Coucou les membres de la communauté,
Last week, I shared with you my evolving perspective on pronunciation in French, emphasizing the importance of training our mouths and tongues to speak with confidence. (In case you missed it, read about my recent ephihany here!)
However, amidst this discussion, I feel that I need to reaffirm the significance of what is often referred to as the “silent phase” in language acquisition. In fact, Jeanne, my 4-year-old daughter, went through this phase before she started to mimic Portuguese sounds and practice speaking.
The silent phase is a crucial stage where you absorb and internalize the language without necessarily speaking it aloud. During this period, your focus shifts towards actively listening, observing, and understanding the language in context.
While it may seem counterintuitive, this phase lays the foundation for spontaneous and fluid speech later on.
Respecting the silent phase allows you to familiarize yourself with the sounds, rhythms, and structures of French, leading to a more natural and intuitive grasp of the language. You develop a strong mental framework, enabling you to express yourself confidently and authentically when you eventually begin speaking.
The duration of the silent phase varies from person to person, depending on their prior language learning experience and own personality (whether they are intro- or extro-vert). Some of you may progress more quickly through this phase, while others may require more time to feel comfortable expressing themselves orally.
As you continue on your French journey, remember that speaking French should ultimately come naturally, without any undue pressure or stress.
Understand with ease. Think naturally. Speak freely.
So when you watch my pronounciation videos, you do not have to repeat after me if you don’t feel like it yet.
- Oberve my facial expressions, my mouth, my eyes, my hand gestures.
- Actively listen to the sounds I am making.
- Make sense of what I am saying.
By doing this, you are devloping a strong mental framework.
Watch all my pronounciation videos here.
Our live sessions this week offer a supportive and encouraging environment where you can interact in French at your own pace. You can also choose to just actively listen to me live. When you don’t understand something, you can ask me directly.
Each session is limited to a small number of participants so that everyone can interact freely. Here are the remaining spots available this week:
– 3 spots left on Wednesday for beginners or advanced beginners who want to better grasp the verb – avoir -.
We will co-create a story together. Imagining a story in French helps you retain new vocabulary efficiently by embedding words within meaningful contexts.
– 2 spots left on Friday for intermediate learners who want to talk spontaneously about the weather.
We’ll be looking at idiomatic expressions, playing a guessing game (you will acquire lots of new words), and singing a song. Explore French culture in a relaxed environment!
Grab this opportunity : YOU’re part of a community that celebrates progress and growth.
Click here to reserve your spot now.
Cordialement,