Learn French the natural way: the ball is in your court

Coucou les French learners,

The title of this newsletter “the ball is in your court” is also a French expression: la balle est dans ton camp. And today, I thought I would change from politics and culture and I would talk to you about sport!

[read more…]

acquire50 acquisition65 article46 beginner french28 blog post2 blue sky1 body parts11 ci145 clay1 compelling input31 competition6 comprehensible100 Eurosport1 flashcards8 fle269 fluency107 fluent in French7 french commentator1 french expression1 French tournament1 Linternaute1 listening52 may challenge7 memorize11 natural approach59 quizlet9 reading252 review26 reviewing5 Roland-Garros1 sport9 sporting event1 sports7 sports commentators1 spring12 stadium1 story listening19 sun5 sunburn1 tennis3 TPRS71 vocabulary256 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…]

acquirefrench76 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 youtube67

French the natural way: how to access input?

Coucou les French learners,

I have just finished reading this fascinating article by Steve Kaufmann on how learning a new language is a subconscious process. Basically, the author explains how he learned Romanian by first reading a lot about Romania in Romanian! He says: “

[read more…]

acquisition process41 Cannes2 Cannes festival3 challenge22 ci145 cinema35 compelling39 comprehensible100 cultural10 culture246 engage150 engaging10 enjoy48 enjoyable39 film41 film festival3 films2 french actor2 french film5 french joke1 french online15 ilini2 listening52 may challenge7 natural165 natural approach59 natural way9 online tutoring6 opening ceremony1 pleasurable activity5 processing input2 reading252 story46 subconscious5 subtitles5 teenager story1 TPRS71 youtube67 youtube channel52

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 acquirefrench76 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

French the natural way with the one essential ingredient: comprehensible input

Coucou les French learners,

today I want to share with you my own experience with teaching and learning another language and why facilitating French input which is comprehensible is so dear to my heart.

My personal story and why I teach French the natural way

I have always loved grammar.

[read more…]

acquirefrench76 acquisition process41 advanced french93 article46 beginner french28 ci145 compelling input31 comprehensible input36 doctor8 experience15 french input13 french videos6 health5 hiccups1 illness9 input47 input hypothesis3 intermediate707 language acquisition229 language learning9 language teaching5 learnfrench20 natural approach59 newsletter5 personal story2 remedies1 santé2 Spanish33 Stephen Krashen11 story46 story asking15 story building8 story listening19 TPRS71 understand67 understanding22 video350 weekly input15 youtube67

Let it flow!

I have been busy in good way lately. I am now offering French online tutoring on Verbling and I get to meet new learners from all around the world with different needs. It has been a steep learning curve for me to try to facilitate comprehensible input at different levels and needs but it has also been a great source of joy and accomplishment.

[read more…]

acquire50 acquisition65 acquisition process41 approach38 brain break6 compelling39 comprehensible100 comprehensible input36 Education20 flow9 flowing2 French41 french videos6 input47 inspiration4 invisibles2 language45 listen283 listening52 motivation201 natural approach59 natural way9 online language session16 online learning15 online tutoring6 personal13 processing input2 resource102 ressources40 Spanish33 stories40 story asking15 story listening19 TPRS71 tutor3 tutoring2 verbling6 videos24 youtube67