Study Abroad: UK or France?
Replies: 5 - Last Post: Jun 26, 2012 12:08 AM Last Post By: gawkabout
jump to
Study Abroad: UK or France?
Hello!I'm currently a sophomore at a small college in Western New York. I am an English Literature and Childhood Education major. My main focus though is that I would like to be an ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) teacher. I will be studying in the spring of 2013 and need to apply in the next few months to the program of my choice. Due to my major, this is the only semester I can study abroad.
My issue is that I do not know where I should study, but have narrowed it down to two places:
University of Cumbria in Lancaster, UK
l'Universite de Rennes 2 in Rennes, France.
Some extra information about myself and the programs:
I do not speak any French, nor have room in my schedule to add a course.
The University of Cumbria program is made specifically for English Literature majors.
Thank you so much for any guidance anyone has. I am torn 50/50 on these two places and do not know what to do! I know I would love either city.
1
Have you confirmed that the French course is taught in English? IME France has rather strict policies for language ability when admitting foreign students. Surely the UK is the best place for studying English! There are great opportunities esp in International Schools for people with your qualifications so good luck.3
I don't know either of the places you've mentioned, but my 2 cents worth is - if you do teach ESL in the future it might be invaluable to have lived in a country where you didn't known the language, and struggled to make yourself understood. It might give you a lot of empathy for your future students, and make you a better teacher.(I did the opposite - I volunteered as an English teacher before I lived in a country where I was learning the language. I realised over and over again how much more valuable it would have been to do it the other way around!)
