Benefits of Speaking French

1. Benefits of Speaking French Madame Phillips

2. Test Your Knowledge! • True or False?

3. Test Your Knowledge! • True or False? • More countries have French as their official language than Spanish.

4. La Francophonie • True!

5. La Francophonie • French is the official language in 32 countries.

6. La Francophonie • French is the official language in 32 countries. • French is spoken on ALL six inhabited continents.

7. La Francophonie • French is the official language in 32 countries. • French is spoken on ALL the continents • Fifty-six (56) countries & governments make up the francophone (French-speaking) community.

8. The French-speaking world

9. The 56 countries & governments of the French-speaking world • Albania • Principality of Andorra • Armenia • Kingdom of Belgium • French Community of Belgium • Benin • Bulgaria • Burkina Faso • Burundi • Cambodia • Cameroon • Canada • Canada-New-Brunswick • Canada-Quebec • Cape Verde • Central African Republic • Chad • Comoros • Congo • Cyprus • Democratic Republic of the Congo • Djibouti • Dominica • Egypt • Equatorial Guinea • France • Gabon • Ghana • Greece • Guinea • Guinea-Bissau • Haiti • Ivory Coast • Laos • Lebanon • Luxembourg • Republic of Macedonia • Madagascar • Mali • Morocco • Mauritius • Mauritania • Moldova • Monaco • Niger • Romania • Rwanda • Saint Lucia • SäoTomé and Principe • Senegal • Seychelles • Switzerland • Togo • Tunisia • Vanuatu • Vietnam.

10. What do all these people have in common? • They can all speak French!

11. Some French people you may know

12. Some famous French historical figures • Louis XIV • Napoléon Bonaparte • Marie Curie • Louis Pasteur • Claude Monet • Auguste Renoir • Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc) • Victor Hugo • Louis Braille • Alexandre Dumas • René Descartes • Voltaire

13. Why I like speaking French • “I love traveling. Besides France, I was able to practice my French in many other countries such as Canada, Cambodia, Vietnam, Peru, Egypt, and even the U.S. I have met French speaking people in nearly every place I’ve traveled, and I now have French-speaking friends all over the world.” - Mme Phillips

14. My friends Global Peace Boat Voyage Being multilingual helped us travel around the world! My British friend Sam who speaks English, French, & Italian

15. What about every day people? • “I grew up in Chicago speaking English and Spanish, but I like to speak French with my friends. It’s like a secret language when we don’t want everybody to know our business! - Juan

16. A French-speaking teenager’s point of view • “It’s cool being able to speak French. I can make friends on facebook who live in other countries. One day I hope to visit them.” - Eric

17. A French-speaking college student’s point of view • “I love speaking French because I can understand music, magazines, TV shows, soap operas, movies and jokes that not everyone can. That makes me special.” - Jenny

18. Poor Zoe! She can only speak English. • “I am limited to who I can talk to because not everyone can speak English. I think I should learn another language because otherwise I will always remain an outsider when I travel and even in some communities here in the U.S.” - Zoe

19. Personal Benefits of Speaking French • Make friends from all over the world.French is spoken on all 6 inhabited continents!

20. Personal Benefits of Speaking French • Make friends from all over the world.French is spoken on all 5 inhabited continents! • Do you like to travel?Wouldn’t it be nice to communicate with the people you meet on your trips? (Not everyone speaks English!)

21. Personal Benefits of Speaking French • Make friends from all over the world.French is spoken on all 5 inhabited continents! • Do you like to travel?Wouldn’t it be nice to communicate with the people you meet on your trips? (Not everyone speaks English!) • Explore cultural avenues that would otherwise be closed to you.Take up French cooking classes. Watch French movies focusing on the screen, not subtitles. Listen to French rap or pop music and understand what your favorite artists are saying. Read great books, plays, and poetry. And much more!

22. Educational Benefits of Speaking French • Did you know that 30-50% of the English language comes from French? • French can help you with your English! • Students who learn French perform better on standardized tests. • Studying French has been shown to boost ACT/SAT scores. • Studying French enhances critical thinking & problem-solving skills, which helps you excel in other subjects, like English, math, and science.

23. Educational Benefits of Speaking French • Did you know that 30-50% of the English language comes from French? • Satisfy high school and college requirements. • CPS requires 2 years of foreign language for graduation and most universities today require at least 2 years of foreign language for admission. If you take a foreign language now, it could save you money later! The fewer college courses you need to take, the cheaper your tuition will be.

24. So…how do I get started?You’re already on your way! Do you recognize these words? fiancé faux pas genre agent bouquet chauffeur unique façade avant-garde entrepreneur chic déjà vu spécial petite cuisine souvenir RSVP

25. But. . .how can French help me get a job? French is mandated in these organizations: • Amnesty International • Interpol • International Olympic Committee • North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) • North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) • Org. for Economic Cooperation + Development (OECD) • Red Cross and Red Crescent • United Nations (UN) • World Health Organization (WHO) • World Trade Organization (WTO)

26. What jobs use French? • Tour guide • Travel agent • CIA operative • Singer • Actor • International businessman/woman • And more! • Teacher • Translator/ interpreter • Ambassador • Diplomat • Flight attendant • Hotel staff

27. Professional Benefits of Speaking French • Broaden your job prospects.You decide who your employer is going to be; don’t let your choices be limited! By speaking French you can work for domestic or international companies and organizations. You can even work abroad!

28. Professional Benefits of Speaking French • Broaden your job prospects.You decide who your employer is going to be; don’t let your choices be limited! By speaking French you can work for domestic or international companies and organizations. You can even work abroad! • Broaden your horizons.When you study a language you also learn about the culture. You can use your cultural knowledge to make business connections and lasting impressions. Use your finesse to excel at international relations.

29. Professional Benefits of Speaking French • Broaden your job prospects.You decide who your employer is going to be; don’t let your choices be limited! By speaking French you can work for domestic or international companies and organizations. You can even work abroad! • Broaden your horizons.When you study a language you also learn about the culture. You can use your cultural knowledge to make business connections and lasting impressions. Use your finesse to excel at international relations. • Build up your resume.Employers get stacks of resumes. How will you make yours stand out? Show that you went the extra mile; show that you have unique skills.

30. Where can I practice French outside class? • Join the Alliance Française • Watch French films (Check out Facets they show French films in their cinema and have an enormous French video collection) • Listen to French music (Check out www.radiofrance.fr) • Read French books & magazines (CPL, Alliance Française, and Europa books have large collections) • Go to French restaurants with French staff (Kiki’s Bistro, La Crêperie, etc.)

31. Check out these websites: • http://french.about.com/ • http://www.quia.com/shared/french/http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/ • http://www.radiofrance.fr/ • http://www.listenlive.eu/france.html

32. Bon Courage!!!