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“The World Comes to You: Tutoring as a Window to Elsewhere”

In today’s post, Marie-Noëlle Douard-Pietri shares her thoughts about acting as a tutor for American exchange students at Aix-Marseille University. 

 

The miracles of travel are no secret to anyone, and they have been extensively discussed by specialists around the world. If you find yourself in need of language practice, if you want to broaden your horizons and get a glimpse of the world beyond your own, pack your bags and book a plane ticket. Go.
As a traveller myself, I have had the opportunity to live abroad on two occasions: as a student in England and as a lecturer in the United States. Both experiences have been eye-opening, to say the least.

But while some years are rich in discoveries and travel, other times life’s obligations require you to stay put, and travelling becomes more complicated.
This is especially true in the field of anglistique, where the absence of direct contact with the anglophone world can quickly become a challenge. Language is a transient and constantly evolving concept, and while you may engage with it daily, you can paradoxically feel alienated from it.
But what if we reversed the process? What if, instead of you going to the anglophone world, the anglophone world came to you—and the dynamics shifted?
I realized this shift was possible when I started the spring semester as a French tutor for American exchange students at Aix-Marseille Université, through the Aix-en-Provence Program (APA).

Of course, the tutoring role primarily involves classic one-on-one sessions with students to help them with their classes, homework, and exams throughout the semester. The main challenge is helping them adapt to the French university system, which is worlds apart from the North American one in terms of structure, methodology, and expectations. The sacrosanct “dissertation en trois parties” or the “problématique” are uniquely French academic concepts—difficult to grasp for foreign students (and rightfully so). As a result, many sessions are traditional tutoring sessions requested by students for help with a specific exercise, homework assignment, or exam.
On paper, the job seems purely academic and limited to the classroom. In reality, though, it’s about much more than essays and grades.

While coursework is important, the tutor also stands as a beacon in the darkness of a new linguistic environment for a lot of students. The human aspect of this role cannot be overlooked: each student brings their own language background, personality, and story, making this one of the most enriching jobs I have ever done.
And this is where true cultural exchange occurs. As you help students navigate the troubled waters of the French academic system, they offer in return the richness of their own language and culture. At first glance, the exchange might seem one-sided—but in truth, it is one of the most rewarding relationships on every level: linguistic, cultural, and most of all, human.

Because of the nature of the tutor-student relationship, the language exchanges are deeply enriching. Although all conversations are to be held in French, English is never truly absent—it remains the common ground between tutor and student. Conversations become fertile ground for learning on both sides.
For example, I often bring in French expressions during tutoring sessions, sparking comparisons with their English equivalents. Whether we are discussing classical idioms like “être sur la sellette” (which I recently learned translates to “being in the hot seat”) or more modern slang (how do you even translate “wesh”?), the reflections are constant. Each student interaction is enlightening, as they’re just as eager to learn French as they are to share their own language.

 

But more than a teaching experience, I would argue that tutoring is an experience rooted in empathy and humanity.
It is about being understanding and willing to put yourself in someone else’s shoes—to see the challenges they face and find the most suitable solution or answer. Offering constructive feedback, recommending resources, encouraging students, being available and truly listening—these, in my opinion, are just as important as teaching methodology. And they are also part of the cultural exchange: this constant effort to adopt another person’s perspective reveals new layers of the world, tinted here with American culture.

 

That is why I call it static travelling—a paradoxical yet deeply accurate expression.
Tutoring foreign students is a form of travel: you discover another culture while sharing your own, all without ever leaving your city.
But the outcome goes beyond that. When you realize you’ve positively impacted their stay and contributed to their language journey, you understand that the true value of language is not in textbooks—it is in the people who bring it to life every single day.


OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
Laurence Lux-Sterritt (24 avril 2025). “The World Comes to You: Tutoring as a Window to Elsewhere”. EN-globe. Consulté le 10 novembre 2025 à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/13svr


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