Let’s celebrate success!

https://goo.gl/photos/ZvJ23xgZM28AiXo58

Today as we enter the month of September and we slowly start to wave goodbye to summer, let the sun shine and let me share a success story using TPRS and comprehensible input online!

Back in April an ex Spanish student of mine contacted me because he wanted to learn French.

[read more…]

acquisition65 advanced course1 answer1 answering11 celebrate26 celebration20 ci145 circling5 comprehend52 comprehensible100 comprehension250 customized2 edmodo3 Education20 fluency107 fluent57 free writing37 immerse2 immersion93 improve19 input47 languages13 listen283 listening52 Martina Bex11 online38 personalized16 PQA8 proficiency12 proficient9 progress101 reading252 ressources40 share17 Skype6 story46 storyasking15 storytelling39 success17 successful2 teaching42 understand67 understanding22

How to build up to a story in French?

My online learners are acquiring French at a fast and steady pace and it is amazing to watch them progress naturally. Unlike last school year when I was trying to use TPRS along with my other resources, I have decided to give it a full go following each of the three steps…

[read more…]

acquiring18 acquisition65 brain61 build up1 building4 ci145 comprehensible100 comprehension250 Education20 French41 frequent38 high frequency217 high interest7 improve19 input47 language45 logical2 meaningful15 mother4 motivate151 motivation201 natural165 naturally5 parent1 personal13 personalized16 progress101 putting it together1 script201 second language44 story46 story asking15 story script6 storytelling39 tpr19 TPRS71 unconscious3 unconsciously3

French story and poem: un amour qui finit mal !

My French students are now learning the passé composé in class and I am looking for ways to help them acquire this new tense without doing the traditional grammar approach.

The first text which came to my mind was Le déjeuner du matin which is actually a poem widely taught in French classes because the language is quite simple and repetitive.

[read more…]

acquisition65 breakfast13 comprehensible100 comprehension250 cultural10 culture246 déjeuner du matin1 Education20 food154 French41 guidelines2 literature92 love81 Martina Bex11 meal10 miming1 MovieTalk14 passé-composé227 perfect tense4 poem71 poet16 Prévert4 questions74 reading252 repetition42 script201 story46 storytelling39 target language12 target structure20 teacherspayteachers11 TPRS71 youtube67

Personalized questions in French: l’étoile du jour.

This morning, I was reading the Active learner blog post about “Café y conversación” and it inspired me to share about an authentic conversation I had last week with my French students. As mentioned in the post: “When we have authentic conversation about topics that students want to talk about,

[read more…]

acquisition65 answers24 authentic168 beginner318 Blogging1 compelling39 comprehensible100 comprehension250 conditional13 Education20 French41 if clauses1 IGCSE12 oral12 output44 personalized16 PQA8 practice33 questions74 repetition42 repetitive22 speaking73 story46

How to develop fluency for an oral examination?

The speaking examination for the IGCSEs can be a stressful experience for our students as they are having to speak in the target language for 15 minutes and they are being recorded. It is therefore best to practice this experience often during class time. In the past I have used Audioboo so that my students could practice and review the general questions (which are a series of linked questions on two or three topics which students have covered in grade 9 and 10).

[read more…]

acquisition65 answers24 convey1 develop2 Education20 exam4 examination5 fluency107 fluent57 GCSE1 grade 108 grade 98 IGCSE12 information7 list4 oral12 personal13 personalized16 PQA8 practice33 questions74 set2 Spanish33 speaking73 speaking skills8 teacherspayteachers11 tenses2 TPRS71

Reading activity for French learners (beginner level).

Yeah!!! I am back to blogging! I had a very good excuse though for not posting for such a while: I had my fourth boy on the 24th of September. His name is Antoine and he is a lovely baby boy doing well 🙂

Whilst recovering from the birth and taking care of my precious little boy,

[read more…]

acquisition65 beginner318 blog7 Blogging1 ci145 comprehensible100 comprehension250 confidence92 confident8 content6 creative13 Education20 engaging10 French41 grammar66 input47 key structures8 languages13 Martina Bex11 meaning17 meaningful15 parallel story3 practice33 prepare6 printable1 reading252 story46 storytelling39 teacherspayteachers11 TPRS71 vocabulary256 worksheet2 writing55

Resources for English learners: shopping and the issue of being a shopaholic.

Last week, I was writing about my new “job” which is to teach online private lessons to Spanish students who want to improve their English. (via Google hangout or Skype). For now, it is going very well and I am receiving positive feedback from my students which is always good!

[read more…]

acquisition65 activity13 answers24 article46 communicate9 communication10 communicative7 compelling39 comprehend52 comprehensible100 comprehension250 conversation311 culture246 debate11 edmodo3 Education20 esl2 fluency107 input47 interesting23 language45 learner217 learning15 meaning17 meaningful15 personal13 personalized16 practise2 questions74 reading252 teacherspayteachers11 theme3 topic24