The Connection

Arlington: Wakefield High School Welcomes French Lycée Teacher

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Encouraging Language Study When Katy Wheelock began teaching at Wakefield, there were seven sections of French. By the time she received the Exemplary French Program award, there were nine. Wakefield also began offering two additional higher level classes, French 5 (a pre-AP class) and Advanced Studies of French (a post-AP class which APS is hoping to offer as a dually-enrolled class in the future). Under her leadership, Wakefield: * had an active chapter of the French Honor Society the “SHF”, or Societe’ Honoraire de Francais, and took part in the Grand Concours. * had two candidates who were wait-listed for Virginia’s Summer Governor’s Academy program, * students entered the Creative Writing Contest sponsored by SHF and wrote original poetry, in French, which they read aloud for World Languages Week at a countywide public event. * has gotten involved with Sister City Arlington-Reims committee for exchange opportunities (outbound to Reims 2013, inbound 2012, 2014); * had numerous guest speakers: David Biette, director, Canada Institute, Wilson Center (Jan 2015) and Idriss Fall, reporter, Voice of America (focus on Senegal, Africa) (Feb 2015) * established pen-pals for individuals; * Skyped with a Peace Corps volunteer about her life, usage of French etc. * welcomed five French high school students into their homes; * has set up a French Club; * students travelled to Reims for Spring Break 2014; * held a Declamation Contest, a juried contest in front of nearly 600 students. Miss Virginia International, Kristyn Admire, a linguist herself, came to encourage students to continue their foreign language studies in the future. * took part in a contest sponsored by the French Embassy in Washington D.C. called “Dis-moi dix mots qui te racontent” * allowed Wheelock to go on a French Embassy sponsored “Stage Pédagogique de Courte Durée” (short term teaching course) where she was one of 10 U.S. teachers in the country selected for an teacher immersion at CAVILAM in Vichy, France. Wheelock said she hopes to be able to visit middle school French teachers and students in level 1, at least once per year, to encourage more students to continue to level 2. She would like to see more students go on to language in high school and would like to see world languages become a core subject, as it is all throughout Europe. Wheelock also hopes to establish a stronger “college link” to show students the college opportunities for language study, how successful completion of advanced classes can earn college credits, how language can lead to studying abroad, internships, and and eventually, job opportunities.

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• By Eden Brown
• March 15, 2016