Assistante in France

My name is Lauren Beven, and I completed my TESOL K-12 certification summer 2004, along with my BA in French and Linguistics. In the middle of my undergrad degree, I’d signed on as a Language Assistant in Caen through the French government for a year. The program placement is uncertain, but it can be a very rewarding venture for anyone with a minimum of high school French speaking/writing ability. After graduation, I headed over to Lille, with intent to teach English once again. For those hoping for teaching jobs in France, I would discourage anyone without extensive experience living or working there. The Education Nationale (National School Board) is rather strict on regulations, and the job market is very competitive for non-Europeans. However, I was able to advertise for private lesson students over in Lille, and amassed quite a group of dedicated weekly students during the 2004-05 academic year. As a private lesson instructor, I was thrilled to develop my own curriculum and structure, and found TESOL certification particularly useful in establishing credibility and improving my teaching. Currently, I’m applying for graduate studies in Applied Linguistics in New Zealand this winter. If anyone has any questions about teaching in France or the US, feel free to contact me. To everyone else… Bonne continuation! 

-Lauren Beven laurenaries@hotmail.com