete their work, which could hinder their understanding of the language.

French is one of the most spoken languages globally, with over 300 million speakers, 44% of whom reside in Africa. It is a primary language for international bodies such as the United Nations and the European Union. Projections suggest that by 2050, the number of French speakers could reach 700 million, with 80% residing in Africa.

In 2021, French was endorsed as the third official language of the East African Community, following English and Kiswahili, coinciding with the inclusion of three Francophone countries—Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo—as new member states.

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