By Alyaa Malik
Did you know that learning a new language helps you be more confident and more open-minded? It creates opportunities to meet new people and form lasting relationships. It also broadens knowledge and communication skills. It may also land you your next job. There are many rewards to learning a new language that’s why, say Oui! to learning French at the Alliance Française d’Arabie Saoudite!
The French language is the language of diplomacy, and as Saudis and expats alike thrive in multinational spaces, having the ability to speak French is considered to be a sophisticated skill.
Saudi Arabia and France has a long-standing relationship since the 1920s and for some time in the past, French was once a required subject in the schools’ curriculum. These days, those looking for the best center to learn French can find Alliance Française d’Arabie Saoudite, an internationally renowned language school that is part of the larger network of Alliance Française with over 816 centers worldwide.
We spoke with the General Manager of Alliançe Française d’Arabie Saoudite, Madame Amina Hammad who oversees all three Alliance Française centers in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar along with their Communication, Culture and Development Manager, Mr. Matthieu Thevenon as they shared with us the efforts that they have pursued in promoting the French language and culture in Saudi Arabia.
What is Alliance Française and how long has it been in Saudi Arabia?
Madame Amina: Alliance Française is a French Cultural Center that aims to promote the French language and culture. We offer general courses for all levels along with being the sole provider of language certification exams as approved by the French government such as the Diplôme d’Etudes en Langue Française (DELF) [[Diploma in France Language Studies]] Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française (DALF) [[Diploma in Advanced French in English]], Test de connaissance du français (TCF) and Test d’Evaluation de Français (TEF).
Majority of our students (75%) are Saudis and the rest are expats. We also offer classes for children ages 5 to 12 years old.
Recently, we have also been recognized by the Saudi government as a renowned cultural center and we are very proud of this achievement. This means that we can provide more activities and workshops that can highlight the French culture.
What are the challenges that you have experienced when it comes to teaching French to the students here?
Madame Amina: As a teacher, one of the main difficulties we experience is that the students always want the translation. We want to reiterate that it is not a translation class. While we observe that some students need to translate the words in order to understand them, our teaching process does not encourage it. Our approach to teaching them French is like a circle that expands. First, they can start by talking about themselves in French, then they can talk about their families, their environment and so on and so forth. After they’ve reached that ability in terms of vocabulary, we implement the proper pronunciation. You need to pronounce well to understand well.
How long do the classes take?
Madame Amina: Each level takes six weeks, with 44 hours of class. It depends on the students if they would like to take more. We advise them to take certain classes and get the diploma per step. Eventually, in order to reach B2 level in the DELF, it would take two years total.
Monsieur Matthieu: We also have classes outside the Alliance Française centers. Many private companies also approach us to provide classes to their employees.
Can you tell me more about the cultural aspect of Alliance Française?
Monsieur Matthieu: There are two parts that involves Alliance Française when it comes to promoting the French culture. The first half is in partnership with the French Embassy here in Riyadh and we work together in conducting their cultural activities. The second half is concerned with conducting cultural workshops under the banner of Alliance Française itself. These include workshops related to business etiquette, how to manage yourself at work, social etiquette and even cooking classes in coordination with some of the restaurants here in Riyadh.
You mentioned that you offer several etiquette workshops, what do you think is the importance of such etiquette in this day and age of technology?
Monsieur Matthieu: The idea behind our etiquette workshops is not necessarily to be of “French etiquette” but the focus is more on a professional working in the international arena. Whether it is for school or business, this is an experience that we offer to the people for there are no trainers for such things here.
What are the activities that we can look forward to from Alliançe Française d’Arabie Saoudite in the future?
Monsieur Matthieu: This March is the month of the Francophonie and we are promoting the speaking of French along with the worldwide organizations that participate in this event. Our next activity is in line with Francophonie with the French Embassy wherein they will host a French poetry performance.
In the center, we have constant activities for children, film showing and documentaries for adults, some lectures and conferences as well. Each month, we also sponsor cooking classes in the Kingdom Tower with a French chef. In a few months, we will launch the opening of our library that will house a large collection of books and multimedia in English, French and Arabic languages.
Alliançe Françaised’Arabie SaouditeAl Kindi Plaza, Gate 14Opposite to the Arabian FoodContact Numbers:Men’s Section: 011-281-6539/40Women’s Section: 011-281-7178Opening hours (Men’s Section):9 AM-1 PM and 3 PM to 7 PM(Ladies Section):9 AM-12 PM and 4 PM to 9 PMEmail: info@af-ksa.comWebsite: www.af-ksa.com
