ILLINOIS NEEDS FRENCH

 

Advocacy Depot for Chicago/Northern Illinois Chapter, AATF

 

            What is advocacy?  Advocacy for French programs responds to and finds solutions for fundamental problems at an individual school or district.  For instance, advocacy might try to find solutions to the problems of how to retain or increase necessary funding for a program; how to avoid cuts in requirements; how to increase enrollment; how to impact school board policies affecting languages.

 

            How does advocacy differ from promotion?  Promotion is more like an advertising campaign; La Semaine du Français in which most schools participate each year is a good example.  Any kind of activity on the local level that advertises French for current or new students is considered promotion as well.

 

            What does the Chicago/Northern Illinois Advocacy page contain?  The advocacy page lists important addresses such as organization emphasizing French (consulates and other groups such as the Alliance Française where one can find information about French); local cultural history and concerns; trade with Francophone countries; profiles of weak and strong French programs; profile of information on the state and congressional level:  chief education officer or those to contact in order to advocate retention of programs.

 

            What can you do?  First, complete the Survey on the Status of French in Illinois Schools.  The Survey contains instructions for mailing or emailing your response.

 

            Second, investigate the links below, many created by “Tennessee” Bob Peckham who is the National Advocacy Chairperson.  Use this information to back-up the usefulness of French as a language in Illinois and in the United States.

 

            Third, use the tools already available to you:  Articles and ideas from the National Bulletin, as well as the brochures and promotional materials that can be ordered from AATF National Headquarters.  Also, check the materials available on the AATF web site frenchteachers.org

 

            Fourth, what you do and what you say is important.  See the article by Jayne Abrate about why your voice is important.  Making Your Voice Heard Is Important

 

Fifth, this website will be updated periodically and that the information will change from time to time.

 

Anne Hebert, Advocacy Chairperson for Chicago/Northern Illinois Chapter, AATF