How to Sustain and Maintain a High School French Program

Anne Jensen San Jose State University, United States ABSTRACT Working in a public high school in California, where Spanish is the dominant language, can be a daunting task. In this chapter, I will share my experiences in teaching French at the high school level for over 40 years and the numerous methods I used to increase enrollment despite the obstacles I faced in both high schools. Despite the natural tendency for students to enroll in Spanish, I was able to double the enrollment in my French program through hard work and determination. My involvement in the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF) and other world language associations were essential factors in increasing enrollment because I received so many wonderful ideas from colleagues. My goal in this article is to share my expertise in building French enrollment and to help French teachers who are struggling in their schools to keep their French programs vibrant and alive despite looming obstacles. I will share classroom strategies, activities outside the classroom, and my general philosophy about the teaching of French as a world language that will hopefully inspire other French teachers to pursue similar actions in their respective schools.

Keywords: teaching activities, professional associations, enrollment, expertise, French, Spanish