LA LIGUE DE L’ENSEIGNEMENT : 

 

La Ligue de l'enseignement had been created in 1866 by Jean MACÉ who was a teacher, a journalist and a politician. His goal was to encourage people to help each one in order to reduce social differences.
Over the past century, La Ligue has become the partner of The French Ministry of Education organizing “transplanted classes” in France and in European countries. Nowadays, La Ligue offers educational, cultural and linguistic programs for teenagers and adults but also sports and leisure activities.
La Ligue de l’enseignement is a secular non-profit organization which works to give equal chances to anyone to become a better citizen.
La Ligue gathers about 30 000 non-profit organizations (through 103 departmental federations) located in 24 000 towns in France.
For more information about La Ligue de l’enseignement, visit our website (in French only) : www.laligue.org
 

THE HISTORY

The French American Exchange program (EFA) was born out of the « transplanted classes », concept sponsored by the French Ministry of Education. The “transfer” of an entire 5^th grade class to another region of France took place as part of experimentation in 1953.
In 1978, two classes close to Paris were invited to travel to the United States (Jackson-MI) for three weeks. The first program was born! French children were accompanied by their teachers and they continued to pursue their studies in the American host school during all their stay. French children were hosted by American host families. Then, the transplanted class evolved into a reciprocal exchange experience known as “Back to Back program”.
The first American school participating is still involved in our program today.
La Ligue De L’Enseignement works with private and public schools in France and in the USA. The historic heart of the program is located in the Midwest due to some historic facts :  centuries ago, many French people came to live in these states and they gave French names to towns and cities. They also established schools and churches where the French language was spoken until Minnesota State decided that English language would be the only language spoken at school. France left North America in 1763. When the program began in 1978, a “relay office” was created and it was located in Chicago-IL.
La Ligue De L’Enseignement leads the French American Exchange Program from 2001 through its office situated in Lyon city (East of France).
Today, the program is opened to students from 5^th to 12^th grades and others American schools from “new” States (Montana, Idaho, California, Arizona…) who joined our program.


  > Click here to read past newspapers articles about our program!  

 

HOW DOES OUR PROGRAM WORK ?

A teacher (or another adult : principal, retired teacher…) wishing to participate in the EFA program forms a group of students from the same school (or from the same community).
Some American schools do not teach French but they can join our program if their teachers and students are motivated to live the adventure.
Preparation, organization, contents, monitoring are the same on each side of the Atlantic Ocean. The program is a long work between teachers, students, parents and La Ligue de L’enseignement (EFA office in Lyon). The program requires the active involvement of all the actors. It is the guarantee of success of our program.
On American side, all aspects of the program are led by teachers (and/or principals) and EFA office in Lyon. Through the program, our mission is to promote education to create awareness, excitement, human links and opportunities for schools and communities.
 

students travel but they do not host.

efa@laligue.org