Over the years, the teaching of French language has evolved at Massey.
History of the French programme
French was one of the first six subjects taught at Palmerston North University College, a branch of Victoria University of Wellington, officially opened in March 1960. This later merged with Massey Agricultural College on 1 January 1963 and became Massey University in 1966.
French teaching began in 1961 with French Reading Knowledge and over the 1960s there were significant changes as the programme developed independently. There were full-time and part-time students attending classes and extramural students studying, mainly part-time, across the country. Extramural teaching relied on a postal service, consisting of printed study guides prepared by lecturers, and audio tapes, with off-campus weekend courses and vacation courses on campus. All students did the same assignments and sat the same examinations.
Dr John Dunmore was appointed as Foundation Lecturer in French in 1961, in the Department of Modern Languages. I joined him as the second Lecturer in 1963, and Brian Rollason was a third appointee in 1965.
The programme evolved annually and in 1966, the programme reached French III, which was offered for internal enrolment only. Extramural 300-level papers in Humanities subjects were introduced in the early 1980s.
By 1970, graduate studies in French were available for internal students. A staff PhD in French was completed in 1971. Over the years, the curriculum continued to evolve, corresponding to new directions in the discipline such as cinema and Francophone studies and reflecting different teaching expertise and interests.
The French programme consisted at each level of a paper in French language, oral and communication skills, together with one or two papers in literature and civilisation/culture. The canon of French literature from the Middle Ages to today was taught. The choice and rotation of papers changed over the years. In literature, students read whole texts in French, and in second and third year completed some assignment work in French, and some lectures were given in French. Students were encouraged to plan ultimately to go to France or New Caledonia to gain further language competence and to experience the French way of life. French Government Teaching Assistantships supported graduates, and a few undertook post-graduate study at a French university.
Extramural teaching and learning of modern languages have been challenging. The Department of Modern Languages has always been heavily involved in extramural teaching, which sometimes seemed to dwarf internal teaching, although it also meant classes and material were well organised and prepared in advance.
Initially audio tapes and recorders were relatively new equipment, expensive and difficult to operate. Teaching material prepared for overseas institutions seldom seemed appropriate in the Aotearoa New Zealand context. Thankfully, technology has since greatly improved the situation for both teacher and learner. From 1969, the Department of Modern Languages had a Language Laboratory with a technician. Further changes took place, as material in video format was introduced, then computers and the internet, up to the present, when online teaching is an accepted way to learn a modern language.
Professor Cropp, pictured here in 1984, started with Massey in 1963.
French programme activities
Over the years, the French programme has been involved in a wide range of activities, including:
- The first NZ Interuniversity French Seminar was organised by and held at Massey University in 1969, and on several occasions since that date, up to the most recent in 2020
- Involvement in Adult Education/University Extension courses, 1960s and 1970s
- Engagement in activities with the Alliance Française, at both regional and national levels
- Publication of the NZ Journal of French Studies, 1980-2010, founded by Professor John Dunmore
- Interaction with secondary school language teachers and pupils
- Hosting visiting academics from Canada, France, New Caledonia, United Kingdom and United States and maintaining relations with several overseas institutions
- Contributions to professional and learned organisations: ANZAMRS, ANZAMEMS, AULLA, NZALT
- Publication of Francophilia, a student magazine
- Theatrical productions
- French language and culture weekends with students
- Translation services for colleagues across the university
Scholarship and Research
A number of areas of research have been pursued over the years: the French Pacific, medieval French language and literature, modern French literature and civilisation, Francophone literature, and contemporary French writing. Articles in scholarly journals, books published by international publishers, reviews in academic journals have been regular outputs. Three colleagues in French have received the French Government honour of the Palmes Académiques in recognition of their achievements. On his retirement, Dr Colin Anderson received from the Embassy of France, Wellington, a medal recognising his French teaching service.