Abstract
Internships in French-speaking environments are transformational learning opportunities (TLO) that often contribute to enrich and broaden student learning and personal development. In a Thailand-centric context where the learning of French is losing momentum, it has become necessary over recent years to implement various tools to encourage our learners. Three different internships programs were implemented to develop cross-cultural sensibilities, to increase students self-confidence, to improve their language skills, and to prepare them for a professional life open to the world. The aim of this article is to share our experience regarding internships developed with French and Swiss institutions, and the steps we took to both implement and improve them. In the first part of the article, we shall introduce the context of our study. Then, we will describe the three main programs: - One-month internships in French and Swiss companies based in Thailand, - Three-month internships in France, - Export mission projects. We will explain the obstacles we encountered, and the solutions implemented, as well as the benefits and limitations of each program. Finally, we will attempt to demonstrate how these programs have had positive effects on our students. Conclusion: It appears that these three internships programs, implemented since 2010, have a high impact on students and are an asset for the French section of our College.
Author Information
Bruno Mahon, Mahidol University International College, Thailand
Paper Information
Conference: ACLL2016
Stream: Learning Environments
This paper is part of the ACLL2016 Conference Proceedings (View)
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