Examples of language activities
Cross-Cultural Connections: synchronous and asynchronous trans-Atlantic exchanges
This article (in French) published by the The French Review (American Association of Teachers of French, déc. 2011) presents the "Cross-Cultural Connections" project, started in 2003 between Smith College (Massachusetts, USA) and Telecom ParisTech. Every Friday during one semester, the students meet using webcams to have conversations in small groups, punctuated by three videoconferences when the whole classes meet together. These synchronous conversations are complemented by a series of asynchronous activities that take place throughout the semester (MIT Cultura questionnaires, forums, autobiographies, cultural "picture presents", comparing movies—a French original and an American remake, sharing favorite songs). This approach, facilitating an ongoing conversation among the students and the comparison of multiple aspects of the two cultures, aims at increasing the students’ linguistic and intercultural skills and making them less ethnocentric.
Christiane Métral (Smith College, MA) & James Benenson (Telecom ParisTech, Paris)
Paris seen by foreign students
An example of an intercultural activity: a photo exhibition entitled Regards d'étudiants étrangers sur Paris (Paris seen by foreign students)
Activities in Japanese
Partnerships, year-end dinner
At the end of the school year, some 60 participants enjoyed a Japanese dinner prepared by our students and their Japanese partners participating in the Languages and Cultures Department’s tandem program.
In progress
Some 50 students are taking Japanese courses and about 20 French-Japanese pairs have been formed.
Atsuko Sasaki, Japanese Professor at Telecom ParisTech
German course and trip to Vienna
Karin Illner and the Languages and Cultures Department organised a trip to Vienna from 20th to 22nd May 2010 for five first- and second-year students, with three goals:
- A scientific visit and exchange with the students of two scientific universities in Vienna: Universität Wien (the physics department) and Technische Universität -TU (technical University), which already work with Télécom ParisTech in the ATHENS program.
- To practice German during their exposés presenting Télécom ParisTech, or when taking courses and conferences at the universities visited, and in discussions with Austrian students.
- A cultural visit related to the courses dispensed at the Languages and Cultures Department (levels A2 and B1 in German).
The Austrians really appreciated the visit by our students and their presentation of our school, and have expressed a desire to continue these contacts in the future. Our students were also very satisfied with the trip.
Solidarity tourism in Chile
In July 2010, six first-year Spanish students from Telecom ParisTech did their internship in Huara, a village in northern Chile, supervised by local communities, essentially, Aymara Indians: guide, home stay, transportation, etc., through the international association ASE (Art - Sport - Entraide).
The students helped develop a Solidarity Tourism Itinerary with the local people to profit local communities (Pisagua, Tiliviche, MiniMine, Tarapaca, Huavina, Chiapa, Jaina, Pachica, Punta Pinchalo, Uscuma, as well as the extensions: Huara, Lauca and San Pedro de Atacama).
A number of projects were completed, including the installation of a goat barn and a cheese house built by Ecole Polytechnique and Télécom ParisTech students. A new project is being examined to use this tool to prepare guava jams and juices.
Supervisors were very pleased by our students and their contribution!
Isabel Le Bonhomme, Languages and Cultures Department at Télécom ParisTech and Latin American geographic correspondent
Trip to Madrid, and Spanish studies in Paris
Two years of linguistic and cultural work in the Spanish course of the Languages and Cultures Department were concluded with 12 second-year students travelling to Madrid from 28th April to 2nd May 2010.
This trip gave students an opportunity to use their Spanish language and cultural knowledge, and to visit a partner university (ETSIT) where they can study in their third year, for a semester or a dual degree.
We also have received four dual-degree students from Madrid University, who arrived in September. We also have welcomed a dual-degree student from ETSETB in Barcelona at the school.
« Managing Communication in an International Context »
A multilingual team from the Languages and Cultures Department taught a course called “Managing Communication in an International Context” for human training during the ATHENS week from 15th to 19th November 2010.
- 18 students from five ParisTech schools (Agro, Chimie, ENSTA, Mines, Télécom)
- students from Delft, Madrid, Munich, Prague, Vienna
- including students from French Guyana, Hong Kong, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Senegal and Tahiti
- having lived in the United States, China, the UK, etc.
These students spent at least 30 hours together exploring intercultural aspects of the business world:
- interactive teaching
- theoretical and methodological points
- role play, videos
- case studies, exercises
- a final project of skits performed by small groups
This week helped the young people learn from each other, as seen in both their behaviour and their comments at the end of the course. A wonderful opportunity to “live internationally at school”!
Vera Dickman, James Benenson, Veronika Bayer, Nathan Arthur
