Prêt à commander St. B university cooks up tasty French language classes By: Eva Wasney Posted: 4:37 PM CDT Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024

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This article was published 08/10/2024 (723 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As-tu faim?

If you are hungry, Université de Saint-Boniface has a new beginner French language course focused on eating, cooking and dining.

A Taste of French is a six-class, three-week public program developed somewhat accidentally. It replaces a condensed language course of the same name previously offered by the university.

“We called it A Taste of French because it was a little course, but there wasn’t actually any food involved,” says language program co-ordinator Erika Morin-Nett, who fielded many emails from confused potential students looking for information about a non-existent French cooking class.

“The name seemed to be saying something different to them, so, we were like, let’s give people what they seem to be looking for.”

The inaugural course begins Oct. 21 and includes in-person lessons from 6 to 9 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. The first class of each week covers basic words, phrases and concepts to be put into practice during the second class.

Week one is on food preferences, with students tasked with selecting a preferred snack. Week two is about cooking and will involve discussion about measurements and directions while making a basic recipe, such as soup. In the final week, participants will learn how to order from a menu and visit a St. Boniface restaurant for dinner.

A Taste of French is designed for beginner French learners who have no prior experience with the language or are looking to brush up on vocabulary learned in grade school.

Food as a subject can be beneficial for French newbies, says Morin-Nett.

“(Food) is a very approachable thing — everybody has an opinion about food, most people are interested in food, everybody eats and it’s a place where people start in general. For children, it’s one of the first things that you learn, to say the different names of foods. And adults as well, you start from the personal and work out towards the more abstract concepts,” she says.

The hands-on curriculum can also be beneficial.

“The name (A Taste of French) seemed to be saying something different to them, so, we were like, let’s give people what they seem to be looking for.”–Erika Morin-Nett

“The method we tend to use is where the teacher will speak almost entirely in French,” Morin-Nett adds.

“It’s a lot easier when you actually have objects and you’re asking them to do things, then you can see right away whether they understand.”

Registration for A Taste of French closes Oct. 15 and costs $298, which covers all course materials and meal expenses. The program takes place at the Université de Saint-Boniface campus at 200 De La Cathedrale Ave. Visit wfp.to/CoH for more information.

eva.wasney@winnipegfreepress.com

X: @evawasney