Bonjour my wonderful French learners! 👋
🎉 Grace’s Amazing Success Story
I have the most exciting news to share with you this week!
Grace, one of our amazing community members, just shared her incredible progress in our Community Chat.
Click here to read her experience!
Grace recently took a test at the Institut Français to assess her current French level, and was surprised to discover she had reached B2 level, even though she started learning French on our site last November with absolutely no foundation!
Right now, Grace understands most of my podcasts, though she admits she still struggles with grammar and writing. Her question in the Chat was simple:
“Do you have any advice for me?”
Grace‘s story is proof that with the right approach and consistency, extraordinary progress is absolutely possible! ✨
📝 The Secret Weapon: Narration
My answer to Grace – and to all of you facing similar writing & grammar challenges – is to embrace the power of narration! 📝
This method, inspired by Charlotte Mason‘s educational philosophy, involves retelling what you’ve read or heard in your own words.
The beauty of narration lies in its simplicity: after reading a text or listening to a story, you simply tell it back as if sharing it with a friend.
Don’t worry about perfect grammar or reproducing every detail! focus on expressing the main ideas using your own vocabulary and natural flow.
Narration works magic because it forces your brain to actively process new vocabulary and sentence structures, and reorganize ideas according to your own logic.
Most importantly, it helps you develop your personal voice in French.
Instead of passive consumption, narration transforms you into an active participant in your French journey! 🧠💪
🐐 Your Perfect Practice Story: “La chèvre et le vieillard“
Here is the perfect story for you to start with: “La chèvre et le vieillard” (The Goat and the Old Man), a great tale from Mali that’s now available to you on our site!
Click here to watch, read and listen to this brand new story!
Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa, and it’s francophone because it was a former French colony.
Fench remains one of the official languages there.
Approach this tale in 3 simple steps
First, watch the video to grasp the overall story and get familiar with the rhythm and pronunciation.
Then, read and listen again to deepen your comprehension and notice details you might have missed.
Finally, comes the magic moment: narrate the story!
If your goal is to improve speaking, tell it aloud to yourself (or to a patient family member!). If writing is your focus, put pen to paper and retell it in your own words.
Remember, there’s no “perfect” way to narrate, your version will be uniquely yours! 🌟
💕 You’re Closer Than You Think!
Watching students like Grace achieve such remarkable progress reminds me why My Dear Man & I are so passionate about what we do!
Remember, the journey itself IS the reward.
Every story you understand a little better, every new word that sticks, every moment of “aha, now I get it!” is a victory worth celebrating.
There will be days when French feels impossible, when your brain refuses to cooperate, when you wonder if you’re making any progress at all.
But I promise you, if you keep showing up, if you keep believing in yourself, you will surprise yourself with how far you’ve come.
Don’t quit on your French dreams, they’re closer than you think! 🌈✨
With all my love and encouragement,
Alice 💫
P.S. It’s not too late to join me live on Zoom for weekly French classes!
Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to polish your advanced abilities, I have a place for you. Come speak French with our wonderful community and get real-time feedback on your progress.
Register here: https://expressfluency.com/product-category/french/ 🎯