![Samia Zitouni BA FHEA MSc PGCE PCET](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/7905?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Samia Zitouni
(she/her)
BA FHEA MSc PGCE PCET
Teams and roles for Samia Zitouni
Lecturer in French
Overview
My lectureship has been strongly shaped by my extensive experience of working across diverse cultures, be it as a teacher, an interpreter or a coordinator of international language courses and placements. I have developed and taught French language courses for undergraduates at all levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. I have led and overseen the academic development of Arabic, French and Japanese university-wide language courses. I work with a dozen of French speaking universities to ensure our students make the most of their period of study abroad.
My teaching is informed by my on-going scholarship activity which, in recent years, has focused on retrieval practice in language learning. As part as my commitment to enhancing students’ experience, I also regularly contribute to the School’s ‘Transition Project’ which looks at how our new entrants adapt to university life.
Research
My contribution to the pedagogy of language teaching has been on the topic of retrieval practice as a learning tool. How can we, educators, give more emphasis on practising recalling of information when we devise lesson plans and design teaching materials? As a teaching and learning tool and strategy, retrieval practice can take the form of a quiz, game or role play. Deliberately recalling information reinforces and enhances student’s knowledge and impacts on the way they memorise information. For this research, I designed a variety of quizzes and role-plays, and, with Mentimeter, I asked students for feedback on their practice. Most responses favoured quizzes and games, highlighting their engaging and enjoyable nature. This, to some extent, challenges the traditional approach of passive learning. Students actively engaged with the material and in doing so, gained a deeper understanding. Retention and targeting specific knowledge gaps were also reinforced. I have presented my findings in a number of fora, including the annual conference of the Association of University Language Communities (AULC) in 2023.
In 2023, I successfully applied to join the two-year project on the transition from secondary school to university and how we might best support language students. This project considers the needs of our diverse student population in terms of engagement, progression and retention. My contribution is based on my understanding and experience of students’ progression at each step of their undergraduate studies. I have identified challenges faced by Year 1 students in their transition from secondary to higher education including mindset, expectations, workload management and their effects on student experience. I also know from my interactions with students that engagement with existing provision may be more limited among particular groups of students. My role in this project has been to identify how teaching staff see their students in terms of awareness and ability regarding key life aspects (such as living away from home; making new friends; cost of living at university; etc.). I have designed an online survey, analysed and presented results that fed into MLANG research-led targeted practice in support of transition. This project is now piloted at College level.
Teaching
Since 2017-18- UG Year 1 - ML6188: Advanced French Language, 2 groups, ~25 students, 3 hours/week/group, 4 assessments, teaching and assessing.
Since 2022-23 - UG Final Year - ML1363: Student Teaching Module for French; ~10 students, supervision.
Since 2023-24 - UG Sandwich Year - ML6097/ML6099 Intercalary Semester Abroad: Work Placement/Study Placement Abroad, ~65 assignments, module convenor.
Since 2024-25 - Final Year -ML 6366-2380: High Level Proficiency in French, 64 students, 2 hours/week, 2 assessments, module convenor.
2020-24 - UG Year 2 - ML6280: Ex-Beginners French Language, 2 groups, ~15 students, 2 hours/week/group, 5 assessments, teaching and assessing.
2021-22 (semester 2) - UG Year 1 - ML6189: Beginners French Language, 1 group, 12 students, 2 hours/week/group, 5 assessments, teaching and assessing.
2021-22 (semester 2) - UG Year 2 - ML6281: Ex-Advanced French Language, 1 group, 16 students, 2 hours/week, 4 assessments, teaching and assessing.
2022-23 (semester 1) - UG Final Year - ML6366/ML2380: High-Level Proficiency in French Language (Translation English into French), 5 groups, ~70 students, 1 hour/week/group, 2 assessments, module convenor.
2022-23 - UG Final Year - ML1151/ML1159: Translation for Francophone Erasmus, 18 students, 1 hour/week, 2 assessments, module convenor.
2023-24 (semester 2) - UG Year 2 - ML6283-ML6279-ML6084: The World & Language of Business French, 25 students, 3 hours/week, one portfolio, module convenor.
Biography
Straight after my Baccalaureat (French equivalent to A Levels), I studied English and Arabic languages and cultures and graduated from La Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris. After a period of about 15 years when I lived in the Middle East and Northern African countries, I moved to Cardiff and specialized in Education (MSc and PCET) and in Interpreting (IoL Translation and Sight Translation in and from English and French). Since 2014, I have been working as an academic at Cardiff University. I also work free-lance as a Public Service Interpreter, in English, French and Arabic.