The Better French Living Project: how to encourage linguistic, practical, and cultural year-abroad preparation outside the classroom

Abstract

This chapter presents the Better French Living Project (BFLP), which was started in 2014 in the French section of the Newcastle University School of Modern Languages (SML) with a view to respond to second-year students’ feedback, promote independent learning amongst them, and assist in their year-abroad preparation by developing their practical and intercultural knowledge and listening skills outside the classroom. After introducing the context in which the project was developed, this chapter presents the topics selected, together with samples of the activities that were designed and made available to students via their Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). This is followed by an analysis of the feedback students provided via end-of-year questionnaires in the three academic years from 2014 to 2017, including an assessment of the activities offered and the students’ engagement with them. Finally, this chapter suggests how this project could be further developed.