DECLAME’FLE Project: Advancing Inclusion and Understanding through Literature on Migration and Exile in French Language Education

Abstract

The DECLAME’FLE project, an interdisciplinary initiative focused on Migration and Exile Literature (MELit), integrates literature with digital learning to foster empathy, inclusion, and cross-cultural understanding. Developed as part of the European Erasmus+ strategic partnership (2019–2021), the project has produced a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) dedicated to the didactics of French as a Foreign Language (FFL), with a particular emphasis on migration narratives. This MOOC supplies French and FFL instructors with Open Educational Resources (OER), empowering them to address migration themes in their classrooms through innovative, literature-based approaches. This article explores the design, methodology, and impact of the DECLAME’FLE resources, focusing on their influence on Master’s students in Language Didactics at Rennes 2 University, who were actively involved in the MOOC’s creation, as well as on a diverse group of international testers. The study outlines two main phases: the MOOC’s development (September–January 2022) and the subsequent testing phase (February 2022–November 2024), which built on prior didactic work by two FFL educators. Utilizing both quantitative (pre- and post-tests) and qualitative data (class recordings, interviews, and surveys) gathered during these phases, the findings indicate that the DECLAME’FLE MOOC provides a scalable and adaptable model for integrating migration themes into foreign language education. This model holds promise for broader applications across various languages and thematic areas, enhancing engagement with literature in multicultural educational settings.