Since Dept. of French held the free French class two years ago, there have been 120 persons taking the course, which makes the graduates review the school days of learning French again. This semester, the course is given from 19:30 to 20:00 every Friday at D202 in Taipei Campus. “It’s really nice to study with alumni once a week,” said Dr. Yang Shu-chuan, Chair, Dept. of French. Lin Chin-tuan, who graduated from TKU in 1972, said, “I feel good to pick up the French books again! When I was a college student, I spent a lot of time learning French, which I almost forgot totally after graduation. I am very glad that the alma mater set a free French course.”

“There is little chance to use French after graduation, so I did not get in touch with it for almost 20 years. Until Dr. Yang hosted a French teaching program at Education Radio Station, did I gradually find back the feeling of French again,” said Fang Hui-lan, who graduated from TKU in 1973. After taking the free French class for one semester, Fang went to French with her husband for an independent travel for one month, and she felt great sense of achievement because she could communicate with others in French by herself.

The instructor of the course is the French teaching assistant Julien. He only speaks French in his class, and asks his students to speak French only, too. Some of the students expressed that it was quite difficult for them at the beginning, so they had to be very concentrated. However, they were gradually familiar with this way of teaching, and they not only recollected the things they had learned before but also improved quickly in their listening and speaking ability.

Dr. Yang indicated that they had been to the coffee shop to have the class. “In the future, we will find more lively ways and places to give the class so that the course can be more interesting,” said Dr. Yang. She expressed that the course would be taught by singing, watching movie and having seminars to achieve the only goal of the class－to keep everyone learning French continuously. ( ~Shu-chun Yen )