H. Jay Siskin Dr. Siskin received his Ph.D. in French and Romance linguistics from Cornell University, and has taught at Wayne State University, Northwestern University, the University of Oregon, and Brandeis University. He is currently the director of the Language Learning Center at Cabrillo College and teaches courses in both French and Spanish. He has coauthored five college-level French textbooks as well as several in Spanish.

Ann Williams-Gascon Dr. Williams-Gascon received her Ph.D. from Northwestern University and also has a Diplôme d’Études Approfondies from the Université de Lyon II. She is currently professor of French at Metropolitan State College of Denver, where she teaches courses in language, literature, and culture. She regularly presents conference papers and writes on contemporary culture, and she has coauthored two other college-level French textbooks. Dr. Williams-Gascon was the recipient of a McGraw-Hill/Glencoe Teacher of the Year award in 2001, the Excellence in Teaching Award (Golden Key Honor Society) in 1994, and Young Educator of the Year in 1991 (Colorado Congress of Foreign Language Teachers).

Thomas T. Field Dr. Field received his Ph.D. in linguistics from Cornell University. He is currently professor of Linguistics and French and Director of the Center for the Humanities at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Dr. Field’s research is focused on Occitan sociolinguistics and the teaching of French and Francophone culture. In 1996, he was named Maryland Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Le Chemin du retour and Débuts

The film, Le Chemin du retour, and its accompanying textbook, Débuts, are a completely integrated film-based introductory course for learning French language and culture. Centered around a young French journalist who is investigating her grandfather's hidden past, Le Chemin du retour is a two-hour, feature-length film that drives students' understanding of language and develops cultural awareness. As a complement to the film, the textbook, Débuts, reinforces the vocabulary and grammatical structures introduced by the film's narrative.

With Le Chemin du retour and Débuts, students will learn the basics of French in the functional context provided by the film. The program offers instructors a systematic and easy way to incorporate the film in class, with on-screen pre- and post-viewing activities. Le Chemin du retour and Débuts program is filled with drama, culturally authentic language and locations, and historical footage. As students travel with the central character, Camille Leclair, they learn about authentic French characters, situations, and Francophone cultures.