French Master's Alum Publishes Materials for French Teachers
Recent Middlebury graduate Brittney Gehrig (M.A. French ‘22) with her colleagues at Boise State University and the Boise School District have published the first of four French open educational resource (OER) textbooks, titled “Français inclusif: An Interactive Workbook for French.”
The group, comprised of K-16 instructors, created and published comprehensive materials that are openly licensed, meaning they are free for any instructors to use as-is, remix or revise them!
Available as a complete curriculum, the team not only revised and remixed an existing open educational resource (OER) text, but also created significant ancillary materials. Each course contains four modules that include the following features: Integrated Performance Assessments (IPA), task-based activities, cultural reflections, slide decks, interactive homework assignments and checklists and embedded authentic materials. The group prioritized eliminating student materials cost and incorporating inclusive and multicultural representation. Brittney is especially excited about the cultural reflections which invite students to make cultural comparisons and consider the ways in which French and language skills can benefit them in their future careers.
The team expanded the original source (Francais interactif) by presenting content from the Francophone world (not just France) and by localizing the materials with pictures of Boise State, Boise and Idaho as well. Instructor notes in the day-to-day in-class slide deck activities encourage teachers to customize the materials for their own student populations and needs. Throughout the activities, students are encouraged to reflect on the 21st century skills and career readiness in their language learning journey.
The team is currently working on French 201 this spring, building on the materials they have already created for French 101 and 102, and plans to continue through French 202. They plan to disseminate these offerings with Boise State concurrent enrollment instructors, the Idaho community of French teachers and teachers across the United States. The diverse educational backgrounds of the members of this team of instructors puts them in a unique position to understand the varying needs of teachers who, especially in world languages, are often tasked with teaching multiple levels of language.
Brittney hopes this resource will be useful to Middlebury Language Schools current and future graduates teaching French and will serve as inspiration for those interested in OER in any language.
View the “FI: An Interactive Workbook for French 101” textbook. Request access to materials using this google form.
Brittney Gehrig graduated with her Master’s in French over four 6-week summers. She spent three summers in Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont, and one summer at the School of French in Paris.