Rennes. For foreigners, confinement is also a brake on integration

Indispensable for the integration of foreigners, learning French was severely impacted by two confinements. This is what happened to Omar Nassan, a 24-year-old Syrian refugee. When he landed in France in April 2018, he spoke only Arabic and Turkish. Arrive at Rennes two years ago, he took courses at the Lycée Chateaubriand and with the local mission.

For him, “You always have to speak with people, otherwise, little by little, pronunciation becomes difficult again”, just like the construction of sentences, which then requires more effort. “I forgot a lot of words …”, he observes, disillusioned, after a month of confinement.

Psychological effects

However, armed with manuals and other Bled, he continues the work as best he can. “Listening comprehension is fine, because I watch a lot of films in French. But the rest, I can not work it every day. “ The isolation due to confinement gives space to painful memories, but also to the sadness associated with family estrangement. So sometimes the young man struggles to maintain his motivation.

For Abdulal Aljasem too “The psychological effects of confinement are more important than the lack of means to learn French”. Originally from Aleppo, in northwestern Syria, he holds a master’s degree in corporate law from Beirut. He must now validate a level of French known as B2 to enter a master’s degree 2, then take a doctorate in France.

“When I arrived, I knew how to say” Hello, good evening, thank you “, and that’s it, he recalls with a smile. I immediately started French lessons at Ciref (1). » It was a year ago.

During each confinement, his lessons continued from a distance. “On Zoom, we are thirteen per course. We don’t have time to talk to the teacher…, regrets Abdulal. It’s hard to progress orally because more people are available to talk. “

The 34-year-old young man, like Omar, got to know Rennais thanks to the Tous pour la Syria association. Since October 29, he has been able to maintain sporadic contact with some of them.

Exchange groups

“We organized a video exchange on November 27, but there were only five of us. It’s hard to mobilize from a distance ”, observes Ali Mechkouri, head of Franco-Arab exchanges and tutoring at All for Syria.

Normally, meetings take place every Monday evening at the Maison internationale de Rennes. “This summer, after the first confinement, we organized games in parks. But that doesn’t replace being in a room with a sheet and a pen. “

Risk of dropping out

He is especially worried about dropping out among the youngest. “The confinement caused a halt in school support. However, the majority of our beneficiaries are between 8 and 14 years old. After the first confinement, some had dropped out… Syrian children did not have the possibility of being followed by their parents who, themselves, often do not have the level in French. “

This time, maintaining the school reduces this risk but, for Ali Mechkouri, it is not enough. “Children need to be nurtured outside. “ Despite everything, he remains optimistic: “We are in the first half of the school year. The delay will be recoverable if the deconfinement takes place on December 15. “

“A necessity to work”

A good level of French is also “A necessity for working, he recalls. Many of our beneficiaries are in positions where contact with the client is important, such as catering or home delivery. “

Finding a job is the most urgent thing for Omar. Leaving Aleppo at the age of 17, he crossed the mountains that separated him from Lebanon on foot. Twelve months later he moved to Turkey, where he stayed for three years. During these four years, he has held a multitude of positions in construction, catering, furniture … Despite that, he has not yet landed any assignment in Rennes.

“I am registered in five interim boxes, he indicates. I am ready to do any job. But here, if you don’t have the experience, it’s very difficult. When I spoke about the trades I had done, I was told that the system was very different in France. “

For his part, Abdulal is looking for a host family with whom he can speak French every day and thus progress quickly. Here again, a project undermined by the health situation.

(1) Rennes International Center for French Studies for Foreigners.

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