Coucou les French learners,
On Monday, I had an interesting conversation on YouTube which made me think (and also cringe a bit!):
– No discounts to help French learners this year?
– No, not at the moment. Our program is best value for money and there are lots of free resources available on our site.
– You are right I should focus on free resources. I completed most of your free stuff a while back. I find it good to get started for beginner. […] Probably will use the money saved and try netflix french shows instead, it is only $7 at cheapest plan. Thanks.
I have shortened what this French learner wrote but you can read his full comment with mentions of other useful free resources here. And you also get to watch my last published video on YouTube about humor!
What made me cringe was his last sentence about Netflix. Whilst Netflix can be a rich and compelling source of French input, I believe it should be your ultimate objective in your French journey.
I thought about it and I’d like to share why it is best to start with our membership to then be able to watch Netflix programs with no fustration!
Comprehensible French
While Netflix provides entertainment, our membership offers curated content specifically designed for French acquisition. The materials are structured to facilitate acquisition.
Your primary focus is on understanding comprehensible stories. Our membership emphasizes story-listening as a primary means of delivering comprehensible input. Stories are crafted with simplified language, contextual cues, and repetitive structures, helping you understand French without getting overwhelmed.
Our stories gradually increases in complexity, allowing you to progress from simpler narratives to more challenging ones. This gradual exposure aligns with Dr Krashen’s idea that language acquisition occurs when learners are presented with slightly more complex input than their current level.
Netflix lacks the deliberate repetition, gradual increase in complexity, and scaffolding necessary for effective language acquisition. Many shows or movies on Netflix use complex language, idiomatic expressions, slang, or dialogue that’s too rapid for beginners or intermediate learners to understand. This complexity can overwhelm you rather than support your comprehension.
Engaging Content
I know what you think: Netflix is highly engaging!
True. Netflix shows cover a wide array of engaging topics but if you don’t understand what you are watching, what’s the point? Yes, you can turn on subtitles but turning them on into your native language, won’t help you to understand French.
Unlike Netflix, where subtitles and dubs can be turned on or off, our membership emphasizes language immersion. The materials are primarily in French, creating an immersive environment crucial for acquisition.
Our stories are designed to captivate your interest while maintaining simplicity in language use. By presenting compelling narratives, we encourage you to engage with the material repeatedly, promoting language acquisition through enjoyable and comprehensible input.
Our self paced online stages are designed to provide a comprehensive French experience. They include videos, texts, and audio, with a deliberate focus on understanding French with no effort.
Support and guidance
Netflix primarily serves as an entertainment platform, while our membership is dedicated to language acquisition. We offer support and guidance via our Community Chat where our members can interact and ask us questions. We always respond and encourage you to keep up!
Our members also meet online weekly to read stories together and to practice speaking French naturally in a supportive environment.
This week, our community met online to read and talk about Le pigeon, an amusing story in Paris with Marie and her dog Médor. Click here to read and listen to it for free!
Our different stages offer structured progression and come with guidance or suggestions on how to advance effectively. We offer supportive tools like French subtitles, transcripts, and audio recordings aligned with the stories. These tools reinforce comprehension by providing visual and auditory aids, supporting Krashen’s belief that comprehensible input requires context and multiple modalities.
While Netflix is an entertainment powerhouse, we provide a focused, comprehensive, and immersive French experience. Your aim is to understand French with no effort, step by step.
There are excellent shows to watch on Netflix… But that’s your end goal!
Noemia shared on Trustpilot:
I am finding these videos and the audio from Alice absolutely incredible. With excellent explanation and didatics I am sure I can not only understand but also learning the history of France in more detail and in an attractive way. First class.
What are you waiting for? Join us now and make real progress in French! You will gain:
CLARITY: progress step by step through stages and make French become clear to you.
COMMUNITY: meet weekly and keep yourself accountable through the most caring and invested community.
TRANSFORMATION: feel empowered. Be fluent in French. Transform yourself and get a new soul.
P.S. Got friends, family, colleagues and clients who want to become fluent in French? Share this with them, they’ll thank you for it!
P.P.S. Do you need more? There are still very few spots available to join me and my premium coaching programm. You will have direct 1-1 contact with me. Click here to schedule a Zoom meeting to talk about your needs!