American Association of Teachers of French NATIONAL BULLETIN VOLUME 33, NO. 4 APRIL 2008 2008 ANNUAL CONVENTION IN LIEGE: HIGHLIGHTS It’s not too late to make plans to attend d'une cathédrale gothique sont autant de Travel to Liege the 81st annual AATF convention July 16-19 témoins de nos racines. $20 per person. Liege is very accessible. There are non- in Liege, Belgium. We are planning a num- (Spouses and guests welcome; preregis- stop flights from the U.S. to Brussels from ber of exciting activities as well as the usual tration required). Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, and New excellent professional program. The Local York, among other cities. Liege is only a Committee has been working hard to orga- Pre-Convention Excursions short train ride from Brussels. The TGV nize interesting cultural activities. We are pleased to be able to offer sev- Thalys leaves the Gare du Nord in Paris eral excursions, both within Belgium and in Thursday, July 17 and Friday, July 18 (4:00- and runs several times a day, stopping in northern France. Below are brief descrip- 6:00 p.m.) Liege. Liege is slightly more than two hours tions of the excursions and costs. More from Paris by TGV and two and half hours Walking Tours complete descriptions are posted on the or so from Amsterdam [www.thalys.com]. Itinéraire Simenon Web site. Liege is barely three hours from London Simenon a passé son enfance et son Saturday, July 12-Tuesday, July 15 via Eurostar, and Eurostar ticket prices are adolescence à Liège. Plus tard, reconnu Space may still be available on this ex- good to any station in Belgium [www. pour l'immensité de son œuvre, il ne cursion: Traditions au Nord et en Baie de eurostar.com]. We encourage you to ex- dissimulera pas que, tout au long de sa Somme. Check the AATF Web site for more plore multiple travel options to ensure you vie, il a souvent puisé son inspiration up-to-date information. get the best deal. littéraire dans le souvenir des paysages, Program des personnages, de l'ambiance de Liège. Tuesday, July 15 There is a full program of sessions and La promenade invite à retrouver, en Bruxelles, capitale européenne is a one- workshops with a number of additional fea- compagnie du père de Maigret, cette day excursion which will include a guided tures, including a dictée. Our keynote atmosphère typique du premier quart du bus tour of the historic center of Brussels speaker will be Roger Dehaybe, former vingtième siècle, une époque où Liège and a visit of the European Union. Cost: Administrateur général de l’Agence gagna son surnom de «Cité ardente» et $70 (Spouses and guests welcome; pre- intergouvernementale de la Francophonie. offrit à la littérature francophone un de ses registration required). There will be special sessions organized plus illustres représentants. $20 per per- Tuesday, July 15 for the 2008 AATF Book Club (see page 7). son. (Spouses and guests welcome; pre- registration required). Spa et le CERAN is a day-long excur- sion proposed by CERAN Lingua which in- Le Cœur historique cludes a visit of the school and a meeting Inside this issue page Liège est née entre la Meuse et le with teachers, followed by a guided tour of Convention in Liege ............................ 1-2 tombeau de Saint-Lambert. Toute son Spa and, in the afternoon, a visit of the Message de la Présidente ...................... 3 histoire peut encore se lire entre le fleuve thermes in Spa. Cost: $30, which includes AATF Executive Council .......................... 6 et le pied des coteaux. Depuis le cœur entrance to the thermes. (Spouses and AATF Book Club ................................... 7-8 même de la Cité, avec le Palais des guests welcome; preregistration required). AATF Commissions .............................. 11 Princes-Évêques, l'Hôtel de Ville, la place Note that the funds generated from this ex- Oustanding Senior in French Award .... 12 du Marché et son Perron, vous saisirez une cursion will provide a scholarship in 2009 “Videoconferencing and Language collection d'ambiances. Hors-Château, en for an AATF member to attend the CERAN Learning” ..................................... 15-16 contrebas d'une ancicenne colline jadis program. JNCL/NCLIS Executive Summary ........ 17 Academic Credit for Convention .......... 19 plantée de vignes, offre quelques beaux Hotel Information exemples de rénovation urbaine à travers Convention Workshops ........................ 19 ses pittoresques impasses et la Cour The convention will take place at the “A Case for Teaching Oscar et Dame Saint-Antoine. Vous apprendrez à lire Liege Convention Center. The deadline for Rose by É.-E. Schmitt” ................ 21-22 l'histoire de la cité entre les pierres de ses reserving a room at convention rates was Quebec Resources for Teachers ....... 23 monuments remarquables et vous pourrez March 31, 2008, but there may still be National French Week Contests .......... 25 enfin découvrir l'ancienne collégiale Saint- rooms available. Attendees need to con- Convention Registration Form ........ 