1. Year Abroad Pre-departure meeting (French)
Dr Vicky Turner (vct2) - WIYA
Dr Elodie Laügt (el40) – University Placements

2. Before you leave St Andrews…
Check your advisors know and that you are registered for WIYA!
Get written permission from your other subject (not Modern Langs)
Attend the compulsory Study Abroad meeting (Weds 25th April Buchanan Lecture Theatre, 2pm)
Establish networks (e.g. AHA soc, Facebook…)

3. Once you’re abroad… KEEP IN TOUCH!
Update your contact info (and notify us)
Check your St Andrews AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK
Tell us if you have any problems! (British Council, Student Services)
Work Placement Agreement
BC Placements: (return within ONE MONTH OF STARTING) – your Erasmus money depends on this!!!
NB, for other placements: ABSOLUTELY MUST be done before you leave.

4. Sources of Information
Year Abroad Handbook:
Study Abroad Website:
Practical info:
Documentation:
Foreign Office:

5. Practicalities… before you go…
Insurance: University insurance scheme
EHIC card:
Money: take enough for 2-3 months
Photocopies!!!
Student status:
ISIC card?
Young Scot card?

6. Practicalities… once you arrive…
Register for a carte de séjour in your local préfecture:
Open a bank account:
Copies of your passport and tenancy/contract
Lots of passport photos
BC will also give you advice on this
Students: apply for the CAF?

7. British Council Placements
Teaching Preparation!
Gather materials (e.g. newspaper/magazine articles?)
Think about what you’ve done/found useful
Think about what you’re interested in
Visit the BC website:

8. TEFL Course? Subsidised Teaching ideas and training Good for the CV!
Subsidised
Teaching ideas and training
Good for the CV!

9. General Advice STAY SAFE!!! Cultural differences Organised events
Public places
Dress code
NB: no visible religious symbols in schools.
Professional environments and resilience

10. Workplace resilience New teams and structures
Clarify your point of contact/mentor
Clarify your role and its expectations
Do: ask for information, guidance, assistance etc. where necessary
Do: raise issues with your local contact (and with us/BC if appropriate)
Do: act professionally!
Don’t: ignore problems
CAPOD training: developing resilience, dealing with pressure, managing relationships and taking action (ask me!)

11. Improving your French Irregular process = OK!
Books, TV, internet, radio, cinema, theatre…
Conversation exchanges
Making friends…

12. Year Abroad Assessment (WIYA)
FR3101
Written Dissertation (5000 words) = 80%
Ten-minute oral exam = 20%

13. WIYA Dissertation
Look at staff research interests – and start thinking!
A project written in the target language on a topic agreed with your WIYA co-ordinator. The topic must relate in some way to the year abroad experience; it may be linguistic (e.g. based on the use of language in your region or at your place of work), historical (e.g. based on local history relating to your region or place of work), literary (e.g. relating to a local author, contemporary or otherwise) or cultural (e.g. relating to a local painter, civic institution or newspaper)…

14. Timetable (2017-18) Check YA Handbook at the start of the year…
1 November: abstract
1 December: essay plan
1 February: preliminary work
1 April: 500 words
Deadline: 4pm Monday Week 12 (semester 2)

15. Oral exam Orientation Week!!! Reflective analysis of year abroad
See Year Abroad Handbook:

16. Module choice and Grade conversion
Scale for Perpignan, Toulouse and Paris IV.
Different for Science Po
Choosing your modules and Learning Agreements (between 24 and 30 ECTS per semester / even split between subjects)