The focus of the preparation is for all to choose a subject that interests them. The form of their source material will vary; but it’s important to choose something in line with their level of French fluency. The subject can be a discussion of recent events, a retelling of a book or an article in news media, etc.
- Select Sources for the practice and determine points to cover.
One example of a source would be an adolescent or a children’s cartoon (Bandes Dessinees). Such sources may contain many color images and a large font. Another example: a 400 page long fiction novel with a few B/W photos. Those show how varied the source material is. The intent is to have each person share their own topic with the group, while the group as a whole benefits from diverse material
- Choose Medium for each participant: Which style or format is the best fit? The choice needs to find a balance between each person’s skills, interests and the content of the material. Different media offer many choices and carry different messages, and need to be conveyed in their own ways
Two examples are given below:
- A cover story in the satirical newspaper “Le Canard Enchaîné” might be humorous to those familiar with recent French politics and the use of slang, but it might come across as confusing to someone in the US due to the lack of context (current, recent and past)
- A photo album by Henri Cartier Bresson in B/W. That type of source has very short legends; this could be a barrier if the reader lacks the appropriate knowledge of history or geography
Assess the level of difficulty with help from the Facilitator