Jonathon Dufour
BA (Hons), MA French
My studies have enabled me to sharpen and improve my French and deepen my understanding of the cultural history of France. The main focus of my current research is literature and I've been looking at the rewriting of old myth in modern novels.
During my Honours, through grants from the Department of Languages and Cultures as well as scholarships offered by the University of Otago, I was able to take part in an exchange with the University of the New Sorbonne (Paris III) for a semester. The museums, the many art galleries and the people I encountered in Paris all made it worthwhile. It also gave me the opportunity to gather most of my critical bibliography from France's National Library, which was an essential asset to my research.
After completing my first degree I was awarded a scholarship for a Masters degree, allowing me to fully focus on my research. With further financial help from the Department of Languages and Cultures and the guiding hand of my supervisor I was also able to attend a conference in Suceava, Romania, which gave me the chance to increase and further my understanding of mythology in the modern novel.
In the last year of my Masters I tutored in the French Department. Starting in the classroom under the supervision of lecturers and professors I knew and trust was a perfect introduction to the teaching world. This experience gave me the confidence to take part in teaching French through the programme offered by Alliance Francaise de Dunedin. From teaching young adults to teaching young children, my studies have given me the required knowledge to feel comfortable teaching a variety of levels and ages.