French the natural way: Listen!

Coucou les French learners,

Feel energized!

this week I got one of the best compliments from one of my online beginner learner. We had a productive one hour session. It was fun because we created a whole story together from scratch with many details.

[read more…]

acquirefrench76 acquiring18 acquisition65 acquisition process41 active listener94 beginner french28 boost184 ci145 compelling39 compelling input31 comprehend52 comprehensible input36 empower3 energy2 free time7 french activities1 french hobbies1 french input13 french online15 french video2 home practice3 intermediate707 keep motivated23 language acquisition229 listen283 listening52 listeningfirst20 love81 love story28 motivate151 motivation201 natural approach59 story asking15 story building8 storylistening142 support4 TPRS71 transcript5 upper intermediate414 visual5

French the natural way: table manners

Coucou,

here is your weekly dose of French comprehensible and compelling input to acquire the language naturally.

My boys including my 11 years old love to hear a good story before going to bed. In fact, they need their bedtime story, it is part of the daily routine and even if they have heard the same story for the hundredth time,

[read more…]

acquirefrench76 acquisition process41 advanced french93 article46 beginner french28 Education20 etiquette2 french input13 french stories5 french videos6 frenchculture295 frenchonline68 home practice3 intermediate707 manners4 meals7 natural approach59 natural way9 parallel story3 reading252 stories40 story asking15 story building8 story listening19 story script6 storytelling39 table7 taskmagic2 upper intermediate414 video350 weekly input15 youtube channel52

Story listening is powerful!

To me, developing listening skills are vital in life, yet not practiced enough. As teachers, we are told to let students learn by doing (which is valuable too in some cases) and that classrooms should be students led. As a consequence the skill of listening is being put aside,

[read more…]

acquire50 acquisition65 brain61 Canada24 ci145 comprehend52 comprehensible100 comprehension250 content6 culture246 demo5 Education20 engage150 Facebook4 film41 focus36 free13 French41 ghost12 group4 intent3 language45 learn10 learner217 legend78 liberate1 liberating1 listen283 listening52 message4 mind3 powerful6 skill4 skills26 story46 story listening19 technique3 tool8 TPRS71 unconscious3 unconsciously3 understand67 understanding22 useful7 valuable1 video350 vocabulary256

How to improve attention by breathing consciously?

Conscious breathing exercises are a big part of yoga and I must admit that at first they were not my favorite part. I started doing yoga because I wanted to get back in shape after giving birth to my third child and I wanted to exercise.

[read more…]

acquisition65 alternate1 anxiety2 balance3 benefit3 body20 brain61 brain break6 break6 breathe17 breathing18 calm6 center3 cleanse1 cleansing1 concentrate10 concentration10 coordination1 destress5 Education20 exercise4 focus36 head1 health5 healthy5 heart1 help10 helpful5 homepractice2 language45 learnboost2 learner217 lungs1 motor skills1 nostril1 performance2 release10 releasing9 stress7 stressfree43 technique3 video350 yoga12 yogaevrydamnday2 yogaforstrength4 yogalove5 yogapose2 yogawithadriene5 yogaworks3 youtube67

How can a children’s book be for everyone?

I am always on the look for interesting funny stories and at the same time stories which are comprehensible to my learners. A few months ago when I was busy breastfeeding, I was reading the TPRS bible “Fluency through TPR storytelling” by Blaine Ray and Contee Steel and one chapter entitled “Kindergarten Day”

[read more…]

acquiring18 acquisition65 activities5 animal sounds1 animals97 bedtime3 children28 ci145 circle3 circling5 comprehensible100 comprehension250 connection105 engaging10 exercises1 fun413 funny256 high frequency217 home practice3 input47 interesting23 kindergarten day1 listening52 own pace2 parallel story3 present tense435 reading252 repetition42 repetitive22 story46 storytelling39 teacherspayteachers11 TPRS71 verb forms3 video350 vocabulary256

Total Physical Response in online teaching

It is amazing how time is flying and I have realized that it has been way over a month that I have written a new post! As it happened, I have been busy teaching students online face to face. It is a truly exciting time for me because I am experiencing teaching in another way than in a set classroom and because I help learners acquire different languages (French,

[read more…]

acquistion1 beginner318 ci145 commands12 compelling39 comprehensible100 comprehension250 demo5 Education20 engaging10 face to face1 flashcards8 French41 fun413 input47 inspiring7 interaction47 intsructions1 listening52 memorize11 one to one1 online38 own pace2 physical response6 quizlet9 responding1 scenario1 Skype6 storytelling39 tpr19 TPRS71 understanding22 video350 vocabulary256 webcam1 youtube67

The many benefits of online teaching

I must confess that since teaching students via Skype or Google hangout, I am having a lot of fun! I have also noticed the many benefits of online instruction.

First of all, the learner is in the comfort of his home which helps lowering the affective filter.

[read more…]

acquiring18 acquisition65 advantages7 affective3 affirming1 article46 benefits5 comprehensible100 conversation311 edmodo3 Education20 filter4 flexible2 google hangout1 hearing1 high fraquency1 input47 intensive147 interest10 listening52 news2 online38 personalized16 productive9 relaxed21 repetition42 ressources40 risk-taking8 safe1 Skype6 structure10 teaching42 technology8 video350