Emilie Grinan-Coley BA, MA

Master in Applied Linguistics

Maitrise de Français Langue Etrangère

BA in English Literature and Civilisation

I studied English literature and civilisation at the University of Franche-Comté, in France, where I obtained a “Licence” (equivalent to BA). I then decided to focus my studies on specializing in teaching French as a Foreign Language and I studied for a Maitrise in “FLE” (Francais Langue Etrangère). I carried on with research by completing a Master’s degree in Linguistics, and my dissertation was entitled “Strategies and exolingual communication: tandems between non-native and native speakers of French in telephone interactions (the SCOTLANG experience)”. I was also involved in teaching content modules to undergraduate students in the Linguistics Department.

In 2005, I decided to move to England and started as a “lectrice” at Nottingham Trent University, where I taught conversation classes to undergraduate students in the French Studies Department. I also taught IWLP classes for the Language Centre. In 2006, I started working at the University of Birmingham as a tutor of French.

I have been teaching French to students (undergraduates & Open Access students) at a wide range of levels.  I have also been involved in the content creation and delivery of new and innovative modules, such as French for Medics, Tandem Learning module, Distance Learning Level 3 and Level 4.

Master’s degree was focused on language learning and communication strategies, native/non-native interactions and development of the communicative competence, based on a corpus of native/non-native oral conversations.

Papers

2005: Interaction, collaboration et appropriation des langues dans une communication exolingue spécifique : étude de conversations entre anglophones et francophones. 10th International Conference of the European Doctoral Network Moving beyond the classroom? New learning environments for language learning, Limerick, Ireland, 10-11 of June 2005.

2005 : La gestion de l’altérité dans la communication exolingue. Conference Penser l’altérité, Doctoral School Langages, Espaces, Temps, Sociétés, University of Franche-Comté, Besançon, France, 13 of May 2005.

2004 : A quoi sert l’apprentissage des langues étrangères ? le cas institutionnel de l’Ecosse. 9th International Conference of the European Doctoral Network Enseignement des Langues, Formation, Education, Besançon, 14-15 October 2004.

2003 : Expérience pédagogique, dimension holistique et relation interpersonnelle entre participants natifs et non natifs dans des interactions téléphoniques. 8th International Conference of the European Doctoral Network Holistic Approaches to languageLearning, Stirling, Scotland, 31 October/1 November 2003.

I regularly give talks at “Cercles Français” in the UK. The topics are varied but politics is my preferred one.

Recently I have been a reviewer for a French book (French 1, 2nd Edition) published by Palgrave MacMillan.

Public talks

2016: 5th Republic: political scandals under De Gaulle, Pompidou and Giscard D’Estaing (1958-1981) Public talk at the Anglo-French Society of Birmingham, French Society of Coventry

2015: Youth in France, comparing 2 generations (1945-2015) , Public talk at the Anglo-French Society of Birmingham, and the French Society of Aldridge.

2014: 5th Republic: Political scandals in France from 1981 to 2014, Public talk at the Anglo-French Society of Birmingham, French society of Coventry, French Society of Aldridge.

2012: Baudelaire, poet of the 19th century, Public talk at the Anglo-French Society of Birmingham, French circles of Esher and Waverley.

2010-2013: Franche-Comté, an unknown region, Public talk at the French society of Aldridge, the Anglo-French Society of Birmingham, French circle of Esher, French circle of Waverley, French circle of Hereford.