Teaching of French developing in Southeast Asia: OIF regional director
The teaching of French is developing in Southeast Asia, according to Director for the Asia-Pacific of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) Eric-Normand Thibeault.
Director for the Asia-Pacific of the OIF Eric-Normand Thibeault (L) presents the first prize of the the Young Francophone Reporters contest in 2016 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The teaching of French is developing in Southeast Asia,according to Director for the Asia-Pacific of the International Organisation ofLa Francophonie (OIF) Eric-Normand Thibeault.
In a recent interview with Vietnam News Agencyon the threshold of International Francophonie Day (March 20), he said theFrancophone community gathers more than 80 States and governments around theworld.
Since the OIF’s establishment in 1970, it hasexpanded to many countries such as Vietnam, Vanuatu, Laos, and Cambodia. TheOIF is a diverse community in which member states and governments promotesolidarity, peace, dialogue and linguistic diversity.
He noted that in recent years, thanks to effortsof the regional centre for education and training and the OIF’s French teachingsystem, many primary and high school students in Cambodia have been taughtFrench. While the teaching of French is maintained in Vietnam and Laos, thenumber of French-language learners in Thailand is growing.
The OIF has been carrying out a four-year masterplan since 2015, he said, elaborating that the plan consists of 16 programmes,including those supporting the French language teaching, the cultural industry,and efforts to fight climate change.
One thing that should be enhanced is youngFrench-language teachers’ teaching methods by helping them use digitaltechnology. They can practice self-learning and search for teaching resourceson the internet, Thibeault said.
He lauded the TV programme “Espace fracophone”of the Le Courrier du Vietnam newspaper on Vietnam News Agency’s VNews channel.It has helped popularise the French language through digital communication.
French helps to bolster linguistic diversity,and the learning of languages plays an important role in education, he said,adding that French can be practiced through literature, blog or on socialnetworks.
With the assistance of the OIF, Le Courrier duVietnam successfully held the first Young Francophone Reporters contest in 2016,through which many young talents were discovered.
The OIF wants to continue working with thenewspaper to hold this competition this year to honour the Francophonecommunity, Thibeault said.-VNA
Vietnam wants the Francophone community to promote economic cooperation, aside from linguistic and cultural diversity, among its member countries, President Tran Dai Quang said on October 11.
Vietnam is playing an active and constructive role in the Francophone community, Secretary-General of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) Michaelle Jean said.
Vietnam is ready to intensify economic cooperation with Francophone countries and share experience in socio-economic development with them, especially African nations, President Tran Dai Quang said.
Various activities will be held in Vietnam to celebrate International Francophonie Day, said Director of the Asia-Pacific office of the International Organisation of La Francophonie Eric-Normand Thibeault.
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Director for the Asia-Pacific of the OIF Eric-Normand Thibeault (L) presents the first prize of the the Young Francophone Reporters contest in 2016 (Photo: VNA) 
