The French legend meant for today (we didn’t plan it!)

Dear French Story Listeners,

I have a little confession. This week’s story has been sitting quietly in our files for a while… we simply forgot to publish it.

And yet, here it is, arriving today, November 2nd, le jour des Morts, the day after la Toussaint.

[read more…]

ActiveAging7 BrainHealth5 charlottemason130 comprehensibleinput303 ForeignLanguageHomeschool1 FrenchBookClub17 frenchcommunity267 frenchculture301 FrenchFolklore2 FrenchForBeginners15 FrenchLegend2 FrenchListening7 FrenchNaturally1 frenchstories17 homeschool108 homeschoolfrench46 jourdesmorts2 learnfrench41 LearningAfter502 lefrançaisnaturellement94 LifelongLearning15 narration126 NeverTooLateToLearn8 RetirementGoals6 SeniorLearners4 toussaint5

Have you ever tasted a chouquette?

Dear French Story Listeners,

Last week I told you about Vladimir, and how we are building his spoken French one small step at a time with the progymnasmata.

We started with a simple fable and kept going from there.

Nothing rushed and nothing forced.

[read more…]

ActiveAging7 AdultLanguageLearning3 ApprendreLeFrançais9 Béarn1 boulangerie7 charlottemason130 Chouquettes1 CommonplaceBook2 comprehensibleinput303 FrenchBakery1 FrenchImmersion20 FrenchLanguage10 frenchlearning8 FrenchLifestyle1 FrenchListening7 FrenchPastry2 frenchstories17 frenchstory8 FrenchVocabulary4 homeschool108 homeschoolfrench46 HomeschoolLanguages3 ImmersionWeekend1 learnfrench41 LearningAtAnyAge4 LeVoleurDeChouquettes1 LifelongLearning15 LivingBooks8 narration126 NeverTooLate9 Over501 pau20 PauFrance6 RetirementGoals6 SeniorLearners4 SlowTravel1 storylistening194 TravelFrance1

The 3-minute French habit that works while you rest

Dear French Story Listeners,

Before you read on, take a breath with me. Shoulders down. A cup of coffee or tea nearby, if you have one. ☕

This week I want to remind you that you don’t learn French by pushing.

You learn it by showing up gently,

[read more…]

AliceAyelFrench15 charlottemason130 comprehensibleinput303 FrenchForBeginners15 FrenchImmersion20 FrenchLanguage10 FrenchStoryListeners9 homeschoolfrench46 learnfrench41 LearningFrenchAt501 pau20 PauFrance6 pyrenees6 SlowTravelFrance1 storylistening194

“Put It Away”: Freshened Wits for Your French Journey

Dear French Story Listeners,

Have you ever noticed that around the fifteen-minute mark of anything — a lesson, a podcast, a task you’re not thrilled about — your mind quietly starts to wander?

You’re not doing it wrong. Your brain is just doing what brains do.

[read more…]

ApprendreLeFrançais9 BrainHealth5 charlottemason130 CMEducation1 comprehensibleinput303 EaseIntoFrench7 FrenchForAdults8 FrenchForSeniors13 FrenchImmersion20 FrenchLearningJourney1 FrenchPractice1 FrenchWithoutGrammarDrills1 homeschoolfrench46 HomeschoolLanguage5 HomeschoolLife3 HomeschoolMom3 InputBasedLearning1 KeepYourBrainYoung1 learnfrench41 LearnFrenchOnline19 LifelongLearning15 LivingBooks8 NaturalLanguageAcquisition3 NeverTooLateToLearn8 RetirementGoals6 SmallStepsBigProgress1 storylistening194

Your Memory Is Not Fading — It Is Filtering

Dear French Story Listeners,

Let me ask you something.

Have you ever walked into a room and completely forgotten why you went in? Set your glasses down and spent ten minutes looking for them?

These little moments can feel alarming, but they are in fact completely normal,

[read more…]

ActiveAging7 AgingWell1 aliceayel75 BrainHealth5 charlottemason130 comprehensibleinput303 FrenchForBeginners15 FrenchForSeniors13 FrenchLanguage10 frenchlearner61 frenchvideo3 FrenchYouTube2 HistoiresEnFrançais2 homeschoolfrench46 homeschooling113 HomeschoolLanguage5 languagelearning16 LanguageLearningOver502 LearnAtAnyAge6 learnfrench41 LearnFrenchNaturally6 lefrançaisavecaliceayel87 LivingBooks8 MemoryTips1 NaturalLearning2 NeverTooLate9 Over60Learning2 storylistening194

The Secret Ingredient That Makes French Actually Stick

Dear French Story Listeners,

Here’s something I want you to sit with for a moment:

You don’t acquire a language by studying it.

Léandre et Héro – Jean-Joseph Taillasson (1745-1809) You acquire it by living inside it, even briefly,

[read more…]

ActiveAging7 charlottemason130 charlottemasoneducation4 ClassicalEducation2 comprehensibleinput303 frenchculture301 frenchstory8 FrenchTeacher4 GreekMythology2 HomeschoolEducation1 homeschoolfrench46 homeschooling113 HomeschoolLanguage5 HomeschoolMom3 LearningAtAnyAge4 LifelongLearning15 LivingBooks8 LivingStory1 LovingBooks1 NaturalAcquisition1 NaturalLearning2 NeverTooLate9 Over50Learning4 Over601 RetirementGoals6 SeniorLearning4 storytime12

Understanding Is the Key, The Moment a Word Becomes Yours

Dear French Story Listeners,

There’s a little secret hiding inside the French language, and once you see it, you’ll never think about learning the same way again.

The French word for “to learn” is apprendre. The French word for “to understand” is comprendre.

[read more…]

aliceayel75 ApprendreLeFrançais9 charlottemason130 comprehensibleinput303 FrenchForAdults8 FrenchLanguage10 frenchlearning8 frenchstories17 FrenchTeacher4 FrenchYouTube2 GreekMythology2 HomeschoolLanguage5 languageacquisition54 languagelearning16 learnfrench41 LearnFrenchOnline19 LearningAtAnyAge4 LifelongLearning15 ListenAndLearn5 NaturalLanguageLearning2 NeverTooLate9 Over50Learning4 pygmalion2 RetirementGoals6 storylistening194