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Department of French Studies

French Studies professor helps build platform for French as a Second Language teachers in Ontario  

York professors have designed a knowledge-sharing platform to help address challenges faced by teachers of French as a Second Language (FSL) in Ontario.  The open resource sharing platform, titled K-12 Studios, allows FSL teachers to share and find useful French language material, helping reduce workload and burnout. The platform also enables users to share their lessons on approximately […]

French professor nominated for APFUCC prize in French 

Janusz Przychodzen, a professor in the Department of French Studies, was selected by the Canadian Association of University and College Teachers of French for the Association of Professors of French at Canadian Universities and Colleges (APFUCC) Prize.   The APFUCC Prizes are awarded annually, on a rotating basis. They recognize an article or book published in French and […]

French professor emerita Lélia Young receives poetry prize from Académie des Baobabs

Lélia Young, a retired professor in the Department of French Studies, has received the 2025 poetry prize from the Académie des Baobabs for her French-language collection Rupture et avènement. The Prize is awarded annually to the best novels and poetry collections from Africa and the diaspora. Professor Emerita Young’s research has focused on linguistics, translation, […]

Practice speaking conversational French at the French Café

Are you a student who is interested in practicing your French? Would you like to meet other French-speaking students in a casual and relaxed setting? The Department of French Studies is now hosting the French Café, open to LA&PS students of all French-speaking levels. The French Café is a student-led social event, twice per week, […]

Department of French Studies professor publishes novel set in WWII-era Normandy

Sergio Villani, professor emeritus, French studies, has published a historical fiction novel titled Love in Normandy 1943.  The novel is set on the coast of Normandy during the Second World War and post-war period. The novel focuses on an Austrian soldier in the German army and his relationships with several French citizens, examining cultural shifts […]

Professor emeritus Hédi Bouraoui publishes new book on his writing

Hédi Bouraoui, a retired professor from the Department of French Studies has published a book about his history as a writer titled, Transculturalism & Francophonie (Leaders Editions, 2025). Hédi Bouraoui is an acclaimed poet, novelist, essayist and scholar whose work has enriched Francophone literature and brought greater recognition to emerging voices. His new book offers an intimate reflection on his life, creative journey and literary legacy.  Bouraoui is the former chair of the Department of French Studies and is the author […]

French Studies Student Wins Lorna Marsden Prize for Creative Writing in French

French Studies Student Wins Lorna Marsden Prize for Creative Writing in French  The Department of French Studies wishes to extend its warmest congratulations to Bryant Londono-Escobar for winning the Lorna Marsden Prize for Creative Writing in French for his poem, “Embrasser la symphonie de la nature” (Embracing the Symphony of Nature). The prize honours the […]

Our Presence at the Cinéfranco Festival and the CIÉF World Congress

Professor Roxaneh Naghshi co-presented the films Nous, les LEROY and Ici et là-bas on November 3 and 9, 2024, respectively, at Cinéfranco, an annual international Francophone film festival in Toronto. Passionate about French culture, she regularly incorporates French literature and cinema into her innovative teaching approaches to create a dynamic and inclusive learning experience. On […]

Artificial Intelligence and French Learning

On February 6, Professor Dominique Scheffel-Dunand delivered in French a lecture at the annual Franco-Ontarian forum of eCampus Ontario, titled “The AI Revolution: Adapting to and Adopting It Ethically and Responsibly to Transform French Learning in a Minority Context”. This conference aimed to explore how the postsecondary French language teaching sector—both in and of French—can […]

What Does Literature Teach Us About Migration?

Professor Janusz Przychodzen, from the Department of French Studies at the Keele Campus, delivered in French a lecture titled “The Colors of Migration: A Phenomenological Perspective on a Classic of Quebec Literature”. This lecture took place on November 21, 2024, as part of the activities of the Research Center on Language and Culture Contact at […]