First regional meeting for French teachers from Qatar and the Emirates

The OIF through its Representation for the Middle East (REPMO) and the Regional Center for Africa (CREFA) provided its support to the Association of French Teachers of Qatar (APFQ), in partnership with CIFAL Doha and the University of Lusail, in the preparation of the first regional meeting for teachers of and in French, on May 17 and 18, 2024 in Doha.
This event brought together French teachers from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, two associate member countries of the OIF in the Middle East region, around two quality training courses: “The intercultural approach in language teaching” and “Teaching geometry: what approach, what language objectives and what working materials? “.
Led by Jean-Marc Mangiante, University Professor of French linguistics and FLE/FOS teaching at the University of Artois, the first training aimed to enrich the teaching repertoire of French teachers by integrating cultural and intercultural dimensions in their practice. It aimed to promote an in-depth understanding of cultural diversity within the French-speaking world and to provide teachers with tools and methods for effective integration of cultural elements into their curriculum. Around forty French teachers, including 5 from the United Arab Emirates, took part in these enriching exchanges.
At the same time, the second training course was led by Christine Mangiante, lecturer in mathematics education at the University of Lille. The opportunity for French mathematics teachers to discover innovative approaches to meet the language needs of students and develop effective teaching sessions in geometry. Around fifteen mathematics teachers from French-speaking primary schools in Qatar came together around this theme.
These training courses were followed by a round table entitled “Crossing cultural borders through teaching French: approaches, obstacles and innovations”. This discussion brought together education experts and practitioners to share their ideas, experiences and perspectives on the topic and encouraged new reflections and constructive exchanges in the field of teaching French and promoting intercultural understanding.
These events represented a unique opportunity for teachers of and in French in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to explore new perspectives and hone their expertise in crucial areas of teaching, thanks to the generous support of institutional partners.