French the Natural Way

Coucou les membres de la communauté,

This week, I’m feeling absolutely wonderful after receiving a message from Barry, who shared that he met Nadya in Lyon, France, and they had dinner together! Barry wrote:

Nadya and I met up in Lyon for a great dinner out with her husband Miro. Lots of laughter and talk about learning languages and cultures. They are both really special people and we have Alice to thank for bringing us together.

Nadya brought crocheted gifts for me and my granddaughter Mia – Jeanne, the rabbit from the lazy bear story, and Jean, the raven from my Bruno book #3.

(By the way, have you read & listened to Barry’s book #1? It is great fantasy reader! Click here to dive into Barry’s book.)

This is exactly the kind of connection I hoped our community would foster.

Barry, an American from California, and Nadya, originally from Bulgaria but now living in Lyon, found each other through our Members Community Live Meetings. They happen weekly (on Mondays & Thusrdays) and the group comes up with fun stories that soon will be published our site! (Click here to read the co-created stories).

It’s moments like these that remind me why we do what we do. How incredible to see friendships forming across continents!

#youarenotalone

New Feature: Comprehension Questions for Baby Stage Sessions

Now, let’s talk about a new addition to our Baby Stage sessions that I’m really excited about. We’ve introduced comprehension questions for each session.  

These simple questions are designed to help you check your understanding at the end of each session. Then, you can review your answers by clicking on “Cliquez ici pour afficher la solution” at the bottom of the page.

Here’s why you should try & answer them:

Active Recall: By answering questions about what you’ve just read and listened to, you strengthen the neural pathways in your brain, making it easier to remember the vocabulary and structures in the future.

Contextual processing: The questions are based on the content you’ve just covered, helping you see how French words and phrases are used in context. This is crucial for truly understanding and internalizing the language.

Click here to start or review the Baby Stage!

Immediate Feedback: You can check your answers right away by clicking “Cliquez ici pour afficher la solution.” It reinforces correct understanding and quickly clear up any misunderstandings.

Confidence Building: As you successfully answer these questions, you’ll build confidence in your French abilities. This confidence is key to motivating you to continue your French journey.

French acquisition isn’t just about passive exposure – it’s about actively engaging with the language. These comprehension questions are a fantastic way to do just that!

I’m so proud of the community we’re building together, and I can’t wait to see you all continue to grow in your French journey!

Thank you for being part of our French program!

Cordialement,

P.S. Join our free hour-long Zoom session next Wednesday. Whether you’re just starting out or well on your way to fluency, everyone is welcome. More details coming soon!

 

Coucou les membres de la communauté,

I’m excited to share with you some insights from a fascinating book I’m currently reading: “Faites-les lire!” (Make Them Read!) by Michel Desmurget.

Michel Desmurget is a neuroscientist and research director at INSERM (French National Institute of Health and Medical Research). In his book, he emphasizes the irreplaceable value of reading for pleasure.

He argues that reading significantly benefits language skills, general knowledge, creativity, attention, writing abilities, oral expression, and empathy.

Although the book is primarily aimed at parents and educators, I’m learning a great deal about language acquisition. In particular, three factors are crucial for developing vocabulary and grammar: interaction, repetition, and pleasure.

The Importance of Interaction

Interaction means being fully engaged with the stories you read and/or listen to. Your attention, curiosity, emotions, and intellect need to be fully involved to get the most out of a story.

L. Thomas shared on Trustpilot:

My children and I have only been watching, listening to, and reading Alice Ayel’s videos and stories for a little over a month, and we are amazed at what we are already able to comprehend! It is a truly intuitive and natural way to acquire French!

We’re now gradually adding comprehension questions to each story on our site. These questions encourage you to reflect, explain, repeat, and express yourself in French, engaging you more deeply with each story.

Enhancing Your French Experience

You’ll now find comprehension questions and answers at the end of the first 15 Baby Stage Stories. We’re adding more each day, so keep an eye out for these new additions!

