GE-visIci – Back on the cliff outings

An innovative program that includes climbing classes to practice French with Francophones and integrate in Geneva or discover other cultures!

Our approach consists in creating French-speaking/allophone pairs to facilitate, on the one hand, the acquisition and practice of French, and, on the other hand, the integration through reciprocal inter-socio-cultural discovery, during and outside of classes. It supports the process of decompartmentalization and integration of the non-francophone newcomer as well as their recognition and acceptance by the francophone.

Sport climbing is most often practiced by 2 people. These rope teams are composed of French-speaking/allophone pairs to multiply communication and exchange situations and to create and develop the link. Climbing allows one to quickly reach a privileged form of link. Indeed, there is a form of contextual interdependence that facilitates self-confidence and confidence in one another. This trust is nourished by communication around the security elements of rock climbing, and by encouragement and advice.

The various scenarios to which participants are exposed cover the acquisition of the basic vocabulary of presentation of oneself, body parts, movements in space, colors, usual verbs, sensations and feelings. For children and young people learning French, it is an opportunity to practice in a concrete, playful and active way the vocabulary and the typical sentences learned by participants through the audio exercises offered daily.

The practice of climbing classes and warm-ups creates a situation that require the use of immediate communication. It allows participants to quickly overcome avoidance strategies relating to the use of French. Indeed, several meters above our partner, we are very quickly led to express what we want to be understood  😉 Moreover, the language used is that of everyday life, meaning that children and young people learn to express themselves in French by acquiring standard sentences that they can then modulate according to the vocabulary learned and the situation.

Interested in the GE-visIci program?

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