French the natural way: la Toussaint

Coucou les French learners,

This week was special in France. Not because of Halloween, but because of La Toussaint which literally means All Saints Day. France being traditionally and historically a Catholic country, the French celebrate all the saints, known and unknown. In the Western Christian practice,

[read more…]

agir en français1 all saints day3 apprendslefrançais91 article46 auvergne4 catholic12 celebrate26 celebration20 celebrities5 cemetery2 children book18 children story15 christian33 ci145 cimetière2 compelling39 day of the dead4 dead5 death18 familylife12 frenchculture295 frenchfamily6 frenchvocabulaire113 funeral2 halloween6 horror1 interactive quiz27 learnfrench20 lefrançaisnaturellement92 massif central2 natural approach59 paris69 père lachaise1 personal13 petit ours brun1 pureci43 quiz18 quizlet9 reading252 religion48 scary25 sla123 special occasion1 spooky16 story listening19 story reading3 storytelling39 tics fle1 toussaint4 vocabulary256

French the natural way: how to find comprehensible input?

Coucou les French learners,

I am so lucky indeed to be teaching amazing learners from all over the world! Check out my website’s map to find out where my learners come from.

My French learners are amazing because they understand the power of getting input consistently and over time.

[read more…]

acquisition process41 active listener94 anne-marie chapouton1 apprendslefrançais91 automne7 autumn9 bike3 Canada24 canadian series1 ci145 compelling39 compelling input31 compelling input productions1 comprehensible input36 contes4 deliver1 delivery3 dual language book1 Facebook4 fall17 film41 flashcards8 fle269 focus on meaning26 french film5 french learner6 french love6 french poem8 french poet14 french poetry6 frenchstorytime26 frenchvocabulaire113 fun story10 funny256 input47 language acquisition229 learnfrench20 lefrançaisnaturellement92 listening52 livraison1 natural approach59 package3 paquet1 parcel1 paris69 pierre gripari2 poem71 poème43 poésie40 poète4 poetry49 quartier latin1 québec19 quizlet9 rich content105 rue mouffetard1 self french205 slow pace126 story listening19 TCI74 teachfrench12 television5 TPRS71 tv5 vélo2 vocabulary256 weekly french33 weekly videos55 world map1 youtube67

French the natural way: tips to start reading

Coucou les French learners,

I have just finished reading such an impactful post about language acquisition. Jody Noble, who is a fanstastic language teacher has been discussing the myth around language practice.

Courtesy of Compelling Input Productions

She writes: “Why do people continue to believe that PRACTICE is the key?

[read more…]

apprendslefrançais91 articles2 autonomous reader42 books14 brain61 chapter book9 children28 children book18 children story15 ci145 compelling39 consistency136 consistent137 easy reader35 effortless9 engage150 exciting3 fle269 fluency matters1 focus on meaning26 free voluntary reading32 french article19 french in one minute2 french learner6 french love6 fvr53 language acquisition229 language learner6 lefrançaisnaturellement92 lisenfrançais182 Martina Bex11 meaning17 online french22 read40 readers9 reading252 reading in french1 repetition42 repetitive22 self confidence54 self confident37 self french205 story reading3 stress free1 TCI74 the CI bookshop2 TPRS71 weekly french33

French the natural way: two cultural aspects of a story

Coucou les French learners,

Culture is intrinsically tied to a language. That is why my motto is a Czech proverb “Learn a new language and get a new soul“.

According to Benjamin Lee Whorf and his theory of linguistic relativity,

[read more…]

1jour1actu1 apprendslefrançais91 bear11 brown bear1 cheveux1 ci145 coiffeur1 coiffure1 compelling39 comprehensible100 culture246 fle269 fluent in French7 France221 french resources6 frencharticle6 frenchculture295 frenchinput18 frenchstorytime26 frenchvocabulaire113 hair8 haircut7 hairdresser8 learnfrench20 lefrançaisnaturellement92 lexiophiles1 natural approach59 one minute2 ours brun1 pyrenees5 readinginfrench4 storylistening142 TCI74 teachfrench12 TPRS71 travel60 vocabulary256 voyage45 weekly french33 youtube67

French the natural way: la fête du cinéma

Coucou les French learners,

We, the French like to celebrate!!!

Two weeks ago we celebrated music and last week it was the movies turn with la fête du cinéma. It lasted for four days from Sunday to Wednesday and the idea is to promote cinema and theaters.

[read more…]

beginner318 biobic1 biography40 ci145 cinema35 claude françois1 cloclo1 comedy11 compelling39 compelling input31 comprehensible100 comprehension250 determination4 drama28 fairy tale8 fle269 french acquisition12 french comedy5 french films1 french input13 french music4 french musical1 french songs6 hard work3 kamini1 karin viard1 learnfrench20 louane2 movies2 moving3 musical1 natural165 natural approach59 natural way9 peau d'ane2 real life38 story listening19 success17 successful2 teachfrench12 TPRS71 trailer2 true story20 video350 watch52 watching3 youtube67 youtube channel52

French the natural way: attitude is key

“ La joie s’acquiert. Elle est une attitude de courage. Etre joyeux n’est pas une facilité, c’est une volonté. ” Gaston Courtois.
“Joy is something you acquire. It is an attitude of courage. To be joyful is not a competence, it is a will.”

[read more…]

acquisition process41 article46 attitude3 behaviour1 Cannes2 Cannes festival3 Chair de Poule1 Chef's table1 ci145 compelling39 comprehend52 comprehensible100 comprehension250 culture246 film41 film festival3 french input13 friends53 friendship63 fun413 fun story10 hilarious1 hobby5 ilini2 joy27 joyful4 language learning9 learnfrench20 listen283 Mary Glasgow6 may challenge7 natural approach59 netflix2 palme d'or1 politics4 positive3 reading252 real life video2 report5 resources online3 story script6 subtitles5 suprises1 teachfrench12 TPRS71 understandfrench35 weekly videos55 youtube67

French the natural way: Read!

“The path of pleasure is the only path. The path of pain does not work in language acquisition.” Stephen Krashen.

How is the May Challenge going?

One of my learners loves to read and she wants to read interesting books in French.

[read more…]

achieve18 achievement29 adventures24 autonomous reader42 bedtime stories2 challenge22 children book18 children magazine2 children story15 ci145 compelling input31 comprehensible100 comprehension250 drawings3 easy300 easy reader35 Education20 enjoy48 free voluntary reading32 french books2 may challenge7 natural approach59 natural way9 novel51 pleasurable2 pleasurable activity5 pleasure124 polo3 read40 reading252 self confidence54 self confident37 self selected book12 series71 story reading3 TPRS71 weekly french33 weekly videos55