Programs

Canapé: a French Program on CUNY TV

Canapé is one of the few French programs to appear on American television. Stylish and modern, this program entirely devoted to French cultural events in New York and the United States. This monthly half-hour show includes film releases, book translations, exhibitions, festivals, ballets, concerts and theater productions. Canapé is seen on the third Thursday of the month in a French-only version and repeated the fourth Thursday of the month in an English-subtitled version. More information here.

Listen to an interview of Bruno Giuliani, producer of the program:

Different French programs, among which innovative ones, are offered to students of public primary and secondary schools in New York: The French English Dual Language program designed for English-speakers, bilingual speakers as well as French native speakers who do not yet speak English , the French Heritage Language Program which targets French speaking high school students who have newly immigrated to New York City, and the After school programs. Also, two Learning Centers in New York offer students to take the GED in French, an equivalent to the American high school diploma.

French English Dual-Language Programs

The French-English Dual-Language program is in keeping with the French Embassy’s efforts to offer students attending American public schools the possibility to learn French. These programs are designed for English-speakers, bilingual speakers as well as French native speakers who do not yet speak English. For the first time in New York City, three public schools opened  these French-speaking programs. These schools serve mostly disadvantaged populations and the new programs are designed to promote open-mindedness and academic success among students. The French Embassy, in partnership with the New York City Department of Education, the FIAF (French Institute Alliance Française) and EFNY (Education Française à New York), have joined forces to support this indispensable program. The French Embassy provides schools with hundreds of books, offers training to teachers and gives logistical and financial contributions.

The French-English Dual-Language program is offered in:
- PS 125 in Harlem
- PS 58 in Brooklyn
- CIS 22 in the Bronx
- PS 84 in the Upper West Side

French Heritage Language Program

This program of the French American Cultural Exchange foundation is an initiative of the Education Service of the French Embassy. The French Heritage Language Program was launched in 2005 in several New York City public schools to address the linguistic needs of mostly under-served students of French-speaking background. Our goal is to promote English-French bilingualism and biculturalism by offering free, for-credit French classes that build on the students’ cultures of origin to develop language skills, and create opportunities for success. This popular program will soon be offered in more public schools in Florida, Louisiana and California. About 150 participants are expected to participate every year in our three-week, intensive Summer Camp. Finally, the French Heritage Language Program is also an active contributor to scholarly research in the field of the teaching and learning of “heritage” languages, and is present on several major language conferences around the year.

The French Heritage Language Program is currently being offered in:
- Bronx International High School
- International Community High School (Bronx)
- Manhattan International High School
- Brooklyn International High School
- International High School at Prospect Heights (Brooklyn)
- International High School at Kingsborough Community College (Brooklyn)

After-School Programs

After-school classes take place in New York City public schools and are entirely managed by volunteer parents, under the direction of the FLAM/After-School Committee. The teachers are recruited by EFNY (Education Française à New York), in order to guarantee quality. These programs benefit from a subsidy of the French government called FLAM (Français Langue Maternelle, or French as a Mother Tongue), and the public schools graciously allow EFNY to use their classrooms. These factors - volunteer coordination by EFNY, management by volunteers, free space, FLAM subsidy - make it possible to keep the costs of the after-school programs relatively low. Need-based scholarships are also available.

The after-school program is being offered in:
- PS41 (Greenwich Village)
- PS363 (East Village)
- PS58 (Brooklyn)
- PS10 (Park Slope)
- PS59 (Midtown East)

The GED in French

The GED is an exam developed in the United States that is available for all adults who want an equivalent of a high school diploma. It tests general academic skills and core content that are covered in four years of high school. Each year hundreds of thousands of people earn their GED diplomas, which they use to get jobs, earn promotions, or qualify for higher education or training.

Where can the GED in French be taken?