French As a Foreign Language

[tasng4]

Backin October the France in English newspaper The Connexion ran an article says thatthe state would pay for up to 200 hours of French lessons aid for by the state (http://www.connexionfrance.com/expatriate-news-article.php?art=246) there were certain conditions but so far despite E_Mails to various contacts we've received no replies.

Has anyone out there had any success with these lessons?

Also it may be just me but I find that despite including contact E_Mail addresses quite often no one replies to E_Mails sent despite receiving a read receipt.  Insurance companies are the worst - what's your experience of this?

[Callie]

With regard to your problem with e-mail responses - we have found that an awful lot of people and businesses simply do not bother to respond. I sometimes wonder if they read them. Some even come back saying the recipient's mail box is full.

The only other way to get a message through is sending a recorded letter with "Avis de reception" which means that you will get a signed slip back saying that it has been received. You might have a bit more chance of a response.

Incidentally, this is particularly true with insurance companies. It is vital to send them recorded letters, especially if you wish to cancel an insurance otherwise they will take no notice or deny ever having received it.

[Clair]

[quote user="tasng4"]Backin October the France in English newspaper The Connexion ran an article says that the state would pay for up to 200 hours of French lessons aid for by the state (http://www.connexionfrance.com/expatriate-news-article.php?art=246) there were certain conditions but so far despite E_Mails to various contacts we've received no replies. Has anyone out there had any success with these lessons?[/quote]

THIS is the list of the organisations in charge in each region/department.

The agency in charge is l'acsé.

Reading the files on the right-hand side of their web page, priority is given to those in the process of naturalisation, whose application has been held or refused back for lack of language abilities.

[tasng4]

Thanks for this, the list is the same as the contacts list provided in 'The Connexion' site.  The problem is that there's only a phone number for Drome, I googled the phone number and found a contact whom I E_Mailed but received no reply (hence my other comments).  thanks for the other link though I've now E_Mailed them asking for application details so my hopes remain high.

Things are different here to the UK, in the UK government organisations etc. bend over backwards to help non-English speakers (road signs in Polish etc.) but in France you need some French even to apply for these lessons which are geared towards non-French speakers. At least it forces one to get the dictionary out and apply oneself.

thanks again.

 

[Clair]

[quote user="tasng4"]Things are different here to the UK, in the UK government organisations etc. bend over backwards to help non-English speakers...[/quote]

I cannot remember seeing a road sign in French anywhere in the UK, except near the South coast ferry ports... [:P]

[NormanH]

[quote user="tasng4"]

in France you need some French even to apply for these lessons which are geared towards non-French speakers. At least it forces one to get the dictionary out and apply oneself.

thanks again.

 

[/quote]

I always regret that EU regulations prevent the application to British people of the requirements

 'le ressortissant étranger  est sollicité

bénéficie, dans son pays de résidence, d'une évaluation de son degré de

connaissance de la langue et des valeurs de la République. Si cette

évaluation en établit le besoin, l'autorité administrative organise à

l'intention de l'étranger, dans son pays de résidence, une formation

dont la durée ne peut excéder deux mois, au terme de laquelle il fait

l'objet d'une nouvelle évaluation de sa connaissance de la langue et

des valeurs de la République. La délivrance du visa est subordonnée à

la production d'une attestation de suivi de cette formation.

That is to say that  (very roughly)someone coming from another country is expected to take a test in the home country of the language and Republican values, and if necessary follow a training course. The right of entry depends on a certificate that the course has been taken.

It is perfectly reasonable to demand a minimum knowledge of the language before even setting foot here.

I see no reason why anybody who has freely chosen to live in France  should expect France to pay to remedy avoidable ignorance

[tasng4]

I agree with NormanH, the French administrative systems are undertaken in French and you have to understand French to fit in.  Don't mis-understand me I am NOT complaining about any lack of help for non or poor French speakers, indeed I think if you move here and don't speak French then the problem is your and not the French,Iwas merely commenting on the irony of running a course for non-French speakers but haveing the details only available in French.

I do speak French but it's more touristy French rather than everyday conversational French with all the poor grammer and verb usage that goes with that.

[Chancer]

What language did you write the E-mail in?

Remember that it will almost certainly be a fontionaire that you tried to make contact with not a French tutor, and in any case the tutors may not necessarily speak English as their students would have many different mother tongues.

[tasng4]

I wrote in French, my best present tense interspersed with some passe compose, I think.

Ma femme et moi avons habite en France depuis Juillet 2007.  Nous avons lu dans la journal Connexion France (http://www.connexionfrance.com/expatriate-news-article.php?art=246) c'est possible pour les personnes etranger etudier Francais gratuit pour 200 heures.  Maintenant nous chercherons pour la liste d'organisation quel participant dans le plan.  Si cette exact s'il vous plait repondre a moi avec l'information pour appliquer.

 

Je desole par-ce-que ma Francais est mauvais.

 

AsI said my French isn't that good but I do feel I use the right words though the tense may be wrong.

[NormanH]

[quote user="tasng4"]

I wrote in French, my best present tense interspersed with some passe compose, I think.

Ma femme et moi avons habite en France depuis Juillet 2007.  Nous avons lu dans la journal Connexion France (http://www.connexionfrance.com/expatriate-news-article.php?art=246) c'est possible pour les personnes etranger etudier Francais gratuit pour 200 heures.  Maintenant nous chercherons pour la liste d'organisation quel participant dans le plan.  Si cette exact s'il vous plait repondre a moi avec l'information pour appliquer.

 

Je desole par-ce-que ma Francais est mauvais.

 

AsI said my French isn't that good but I do feel I use the right words though the tense may be wrong.

[/quote]

There are probably a few mistakes in that that Clair or one of the other French native speakers on the site could help you with, but it seems to me a perfectly good and understandable attempt, certainly as good as could be expected of someone looking for a course, and better than most!

[5-element]

[quote user="tasng4"]

I wrote in French, my best present tense interspersed with some passe compose, I think.

Ma femme et moi avons habite en France depuis Juillet 2007.  Nous avons lu dans la journal Connexion France (http://www.connexionfrance.com/expatriate-news-article.php?art=246) c'est possible pour les personnes etranger etudier Francais gratuit pour 200 heures.  Maintenant nous chercherons pour la liste d'organisation quel participant dans le plan.  Si cette exact s'il vous plait repondre a moi avec l'information pour appliquer.

 

Je desole par-ce-que ma Francais est mauvais.

 

AsI said my French isn't that good but I do feel I use the right words though the tense may be wrong.

[/quote]

 

Probably too late now, but here are a few corrections for your letter (although I do think it is understandable as it is!!!):

 

"Ma femme et moi habitons en France depuis Juillet 2007.  Nous avons lu dans le journal CF...qu'il est possible pour les étrangers de bénéficier de 200 heures de cours pour étudier le francais gratuitement. Nous sommes donc a la recherche de la liste des organisations qui participent a ce projet. Si nos informations sont exactes, pouvez- vous je vous prie, me répondre en me donnant des renseignements complémentaires?

Veuillez m'excuser pour mon mauvais francais."

This is just in case you feel you need to send the letter again. But I really think it was intelligible before...