Contemporary Africa

Le cours

1. Topic Presentation\n\nStarter dialogue\nClub President: Dr. Kone will talk about Africa's economy since independence. What questions should we ask?\nFatou: We could ask about success stories, like mobile banking in Kenya.\nKoffi: And also about challenges, like dependence on raw materials (matières premières).\nPresident: Good. Let's prepare questions using phrases like 'Could you tell us about...?'\n\nKey vocabulary\nEconomy, business, investment, growth, challenge, opportunity, raw materials, value addition, entrepreneurship, digital economy, infrastructure, market.\n\n## 2. Listening & Reading Comprehension\n\n### 2.1 Authentic text\nA short article about a successful Ivorian start-up (e.g., in agri-tech or e-commerce) and its impact.\n- Comprehension: What problem does the start-up solve? What is its business model?\n- Reflection: What qualities do you think the founders needed?\n\n### 2.2 Listening activities\nAudio: An excerpt from a TEDx talk by a young African entrepreneur discussing 'Afro-optimism'.\nExercises: Listen for three positive trends the speaker mentions about Africa's future.\n\n## 3. Speaking & Writing Expression\n\n### 3.1 Guided practice\n- Practice formulating open-ended questions: 'What are your views on...?', 'How has... changed?'.\n- Model dialogue: A student interviewing a local business owner about their challenges and successes.\n- Role-play: A pitch competition where students present a simple business idea for their neighborhood.\n\n### 3.2 Free production\n- Debate: 'For Africa's development, attracting foreign investment is more important than supporting local entrepreneurs.'\n- Short writing: Write the introduction paragraph for an essay arguing whether tourism or agriculture offers better economic opportunities for Ivory Coast.\n\n## 4. Grammar in context\n\n### 4.1 Clear and simple explanation\n- Negative Structures & 'Not only... but also':\n - Negative prefixes: un- (unstable), in- (inefficient), im- (impossible), dis- (disadvantage).\n - 'Not only... but also' for adding emphasis: 'Africa has not only natural resources but also a young, creative population.'\n- Common mistake: Double negatives in English are incorrect (e.g., 'I don't have no money' → 'I don't have any money' or 'I have no money').\n\n### 4.2 Application exercises\n- Recognition: Find negative forms and 'not only... but also' structures in the article about the start-up.\n- Production: Transform positive sentences into negative ones using appropriate prefixes. Create one sentence using 'not only... but also' about Africa's potential.\n\n## 5. Cultural aspects\n\n### 5.1 English-speaking cultures\n- Focus on Nigeria: Africa's largest economy. Discuss sectors like Nollywood (film), music, and tech (Lagos as 'Silicon Lagoon'). The challenges of corruption and inequality.\n- Similarities/Differences with Ivory Coast: Both have large populations and rely on oil/cocoa respectively. Both face infrastructure deficits but have vibrant informal sectors.\n- Stereotype to avoid: 'Africa is poor'. While challenges exist, many African economies are among the fastest-growing in the world with dynamic innovation.\n\n### 5.2 English in Ivory Coast\n- English is essential for Ivorian businesses looking to export to the large Nigerian or Ghanaian markets.\n- In sectors like banking, mining, and international trade based in Abidjan, English is a key professional skill.\n- Understanding English business news (BBC, Bloomberg) helps Ivorians make informed economic decisions.\n\n## 6. Formative assessment\n\n### 6.1 Self-assessment\n- I can ask at least two different types of questions to a speaker. [ ] Yes [ ] Not yet\n- I can use 'not only... but also' in a sentence correctly. [ ] Yes [ ] Not yet\n- I can name two major economic sectors in a modern African country. [ ] Yes [ ] Not yet\n\n### 6.2 Final project\n- Prepare a 2-minute 'elevator pitch' for a simple business or community project idea relevant to your locality. Record it or present it to a small group.\n- Rubric: Idea clarity (3pts), Use of economic vocabulary (3pts), Grammar & pronunciation (2pts), Persuasion (2pts).\n\n## 7. Additional resources\n\n### 7.1 For practice\n- Podcast: 'The Flip' podcast about African entrepreneurship.\n- Website: 'Africa Business Pages' online.\n\n### 7.2 To go deeper\n- Report: African Development Bank's 'African Economic Outlook'.\n- Biography: Read about Aliko Dangote (Nigeria) or Strive Masiyiwa (Zimbabwe) as examples of African business leaders.