What is the French Language Assistants programme?

French Language Assistants Programme offers a unique opportunity to Indian academic institutions to host a French native student (Under-Graduate or Post-Graduate) to create a dynamic learning environment for their students.

Duration of the posting

The French Language Assistants are posted in Indian institutions for a period of 9 months.

(1 August to 30 April next year).

Duties of French Language Assistants

The French Language Assistants provide assistance to students to improve their performance in French (focusing on oral proficiency), enrich their knowledge of French culture and civilisation by conducting classroom activities, initiating/encouraging language groups and taking part in the organisation of student exchange programmes etc.

Please Note: The French Language Assistants are not full-time teachers and do not replace any Indian faculty member.

Which Indian institution may partner to be a part of this programme?

The host Indian institution is either of the following:

  • a secondary school
  • a University offering general French course for beginners as an optional subject
  • a University French language department offering specialisation in French language and culture (B.A French, M.A French)
  • conducts French language activities focusing on oral proficiency
  • conducts cultural activities with the students
  • organises sessions on higher studies opportunities in France
  • participates in the evaluation process of the students
  • does not replace an Indian faculty

The host institution can provide the French Assistant with

  • 12 to 20 hours of weekly interaction time with the students
  • a monthly allowance of Rs. 44,000/-
  • furnished accommodation with a kitchen
  • 3 week holidays during the total 9-month stay of the Assistant

Profile of the French Language Assistant

The profile of the French Assistant varies as per the needs of the host Indian academic institution

The common profile of a French Assistant is
French national
Between 22 and 35 years of age

Student in any one of the following streams:

  • FLE (French as a foreign language),
  • Bachelor/Master of Education
  • Linguistics
  • Humanities
  • Geography, History, Information-Communication, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, Ethnology, Journalism, etc.

The role of the French Assistant is to improve the oral proficiency of the students in French and to enrich their knowledge of the French culture. The Assistant shall work with the support of the French language faculty of the host institution and may conduct classroom sessions in consultation with the faculty members of the host institution.

The French Assistant being a young student can actively encourage the students to express orally and bring an interesting approach to the learning process by introducing socio-cultural themes which may interest the students.

How does it work?

Step 1: Implementation of the administrative structure
• An Indian partner institution hosts a French Language Assistant.
• The Indian institution has one or more French faculty members who are in-charge of imparting the course curriculum to the students.
• The course starts in mid-June or in July. The Assistant joins in August.
• One faculty member is designated as the coordinator for the French language and s.he informs the Assistant on the course curriculum schedule on a per week/month basis.

Step 2: Implementation of the academic structure
• The faculty member(s) of the institution teach the course curriculum following a course book.
• The Assistant prepares activities in tandem with the weekly schedule of the course.
• The activities proposed by the Assistant are meant to reinforce the topics taught by the faculty members. For example, the teachers have worked on the “past tense”, then the Assistant prepares activities (a small skit, a dialogue exercise, a song, a small video etc.) which is used to make the students practice the “past tense”.
• The Assistant hence has an interaction with the same set of students after their first exposure to the language component (grammar, syntax, vocabulary, etc.) through the faculty members in-charge of course curriculum.
• The Assistant interacts independently with the students in the classroom, auditorium, language lab…

Your institution is interested in hosting a French Language Assistant?

Fill the form below and we will get back to you.

My institution wishes to be a part of this programme

Step 1 of 3