To our circle of French Story Listeners,
This week, seven brave beginners spent five days living in French together.
An intensive crash course, held daily over Zoom, small enough (just 7 learners!) that no one could hide, and gentle enough that everyone found their footing.
Each session followed the same comforting rhythm you know so well: TPR gestures (Total Physical Response — learning by moving the body, not memorizing lists) to plant new verbs before the mind even catches up, a Story Listening session, a shared reading of the story, and finally, narration — telling it back in their own words.
Watching total beginners narrate a French story by day five never stops moving me.
A new story, just for you
And because we were already gathered with cameras rolling, we recorded something new — just for our members.
I’m delighted to introduce “Mamie,” a brand-new short story for beginners, inspired by Bernard Friot’s beloved Histoires Minute — tiny, punchy stories.
This one follows a granddaughter, a grandmother, and a very clever bit of stomach-ache diplomacy.
What’s inside
Your new resource includes:
- A video opening with TPR gestures to introduce and anchor the key actions
- A Story Listening session to let the story wash over you before you read a word
- The full script, to read along with the audio — voiced by my Dear Man, Ben
- A handful of comprehension questions, with answers, so you can check in with yourself gently
No pressure to get it perfect.
Just listen, follow along, and let “Mamie” become part of you the way stories do, quietly, and all at once.
You’ll find it here: aliceayel.com/resources/mamie
I’d love to know: what do you think of Yaël’s little trick?
Tell us on Telegram in whatever way feels natural: a voice note, a sentence, a doodle if that’s your mood.
You’ve got this.
Alice 💕
P.S. If I felt a little far away, it’s because I was on a rugby pitch in Vichy, playing Touch Rugby in the European Tournament! I shared a few photos on Telegram — go have a peek. Next week I’m off again, this time to Warwick, UK, for the Junior European Tournament, but I’ll be fully back at my desk come September.