27-28 Barthélemy entièrement rénovée et ses tact the hotels directly to make a reserva- Liege Preliminary Program ............. 29-37 fascinants fonts baptismaux du XIIème siècle. tion, and each hotel’s policies, including AATF Materials Center .......................... 38 Visite rapide de l'Archéoforum qui, grâce à those regarding payment and cancellation, Mots chassés ........................................ 39 sa scénographie moderne et didactique, apply. Please read all information carefully. Promotion in Motion ............................. 40 vous permettra de remonter le temps. We have also included a number of other Salut les jeunes! ................................... 41 Traces préhistoriques, murs d'une villa hotels in Liege at which we do not have “French for Fun:” An Idea to Promote gallo-romaine, reste d'édifices religieux room blocks reserved. At these places, the Study of French ........................... 43 médiévaux dont de nombreux vestiges regular rates apply. Check the AATF Web National French Week Grants .............. 44 site for the most up-to-date information. The AATF Commissions will organize ses- Sunday, July 20-Friday, July 25 starting at $1690/week, including tuition, sions and workshops on culture, business Séjour à CERAN Lingua course material, sports and leisure activi- French, promotion, advocacy, and other top- ties, excursions, full board and accommo- ics. The program will be a celebration of Boost your level of conversational French and discover Belgian culture during an in- dation. To learn more about CERAN JUN- the language, culture, and literature of the IORS, visit [www.ceran-us.com/junior]. French-speaking world, focusing on French tensive French immersion experience at the in Europe. An abbreviated version of the most famous language school in Belgium! From July 20-25, 2008, CERAN Lingua will CHECK THE WEB FOR program can be found in this issue (pages UPDATES 29-37), and the complete preliminary pro- offer a special one-week program for at- gram is posted on the AATF Web site where tendees of the annual convention. The pro- The Web site will have regular up- it will be updated regularly until the final pro- gram will give participants a chance to learn dates on AATF activities including gram is printed. how to introduce the Belgian cultural heri- Scholarships, National French Week, tage, literature, music, history and gas- Awards [www.frenchteachers.org]. Convention Registration tronomy in their classroom. Teaching in The convention registration form is small classes (max. six participants per 2008 AATF LUDWIG EXCEL- group), constant support from instructors found on pages 27-28. The Early Bird reg- LENCE IN TEACHING AWARD istration deadline has passed, and the next and the unique CERAN methodology will cut-off date for preregistration will be June ensure progress in conversational French. WINNERS ANNOUNCED Cost: 1700 euros includes tuition, course 20, 2008. After June 20, you will have to We are pleased to announce that the material, full board and accommodation. register on-site at a significantly higher cost. 2008 winners of this award are at the Uni- To learn more, visit [www.ceran-us.com]. On-line registration is also available versity Level: Dr. Eileen Angelini, Canisius through our on-line store. Activities for Family Members and Stu- College, Buffalo NY; at the High School In addition, there is a package option dents Level: Samantha Godden-Chmielowicz, which includes registration, plus the Wel- Carl Shurz High School (IL); and at the come Luncheon and Awards Banquet, plus Give your students and children a chance to skyrocket their level of French Middle School Level, Hervé Le Guilloux, two other lunches, and a walking tour and Trinity Preparatory School (FL). The awards T-shirt. Since the Liege Convention Center while you attend the AATF convention in Liege. In Ferrières, just 30 miles from Liege, will be presented at the Awards Banquet is not situated near enough restaurant fa- during the AATF Convention in Liege. Each cilities to provide lunch for several hundred CERAN JUNIORS provides intensive lan- guage programs for kids 10-18 during the recipient will receive a framed certificate, a attendees, we will organize luncheons on one year complimentary membership in the site. Also we are working to have local ven- summer. The full immersion programs in- clude classes, fun activities and excursions AATF, a one-year subscription to Le dors provide typically Belgian snacks like Français dans le monde, and a cash award. gaufres, frites, and chocolat. (everything in French) and are attended ev- ery year by teenagers from all over the world. The Excellence in Teaching Awards are In order to reduce international shipping sponsored by former AATF Region I Repre- costs, we also plan to mail badges, pro- A unique opportunity to improve conversa- tional French and live a memorable sentative and Honorary Member Robert grams, and tickets to registrants prior to the Ludwig. The recipients will be featured in a convention. multicultural experience.