French language teachers in Nur-Sultan, headed by Mr. Alex Bortolan, Cultural and Cooperation Counselor at the French Embassy in Kazakhstan.
On November 25, 2021, the countries of Central Asia celebrated the International French Teachers’ Day. The Francophone Community first celebrated on November 28, 2019, at the initiative of the President of the French Republic, Mr. E. Macron.
The purpose of the holiday is to appreciate and strengthen the profession of French language teachers, increase its prestige. Teachers of universities and secondary schools in Central Asia spent this holiday in fruitful work aimed at developing and promoting the quality of teaching the French language.
Ergalieva Kunsulu Ongarovna, the senior lecturer of the Foreign Languages Department of the Faculty of International Relations, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, took part in the online international event, held in Nur-Sultan on the basis of the French Alliance.
The event began with a welcoming speech at the Sorbonne-Kazakhstan Institute (Almaty) by Mr. Alexis Shakhtantinsky, the Consul General of France in Kazakhstan, then followed by Ainur Sabitova, the member of the Human Rights Commission under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, director of the said institute (Kazakhstan), Mrs. Christine Buteye (France), the director of the Sorbonne-Kazakhstan Institute, Mr. Xavier Le Torrivellek, Attaché for Cooperation in the Field of Education, Counselor for Culture and Cooperation of the Embassy of France in Kazakhstan. Welcoming remarks were also made by Mr. Alex Bortolan, the Cultural and Cooperation Counselor of the French Embassy in Kazakhstan, representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as Aigul Doschanova, the President of the Association of French Language Teachers in Kazakhstan (AKEF).
Representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, representatives of JSC “National Center for Advanced Studies “Orleu”, representatives of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan and school directors took part in the round table "The current state of teaching the French language in Kazakhstan". A number of problems related to teaching French in our country were discussed. Criticism was voiced about the absence of refresher courses at the National Center for Advanced Studies "Orleu" and it was hoped that the situation on this issue would change in the near future.
During the event, the competitions were organized by AKEF among 4 categories: grades 1-3, grades 7-11, students and teachers.
Kamila Faizova, the Honorary President of the Association of French Language Teachers in Kazakhstan, held a master class on the topic "Français sur objectifs universitaires".
The general part of the event began with a welcoming speech by the Ambassadors of France in five countries of Central Asian: Mr. Didier Canessa - in Kazakhstan, Mr. François Delaus - in Kyrgyzstan, Mr. Michel Tarran – in Tajikistan, Mrs. Isabelle Ginel – in Turkmenistan, Mrs. Orelia Bouchez – in Uzbekistan.
Teachers of the French Alliances of Kazakhstan made various presentations. Then it was followed by a discussion on topical issues of the Associations of French Language Teachers in Central Asia.
Closing remarks were made by Mr. Alex Bortolan and Mr. Laurent Oriol, the Cultural and Cooperation Advisers of the French Embassy in Kazakhstan and in Uzbekistan.
Teachers of the French language and Alex Bortolan, Counselor for Culture and Cooperation of the Embassy of France in Kazakhstan - second from the left (Dolmatova S.G. - teacher of the French Alliance - first from left, Ergalieva K.O. - teacher of French language of the Faculty of International Relations, L.N. Gumilyov ENU - third from the left, Natalya Proskuryakova - translator of the French Embassy in Kazakhstan - fourth from the left, Dinara Orazbayeva, graduate of the Faculty of International Relations of L.N. Gumilyov ENU, former executive director of the French Alliance - first from the right and others).
The International French Teachers’ Day allowed colleagues to exchange practical experiences and positive emotions among them.
This event brought together French language teachers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, who have a common goal - to improve the level of language and culture teaching and to contribute to closer interaction in the teaching world.
Ergalieva K.O.