These questions are designed to enhance your French journey by:

• Boosting your engagement with the stories
• Providing opportunities for repetition
• Making the acquisition process enjoyable and interactive

The more you interact with the language in meaningful ways, the more effectively you’ll acquire the new language.

Also remember that on Mondays and Thursdays, you can join the Community Live Meetings. Meet other community members and speak French in a supportive environment.

It’s another great way to engage with stories. Click here to join!

Don’t miss out on these chances to connect, acquire, and grow together. 

Thank you for being part of our French program!

Cordialement,

P.S. Got friends, family, colleagues and clients who want to become fluent in French? Share this with them, they’ll thank you for it!

Coucou les membres de la communauté,

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all our members who joined the free live session on Zoom last Wednesday!

We had a fantastic time answering “this or that” questions about summer and sharing our favorite activities to enjoy when the weather is hot and sunny. The atmosphere was relaxed and cheerful, allowing everyone to participate, even if just in the chat box.

In case you missed the live session, watch the replay at your convenience. Click here!

Karel (who has been with us since 2021!) shared a wonderful testimonial in French:

Une nouvelle rencontre fantastique avec Alice aujourd’hui. Je ne cesse de m’étonner de la façon dont elle s’amuse à formuler des mots pour que tout le monde puisse les prononcer et les comprendre afin de les appliquer dans la partie suivante. Chapeau à cette enseignante et à la façon dont elle réussit à rendre le français accessible aux non-francophones. 

Speak French at Your Own Pace

As a gentle reminder: the act of speaking French comes naturally when you feel ready, and it should never be a source of stress.

Stress hinders your ability to acquire French naturally because it activates the body’s fight-or-flight response, which can block your cognitive functions.

When you’re relaxed, your brain is more open to learning and processing new information.

That is why we started the live session gently by warming up our voice and mouth muscles.

We repeated common expressions like “sans aucun doute“ (without a doubt), “je ne sais pas quoi choisir“ (I don’t know what to choose), “les deux“ (both), and “aucun des deux“ (neither).

Click here to repeat those common expressions with me!

Warming up gently enables to use frequently used expressions confidently when answering questions.

Develop Automaticity

It’s important to develop automaticity in your responses. By training your brain to respond spontaneously in French, you build confidence and fluency.

When your answers become automatic, your brain can respond more quickly without overthinking, which reduces mental load and anxiety. You engage more naturally in conversations.

By regularly using these expressions, you train your brain to access language patterns efficiently, preparing you for real-world conversations.

Our pronounciation videos and interactive live sessions are designed to support this crucial aspect of language acquisition, helping you become comfortable and spontaneous in your French communication.

Join us next time on Wednesday, August 28.
More details on how to participate will be shared later this month.

On Mondays and Thursdays, join the Community Live Meetings. Meet other community members and speak French in a supportive environment. It’s another great way to develop automaticity. Click here to join!

Don’t miss out on these chances to connect, acquire, and grow together. 

Thank you for being part of our French program!

Cordialement,

P.S. Got friends, family, colleagues and clients who want to become fluent in French? Share this with them, they’ll thank you for it!

Coucou les membres de la communauté,

I am thrilled to invite you to our upcoming live Zoom session this Wednesday for an hour of comprehensible French!

Wednesday July 31
4pm UK / 5pm France / 11am EST / 8am PST

This is your chance to immerse yourself in the language and practice with our supportive community.
Everybody is welcome! Click here to join.

What to Expect

• Personalized Questions and Answers:
  I will ask questions based on each participant’s personal experiences, hobbies, or preferences. For example, if you mention you love eating ice-cream, questions revolve around your favorite ice-cream!
  
  Questions will start simple and gradually increase in complexity as the session progresses, matching your comfort level and encouraging growth. I’ll adjust questions based on your responses, ensuring the conversation remains comprehensible and interesting. I’ll also introduce new words or phrases contextually within the personalized questions, making vocabulary acquisition more natural.

  You are encouraged to ask questions to each other, fostering a collaborative environment.

