FAQs - School Year Abroad

Who can attend?

The SYA Adult Enrichment seminars are open to all members of the "SYA family," as well as French teachers from our sending schools. The only requirement is that you have a strong command of the French language.

The Adult Enrichment seminar was originally designed as an opportunity for alumni to return in-country, practice the language, re-connect with the SYA community and learn about something new. The assumption was that SYA France alums would be the ones interested; however, we soon discovered that there were other SYAers, who had studied in other countries, wanting to participate as well - even family and friends who hadn't done SYA at all. And what a great opportunity for French teachers looking for a professional development in France. We have found that this mix of participants has greatly enriched the overall experience.

Do I need to be fluent in French to attend?

What do you recommend in terms of travel arrangements?

There are multiple ways to reach Rennes from Paris.

The best way to come to Rennes is by train, 1h30 or 2h30, some TGV departures from CDG (2h30), the best way is RER B to Saint-Michel than metro 4 to Montparnasse to take the TGV from the train station.
Rennes by plane from Paris CDG, arrival at Rennes (RNS) Saint-Jacques, then a cab will drive you downtown. There are at least two flights a day.
By bus Ouigo (cheapest and longest way, 6h from CDG or Paris Bercy…)

Where do participants stay while in Rennes?

Is there any advanced work that needs to be done?

Is there a discounted price for Member School teachers?

Professional Development

Some common questions from teachers are:

Do you grant credit for the seminar? While you will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the seminar, we do not have an arrangement to grant professional development credit.
I really want to save a spot, but I have to wait until I know whether my school will contribute PD money. Send Whitney an email, and she will talk this through with you. We realize that all schools function on slightly different calendars when it comes to approving PD funds.

What does a typical day look like?

While each summer brings with it some modifications depending on both the instructor and the content of the seminar, the traditional structure is as follows:

9:00-12:00 Class at the SYA school (with coffee break, évidemment)
LUNCH (on your own)
14:30-16:30 Class resumes either at the school or elsewhere as specified by instructor

Planned activities are not required, but participants often find them interesting and a good way to get to know the other participants and practice their French. Activities may include: walking tour, cooking class and fest-noz.

As the schedule above indicates, there are approximately 5 hours of class per day and plenty of time to squeeze in activities of your own choosing, such as walking along the Vilaine, visiting a monument, taking photographs or perusing the shops. Rennes is a very easy city to explore, with a reasonably compact "downtown."