Coucou les French learners,
Last week, Angus who is a dedicated member shared in the Community Chat:
I listen to a video or a story everyday since I started months ago. I’ve got to the point where I can ‘predict’ what should come next in the grammar of the flowing dialogue and can even effortlessly know the right word from the context even when the words or phrasing is identical, like ses/ces son/sont. I know it sounds minor, but it happens without thinking and that’s the gob smacking thing!
Finding Alice’ site and listening to Alice’s videos and Ben’s MP3s have brought me such joy. My heart bursts with gratitude to them both. One of the things I like to do when I am just listening is speed up the playback to 1.4x, especially the videos. Increasing the speed ups the ante and you really get a chance to discern what you have truly acquired (which you understand at whatever speed) and what you are in the process of acquiring (which you need to be slower to understand).
I still find it amazing that every time I go back to a video or a story that I have heard a hundred times before, I still notice something new. I used to think learning a language was a linear kind of learning process, but its not like that at all its loopy and recursive and layered. Learning a language is not a race to me any more, it’s more like the gentle unfolding of mystery.
Angus just described the language acquisition process beautifully.
It is very different from learning.
It happens subconsciously without thinking.
It involves noticing.
#trusttheprocess
QUOI DE NEUF ?
JOIN US FOR 45 MINS LIVE TO DISCUSS PAINTINGS & SCULPTURES.
Last Friday was stimulating! We had a thought-provoking talk about different paintings. Watch the replay.
We are meeting again this Friday December, 17 to look at other masterpieces!
Russian writer, Dostoïveski wrote ” La beauté sauvera le monde “, beauty will save the world.
Let’s observe and share what we see and how we feel. let’s observe beauty together. Let’s speak French!
5pm UK / 6pm France / 12pm EST / 9am PST
for LA BONNE HEURE = THE HAPPY HOUR
Gain New Friends and Get Involved with the French Learners Community. #youarenotalone
Increase your vocabulary and comprehension #storyispower
Reduce your stress #relax
Communicate with real people in French #youcandothis
La Pause Café
La pause café is still on. And it is available as a podcast to listen on the go!
Episode #26 is a delightful conversation with Laila Sell who I met a few years ago during my first and only yoga retreat in beautiful Italy. Laila is a unique yoga teacher. She teaches you to feel, sense and connect to the body, breath and mind. Her classes are process-oriented, looking for a quality of movement that enhances awareness and freedom. Laila is also unique because she can speak German, French, Italian, English and I am sure other languages too since she has traveled to so many different places. Laila talks about how she acquired French and what hurdles she had to overcome.
This is French optimal input: rich, abundant and compelling input!
2022 live classes
Do you need more accountability to keep up with your French?
I have your back! Starting next year on January 10, choose from three weekly classes for three different levels!
Get a massive dose of rich comprehensible input. Co-create and listen to compelling stories. Engage in conversations about your interests.
There will be framing and scaffolding for everyone to understand the class. The goal is to develop fluency as well as the ability to process the language spontaneously.
All classes are recorded, so you can watch at your leisure if you need to miss a class.
Can’t make it LIVE? You can purchase the recordings and readings only and go through them at your own time.
Not sure about joining next year? Binge watch the 2021 Fall replays!
Happy French acquisition!
P.S. Got friends, family, colleagues or clients who want to become fluent in French? Share this with them, they’ll thank you for it!
P.P.S Have you read and listen to our new eBook yet?
Marie and her dog, Médor are inseparable until one morning Marie wakes up but cannot find Médor. Where is Médor ? Marie sets out on a quest in Montmartre, Paris to find her beloved dog. Will she finally find Médor ?
It is a comprehensible story written in the present tense with unique characters and exciting twists to keep you wanting more! Rich vocabulary and structures are repeated throughout the stories to provide optimal input. They will help you acquire French the natural way.