• Summer-Themed Discussions:
  We’ll be sharing our favorite summer activities through a fun “This or That” (Ceci ou Cela) game. It’s an entertaining way to practice decision-making in French while learning about each other’s preferences. The format is straightforward: you are presented with two choices (e.g., “Beach or Mountains?” / “Plage ou Montagnes ?“).This simplicity makes it accessible for learners at various levels, allowing everyone to participate without feeling overwhelmed.
• Tips for Thinking in French:
  Because the game requires quick thinking, it encourages you to respond spontaneously in French. It helps build fluency and confidence, as you learn to express yourself without overthinking your responses. I’ll be also sharing strategies to help you think directly in French without translating.
• Overcoming Speaking Anxiety:
  The playful nature of Ceci ou Cela helps reduce anxiety associated with speaking a new language.This relaxed atmosphere will allow you to experiment with the French language without fear of making mistakes. You will use techniques to speak naturally in French without fear or frustration.We’ll create a supportive environment where mistakes are seen as opportunities for growth.

Why Attend?

Being live with the community is not just about practicing French, it’s about motivation and connection.

Interacting with fellow learners and experiencing real-time progress significantly boost your enthusiasm for continuing your French journey.

Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your French in a fun, interactive setting.

Join us on Wednesday and take a significant step towards your language goals! Every session brings you closer to fluency. Click here to join.

I can’t wait to see you there!

Cordialement,

P.S. Got friends, family, colleagues and clients who want to become fluent in French? Share this with them, they’ll thank you for it!

Coucou les membres de la communauté,

Reading stories that are tailored to your level is a powerful way to enhance your French.

Our comprehensible stories often repeat key structures and frequently used vocabulary.

Key structures refer to essential elements that form the foundation of sentences. The basic structure consists of a subject, verb, and object. There is also negation which is achieved by using “ne” and “pas” around the verb, as in “Je ne mange pas“.

And there are questions which can be formed by inverting the subject and verb (e.g., “Mange-t-il ?“), using “est-ce que” (e.g., “Est-ce qu’il mange ?“), or employing question words like “Qui mange ?“.

Understanding these key structures is crucial for creating correct and coherent sentences in French.

Comprehension Questions: A Key to Assimilation

In addition to reading, answering comprehension questions about a story is an excellent way to reinforce your understanding of the sentence structures.

These questions encourage you to think about the content in French, which helps prevent the habit of translating everything back into your native language.

To answer comprehension questions effectively, focus on the key ideas presented in the story.

Try to respond in complete sentences using the vocabulary and structures which are in the story. It solidifies your understanding and it also builds your confidence in expressing yourself in French.

Click here to read and answer comprehension question about the story of a funny samouraï!

Consider the story of the Samouraï. In this narrative co-created with upper beginners, you will encounter important vocabulary such as “avoir besoin de” (to need), “s’endormir” (to fall asleep), “partir en vacances” (to go on vacation), “oublier” (to forget), and “décider de” (to decide to).

By repeatedly seeing and using these phrases in context, you will naturally absorb their meanings and usages.

After reading and understanding this story, try to answer the comprehension questions in complete sentences. You can check the answers at the end.

Printable Stories Available

As a reminder, all our stories (including “Rencontre avec un Samouraï“) are available to print in PDF format.

While reading, use a highlighter to mark everything you understand. This technique allows you to visually track your progress, and when you finish reading, you will be amazed at how many sentences you can comprehend. It’s a fantastic motivation technique to keep going: #enjoytheride

Additionally, after answering the comprehension questions, take the time to write your responses down and then check and correct them. Writing with a pen engages your brain actively, helping you assimilate the way sentences are formed and solidifying your understanding of the language.

This combination of reading, highlighting, and writing will greatly enhance your French journey!

Thank you for being part of our French program!

Continue to enjoy the process of acquiring French through our engaging stories.

Cordialement,

P.S. Got friends, family, colleagues and clients who want to become fluent in French? Share this with them, they’ll thank you for it!