“Take out a piece of paper and a pen.” At the Concarneau nautical center, Tuesday November 5, the atmosphere is studious. 21 third-year students from the Porzou college follow a dictation on the theme of the sea. And for good reason, it is organized by the volunteers of the Livre & Mer festival in Concarneau, which takes place from November 8 to 11.
The text chosen by the volunteers is an extract from “Cannibales”, a book by the Breton sailor Sandrine Pierrefeu. “It is a text which explains that the ship, for its navigator, is like a cannibal, because it eats up all its energy and all its time,” Dominique Diéterlé, a volunteer at the festival, introduces the students.
The traditional dictation for all audiences on November 10
Then begins the dictation, which will last nearly half an hour, delivered by Martine Claudel, volunteer and… former French teacher. “It brings back good memories, the reflexes come back quickly,” confesses the one who taught at Likés in Quimper for more than 20 years. The students remain focused and work hard to make as few mistakes as possible.
“It was quite a difficult text, but it allows you to practice for the certificate,” comments Violette after the exercise. “It’s cool that it’s on the theme of the sea because I’m in BIMer training (Brevet d’initiation à la mer, a diploma for discovering maritime culture and professions, Editor’s note) at college,” continues the schoolgirl. , who hopes to have made fewer than seven mistakes. At the back of the room, Samuel and Titouan are rather confident. “I would like to do it more often, between now and the patent,” says the second.
Books and comics offered to the three best students
If the festival is used to organizing marine dictations for all audiences, which will take place on November 10 at the nautical center this year, the volunteers had the idea of offering one to Concarne schoolchildren. “Beyond being a good exercise for the certificate, it also allows students to take an interest in maritime culture,” explains Christophe Rolland, librarian professor at the Porzou college, who immediately accepted the proposal. “It’s a way of making middle school students aware of the taste for reading, books, and in particular books about the sea,” adds Dominique Diéterlé, while two dictations are organized with other classes.
Books and comics about the marine world were offered to the three students who made the fewest mistakes. Enough to deepen their knowledge on the theme of the sea. Neither Violette, nor Titouan, nor Samuel are part of it, most of the students having made more than ten mistakes, “but on a text more complicated than the patent”, reassures the professor. They will have the opportunity, like everyone else, to learn more about maritime culture throughout the Livre & Mer festival, from November 8 to 11, at the Concarneau Arts Center.
Practical
Livre & Mer Festival, from November 8 to 11, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the Concarneau Arts and Culture Center. Program: www.livremer.org
France
Books
